Max remembered loosing control of his parents car. Joy riding too fast around that corner. The crash must have happened too fast for him to register what was happening though, because he didn't remember the actual impact. Just a feeling that some time had passed and a drowsy realization that he was in some bed. A hospital bead, he guessed. It certainly wasn't his room.
The humming tube-lights in the white paneled ceiling slowly swam into focus. His thoughts and recollections were coming to him in dull blips. Probably because of drugs in his system.
Oh no, his parents were going to kill him. The car was probably totaled. It was funny how that was what worried him and not his own condition. You would think that a reckless young guy like him would be more selfish. Oh, he was. But part of the reason for him steeling his parents car was to get their attention. They never had time for him. Though of course, they always had time for his little brother, Kenneth.
Perfect Kenneth. Max sometimes hated his brother. The two of them were very similar on the surface, but behavior wise, they were opposites. Kenneth was well behaved and good at everything he set his mind to. Max, on the other hand, was rude, reckless and irresponsible; especially lately.
Max tried to get up, but his body had no strength. Still, the effort must have alerted someone that he'd woken.
“He's awake!” he heard his mother call, rushing to his side with a worried expression. Kenneth appeared there too. Dutiful as always. Then the doctor, who also happened to be Max's father. A skilled surgeon. It made sense that Max would end up in his care.
“You've been in an accident dear,” his mother said. Max tried to answer, but he was having trouble finding the words. His brain was still swimming in drugs.
“It's okay. Don't try to speak,” his father instructed. Max tried anyway. It came out as just meaningless slurs. Not even pretend speech, like gibberish. Kenneth stifled a laugh. Had it been Max that chuckled at his brother's hospitalized condition, he would have been in so much trouble. They didn't even seem to notice Kenneth do it.
“This might be difficult to take in, but everything will be fine,” his mother said. “It's just that... Well, let's just say you've got a lot to get used to.” His father held up a large mirror for Max and pulled back the sheets.