Voices in the Darkness

Liz was not wearing a bra. The Lycra material and the form fitting qualities of her top had given Liz all the support she needed for her sexy breasts. We broke our kiss and I lowered my face to her bosom. I had thought I would be nervous when the moment came to suck another girl's nipples or touch her genitals, but it felt so natural to me. I took one of her hardening nipples in my mouth and sucked gently. I felt it extend deeper into my mouth as I applied increased pressure. Liz allowed her head to recline backward as she enjoyed being touched.

My sweet girlfriend purred as I caressed her luscious breasts with my hands and took turns sucking on her sensitive nipples. She ran her fingers through my hair and said: "I thought you said you never did this with a girl before."

I scraped my teeth over her nipple and then allowed it to pop out of my mouth before responding: "Do you like what I'm doing?"

"Oh lover, you are a natural at this. Let's take off our clothes; I can't wait to see your body."

Liz was wearing a pair of black shorts and had some Nike cross trainers on her feet. She stood up and quickly finished pulling her cycling top off while simultaneously placing the toe of one shoe on the heel of her other which allowed her to pull her foot from her shoe without untying it. Then she repeated the process on the other shoe except that she had to use her bare toes to anchor the second shoe's heel. I was astonished by her dexterity; I would have fallen trying to do that while removing my top. Then once she had her shoes off she hooked her thumbs under the waist band of her shorts and panties and pulled them down while bending at the waist. She was a vision of feminine beauty.

She looked at me and said: "I don't want you to stand up yet. You might get dizzy again. Let me help you get undressed."

I had wanted to look good for the girls and I had worn a mini flip skirt. It had a really neat black and white stripe which was laid out in a horizontal herringbone pattern. The skirt was mid thigh length and showed off my best assets which were my long thin legs. I had a black knit top with long sleeves and a scoop neckline. And I had worn one of my sexiest pair of stiletto heeled pumps. The heels were thin and sculptured and measured a full four inches.

Liz was naked and I was still fully dressed. I wanted to get my clothes off as quickly as possible. I started to pull my top out from my skirt but Liz stepped in and said: "Please allow me to undress you Chris."

She slid in beside me on the sofa. We were close together and her supple nude body was radiating divine warmth. We both repositioned ourselves so that we were facing each other while still seated on the full length sofa. Chris used her hands to slowly lift my knit top over my head revealing my torso to her view. The long sleeves were the last to be freed from my body and then she paused and looked at my small breasts.

I was so excited knowing that she was looking at my naked breasts. My nipples instantly hardened as my mind ran wild with lust. I had to know what she was thinking: "Do you like my small boobs Liz?"

Rather than answering my question she lowered her head and mouth to my nipple closest to her. She took my sensitive flesh into her mouth and sucked for about 20 seconds. The way she made my nipple and my whole body feel in those 20 seconds was so much better than my boyfriend had ever accomplished. She looked up and said: "I love your breasts Chris. I love them just the way they are right now, so if you want to back out of the surgery I wouldn't mind at all lover. And if you do get your augmentation I will still love them; there will just be more to love." She quickly lowered her head again and resumed her sucking. But this time she also started caressing my other breast. She used just her fingertips and she knew instinctively how I much I enjoyed having the outer sides of my small breasts gently rubbed.

I slowly laid back on the sofa and Liz repositioned herself onto the floor in the small space located between the coffee table and the sofa. She kneeled beside me and allowed her hands to massage my boobs and up onto my neck. I felt her right hand tug on my short skirt in an attempt to raise it up around my waist. I lifted my hips up and she was able to pull the back of the skirt free and tuck it under the small of my back. She was then able to easily pull the front of my mini skirt up to my tummy. She pulled my right leg closer to her and she told me to bend my left leg at the knee and rest it against the sofa's cushioned back. I had on my sexy black string bikini panties. They were all that now separated Liz from the center of my femininity.

My legs were spread and I saw Liz looking at my small panties. Her left hand continued to tease and pinch my nipples while her right hand started to explore my inner thighs. Her fingers slowly worked their way closer and closer to my panty covered pussy. My anticipation was building as I awaited her magic touch to reach my silky panties. I wanted to be touched intimately by Liz.

She used her fingers to trace around the outer edges of my small bikini bottom. Her touch was driving me wild with desire. I had been touched by boys many times but this was just so very different and so much more sensual. She rubbed the thin material directly over my slit which caused my moist lips to spread and for my juices to flow. Finally she said: "I love these panties Chris. They are very sexy, but I think we should get them out of our way now."

I lifted my hips as Liz used both of her hands to slide them over my hips and down my long smooth legs. I was still wearing my high heels and Liz carefully guided the panties over them so that I could once again spread my legs for her. She leaned forward and kissed my pussy. I was completely under her spell and wanted the wonderful feeling of that moment to last forever.

However, In that awkward position Liz didn't have good access to get her face between my legs. She looked at me and said: "I need you to scoot around lover." She had me line my body up directly in front of hers. My slim smooth legs straddled her ribs. I rested my head on the thick back cushions of the sofa so that I could watch everything my lover was going to do. My bottom extended just beyond the front edge of the sofa which positioned my pussy just inches from Liz. I didn't bother to take off my skirt or heels. They weren't in the way, and by bending my knees I was able to place my feet on the edge of the coffee table which was directly behind Liz. The heels on my pumps wedged in under the table top while the pointed toes of my sexy shoes rose above. Liz was on her knees with her lower legs and feet extended back under the table. She was in the perfect position to send me into an orbit of orgasmic bliss.

I wanted this so much. Liz looked at me and said the three magic words: "I love you" and then she went down on my pussy. I watched as she spread my labia with her fingers and then I watched her shove her tongue deep into my wet gash. It felt wonderful as her tongue darted in and out of my slick hole. She continued to explore my depths with her tongue but she had managed to start rubbing my clit at the same time since she was no longer spreading my lips. She rubbed the sensitive tip and then gave it a pinch which sent a shiver up the entire length of my body.

Liz could feel my sexual energy growing as she played and coaxed my clit into full arousal. It was swollen and desperately wanted to be licked. Liz's mouth was greedily lapping up every drop of my juice and the gaze from her eyes never broke contact with mine. I wanted to feel her tongue on my nub. "Please lick my clitty darling. I want to cum now."

Her tongue slid out of my hole and inched up to my clit. I pushed my hips forward to meet her advancing tongue. Liz pulled back and said: "Let me do it lover. I want to take you over the edge."

I resisted my urge to thrust my hips forward and allowed Liz to take her time and give my clit a full massage with her tongue and mouth. She licked it and sucked it with the goal of allowing me to feel a steady build up of sexual tension and energy. Her technique worked precisely the way she knew it would and I was soon on the edge of an enormous orgasm. My entire body was trembling in anticipation of my eminent eruption. I pinched both of my nipples and let the first wave of orgasmic energy pulse through me. As my muscles spasmed I could only mutter: "Oh yes."

It took me at least two or three minutes to come down from the peak of my orgasm. It was by far the most intense feeling I had ever experienced. I looked at Liz who had a big smile on her pretty face and I said: "Oh Liz that was so good. Now I know I can make it through my upcoming coma if that will be my reward when I wake up."

"I'm so happy that you enjoyed it lover. I wanted your first time with a girl to be special."

"That was beyond special Liz; it was divine. But it's your turn now, so let's trade places. I want to know what your pussy tastes like and I want to make you cum too."

Liz and I traded places with her now seated on the sofa and her legs straddling me. I was nervous because I didn't want to mess up and not give her an orgasm. "Liz I'm not sure if I really know what to do. Will you tell me what you like done?"

"Just do to me what you liked best when I was doing you. I will let you know if there is anything special I want but I can't think of anything right now."

I giggled like a school girl and said: "Well I liked everything you did to me so I guess you're going to get the full treatment."

I spread Liz's labia with my fingers just as she had done to me. As I lowered my face to take my first taste I smelled her sweet aroma flowing from her slit. It wasn't what I had expected. I thought that it would be strong and musky but instead it was a sweet delicate aroma. It resembled a floral aroma and it filled my brain with passion.

I used my tongue to lick the gap formed between her inner lips before plunging it deep into her warm wet hole. She indeed tasted sweet. I looked up and said: "Oh my god Liz, you taste so sweet. You're just so yummy."

I went right back down and devoured her sweet nectar. Liz moaned and encouraged me to continue. I really didn't need any encouragement at that time. I loved Liz and was enjoying every second of giving my partner as much pleasure as she had given me. I remembered that she used her fingers on my clit while plunging my hole with her tongue so I slid my hand into position and found her engorged nub. It reacted to my every touch and her moaning steadily increased.

Then I heard a familiar voice: "Are you asleep Chris?"

It was Liz who was calling to me. But that was impossible because I was watching her moan in sexual bliss. I was completely lost at that moment. I was somewhere between a dream and reality but not solidly rooted in either. Then I heard Liz again.

"Chris, we need to go to the courtroom now."

I didn't want to wake up. I was happy where I was. I had been reliving one of the best things that had ever happened in my life. And I desperately wanted to be back there again.

"Nooooo, go away." I muttered.

"Come on Christine. We will be late if we don't leave now."

When Liz called me Christine it snapped me out of my trance. She only called me Christine when she was exasperated with me. "OK, I'm awake. How long did I sleep?"

"You looked so tired so I let you sleep for over 30 minutes but we really need to get moving."

I stood and straightened my dress and accompanied Liz as we walked toward the courtroom. I whispered to Liz: "I was dreaming of the first time we made love."

Liz gave my hand a squeeze and she once again reaffirmed her love for me.

*

Chapter 11

Dr. Stevenson sat in the witness chair and responded to my attorney's questions regarding his medical credentials. He rattled off the long list of his various degrees and certifications. We hoped that his qualifications would make the jury believe what could not be proved. We wanted the jurors to believe my claim that I could hear sounds and feel pain while I was comatose. If the jury believed the defendant's claim that I was unable to feel anything then the damages awarded as a result of pain and suffering would be greatly reduced.

Mr. O'Connor asked: "Dr. Stevenson, would you please define the term "coma" for the jury?"

He faced the jury and responded: "Coma is actually a very broad term that indicates the patient is unable to respond to his or her environment. But a standard definition might be that coma is a state of unresponsiveness from which an individual has not yet been aroused."

"In your expert medical opinion would you say that Christine Velarde was in a coma from March 12, 2003 until July 20, 2003?"

"Yes, there is no question that she was comatose during that period."

"And was there a time after July 20^th when Christine started to emerge from the coma?"

"During the last part of July Christine started regaining motor functions and became aware of her environment."

"Would you say that she woke up?"

Dr. Stevenson replied: "It is not like when you or I wake up after a nights sleep. This is a very gradual process which may take weeks or even months before the patient is fully alert and what you might term awake."

"How long did Christine require to become fully awake after starting to emerge from her coma?"

"Christine made rapid progress and it took her only about two weeks to reach the point of mental alertness. However, as with most coma patients achieving full alertness is just one part of the recovery."

"What are the other parts Dr. Stevenson?"

"Well of course there is the physical recovery which can take months or years for a patient to regain normal motor skills. There is also a significant percentage of post coma patients who suffer from mental illness. That can be a very difficult process for a patient to rebuild his or her mental health after coma.

"I will come back to those issues in a few minutes Doctor, but first I would like for the jury to understand what caused Ms. Velarde's coma. Did you examine the medical records associated with the surgery performed on Christine at Southland Memorial Hospital the morning of March 12, 2003?"

"I examined all of the reports and test results."

"Were you able to determine the cause of the coma?"

"Yes the cause in this case was quite clear."

"Would you please tell the Court and the members of the jury, in your expert opinion the cause of the coma?"

"The coma was a result of a chemical reaction in her brain precipitated by a lack of oxygen in her blood. The human brain has millions of receptor cells which allow the brain to function by use of a biochemical process. These binding sites are called N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors. Any blockage or damage to the NMDA receptors will impede or cease brain activity by preventing neurotransmitter glutamates from binding to the NMDA receptors."

"Doctor, could you tell us more about the neurotransmitter?"

The neurotransmitter glutamate is a naturally produced biochemical compound which when bound to a NMDA receptor causes the neuron to discharge an electrical impulse."

Mr. O'Connor knew that Dr. Stevenson's testimony was very technical so he asked: "How was Christine's brain chemistry affected by her surgery?"

The anesthesiologist controls several gases which are being delivered to the patient via an endotracheal tube. One of those gases is oxygen. The monitor print outs showed that approximately 30 minutes into the breast augmentation procedure that Christine's oxygen levels in her blood started to slip. It was a slow but steady decline that occurred for over 20 minutes. Then near the end of the procedure the oxygen level fell beneath minimum required levels."

"Was anything done to restore the oxygen levels in her blood to acceptable levels at that time?"

"No, four minutes elapsed before anything was done. Then Christine's blood pressure crashed and that triggered a monitor alarm. It was at that point when actions were finally taken to save her life."

"What was done to Christine at that time?"

"Three actions were taken which eventually stabilized her condition. The first was an injection of adrenaline, the second was an increase in her oxygen flow, and the final was an injection of Ketamine directly into her carotid artery. Christine had been intubated at the beginning of the surgery so as soon as the doctor increased the flow of oxygen it went straight into her lungs. The adrenaline increased her heart activity and the combined affects from the extra oxygen and adrenaline allowed her body to quickly reoxygenate."

"Did the lack of oxygen being delivered during those crucial moments precipitate any reaction in Christine's brain function?"

Dr. Stevenson knew his material and answered with total professionalism: "Low oxygen conditions have been shown to release a flood of glutamate which over activates NMDA receptors, this process is known as excitotoxicity. The body attempts to protect itself by producing an enzyme which binds to the NMDA receptors and shield them from the effects of excitotoxicity. Unfortunately in most cases the body can't produce enough of this enzyme to prevent significant brain cell damage. That is why Dr. Lyons injected Christine with Ketamine. It is a synthetic binding agent which protects the NMDA receptors by binding to them and thus shielding them from the flood of glutamate."

"Dr. Stevenson, that is extremely complex. Is there a more easily understood term which describes this process?"

"The term that is often used is "near death experience" to describe the process associated with excitotoxicity. Many people who have experienced being deprived of oxygen and who were later resuscitated described seeing a white light or they felt that they were being drawn to a bright light. In fact that memory was a result of the chemical reaction created by the excess glutamate being released in the brain as a result of the low oxygen levels."

"So did the injection of Ketamine prevent permanent damage to Christine's brain cells?"

"If the injection would have occurred earlier it is likely that Christine might have been unconscious for only a few hours or days but unfortunately her brain received considerable damage from the excess glutamate. She was deprived of adequate levels of oxygen for several minutes before anything was done to protect her brain function. But the injection of Ketamine did prevent her death."

"Is the damage to her brain cells what caused her to lapse into coma, Doctor?"

"Actually the Ketamine precipitated the coma because it bound itself to all of her NMDA receptors. This left Christine with no brain function in her cerebral cortex and with only minimal lower brain function. The drug induced coma continued until the Ketamine started to break down."

"How long should that have taken?"

"Like I said earlier it could have been as short as a few hours or as long as a day or two."

My attorney continued his questioning: "Why didn't Christine wake up after the Ketamine chemically broke down in her body?"

"Although we have no precise means of measuring this it appeared that a sufficient portion of her brain had been damaged by the excitotoxicity."

"Do you know how long it took in Christine's case for the Ketamine to dissolve and the effects of the drug were no longer showing up on the electroencephalogram?"

"Christine's first EEG clearly showed the effects of Ketamine. She only had lower brain function and no activity in her cortex. Within 24 hours it appeared that the Ketamine was no longer active in her system. She had activity in all portions of her brain but it was functioning at very low levels."