by G Sasaki
This bat’s frame dwarfed the others; his body was thick and buff. His fists flew around, crushing the jaws of Hailey’s assailants. Their faces easily crumpled and disfigured with every hurl of his fist. They whimpered as they absorbed his whirlwind of attacks. The otherwise powerful bats seemed pathetic next to him. They scurried away, fearful of his fury.
But one of them yanked Hailey by her feet and tossed her through the air. Her arms and legs flailed, desperate for ground. Instead, she banged and trampled along the cement. The long strip of skin dangling from her back detached. As she skidded, the sharp surface dug into her fresh wound until finally she came to a stop. Hailey’s back didn’t even hurt anymore. It just felt hot, like she was lying on a bed of lava. A flurry of bats dove and clawed for her loose skin while others pounced at her roughed-up body like a pack of vultures eager to claim their prize.
The large bat ran at the group surrounding her. His huge wings flapped a thick breeze and he screamed the high-pitched noises she was accustomed to hearing. He swung the bats away from Hailey, standing near and hissing at any bat that came close. She couldn’t be sure, but it seemed as if this bat was going out of his way to protect her. She tried to pull herself to her feet, but her muscles wouldn’t cooperate. Her back was torn apart. She couldn’t get up.
BAM BAM! The sound of pained shrieks accompanied the gunfire. Human yells added to the song of anguish too. It was like an all-out battle had broken out. It couldn’t have been Grace and the high school bats. There was no way they could have gotten here that fast. Amidst the chaos of hundreds of flying bats, a furry hand rested in front of Hailey’s face. The large bat was offering his hand! It sat in the air, eagerly waiting. Why are you doing this for me? There was no time to think about that. Hailey mustered all her energy and slapped her hand into his.
24
The huge bat pulled Hailey up and cradled her, careful not to put any pressure on her shredded back. He held her like a baby; her small body rested against his furry chest. His wings flapped and he effortlessly carried her into the sky. Hailey wrapped her arms around this stranger’s neck.
Against the backdrop of the blue sky, she saw hundreds of bats sporadically flying in every direction. They whizzed by like a blur and somehow, the bat holding her dodged and weaved his way through. The pounding sound of gunshots rang out. When Hailey surveyed the ground below, she found a surprising sight: a man with red hair that glowed like blood in the sun. The gunshots came from Victor and some of his grocery store gang! He had to have brought at least ten men with him. And they were using the arsenal they stole from her. The bats trounced them, plucking them out of the air and throwing them around. The Unstables were probably about to begin the dissection Hailey just escaped. Luckily, none of Victor’s gang seemed to have spotted her.
Hailey looked ahead and noticed the hospital getting closer. The large bat brought her toward it! Just moments ago, she was accepting death and enduring the most tortuous pain she could possibly imagine. Now, she was on the verge of reaching the hospital.
Unexpectedly though, the large bat that carried her soared even higher, avoiding the ground floor entrance altogether. They flew higher, his body rocking with every flap of his enormous wings. He swooped toward the roof and gently landed. Directly in front of them sat a steel door that rose from the ground and stood alone.
The bat led Hailey to her feet. She stood without a shirt, instead covered by smears of blood and cuts that scraped along her nimble body. The wind that blew at her back felt like tiny daggers. Regardless, she turned and faced her savior. His face looked relaxed, muted, just like every other bat. Naturally, she looked into his eyes, the only place that offered any personality, any glimpse into this person.
His eyes seemed warm and looked unashamedly into hers. What should I do? Hailey and the bat stood staring at each other. “Thank you,” she offered. “You saved my life.”
She wasn’t prepared for what the bat did next. He stepped forward and wrapped his furry arms around her bare skin with a tender touch, careful not to harm her torn back. Hailey reciprocated and nudged against him, happy to offer a hug to the bat who saved her from death. His face rubbed against the top of her head. For such a powerful creature, his movements were slow, deliberate, and soft. His lipless mouth seemed to kiss the top of her head. It was strange: in this bat’s arms, Hailey felt safe.
And somehow, it all felt familiar.
Hailey relaxed her eyes for just a moment. The throbbing pain in her back became an afterthought in the warm embrace of this stranger. She caught herself smiling and her heart slowed to a relaxing beat.
Hailey and the bat separated. She looked at him again, analyzing the details of his pained eyes, trying to get a hold on who this mysterious bat could be. He admirably gazed at her and nodded his head, as if to say goodbye. He slowly stepped backwards, his body forcing him away. He wouldn’t take his eyes off her; he used every second he had to look at Hailey.
Then she recognized him. Hailey’s heart dropped and her eyes widened. This couldn’t be. But now it made perfect sense; his big frame, his insistence on helping her. Goosebumps tingled from her skin, and as the bat turned to fly away, she begged him to stay.
Hailey yelled, “Dad!”
It was too late. Hailey’s dad flapped his wings and flew into the sky, joining the scattered bats. Her mind flooded with thoughts. Most obvious: Dad became a bat! She thought for sure he died after she shot him. But was he crazy… an Unstable? He didn’t seem like it. He saved her. But what happened that night two weeks ago… with Mom… All this ran through her mind. If she had wings, she’d fly after him. But there was no time. She couldn’t risk being caught by another bat.
This changed everything.
Hailey turned, flung open the metal door, and dashed inside the hospital.
25
A sliver of light peered into the damp stairwell, revealing a big yellow ‘6’ painted on a gray concrete wall. Floor six. What floor had Alex been on? Hailey couldn’t remember. But she would recognize it if she saw it.
Two, she thought. It was as good a guess as any. She remembered a short elevator ride, so it had to be close to the ground. As she descended, her steps echoed and her hand slid down the cool rail. With every second turn, she counted down. Floor 5. Floor 4…
With panted breaths, Hailey’s pattering heart started to relax. It nearly leapt out of her bare chest just minutes ago. The stinging pain throbbed at her back but there was nothing she could do about that now. She whipped around each turn with glee, delighted to be in the hospital, elated to be alive.
Hailey arrived at floor two and crashed the door open. As she stepped into the darkness, her squinting eyes could barely make out anything. The walls converged and created a large circular space. But every detail hid in a silhouette of dark shapes. The ‘hospital smell’ that she so hated but begged to smell once more seemed both repulsive and inviting. The draping silence magnified the sound of her breath. An undeniable terror boiled within her excitement. Mixed together, she had never felt anything like this before.
Just ahead, she could make out a railing held up by glass. She approached it and rested her hands on the metal. The cold tickled her fingers. Down over the rail, she could see empty space opening to the floor below. Presumably, it was a place that people had simply passed through on their way to other, more important rooms. The outline of a tall statue stood in the middle with outstretched arms that rose to the 2nd floor. A couch or some kind of seating area sat empty. Next to that, one obvious shape stuck out: a piano.
That’s right! The night Hailey visited Alex with Mom, she remembered piano music as they navigated the halls. She enjoyed hearing the melody and remembered thinking the piano player was quite good. Back then, Mom led the way as Hailey paid little attention to the maze they hiked through. At least the sight of this piano meant she was heading in the right direction.
Hailey lifted her head. At opposite ends of the circular space, three gaps led to further da
rkness; more doors. Tiny black lines danced in her eyes and taunted her. She blinked away those tricks of the dark and focused. Which way should I go?
Hailey closed her eyes, pointed out her finger and spun around. Wherever she stopped would be the hall she would enter. Round and round, she spun to make the decision impartial from her mind. She slipped from dizziness and stopped her feet to keep from falling. Her eyes opened and saw her finger pointed to the door on the left.
Hailey’s hands slid on the rail as she circled around. Just to be safe, she held her hands in front of her face to make sure she didn’t run into anything. While taking methodical steps, her thigh banged against a low counter. She rubbed her hands against the smooth surface and felt stacks of paper scattered around. This must have been a reception area. She traced the edge of the counter and stepped around. As her hand skimmed the surface, she bumped a heavy metallic object that slammed to the floor. It hit and echoed through the halls like an explosion. Hailey clenched her teeth and gripped her hair. Damnit! The sound turned to rolling and skidded to a stop. The whole hospital probably heard that! Hailey lowered to her knees and reached for the source of the noise. Her hands landed on something metal and tube-like. Her eyes jumped in excitement. She knew exactly what this was!
She gripped it, twirled it in her hand and found the button. As she clicked it with her thumb, a ray of light shot out of the end. A flashlight!
Thanks to the bright spotlight, Hailey could freely walk down the hallway. She walked past the counter and immediately noticed the surprising amount of spider webs strewn where the walls met the ceiling. A thick population of dust danced around in her beam of light, bringing the hallways to life. As Hailey traveled, the surroundings seemed familiar, but then again, how distinct did any of these halls look? Doors scattered throughout, all leading to who-knows-where. Hailey reached the end of the hallway, to an opening that only went left. When she peered down, her flashlight nearly dove out of her hand.
Dried blood repainted the walls a deep red. It splattered everywhere like a Pollock painting. Hospital beds lied overturned and broken, with trash littering the floor. Hailey peered back at the clean hallway she’d just come from, shocked by the contrast. It was as if she was looking into a totally different world. She shot her beam of light to the end of the hall. Two double metal doors sat there. Thinking back, one of the few things she remembered were two double metal doors.
That’s where I’ll go. Hailey stepped into the hallway. The further she went, the worse the smell became; like week-old garbage set aflame and left to rot for weeks. If she still had a shirt, she would use it to cover her nose, instead she cupped her hand and breathed with her mouth. Hailey sidestepped the medical equipment shattered over the floor and avoided the dry splots of red. Normally, she’d feel stricken with fear. After all, this wasn’t so different from the haunted house. But now, she felt excitement. Blended with that, however, was an inescapable dread of what she might find.
Hailey put a hand on one of the metal double doors. She pushed on its cool surface and flapped it slightly open. A light that filled the inside of the area poured onto her face. Just then, a startling noise erupted from behind: a faint dragging. It sounded like something being pushed against the floor… like sandpaper rubbed together. Hailey turned around and flashed the light down the hall. All remained still. Only the shadows moved with her shifting light. Weird. Hailey turned back and continued pushing the door until it opened wide.
She popped her head inside and peered around. The halls traveled in a long block floor plan with rooms spaced along the walls. Glimpses of light blasted through the small vertical windows that ran alongside the doors. Hailey stepped into the hallway and released the door behind her that swayed closed. It seemed pretty clear: these were bedrooms for overnight stays. Eerily, all the doors sat closed… except for one. Hailey eagerly stepped past the scattered mess of paper, hospital equipment, and various splats of blood. With no need for the flashlight, she placed it down on a reception counter. She tried to peek in the side windows of the closed doors but couldn’t see much of anything. For now, she would start with the open room.
When she stepped in front of the open room, the light that bursted from inside swallowed her whole. A haunting image stared back. She looked inside and couldn’t help but lose feeling in her muscles. Her hands covered her eyes that abruptly burst with tears.
26
A rush of despair pulsated from Hailey’s heart. “Alex,” she mumbled. She wiped the tears that choked at her eyes. Her feet tried to hold her back, but she forced them to guide her into the silence of the bedroom. The bed sat upright, clean, without a trace of blood. The sheets laid thrown about. Her eyes followed the frame of the bed to the sight that overwhelmed her.
Hailey bent to her knees and cradled it in her hands. “Happy Birthday,” she read from the mostly deflated balloon. She brought it to Alex on the last night she’d seen him. The Get Well Soons were sold out so she got him the Happy Birthday balloon instead. The balloon contained enough air that it could float just above the surface of the floor. The sight was a haunting reminder of a life that seemed ages ago. She felt like she hardly knew the Hailey who brought that balloon. She stared at the detail of the letters and tried to smile. Just remember that I love you… Alex’s last words to her.
Hailey tugged on the sheets and wiped away the wrinkles of the messy bed. She stepped around and adjusted the sheets until they looked straight. Her hand caressed the top of the smooth fabric as she remembered laying with him on that very bed. It may end up as the last place they will have ever seen each other.
Hailey stared at the white sheets and felt defeated. What did I think was going to happen? Alex was going to sit here waiting for me? Hailey took a deep breath. She obviously couldn’t leave the hospital. Not with a battle being fought outside.
If I can’t leave, then I’ll check every single room.
Hailey took one last look at the bed with the dead balloon tied to it. It looked like it could dutifully be used by a patient. Hailey left the room and closed the door behind her.
CLICK
Back in the sun-lit hallway, Hailey walked to the neighboring door and wasted no time. She opened it.
This room was a disaster. The bed sat on its side, some kind of electrical machine was left shattered in pieces, old food splattered about, and junk lied all over the floor. Her eyes scanned through the mess and rested on something surprising.
Alex’s cell phone rested on the floor.
She picked it up. The battery was missing from the back. Where was it? She kicked the mess around the room. The battery was a slim solid piece of plastic. That’s all she wanted. Just to turn the phone on. “Please!” she yelled. With every minute that passed, Hailey’s desperation escalated. She tossed aside a plastic food tray and looked through every scrap of moldy food. She checked all the drawers. No battery. Hailey screamed in frustration. She picked up a cracked-off piece of the bed frame and tossed it high in the air as hard as she could. It didn’t help quell her rage. But unexpectedly, the metal crashed into a TV that partially sat overhead in the wall. The impact knocked the TV to the ground, crashing it into pieces. Hailey jumped back and watched the collision near her feet. Along with the TV, a brown leather journal fell.
Hailey stared at it. The journal had no pages. It looked like they’d been ripped out. The missing battery had pumped rage through her veins but now this journal begged to be taken. She took a few calming breaths and retrieved it from the rubble of the TV. The brown leather felt smooth and wrinkled. On the back cover was a small square sticker with a handwritten note: “If found, please return to 61 Andrene Avenue.” Hailey stopped and thought. Andrene Avenue sounded familiar. But she couldn’t quite place it.
Hailey opened the journal and revealed the ripped remnants of paper in the middle binding. Whatever lied inside the book was long gone. On the inside front cover, a single sentence was scribbled. The loopy penmanship clearly came from a girl. It read, “M
y love will never leave you. We will always be best friends. February 23, 1999.” Underneath it, there was another sentence, but the penmanship looked different, but still a girl’s. It read, “I’ll never forget her. She’ll always be with me.”
Hailey squinted at the writing on the journal. What was it doing up so high with the TV? And where were the actual pages? Regardless, the message made Hailey smile. With all the pain and violence the world had seen lately, this was a nice reminder that underneath it, somewhere, was love. Hailey looked at the details of the letters one more time. “My love will never leave you. We will always be best friends.”
Hailey gripped the journal. It would’ve been nice to scroll through Alex’s pictures, maybe look at some old texts they’d shared. But that battery wasn’t anywhere. The message from the journal was all she’d get; a message from a pair of friends she may never know.
She left the room behind and carried the journal cover and phone with her. She approached the adjacent counter. Hailey pushed all the files and office supplies away, clearing space. Now bare, she gently placed the journal there and put the phone on top.
“I’ll never forget her. She’ll always be with me.”
Hailey only knew the surface of the meaning of those words. What became of the friends since those lines were written? They each suffered a horrible fate, probably. Despite that, their friendship would be etched in that journal for as long as it existed. Though it might be over now, their love itself was once alive. That’s all that mattered, she supposed.
Hailey breathed softly. The ripped skin from her exposed back stabbed at her. She gripped the edge of the counter and cringed. The pain pulsated through her body and incapacitated her.
Until an unwelcome sound filled the air. Her head popped up and the pain subsided. She stared at the double metal doors that stood at the end of the hallway and taunted her. With every strike of the sound, her heart pounded harder.
