This is a regular column featuring original poetry and fiction by and for teens, provided by Figment.com, an online community writing site for young people.
I heard people speaking, very seriously, as I was constantly coming and going to and from that dark land called “unconsciousness”. I saw an elderly woman, I had no idea who, wearing a black felt hat, gently placed on top of her white-blonde hair, and solid brown dress, looking very conservative, which reached down to her pale ankles. She had a pleasant smile on her face, and was laughing so sweetly.
There were other things as well, like the soft purr of a kitten, and the sound of a loud, thunderous sea of clapping. More than those things, though, there was one thing that reverberated throughout my entire mind, soul, and heart. It filled my entire being. It was the sound of a young man, again someone I did not know, but felt I should have known, sobbing. “I love you,” he gasped out, as I heard him return to his weeping.
But now I was gaining consciousness again. It felt different this time, more solid, more constant. As I regained awareness of my surroundings, I began to look around. I was lying in a white, hospital bed, in a white hospital room. There were three chairs sitting in a row along the wall at the foot of the bed. And there sat the elderly lady. She must have heard me stirring, because the moment I looked at her, she rushed out of the room, returning quickly with a nurse in a lab coat, which was, like everything else in this hospital, blindingly white.
The nurse began to check my various IVs, and then turned to me. She asked me, pointing at the elderly woman, “Who is this?” “I don’t know,” I replied truthfully. At this, the elderly woman, who was now dressed in a white dress, every bit as conservative as the brown dress, started. She looked shocked, fearful, and mournful all at once. I felt a pang of sympathy for her.
The nurse wrote this down on a clipboard that had been lying on a table near the side of my bed. “Alright,” she said, “What is your name? How old are you? Where do you live?” By now, I was quite terrified. Why was she asking me these things? Was I supposed to know “Conservative”? What had happened to me? I was gradually starting to feel a throbbing pain throughout my entire body. I felt like I had bee slammed against a wall.
“I don’t know,” I whispered as sobs began to wrack my body. Just then, a young man, looking very forlorn, entered the room, carrying with him two salads, one with tomatoes, and one without. As soon as he saw that I was awake, his expression lit up. He nearly ran to the side of the bed, shoving the salads onto the table, and fell to his knees.
“You’re awake!” he exclaimed joyously. I began to inch my way toward the other end side of the bed, feeling very nervous and unsure of myself. Was I supposed to know him? Alarmed, he looked up at “Conservative” questioningly. She met his gaze looking quite dejected.
And then, she gave my diagnosis: ”She has no idea who we are.”
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.