Blue Screen

Chapter 76 - Blue Screen

Nancy pushed through the hospital's main doors and hurried toward the reception desk, her breathing still uneven from the rush. She had driven faster than she normally would, barely ing the journey from the moment the police officer had told her that Mike was in the hospital. Now that she was finally there, the fear she had been trying to control came rushing back.

“I'm looking for Mike,” she said, placing both hands on the reception desk. “He was brought in earlier. He has a head injury.”

The receptionist quickly searched the computer. After a few seconds, she looked up and pointed toward the corridor. “He's been moved to the ICU. Take the elevator to the third floor, then follow the signs.”

Nancy nodded and immediately turned away. She reached the elevator and saw the doors closing, but instead of waiting for the next one, she spotted the stairwell and pushed through the door. She climbed the stairs quickly, taking them two at a time. By the time she reached the third floor, she was breathing hard, but she barely noticed. All she could think about was Mike.

She hurried down the corridor until she reached the glass doors marked ICU. A doctor in a white coat stepped out at almost the same moment. Nancy stopped in front of him, still trying to catch her breath.

“Mike,” she said. “I'm here for Mike. How is he? Is he all right? What happened to his head?”

The police officer who had called her earlier was standing nearby. He stepped toward her and raised a hand.

“Please, calm down. He's being treated.”

Nancy looked between him and the doctor. “But is he okay?”

The doctor nodded. “He's stable. His injuries aren't as serious as we first thought. He has a head wound and a concussion, but there doesn't appear to be any major damage. We've treated the wound and we're keeping him under observation.”

Nancy's shoulders dropped slightly, but the fear in her eyes remained.

“Can I see him?”

The doctor looked at her for a moment. “First, who are you?”

Nancy answered without hesitation. “I'm Mike's aunt.”

The doctor's expression softened. “All right. He's lucky. He should recover, but we want to keep him here for observation.”

Before Nancy could ask another question, a nurse hurried out through the ICU doors.

“Doctor, the patient is awake.”

Nancy immediately turned toward the doors.

“Mike?”

The nurse nodded. “He's conscious.”

Nancy didn't wait for permission. She pushed through the doors and hurried into the room.

Mike was lying on the hospital bed with a bandage wrapped around the side of his head. An IV line ran into his arm, and several wires were attached to his chest. His eyes were open, but he looked exhausted. For a moment, Nancy simply stood there, staring at him.

Then she rushed to his bedside.

“What happened to you?” she asked, leaning over him. “Are you all right? Does your head hurt?”

Mike slowly turned his eyes toward her. His expression changed when he recognized her.

“Aunt Nancy?”

His voice was rough and weak. “Why are you here?”

Nancy stared at him in disbelief. “Why am I here? The police called me and told me you were lying in a hospital bed with your head covered in bandages. What was I supposed to do?”

Mike tried to move, but the pain made him stop. “You shouldn't have come.”

Nancy frowned. “Don't start with that.”

“You'll get in trouble if anyone finds out.”

She lightly smacked his shoulder with the back of her hand. “Shut up. Do you really think I'm worried about that right now?”

Mike gave a weak smile, but the expression quickly disappeared as he winced.

Nancy's face changed immediately. She leaned closer and carefully wrapped her arms around him, making sure not to touch his injured head or the IV line.

For a few seconds, Mike didn't say anything. He simply rested against her while she held him.

The doctor entered the room a moment later and walked toward the bed. He checked Mike's pupils with a small light, examined the bandage on his head, and looked at the monitor before checking the IV.

“Any dizziness?” he asked.

“A little,” Mike answered.

“Headache?”

“Yes.”

“That's expected. You've had a pretty hard impact.”

The doctor finished his examination and straightened. “The good news is that there is no sign of a serious internal injury. We'll keep you here for observation, but if everything continues normally, you should be able to go home in about ten days.”

Mike nodded slowly.

The police officer stepped closer to the bed. “You gave us a lot of trouble today.”

Mike looked at him.

The officer gave him a small smile. “But don't worry. Sam and Danny are in custody. They'll be facing serious charges.”

Mike's expression became more serious.

“And Eve?”

“She’s safe,” the officer said. “She's already been taken care of, and she gave us her statement. You did the right thing when you stepped in.”

Mike let out a quiet breath of relief. “Thank god.”

The officer nodded before stepping back. “Get some rest. We'll handle the rest of the investigation.”

The doctor and the officer moved toward the door, leaving Nancy beside the bed. The room became quieter after they left, with only the soft beeping of the monitor filling the silence.

Nancy pulled a chair closer and sat beside Mike.

“You're going to tell me everything,” she said quietly. “But not right now. You need to rest.”

Mike looked at her for a moment before closing his eyes.

Then, just as the room began to settle into silence, something strange happened.

A faint blue light appeared in front of Mike's closed eyes.

His eyes opened immediately.

The blue screen was back.

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