1 One step at a time

The first thing that could really be heard was an unpleasant pain. Especially from my spine and also my shoulder blades a pain radiated, dully holding again with every heartbeat.

It didn't feel like my whole body was going numb. Rather, it seems like it was sore. It just hurt that pressure was being applied to it, while oddly enough, the soles of my feet in particular, as well as my calves, tightened uncomfortably when I moved even a little. Not to mention the rest of my body.

Therefore, it was an incredibly big overcoming for me that I now tried to open my eyelids.

Since it seemed to be generally quite bright, I could see even with my eyes closed. However, it was unbelievably unpleasant in the first minutes, which is why I only now tried to open my eyes at all.

To say that my eyelids seemed to be made of lead was an understatement for the first time.

I was already willing to give up, but in the end my defiance won out, so I opened them a little. In the same moment however immediately again to fall let.

It was incredibly unpleasant.

Much too bright, as that I could overcome myself to open it again.

However, this attempt alone cost me an incredible amount of energy, which is why I wanted to rest for a moment. In doing so, however, I became all the more aware of the droning throbbing in my temple, which was like the constant pounding of a hammer on my head.

In fact, I had never felt such pain before, so I couldn't even explain to myself how I got into this position.

Did I have an accident?

Did I fall ill?

Did I catch a particularly bad flu?

I tried to open my mouth, but I immediately felt how cracked and dry it was.

It hurt unbelievably to move my muscles and actually tasted at the same moment also a well-known salty-metallic taste.

Was I bleeding?

I tried to lick my lips once, but I succeeded more badly than well.

How long did I have to sleep to be in this condition?

The question was reason enough, so I tried again to open my eyes.

Slowly I got used to my bright surroundings, so I didn't want to turn away from the light immediately when I could open my eyes a second time.

I also forced myself to open them even wider than I was tempted to close my heavy eyes again.

I was rewarded at the same moment, as I could now awaken a velvety soft fabric. At least the deep red in front of me seemed tempting, which made me want to stroke it.

It would invite to want to know if it not only looked so pleasant and soft, but also felt the same.

Without really noticing it, I even tried to put it into practice. I had also only realized this when my hand plumply fell on the sheet at my side, without having reached anywhere near its goal. I had no strength in my limbs.

At first I thought that it was only due to fatigue and my disorientation, but I actually seemed to be unable to move.

Immediately I was overcome with sheer panic, so I tried to remember what I had done last. However, it was like a fog through which I first had to penetrate. It was confusing and no thought was really clear.

Who was I?

What am I doing here?

At the same time, I tried to get some clues from the room, but nothing seemed familiar.

Was this my room?

If it was, I should remember it, right?

My uncertainty and worry increased more and more, so I tried to stand up. However, I couldn't even stand up, let alone get out of bed.

Again I tried, but to no avail.

"One step at a time."

I muttered to myself and first tried to shift my weight so that I could lie on my side.

In fact, it works after the fourth attempt. However, it costs me an incredible amount of strength, which is why I would prefer to give up and go back to sleep. The cold sweat, which spread on my aching back and also on the palms of my hands, was incredibly unpleasant.

Ideally, I would even want to take a quick bath before sleeping, however, that would only cost me more nerves, time and energy that I didn't have.

In addition, the original problem that I don't even know where the bathroom is also remains to be resolved.

Firmly I pressed my aching lips together, when I finally made it to the edge of the bed.

At the same moment, however, I was almost gasping for air. I was indeed out of breath, and it was irregular, too. As if I had just gone through the greatest possible physical effort, although I had not even crawled half a meter.

Accordingly, the sudden fall was painful, as I had underestimated the distance to the mattress and now actually leads out of bed.

First, my elbow thundered violently against the hard wooden floor before my shoulder even thundered against my chin and I fell to the floor like a doll.

I could neither cushion the impact, nor prevent it. However, the only thing I could perceive at that moment was sheer pain. My whole body felt like a mere nerve that had been completely overstimulated.

A strangled sound escaped my lips, but I was downright speechless. My breath stopped because no sensation from before equaled this pain.

What was the matter with me?

Why did it hurt so terribly?