“Sir, I told you that every test we’ve run on her has come back absolutely perfect. This is scientifically unexplainable. It’s almost like she is doesn’t want to wake up from the trauma she underwent,” a tall, lean woman in green scrubs replied. Her red hair was pulled up in a messy bun atop her head and wrinkles appeared at the corners of her eyes through silver rimmed glasses. Her voice sounded stressed as she tried to reason with Fuzz and from looks of it, they had this conversation more than once. Who were they talking about? Me? I looked down at my moving body that had just emerged from the bed. I tried to knock on the window to get Fuzz’s attention but he looked away from me back to her.
“This is supposed to be the best hospital in the country so you should’ve figured out why she’s like this. This is bullshit!” He sat down in a chair a little ways from me and buried his face in his hands. I had never seen him so uncomposed and frazzled. “Dr. Adams, please help … find her and bring her back to us.”
“You have my word I’ll do everything I can to find out what’s going on with her,” she replied.
“Time for a bath,” a chubby short nurse with bouncy blond curls interrupted. She headed straight toward me. I started to back away, only when she reached me, she reached on the sides out of my view as if adjusting something I couldn’t see. She then disappeared around the side of me and my view through the window started to move. She slowly turned me toward a mirror and I saw myself sitting in a wheelchair. Only it was a different me, apparently one I was looking through the eyes of. She was pale and her face was sunken in, making the bones in her face jut out. Stringy, oily hair lined her face and her lips were dry and cracked, even busted open with dried blood in some spots.
“No … no …” I choked out as I backed away from the glass. I wanted to erase what I saw from my memory, snap out of it, and let everything be back to normal. I closed my eyes picturing Steele and I back at the training facility, laughing and rolling on the floor of the martial arts room. I could almost feel his arms around me and smell his sweet scent. Where was he? Why wasn’t it here with me?
I opened my eyes, hoping my daydream would be a reality, but I was met by a dead stare in the mirror. I couldn’t look any more as a door came into view, revealing a hallway that was just as depressing as the room. It was lined with patients looking lost as the girl I just saw. They were talking to themselves in frantic ways and reaching toward me as I rolled past. I crumbled to the floor, the white greeting me with no mercy. In the fetal position, I sobbed loudly at the lost feeling growing in me.
Then something changed. My insides burned, and then it felt like they were being ripped apart. These two feelings kept going back and forth, leaving me with no time to breath. I managed to roll over on my back, but every time I would get one of these different pains, my body would arch off the floor. Finally, it seemed as if the ripping sensation was going to win over the burning. As it continued to increase, my back went up higher than before. I reached down, tearing my shirt open.
Blackness snaked its way through my veins making a dark, cold road map of cruelty under my pale skin. I gasped and crawled over to the mirror. With the help of the chair, I managed to pull myself up to it. I couldn’t believe what was in the reflection. I reached up and touched my face that held the same underlying black lines with an uncontrollably shaky hand. My eyes were completely blacked out with the exception of the pupil, which was a brilliant blue. I could feel the hatred rising within me even though I had no idea where it was coming from.
“I don’t wanna feel like this,” I screamed at the cold reflection in the mirror. I turned away and went back to my bed. I threw myself on the mattress and buried my face deep into the pillow. It was either lie back down and hope this was a bad dream or go back to the window, which held a nightmare in its self. A sharp pain went through my arm and I looked down to rub it.
“There now, you get some rest, sweetie. That shot will make you sleep good,” the nurse’s cheerful voice said. I wanted to choke her until the life left her body. Where was this coming from? Thoughts were swirling around my head, and it seemed impossible to focus on one thing. I could feel my eyes getting heavy as the blackness started to engulf me into nothingness.
“How’s she doin’ today?” I heard a familiar voice say as I woke some time later. I wasn’t sure of the day or time. Hell, I didn’t even know what month or year I was in. I hoped I hadn’t been locked in this hell for that long. I wanted to get back to my friends and mostly Steele. When I thought of him, it infuriated me that he wasn’t here with me the moment I woke. All the times he told me he loved me and wanted to be with me forever … was this his forever? I stood, making my way to the window while casually glancing down at my hands to see if the black was still there. My heart sank as my eyes were greeted by its ugliness. It seemed to pulsate with eagerness at my despair.
“There’s no change in her, Shayla,” an older black nurse answered as she messed with something on a nearby shelf. “I’m glad to see you here today. It seems like the only people that visit now are you and Fuzz.” I looked closely at Shayla. The girl I remembered had changed from the one standing in front of me talking with the nurse. Her hair was shorter and more punk rock than the preppy bob it was usually in. It went well with the pink and black running through the blond, tattoos down her arms, gauges in her ears, and a silver hoop reflecting the light from her left eyebrow. Her clothes looked slightly dirty, like she had been doing some hard-core workout before she decided to grace me with her presence. If I wasn’t in this current situation, I would have definitely complimented her hot new look. But I couldn’t. I was locked in a crisp white cage with no way out. I wondered if this was how all of the people in this place were. Maybe I was crazy … especially with all of the weird crap that happened to me the past few years. Hell, I’m surprised I was the only one in here out of my friends.
“That’s because everyone else has given up on her but the two of us,” Shayla said.
“That’s a shame they’d think that. Nothin’ is wrong with your friend, and one day soon she’ll wake up, you just have to keep that faith. You’re a sweet girl to come all the way over here to see her,” the nurse replied.
“I just wish she wasn’t so far away. It’s hard to get away from everything for a few days, but I do enjoy the time alone. Seattle is a great place to take your mind off of things you don’t wanna think about, and believe me, I have a lot I don’t wanna think about ever again,” she paused for a minute to pick at her shirt before continuing. “I actually had time to go to take a run through some trails today and it’s absolutely beautiful here! Of course, I was really hopin’ that an Edward Cullan would jump out and bite me but it didn’t happen.”
“You white folks and your crazy ass vampires,” the nurse exclaimed.
“We can’t help it. We all want somethin’ to take us away to a better life than the one we’re dealt.”
The nurse shook her head and placed a hand on Shayla’ s shoulder. “I’ll get out of your way so you can spend some time with her.” She grabbed some sheets off the floor and disappeared out the door, leaving the two of us alone. She slowly took a seat across from me, pausing for a minute to stare out of the window that I had grown to loathe. She cleared her throat and sniffled slightly as I noticed small tears running down her face.
“We got a letter from Payne the other day …” she started while taking a napkin and dabbing her cheeks. She pulled out a folded piece of paper from the pocket of her running pants. I had the feeling this was going to be something I didn’t want to hear. Why was Payne sending a letter? That meant they weren’t around anymore. At least that would explain where Ollie was and why he wasn’t with me. Just this once it would have been nice for him to choose me over work. “At first, I didn’t even wanna hear what he had to say, it’s just been hard, but you know … I’m nosey and shit so I had to read it. So I’ll let you hear it now …
Dear Reese and Shayla,
How’s it going? Good I hope. I ca
n’t explain how much I miss my favorite two girls! I wish I was still there with you guys, partying at some wild ass shindig that the two of you put together because let’s face it, you two know how to throw down and have a good time! We have been working nonstop, it’s almost like the creatures here know that something is coming and it worries me. We have been on the move pretty much constantly but right now we are stationed in Kenya right on the border of Tanzania. The other night, Jace almost got bit on the ass by a Puff Adder when he was trying to take a shit, good thing that boy has fast reflexes pinching one or not. Shayla, I thought you would enjoy hearing that right now. But all joking aside, these past months have been hard being away from everyone there. You guys were the closest thing to a family that I had. I know my brothers are here with me, but it doesn’t feel the same being broken up like this. We belong together, fighting beside one another, that’s when we’re the strongest. I can tell Jace feels the same even though he doesn’t want to talk about anything. We all feel the same hurt he does, but he is dealing with it in the wrong way. We should have never left for this mission, but I couldn’t let him go on his own and he would have. Shayla, I know you’re angry at him, but believe me I see it in his eyes that he is lost and that’s not only because of that night but because you aren’t with him anymore. He loves you more than you will ever know and maybe one day soon you guys will find your way back to one another but for now, he needs time to heal. I don’t know if he will ever be the same Jace that we all knew. I pray every day that he will overcome this. Reese, I really hope you are up and reading this on your own. We’ve gotten word on your current condition, and no girl with as much heart and passion should ever have to go through what you are. I really want to be there talking to you in person rather than writing these words for you to read. I know you will bounce back from this and be stronger than ever. You can do it, and we will be waiting for that day! Girls, please try not to worry about us. I will keep you updated with our location as much as possible, but it might be sometime before I can send another letter. I love you, girls and please be safe and not STUPID!
-Tucker
“Jace needs to hurt as much as possible right now! I can’t believe he ever left me,” she exclaimed, jumping up from the chair shoving it against the wall with a loud clatter. She paced around the small room, raking her hands through her hair repeatedly, as if trying to calm down before she spoke again. Finally, she exhaled and softly sat back down in front of me.
“I wish you could tell me how stupid I was acting and that he was gonna be back. I need you to make me forget about how bad I’m hurtin’ right now. My best friend is the only one that can make me laugh when it feels like this world has just shit on me. Maybe Jace and I weren’t meant to be together… maybe there’s someone out there waitin’ for me to meet him. I like to think that’s what you’d say to me. It’s just that, it’s been almost seven months since they left, and every day I wake up I hope this feelin’ is at least a little better, but it seems to grow worse. And it doesn’t help with you not bein’ there. What if you never wake up and I’m alone? I mean, I have Savannah but let’s face it; she’s shoved up Lance’s ass. I guess he was just too pussy whipped to go with his friends. You know my parents aren’t the greatest with bein’ there for their kid, hell, they don’t even know that I’ve been gone. I just can’t believe that everything can change so much in one night … I have nightmares about it all the time. I wake up screaming tryin’ to stop things from happenin’ but I can’t.”
She sat silently for a little while, looking down at the floor. I heard the low hum of her cell phone, and she reached for her pocket, pulling out a bright pink phone. “Hello?” she answered, sounding drained of all joy. “She’s doin’ about the same. There’s nothin’ to report on, Fuzz. Looks like nothin’ unusual has happened since you were here last, so I think we’re still good on keeping her hidden from Dermetheus.” She paused to hear his response. “Will do. I’m headin’ back tomorrow so I should be able to check it out then. I’ll talk to you more about it when I get back in town.”
She hung up the phone and continued to stare at it even though she wasn’t using it any more. She tossed it on a small table near her almost knocking a cheap plastic plant off, and I saw a picture of her and Jace holding each other, smiling. Any onlooker would have commented about what a great, happy couple they were. I wondered what night everyone was talking about. What could have happened that was so bad it made Jace run away from his responsibility and leave Shayla all alone? Maybe they had another fight. I bet Ollie was having a time trying to reason with Jace. I guess he couldn’t leave his friend to suffer whatever it was alone just like Payne couldn’t. There was a knock at the door and Shayla looked at it, slightly tensing.
“Miss Shayla, it’s meal time for her. Do you want us to come back in little while?” the nurse that was here earlier asked. Shayla looked back at me as if wanting me to answer the question myself but there was nothing but silence. She sighed deeply.
“You can go ahead. I need to get my stuff together to head back early in the mornin’ anyway. I think I’ve had my bonding time.” She picked up her phone and gave the area a look over to make sure she hadn’t forgotten anything. “I’ll see you in a few weeks, unless you decide to wake your ass up and come back to Bama,” she said, leaning down to give me a hug. Her Love Spell body spray filled the room and emotions started to flood me. But they weren’t ones I thought I would have when I smelled it. Hatred raged through my body, practically tearing at my insides. My hands hit the glass to the window hard, leaving streaks. The black was pulsating under my skin like it was aching to get out.
“Let me outtttt … you know you want to be stronger to bring pain to those that stand in your way and make them suffer… suffering that would make them beg for their life to end.” A voice very close to me whispered. I jerked around to see if someone was behind me but there was no one. Out of the corner of my eye, something in the reflection of the mirror caught my attention. I avoided looking into it since the blackness morphed my appearance in an utterly disgusting image of my former self. But there she was … the person whispering her tantalizing bait. I stood looking absolutely normal; back to the old me, with another version of myself beside me with the blackness all over her. Her eyes were completely blacked out with the exception of white pupils and her blond hair with black running through it. She reached an arm out and I could practically feel her touch at my cheek. She was beckoning me to join her, to be one. My arm slowly rose to greet hers, and a smile tightened across her face. “Yessss … this world can be ours if you accept me. We will be more than anyone has everyone seen before. I can make your pain disappear, and you will never feel anything ever again …” My arm retreated back, finding comfort in my body as her last words snapped me back to reality.
“What good is livin’ life not ever bein’ able to feel anything? Pain is part of it but love and friendship are also. I don’t wanna give that up, even if it is hard.”
“You fool! You will join me or else you will be stuck in this room forever!” I backed away from her feeling her hate radiating. The black eyes showed no mercy for me as I felt the corner of the room at my back. Dropping to the floor, I placed my hands over my head, trying to bury it. Her threats continued, and I focused with all of my might to block her out. The last thing I heard her say was I would be all alone eventually, the last ones would give up hope, and I would wither away with no one, before I passed out.
The next time I woke, I sat in the floor going through ideas that might work to get me out of this room and back to my life. I tried everything I could think of, including beating on the window with my hand and the chair but nothing seemed to work. I screamed so much trying to get someone to hear that my throat ached when I swallowed.
“You’re wasting your time,” she said, laughing at my attempts. I ignored her. I couldn’t let her know that I was drowning … drowning in a sea of lost hope.
“Fine, you want to ignore me then maybe y
ou’ll pay a little bit of attention to my friends.” I glanced at her. She was staring at me with her cold eyes. Something grabbed my ankle. I was standing in what looked like tar. A hand reached out from the spot. I jerked my foot away losing my balance and falling backward. Two bodies emerged, from the torso up, using their arms they pulled themselves toward me. My mind raced, trying to remember something I could do to protect myself, but I couldn’t. Everything I learned was gone. I kicked, but it didn’t do any good. They crawled up my body until they reached my face, screaming.
The room transformed into a deep hole in the earth. It was one so deep you couldn’t see the opening; it was a black abyss. All around me more of these things crawled toward me from every direction. I didn’t know what to do. They piled on top of me, scratching at my skin, pulling my hair. My mouth opened and released a scream that shook the walls and blue fire ignited around us. Where did it come from? The creatures shrieked and tried to escape, but the fire didn’t allow that. It burned their bodies before my eyes. Then the white room was back, and I was lying on the floor.
Each day that went by, I noticed the once up kept flowers that were usually bright and cheerful slowly starting to wilt and die until the nurses threw them out, and they weren’t replaced. The season changed from my view to the outside. Every night I tried to sleep but frustration was a beast, and it didn’t help that her voice would pound at me, trying to break me down. The shadows on the walls seemed to call me with her. They laughed at me tossing and turning as they danced around, playing at my expense. I had never felt more alone. I was cut off from everything and everyone I knew. I wasn’t coming back. I would be lost here forever, until my body on the outside died.
Finally, after many sleep-deprived nights, it seemed like they were going to leave me alone. My heavy lids fell and I slept like a baby. My mind soared, taking me away from this place and the horrors. I found myself back in the meadow. I looked around the empty, beautiful piece of nature. The breeze felt heavenly on my face as I walked to the large oak tree and took a seat under it. Despite being a sunny day, it was oddly cool and there were no sounds as if nature waited on something.
Reckoning Page 22
