After The Fall
Chapter 1 – "Revisiting The Past"
Flashes of different people come in and out of Anna's view as she slips from consciousness. She can hear Cole still crying as she's lifted into an ambulance.
When she opens her eyes again she sees a pretty nurse with dark curly hair that reminds of her of Amber. "You got a nasty gash on your forehead. Can you hear me?"
A bright light floods Anna's eyes as the nurse passes the light pen back and forth. Before Anna goes back under she can hear the nurse tell someone to check the baby out.
Images of the stampeding cows and the fence flying apart come to Anna as she fights to find the light again. Her mind replays the accident over and over but one thing that still puzzled her was what did she hit. Her car defiantly hit something very real and very hard but very invisible.
The hustle and bustle outside her room is the first thing Anna hears when she finally wakes from her dark slumber. Lifting her head off the pillow she can feel the pounding that makes her shut her eyes again. "Hello?" She calls out trying to gain anyone's attention.
Then a shudder runs up her spine, a panic that makes her pulse quicken. "Hello? Where is my baby?"
Sliding off the bed and to her feet she clings to the bed then to the wall as she makes her way out to the hallway where she sees the nurse from before holding Cole.
The panicked rhythm of her heart steadies until she sees Dale, her Dale walking towards the nurse. He leans down and strokes Cole's cheek as he talks to her. "If you need any more help I'll be outside. Hey there little guy. Whose baby is he?"
The nurse smiles up to him, handing him Cole. Anna can feel her knees buckle as she slumps to the floor. Dale holds his son, rubbing his hand over the back of the baby's head.
"His mom came with a concussion and a large gash on her head. I'm monitoring her to make sure she wakes up. I think his name is Cole, that's what is on his blanket. He's a real cutie isn't he?" The nurse takes him back from Dale as Dale picks up the toy he was playing with.
As Dale bends down he spies a denim jacket in the baby bag. The army patch on the collar reminds him of the jacket he had that he left at Anna's place. He reaches down, taking the jacket out of the bag. "Where is his mother?"
Anna can hear everything from the hallway but her limbs are too weak to hold her up or make her move. She opens her mouth to speak only to find herself dumbstruck.
Suddenly a hand goes around her mouth and something hard pressing into the back of her head. Anna turns slightly to see Maxine dragging her down the hall with a gun in her hand.
When they reach a janitor's closet Maxine pulls her inside, keeping the gun to her head. "You are not going to ruin my plans. Keep quiet or you die right here and right now."
All of Anna's hopes and dreams are just right outside that door and this harpy was keeping her from them. Anna can feel a small trickle of blood run down her forehead, her vision starting to blur again.
Max ties her up with an extension cord, leaving her bleeding and disoriented in the closet. A flood of tears begins to roll down her cheeks as she lays on the floor thinking Cole would be left alone.
The noises outside starts to calm down when the door opens again but this time Max isn't alone. "Stop that Maxine. I'm not going to let you kill her. I've been in her shoes, a single mother abandoned with no one and no hope. I don't care that you think she and her baby are in your way of getting to this Dale. We're taking her back to the house and I'll watch her and the baby until you get things settled in Chester's Mill. Now, get her up and get her out the emergency door."
"Mother, you really don't understand." The older woman slaps her hand over Max's mouth, shaking her head.
A wall of a man picks Anna up out of the floor, walking her out the emergency exit. Lifting her head up she can see Max's mother carrying Cole as he sleeps on her shoulder. In a way she's thankful the older woman wouldn't let Max kill her but then again they do intend on keeping her captive.
They board a boat, the water splashing on Anna as they travel away from Chester's Mill to an impressive house on an island. The older woman tells the man to put her upstairs and to lock the door.
The man tosses Anna on the bed, her head still bleeding and throbbing. Soon the older woman comes in with Cole, laying him on the bed. "You can call me Agatha. Maxine tells me your name is Anna. So this baby, his father is Dale and that's why Maxine wants you out of the way. I've been in your shoes so I'm going to do my best to protect you and this precious baby."
Agatha goes about cleaning Anna's head wound, taking the utmost care not to hurt her too much. Anna thanks her, hoping she can find a way to break free from her captives.
As she lies on the bed holding her son all she can think about is how close she was to Dale, that he had his son in his arms and didn't even know it. Then a white hot rage covers her and all she thinks about is killing Max. If she'd just killed her back then she'd still be with Dale and not trapped in this stupid town.
A creaking noise from the door wakes her from her sleep, Maxine standing at the threshold. "I can't believe you're here. I'm not sure what's going on but I know one thing. I have plans for Dale and they don't include you. You and that little bastard can thank my mother for still breathing." She slams the door behind her as she leaves.
Anna picks up a glass candlestick on the nightstand and smashing it against the door. Max was still trying to control Dale, keep him from her. Now that she knew about Cole, knew Dale had a son with her, she was even more dangerous.
The only thing that matters now was that she stays alive and get the hell out of that damn house. If she could get to Julia then she'd be alright.
Agatha brings her some dinner and a box of baby supplies later that night. The shotgun laced in her arm showed Anna that Agatha wasn't really any different than Maxine, just more material.
The image of Dale holding, petting and smiling at his son is the only thing that gets Anna through the night. Tomorrow she would go about charming Agatha and finding a way to gain her freedom.