13. Names

For all her near calls and constant accidents, this was the first time in her life that Madeline was forced to spend a night in the hospital. 

It didn’t take her long to decide she didn’t like it. The bed was uncomfortable, the only bearable position straight on her back like she was a corpse awaiting burial, there was constant beeping and hushed conversation, nurses that barged in with clipboards or styrofoam cups of bitter tea and a roommate that had probably witnessed the building of the pyramids and snored so loudly the overhead lights were faintly vibrating. At least she had been allowed to take off the oxygen mask. 

“Visiting hours are over,” she croaked at Athan when he appeared in the middle of the room like a haunting spectre. He took a glance at her snoring neighbour before sitting down on the small space still left on her bed, drawing the rattling curtain closed. 

“How are you feeling?”

“Smoked.” 

When he only frowned even more severely, Madeline rolled her eyes. “Talking hurts. But my voice is sexy now, so …”

“It really isn’t.”

“Hey.”

A small smile ghosted across his face, gone as quickly as it had appeared. “Here. I came to bring you this, it should help with your throat.”

He handed Madeline a black mug reading ‘This is poison’ filled with an amber liquid that looked a bit like maple syrup. She shrugged and took a sip, only to grimace at the bitter taste. 

“It’s medicine, Asclepius assured me it’s not supposed to taste good.”

Madeline forced herself to swallow another mouthful. Strangely, her throat already felt better, her words coming smoother. “What kind of name is Asclepius?”

Athan crossed his arms. “My full name is Athanasius.”

Madeline looked up from the dredges in her cup. “That’s a mouthful.”

“It means immortal.”

“In what language?”

“Greek.”

A final puzzle piece clicked into place.

“I see.”