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see properly, but as his memory kicked in he realised that his eyes were swollen, narrowing his field of vision. His mother sat close to his bed, holding his right hand tightly. Her grip hurt his bruised fingers. His brother and sister, David and Sarah sat to his left, away from the bed, near the wall. When he moved and opened his eyelids for the first time, his mother gasped and cried, while his father called a nurse for assistance.

     Richard wasn’t aware that he had been unconscious for nearly a week. The swelling on his brain had nearly killed him. His mother`s fussing echoed around his confused mind. The familiar voices of his family sounded metallic and fuzzy.

     “Richard, can you hear me darling?”

    He blinked his eyes but couldn’t find his voice yet.

    “We`ve been so worried about you,” she squeezed his bruised fingers and he grimaced.

     “Hello, Richard, everyone`s been very worried about you,” a portly matron leaned over the bed, shining a torch into his eyes. He flinched from the painful beam, closing his eyes shut. “I know this is uncomfortable, Richard, but I need to see that everything is working as it should be.”

     “I`m thirsty,” Richard croaked. His throat felt like he had been swallowing sand for a week. His vision began to clear and the sounds around him came with more clarity.

     “Do you know where you are?” the matron asked, shining the torch again. He squinted at the probing light, wanting it gone. His head ached enough as it was. The smell of disinfectant drifted to him as his senses began to jump back to life.

     “Hospital,” he groaned. His broken teeth ached and he hurt all over.

     “Good boy,” she said patronisingly. “Sip this, don’t gulp it.”

     Richard sipped the soothing liquid, the plastic cup hurting his split lips. Scabs had formed on his wounds but they were painful to the touch. His body felt strange; there was pain and numbness all over.

    “Is he going to be okay?” his father asked.

     “It`s too early to make any predictions yet, but he seems to be aware of where he is, and his reactions are normal. I`ll get the doctor to see him immediately.” The matron left them, her starched uniform rustled as she walked across the highly polished flooring, and she left a waft of Charlie behind her.

     “He could be brain damaged,” Sarah said a little too loudly.

     “Shut up you stupid girl!” her father snapped. David senior was becoming increasingly short tempered with his daughter.

     “I think she was brain damaged at birth anyway,” David said. Richard laughed painfully, and his mother had to hide her smile. Mr Bernstein wasn`t as amused as his family, but that was the norm. David Senior despaired at his children, especially the youngest two. Richard was clumsy socially, and hideously overweight for his age. He was bright and intelligent, but David Snr knew he would be hampered by his weight if he did not sort it out before he got older. His wife spoiled him, and was a major part of the problem. She encouraged his overeating by buying bulk packets of cookies, crisps and sweets. Sarah was a constant worry, becoming very aware of her sexuality far too young for her father`s liking. The attack on his youngest son was a shock, and he was finding it difficult to cope with while maintaining his decorum.

    “Welcome back Einstein,” Richard heard, as his brother stood up and walked to the bedside. He took his left hand gently. “Who did this to you?” David looked after his younger brother and sister at school. Physically he was tough, socially he was popular, and he utilised both to protect his siblings, although sometimes his sister wasn’t happy at being protected, especially if she was being protected from good-looking suitors.

     “David, he has only just opened his eyes, leave that for now,” his mother scolded. Sara Bernstein loved her children with a passion. Richard needed more support than the other two, and she