Hurry back to bed

The door clicks open just as you pull the thin blanket over your legs. It's the nurse again. With eyes that have seen too many restless patients like you. She doesn't ask questions, at least not yet. Instead, she approaches with a small plastic cup in one hand and a glass of water in the other.

"Headache still bad?" she asks gently, offering both. "These should help. Take them with the full glass."

You nod, fingers brushing hers as you accept the pills. They rattle faintly in the cup as you inspect them. The water is cool against your throat. Too. Many. Beers. You toss the pills back, swallowing them down in one determined gulp, the faint, bitter aftertaste lingering as you drain the glass.

The nurse slips out with a quiet, "Try to rest now. No more exploring."

You sink deeper into the pillows, the room tilting slightly as the medication begins its slow work. The fluorescent lights above seem harsher for a moment. Regret is heavy in your chest, just as the ache behind your eyes. The choices tonight play on loop in your thoughts.

Sleep claims you anyway, pulling you under into a restless haze where the hospital beeps fade into uneasy dreams.