She was just eating out with her parents when she heard a scream. Instinct kicked
in. She jumped up her chair flying against the wall.
'Stephanie?' Her mother asked. "What was that?" Her mother was
looking at her husband and holding Alice.
'I'll be right back!' Valerie yelled at her mother already out of the door.
Going to the direction of the scream she enters a small shop. Inside was an old
woman lying on the ground and another one standing over her. The woman who was
standing had white hair that looked like it hasn't been washed for weeks. Her lips
were dry and cracked. Valerie noticed her eyes. Where there was suppose to be
white was blood red. She let out another scream. Unwillingly shivers ran down Valkyrie's
spine.
"Miss?" Is there something wrong?'
The woman looked up.
'No' was the only reply. Her voice sounded cold.
Before Valkyrie could react she felt the darkness in her body. Everything went
black. The only sound she could hear was laughing.
When she opened her eyes everything was white and bright. A beeping sound was
to her left but she felt too sore to move.
'Miss Edgley?' A voice said.
Finally focusing she noticed a man, also dressed in white, standing next to
her. Valkyrie answered with a grunting sound.
"Miss you're in the hospital. You've been in a coma for the past two months.
You were found in a place called Mina's Shop. Do you remember?"
Forcing her brain to work she remembered the woman, her eyes and the laugh. She
wanted to nod her head but the pain was too much. The doctor must have noticed.
"I'm giving you something for the pain it will make you sleep."
She fell back into the darkness.
When she woke again her parents were standing next to her bed. Her mother was
the first to notice her eyes opening.
"Steph!" Her mother touched her head. "You scared us!"
Her father only nodded. "Why did you do it?"
"What? What happened?" Valkyrie asked her throat burning.
"Well you're the one who decided to eat something that a complete
stranger gave you!"
Her father interrupted her mother. "Didn't we teach you that? Wasn't it
the first rule?" Valkyrie could see he was very upset.
Aware that her brain was not yet fully awake she tried to remember eating. She
couldn't.
"What are you talking about?" She asked her parents.
"The cookie? The one that old lady gave you? It had herbs of some kind in
that is not good for the body. You passed out. Hit your head against a table
with more herbs on. As the herbs fell it fell on your wound. The doctors had to
pump your stomach and had to get the things out of your wound and blood! "
"Oh" was her answer. So she passed out and went into a coma for two
months. When she started thinking about that her mind went clear. Ignoring the
pain she tried to sit up. Her father pushed her back.
"Don't get up. You will hurt yourself!"
Not having enough energy to fight him she lied back down. "How long?"
She whispered.
"Two months darling" her mother said concern coloring her voice.
No. This wasn't right. Where was Skulduggery? Couldn't he wake her up? She's
aware that he wasn't with her when the incident happened but if it's been two
months shouldn't he have came looking for her? Or maybe he was her when she was
asleep and left her. What if he got a new partner? Would he do that? Valkyrie
closed her eyes stopping the tears.
After a few minutes she heard her mother whisper.
"Come. Let's go home. We can come back tomorrow. She's sleeping
again." She heard them leaf. Not long after that nee footsteps approached
"Miss? Are you awake?"
Valkyrie opened her eyes to see the doctor standing next to her bed. He gave
her a smile and started writing things down.
"Who else was here?" Valkyrie asked not able to keep herself in.
The doctor seemed surprised by her question.
"Only your parents."
She nodded her head and closed her eyes. It was expected. He could have sneaked
in at night. He would do that. After the doctor left she stared at the roof.
The whole night long, waiting for him. Sometime during the early morning hours
reality kicked in. He wasn't coming.
