The Blunt Truth

[Toaster]

...

"Careful now," the doctor said as he helped him to sit up in bed. He was dizzy, and the effort made him feel slightly nauseous. But the doctor held on to his shoulder, balancing him.
"Now your legs, slowly," the doctor pulled back the blanket that still covered him. Slowly, he swung his legs out to the side over the edge of his bed. Carefully, as if he had a reason to be afraid of the floor, he lowered his feet onto it.
"Very good!" The doctor smiled at him. The nurse, who was standing a few feet away clapped. "Now, let's try to get up shall we?"
He sighed.
"No need to talk to me like I'm mentally handicapped, doctor," he muttered. The doctor's smile faded.
Cautiously, he pushed his hands into his bed's mattress, pushing his body up and forwards off the bed. His legs began to shake under the unaccustomed pressure of his weight. His nausea intensified as he put more and more weight from his arms onto his legs.
The nurse looked at him worriedly. The doctor's smile had returned and he placed a hand on his back to steady him. Finally, he made it. His hands let go of the mattress and he stood erect, for the first time in over a year.
He was dizzy and felt like vomiting, but he overcame the urge. Years of military training kept him upright.
"Great!" the doctor called out and the nurse laughed joyously. He looked around his room and smiled.

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Olivia Sable