Chapter 5: The Ghost in the Sunlight

When I woke up again, I was lying in a hospital bed, tubes everywhere. The world was too bright.

The beeping of machines, the scent of antiseptic, the scratch of a stiff sheet against my skin. I blinked, disoriented, lost.

The first person I saw was Mike. My heart stopped.

He sat in a plastic chair, head in his hands. When he looked up, relief flooded his face. He grinned.

He looked haggard, stubbly, and exhausted. I could tell he’d been there a while.

His eyes were red, like he hadn’t slept in days. He grinned, tears slipping down his cheeks. I almost cried.

Seeing him, I was both surprised and scared. Was I dead? Was this real?

My voice came out a croak. “Mike? You’re alive?”

“You’re supposed to be dead!” My voice was hoarse. “So am I dead, too?”

He laughed, shaking his head. “Nah, man. You’re stuck with me.”

“Hey, don’t say that! You just woke up—don’t talk about death, it’s bad luck!” Mike scolded me, but his eyes were shining with tears. He wiped them away.

He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand, trying to play it cool. I smiled, relief washing over me.

“Do you know how long you’ve been out?” He wiped his eyes. “The doctors said you might never wake up.”

His voice cracked. I reached for his hand, squeezing it tight. I wasn’t alone.

“It’s my fault. I insisted on that stupid trip. If it weren’t for me, none of this would’ve happened…”

He looked away, guilt etched in every line of his face. I shook my head, trying to reassure him. It wasn’t his fault.

As he spoke, the on-duty doctor came to check on me. “Well, finally awake! That’s great!” she said, smiling.

She smiled, clipboard in hand, eyes bright behind her glasses. I tried to sit up.

I blurted out, “Lucas!” The name just came out. My heart raced.

The doctor paused, eyebrow raised. “You know my son?” she asked, surprised.

A man in the doorway paused, then smiled, flashing white teeth. “You remember me!”

Lucas stepped in, grinning. “Welcome back, Eli. You had us worried.” He clapped me on the shoulder.

In the crash, I’d been in the front passenger seat and got hurt the worst—ended up in a coma. I shivered at the memory.

Mike squeezed my hand again. “We thought we lost you, man.” His voice broke.

My friends did everything they could to wake me—even played scary stories in my ear every day, just to try to scare me awake. I laughed, shaking my head.

Mike laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. “We tried everything—music, stories, even that ghost podcast you hate.”

After I woke up, they all took turns caring for me like I was their own kid. I smiled, grateful.

Sara brought me cookies, Lucas read me old sci-fi novels, even the janitor stopped by to check on me. I felt lucky.

One day, the sun was shining. I couldn’t walk, so Mike pushed me outside for some fresh air. It felt good to be alive.

The hospital garden was full of roses and bees. I closed my eyes, letting the sun warm my face. I breathed deep.

An elderly doctor walked by. Mike greeted him, but not too cheerfully. The doctor smiled back.

He nodded politely, but didn’t say much. The doctor smiled, tipping his hat. I watched him go.

“Isn’t that Lucas’s grandpa?” I asked, squinting.

Mike glanced at me, confused. “Lucas’s grandpa? That’s Dr. Franklin, your chief physician!”

He snorted. “He even told us to give up. Good thing we didn’t—look at you now.”

Mike grinned, nudging my shoulder. “Glad you proved him wrong.” I laughed, relief washing over me.

“Really? So it was all just a dream?” I asked, voice shaky.

I stared at the sky, the clouds drifting by. The world felt new, full of possibility. I breathed deep.

I gazed into the distance, lost in thought. The past felt far away.

The birds chirped, the breeze ruffled the trees. I breathed deep, grateful to be alive. I smiled.

The sun was shining. A group of kids played nearby. Their laughter rang out.

Their laughter rang out, bright and clear. I smiled, feeling lighter than I had in ages. The world felt good again.

A little boy ran past, tripped on a step, and fell. I winced, ready to help.

He started to cry, clutching his scraped knee. I reached out, but someone beat me to it—a gentle hand.

I reached out to help him up, but a fair, slender hand beat me to it. She knelt beside him, comforting.

A woman knelt beside him, her white coat gleaming in the sun. She smiled gently.

“Dr. Harper!” Mike called out, waving.

She looked up, her smile warm and familiar. My heart skipped a beat. She looked at me.

I looked up and saw a young woman in a white coat, her long black hair tied in a ponytail. She smiled gently, beautiful and kind. My chest tightened.

Her eyes met mine, and I felt a jolt of recognition. Like I’d known her before.

“This is your rehab doctor, Dr. Harper!” Mike introduced us. I nodded, still stunned.

She reached out, her handshake firm and reassuring. I took her hand.

“Hello, I’m Natalie Harper,” she said, reaching out her hand. Her voice was soft.

Her voice was soft, her eyes kind. I smiled, feeling hope blossom in my chest. Maybe things would be okay.

I took her hand slowly. “I’m Eli Gardner. Thanks for looking out for me.”

Her grip was warm, grounding me in the moment. I held on a little longer than I should have.

In the sunlight, our eyes met, as if we’d known each other for a long, long time…

The world spun on, bright and full of promise, and for the first time in forever, I let myself believe in second chances.