August opened her eyes to see the most brilliant ceiling. It was made of windows, arching up toward the center in a pattern that mimicked a flower with the very center peaking even further toward the sky beyond. Soft sunlight streamed in through the green metal beams onto her bed.

She sat up and looked around, realizing this was actually a long hall of beds like some kind of infirmary. Long ornate windows continued from the ceiling to line the walls, but there they alternated with beautiful old stone pillars that seemed to give additional support to the ceiling. It all looked so fragile like a large hand could palm the ceiling and shatter it into a million pieces, and yet it was so ethereally beautiful.

Behind the tall windows along the walls she could see green life—plants and trees that were obscured in detail by the glass but gave the infirmary a cozy, homey feel. Anyone within these walls was exposed to the sun and yet lovingly embraced by the earthy green of growing things. It was like the the infirmary was burrowed into a part of the earth.

The floor beneath the line of beds was made of large stone blocks, and each bed was draped in white linens, including hers. She looked down and noticed that she too was wearing white—a white hospital gown. Something must have happened to her, but she felt okay—if not slightly lightheaded and dreamy like she had been medicated.

There was a beside table with a lamp next to it and a glass of water, but she didn't see any way to call a nurse.

"Hello?

" She called out, finding that her voice was hoarse.

Just as she threw the sheet back and was considering getting up to wander around, a set of double doors opened at the far end of the hall, echoing as they slammed back shut behind the small female who was approaching.

"August, you're awake!

" she said, approaching with quick steps to cover the long distance between them.

She wore a long white doctor's coat, but it was open to reveal the vibrant colors of a whimsical v-neck floor-length dress beneath and layers of necklaces that seemed a bit unusual for a doctor. One of them in particular caught August's eye, but her gaze flitted back to the female's face when she finally arrived at her bedside.

"How are you feeling?

" she asked, removing a stethoscope from where it was nestled around her neck. August's head quirked to the side in curiosity when she realized the ponytail of this doctor consisted of rows of white-blonde dreadlocks. What an unusual place this was.

"Oh, um…

" she suddenly remembered that a question was asked of her.

"I… I don't know. I feel fine. What was wrong with me? Where am I?

"

"You don't remember anything at all?

" the female in the white coat asked, a slight arch to her eyebrows that might indicate surprise, but her tone seemed completely unaffected as if she had suspected this would in fact be the case.

August thought back to her last memory… it seemed difficult to reach it like it was down a long, dark corridor that stretched so much further than she could see. She had been in the woods. She had been running in the woods. But beyond that, the rest of her memory dropped off into another plane of consciousness that she didn't have access to.

"I can't… I don't remember anything,

" she said slowly, dazed with that startling revelation.

"It's okay. You can take your time,

" the woman patted her arm and turned to retrieve something from one of the drawers.

"You have been through quite a lot. You were missing from Eliade for nearly a week when rescuers finally found you. They say you were turned around and lost in the woods. You were severely dehydrated. Who knows what happened to you during that time. It must have been traumatic.

"

August's eyebrows pinched together in confusion. None of this felt right, like something internally wanted to reject the information but was prevented from doing so. How could she not remember anything about that time?

"Are you sure?

" she found herself saying, the words just tumbling out of their own accord.

The woman in the white coat who had been rifling through the drawer stopped and turned to look at August in surprise. Something else flashed in her eyes, but she turned around quickly before August could decipher what it was.

"That is what they told me,

" she answered softly, little conviction in her tone.

"Now do you mind if I take some blood?

"

August held her arm out in tacit consent.

"What's your name?

" August asked before she felt the pinch of the needle.

Brown, kind eyes rose to meet hers. They were guarding something, but their kindness was true.

"Penelope Winter,

" she answered, a small smile on her lips before she lowered her eyes once again to the vile that was filling with thick red blood.

"Are you a doctor?

" August asked.

"Are we at Eliade?

"

"I am a neuroscientist. You can call me Penelope,

" she answered with that same slight smile.

"And no, we are not at Eliade.

"

"Why not? Where are we?

" August asked. Since when did neuroscientists take blood?

"We are on a small, private island,

" she answered simply, seemingly reluctant to give more information.

"An island?

" August scoffed in surprise.

"Why?

"

"Hospitals all over the country are stretched to their limits right now with the pandemic, and this island is owned by a benefactor of the University. Your case got a lot of news, and when you were found he offered to have you cared for here while you recovered. Classes have been canceled now for awhile anyway due to the number of positive cases, so Eliade is pretty much on lockdown. I think you'll find it comfortable here for the time being,

" Penelope smiled.

"It's better than the university, that's for sure.

"

"Wow,

" August whispered.

"And you are here just for me?

"

"Oh, no,

" Penelope laughed.

"There is a medical facility here that also does pandemic research.. I'm a researcher, but I'm happy to work with you as well.

"