Burned
Chapter 10: Temporary Escape

His question was almost unheard. Alex's voice had gone just above a whisper. He looked at the letter in his hands again.

We saw what truly happened to you in that hospital, when Margaret tricked them into releasing you. The damage you'd suffered at their hands… It was enough to cause eternal suffering for both of us.

"What did she mean?"

Alex placed the letter back into the envelope, and slowly stood up, His face was unreadable, and it was clear that he was straining o remember a time when he was home before this.

"You know I told you Elle and I would visit you in the hospital?" At his affirmative nod, she continued. "Well, on one of my last visits, the room you stayed in, 205, was completely dark. They said you reacted to the light. At first, I believed them. The doctors were less than truthful before, but this was something minor. I entered the room, closing the door, and…" Margaret paused, bringing up the memory.

Alex was sitting on the bed, shrouded in semi-darkness. Only the light from the clock and the light coming through the cracks atop and below the door were present. His face was unreadable, due to the darkness, but there was some tension in the room.

"Alex…" She got no answer. He turned slowly, pinning her with a hollow look. Margaret had not expected him to be this out of touch. She slowly approached, seeing him barely move, like a cobra, waiting to strike its prey at any second, upon crossing an invisible boundary. "Alex, I need you to say something…" Still no answer or response.

"You were unresponsive. Everything I tried ended in failure. Nothing I said struck a nerve. The doctors had said that you were completely out of touch with reality, but there was something about what they said that positively bled lies."

"Alex, I know you're still in there! For the past two months, Elle and I have come here, seen the old you, and now there can't be nothing but a hollow shell left."

The next week was spent watching him. All he would do was sit and stare. Occasionally, he'd fight when they'd come to give him treatment. The method of treating him was something that needed to be clarified. All Margaret knew was that he would not even look up for several hours afterwards. Hours would go by like years in that darkened room.

Alex sat motionless after one of his ast treatments. The silence in the room was deafening to the other occupant, but he apparently didn't notice. This went on for a few more hours. Suddenly, his eyes shot open, the pent up fear and uncertainty was evident In his grey-blue eyes. Margaret nearly jumped out of her skin, when he spoke.

"I can't see you."

"W-what?"

"I can't see you…"

"It was a breakthrough that day. For the first time, you were aware, awake, and able to directly communicate. It was something I honestly didn't expect anymore."

Alex sat up a little straighter, seeing only her silhouette. His words were a bit slowed, but he was talking nonetheless. "How long… How long have you been here?"

"I'd been there for a week at least. I'd come almost everyday. Elle would think I was working late. I couldn't let her know what kind of condition they had you in. You had no idea about it, though. The drug-induced semi-coma the doctors had you in would make sure you had no attachment to the real world."

"A week?" His voice held a surprised look. The little light in the room allowed her to see his eyes a little wider than usual. "You've been here a week?"

"Yes. I've been coming here for a week, but I don't think it's registered with you." She heard a faint dripping noise, and the light from the machinery in the corner showed that the IV that was in his arm was loose. The liquid was dripping into the floor. "They've kept you medicated for God knows how long, so it doesn't surprise me that you have no idea…"

Alex looked around, almost frustrated, and finally pinned her with a stare. "I want to see you…"

"Alright…" She paused, turning toward him again. "They told me you had sensitivity to light, is that true?"

"What…"

"Thought so… Hold on."

"Managing to turn that light on was something I feel like should have happened sooner. When that lightfinally flickered on, I saw just wyat those so-called doctors were doing. I saw bruises, from where you had struggled, while in moments of clarity, to get free. I saw several different burns all over your head and neck. It was horrible, and it's something I had to do something about….."

Seeing her face, Alex looked confused. He finally saw the color drain from her face, and asked the question. "What?"

"Alex, you don't remember this, do you?"

"Remember what?" He looked extremely confused now.

"Look down…" Alex slowly looked down at his upper chest, seeing red, swollen flesh, blackened skin, and a dark bruise going down into his lower chest. He then twisted around, seeing his face in the foggy and dirty window. As he made the connection that what he was seeing was him, the pain crept closer, making him ache all over. It gradually got worse, as the medication wore off.

His teeth were gritted as he spoke now. "W-what Happened… to me?"

"I don't know…" Tears were brimming In her eyes, seeing him struggling. Her eyes went from him to the door. "I'm going to find out…" She quickly moved toward him, gently placing a hand on his shoulder. "First, I'm getting you out of here."

"How…" His teeth were gritted still, and there was a slight growl to his voice, now. She gave something akin to a wicked grin.

"They saw Adam, when you were brought in. They didn't see Lillian. For all they know, the nurse that straps that bag to your arm could be your mother."

"Huh…" He groaned, feeling pain spread all over his body, and felt like there was something tied to all his limbs, pulling him apart.

"While I did some digging, I realized that they didn't know who Lillian was. I managed to fool them, saying I had just found out my husband had gone behind my back, putting you in that hospital. It took some convincing, and a fake DNA test, but eventually…"

"I won't-"

"You'd rather face a lawsuit? You'd rather face what hell I'll bring this place, when I let it slip that a man can just bring a kid here without anyone knowing? Is this a place of healing, or a place of death?"

"Look lady, I can't-"

"The DNA came back positive, and now you won't release my son!"

"It's not like that-"

Alex was hearing this angry argument outside his door. The room had been quiet, until the head of staff came to confront Margaret. He had carried on this argument for the last half hour, and it was entertaining to see her put him in his place.

"Fine, alright? Fine! You want this psycho released, then let him kill you in your sleep. It won't be my problem anymore. Let him bring all the problems back. Go on. Here's the release form. He's your personal hell, now."

Margaret re-entered the room, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You're going home…"

"I argued on your behalf, fooling the chief of staff, and eventually got you released. It took awhile to catch a boat back to Shepherd's Glen…"

"Mom and Dad acted like they hadn't seen me in years! Are you telling me that they lied, saying I had been gone too long?" Alex finally found words to say after this odd tale. Margaret sighed, remembering the return home.

"It's not the brightest idea to let your father know you're here, right now. First, we'd best get you cleaned up. You look like you haven't slept for a year…"