Double Fated (Book One)

by C.K. Mullinax

Chapter Forty Three

  Haunted whispers…

  Sounds of violence…

  Angry voices threatening…

  Fear of the dark…

  Imperceptible shadows…

  Feeling of foreboding…

  Those were the things I experienced, in that order, while I struggled to come awake. My body was hurting, inside and out.

  My pillows were over my face. The weight felt wrong as I shook my head. Papers, photographs and my backpack spilled off the bed. The bracket holding the shelf had given way during the night.

  Why was my book bag on that narrow shelf?? It’s designed to hold knickknacks…

  I might have a concussion. I attempted to reach up and feel my head, but my arm was pinned. Panicking at first because I thought I was being held prisoner, I realized my whole body was twisted up in my covers. It was like they had attacked me and I had fought against them.

  I hogtied myself in my bedding…

  Laughing, I worked to wiggle free. But the covers were so tight in certain places that they had cut off the circulation to my extremities.

  “That was one horrific dream…” I said aloud.

  “Whimmy dream um hum…” someone said below me.

  Who is that??

  My arms and legs felt like they were being assaulted by stabbing needles, but the covers finally came off. My extremities were limp and useless, so I used my body to turn to see my guest. But, stopping my moving body required some stability and I didn’t have any. I fell on top of Audrey, who was reclining in my guest bed.

  “Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry! Did I hurt you??”

  “Me low is thyme no signing…” she jabbered with her eyes still closed.

  Fragments of recollections assaulted my thoughts. The details were buried deep underneath the surface. Although I didn’t know what exactly happened to me, the word “rape” kept repeating. That wasn’t a nightmare I had!

  Terror ripped through me as I rolled off of Audrey. Massaging my arms, I waited to get the feeling back in them. My legs were still tingling when I dragged myself to the full length mirror. It took some effort, but I managed to sit up.

  I tilted the mirror down so I could inspect the upper part of my body. My face is streaked with makeup, otherwise it is fine. A fingertip inspection of my skull revealed no scrapes or bumps. However, my hair is tangled and matted with an unknown sticky substance.

  Before I could continue performing an upper body inspection, an odd sensation caught my attention. Something feels wrong between my legs.

  Rape…rape…rape…

  I have on someone else’s jeans because they don’t fit. They are unbuttoned and unzipped and my thighs are soaked in blood!

  On a frantic type of autopilot, I pushed through the stabbing pins and needles. I used my computer chair to stand up. Grabbing a pair of sweatpants and a sweatshirt with a hood, I yanked them on without looking at anymore of my body.

  I need to go to an emergency room and so does Audrey. But, I can’t let my sisters see us like this. They will come unglued. And, my watchers (whoever they are) will react to the commotion. Why are they here, anyway??

  Although I don’t know what they might do, I realize they will blame one of my momma’s. I have four mommas. I can’t remember them…or which one is which…or which one will take the flack. But, nothing that happened to me is my momma’s fault – that, I’m sure of. Those ‘guards’ won’t see it like that.

  Confused and alarmed…I can’t remember my own mommas??

  Instead of freaking out over what I don’t know, I need to focus on what I do.

  I am Krista somebody or other. That is Audrey. If she has a last name I don’t remember it. She is my friend. I know how to tell time – it’s 3:05 in the morning. I live in a sorority and my sisters should be asleep.

  The rain has stopped. But, my guards will notice me carrying an injured girl…if I’m even strong enough to carry her.

  Wait, I can call Command in another galaxy and ask them to trans-am us. No that’s not the right word…it starts with trans. Did I sustain a head injury??

  I went tearing through my bedroom, looking for my phone. Surely something will be in it and will help jog my memory. My purse, wallet and phone are nowhere to be found. My ID, cash and credit card were also MIA. Keys to my sister’s convertible were in the bowl near the door. And, so were the keys to someone’s SUV. Who owns the SUV?? No name would come to me.

  I can’t seem to recall anyone’s phone number off the top of my head either. This isn’t good…

  Where did my stuff go??

  I tiptoed downstairs to investigate the perimeter of the house. I saw the SUV parked in a nearby, dimly lit guest space. That’s right! I borrowed it from someone’s guest. However, one of the people spying on me happens to be parked almost directly across from it.

  My sister’s Mustang is on the opposite side of the house, but it is bathed in light. The mean guy, what’s his name, that is looking for Audrey is illegally parked. He has a great vantage of the Mustang. Also, at least two guards are watching that car. They are suspicious of the guy waiting in his truck. Taking my sister’s car is not an option.

  Considering whether to call a taxi or a car service, I spent ten minutes debating while I re-investigated the guest’s SUV. It would be risky to call either. The driver would likely call in an incident to his dispatcher and report us.

  Four years ago, a car service picked up a drunken underage guy from a Greek party on this campus. The boy ended up dying in their backseat from alcohol poisoning. The campus instituted a new policy. If a co-ed appears to be too high or incoherent, campus security and the local police have to be called out to the scene. They would take us to the hospital, but officers would swarm around my house. My sorority could receive a reprimand from the school, which could threaten our charter. Although I still can’t remember what had happened to me and Audrey, I know it had nothing to do with my house or anyone in it. There is no evidence of a party.

  I can remember a news event that happened before I even started this college, but I can’t remember my mommas’ names’?? Why do I have four moms?

  My guard on the guest side of the house didn’t move a muscle during my internal debate. He must be asleep…or at least I pray he is. I decided my only course of action would be to borrow the SUV again. I hope I can remember how to get back here in the morning…and that I remember how to drive.

  I couldn’t remember the combination to my safe. I almost started crying in frustration when something useful dawned on me. The combination is stored under a file marked LRIGHUD on my computer. That spells DUH GIRL backwards.

  The things I can remember are evidently, random…

  It was odd, but the contents of my safe looked unfamiliar to me. I could’ve sworn I had an emergency credit card in here in g-mom’s name.

  G-mom…I remember g-mom!

  No, I can’t remember what g-mom stands for or recall her actual name. She must be one of my ‘four-mom-grouping’. At that point, I started hyperventilating.

  Grabbing all the cash I could find in my safe, I didn’t bother to count it.

  “Everything will come back when you calm down and stop panicking…” I said that aloud and Audrey babbled nonsense.

  A picture of my family is lying on top of the pile. Those are my brothers, sisters, my parents, g-mom, grandma (who I consider my mom), niece and nephews. Of course, I couldn’t remember a single name to put with any of them. I yanked the picture out of the frame and stuffed it in an over-sized purse. Just having my no-name family on my person was calming. Before I left, I stuffed a clean pair of thin jogging pants and a fresh pair of underwear into my purse beside the photo and my cash.

  Audrey was still incoherent when I hoisted her up. I attempted to keep her quiet. But she never stopped rambling while we stumbled towards the back door.

  Her legs would intermittently buckle under, but I
only dropped her once on our awkward journey to the borrowed SUV. I tossed Audrey in the backseat because she can’t sit up. I slid the driver’s seat forward and prayed as I inched out of the space.

  I pulled on to the roadway keeping an eye on my spy in the rearview mirror. He was still parked when I turned on my headlights and drove away.

  The gas tank was filled. Although I don’t remember it, I must have done that on the drive home. Maybe I left my purse at the gas station. My missing purse and items weren’t my biggest worry. Last night my world turned upside, down and I lost most of myself in the chaos.

  That’s the more pressing issue…for sure.