Chapter 3

Hospital Blues

Three officers from the local police department slowly approached the Best Buy with their flashlights shining into the store front as the store manager showed up.

The officers asked the manager to unlock the door and to stay outside as they went in to check things out. As they entered the store they didn't notice anything out of the ordinary at first until one of the officers literally tripped over Belldandy's balled up form in the floor.

Officer Biggs: "Hey guys! Over here!"

Officer Richards: "Say what do we have here? She looks like she's out cold."

Officer Biggs: "Yeah, wonder how she got in here?"

Officer Gene: "Well, she probably stayed till she got locked in here and then found out she couldn't get out of here with anything."

Officer Richards: " Well she sure doesn't look like the type to break and enter, much less steal anything, I mean get a load of the outfit she's got on. Think she's some kind of royal family member or something? "

Officer Gene: "Nah, I dunno. Hey look here's some kind of card. Heh. Hey get a load of this Biggs. She must be one of them Psychic ladies or something."

Officer Biggs: " Yeah, well she definitely don't look like a typical crack whore that I know. Say, you call for the EMT's yet?"

Officer Richards: "Yeah I am right now." "Yeah that's right dispatch. We have a white female, age appears to be 24 to 25 years of age, Light Brown hair, Blue eyes, about 110 to 115 lbs. Looks to be 5 foot 5 or 6 inches tall. Unconscious on the floor. Looks as though she's had minor cuts and bruises on her. Don't know what from yet. Yeah. Ok, understood Dispatch."

Officer Gene: "Good grief.." "HEY Biggs, you gotta see this. Come in the ladies bathroom!"

As Biggs reached the bathroom he found it hard to miss stepping on the shards of glass from the mirror that shattered was all over most of the bathroom floor, and there were dark charred marks on the wall that looked as though the wall had been burned.

Officer Biggs: "Damn, what happened in here?"

Officer Gene: "I don't know but I guess we better get the crime lab in here to try and sort this out. The Medics get here yet?"

Officer Biggs: "I think I heard them pull up as I came in here, looks like we'll have to detain the lady at the hospital so we can try and figure out how the hell we need to write this one up."

Officer Gene: "Yeah I guess we'll have to at least charge her with trespassing and destroying private property when she comes to huh? "

Officer Biggs: "I guess, but all this I find hard to believe was caused by just her. Maybe she had an accomplice? We'll sort it out later. Let's go Gene."

The paramedics carefully lay Belldandy on her back and check her vitals, and insert an IV in the back of her hand. They carefully load her onto a gurney and into the back of the Transport van, as they shut the doors, the officers' approach.

Officer Gene: "So she look like she'll be ok?"
EMT 1: "Yeah, she looks like she's been through hell, what happened to her?"

Officer Richards: "We don't know, that's something we ain't figured out yet ourselves. Will you have them contact us as soon as she's conscious?"
EMT 1: " Yeah, we'll have them call. But from the looks of it, it might be tomorrow some time before she comes to. They'll let you know if anything changes."

Officer Biggs: "ok guys, have a good night, what's left of it anyway."

EMT 1: "Thanks, see you guys."

The van slowly pulled off with its normal lights on as it left the parking lot. The officers gave the manager their card with a case number, and left the scene once the detectives arrived to sort out the mess in the bathroom. Dawn was just beginning to break as Belldandy arrived at the local Hospital and was evaluated and treated all while she was still unconscious from her ordeal. They assigned her a private room on the stable patients ward overseen by a security officer, since she wasn't perceived as a threat to anyone or herself. She silently slept as she dreamt of last night's happenings.

Meanwhile back at the Ygdrassil, Urd, Skuld and the others at the Goddess Help office were busy trying to find out what exactly happened to Belldandy. Urd was the most distraught, trying to put the blame on herself.

Skuld: "Urd, come on it's not your fault. You had no choice."

Urd: " She's still my responsibility Skuld. Just as much as YOU are."

Skuld suddenly looked very sad, almost in tears.

Urd: "We'll find her Skuld I promise. I just can't figure out what happened to her signature. What could have made the Ygdrassil miss finding her location?"
Skuld: "She, she could be.. Umm."

Urd: " Don't say that Skuld. She can't be. We need to just get the Ygdrassil back up to full system functions, a good 100 percent operational, ok. Then we'll be able to find her ok?"

Skuld: "Ok then let's do it."

The Daylight streamed through the hospital windows with gentle warmth against Belldandy's face. The septic smell of the air tickled her nose as she slowly and cautiously opened one eye to peep around the room. She noticed no one there with her so she carefully opened both eyes. Her mind was racing with odd thoughts, as she tried to figure out just exactly where she was. She silently tried to sit up, while doing so she noticed the slender plastic tube that buried itself under her bandages that were neatly wrapped around her hands.

"My, where on earth am I? What are these people trying to do to me?" She thought to herself just as the nurse walked in to check on her.

Nurse Cheryl: " Why hello young lady. Are we feeling a little better today?"

Belldandy: "Umm..excuse me but. Where am I?"

Nurse Cheryl: " You're at Liberty Bay Hospital honey. You came in here unconscious, so we really didn't know much about who you were or anything. Do you know your name sweetheart?"

Belldandy: " Well, I think my name is Belldandy, but I'm not sure of my last name."

Nurse Cheryl: "You're lucky the police found you in that store last night. You might have slowly bled to death had they not."
Belldandy: " The police? Wha..what happened. Why did they come help me?"

Nurse Cheryl: " I think they're wanting to know why themselves hun. One of the officers from last night is coming here to try and find out what happened to you last night, in fact."

Belldandy: " But. I don't even know myself. " Belldandy started to weep quietly.

Nurse Cheryl: "Come now Belldandy. It will be alright. They aren't going to do anything to you because I won't let them ok? I'll be in here with you the whole time he's here ok?"

Belldandy: " Well ok. I just don't know anything at all right now. I wish I could remember everything. I'm so scared, I don't know what to do or say."

Nurse Cheryl: " It's alright sweetheart, I'll help you as much as I can. You seem like a very sweet and honest young woman."

Belldandy: "Um. Might I ask a favor? Could I have some water please?"

Nurse Cheryl: " Sure you can, and I'll bring you back something to eat too, how about that?"

Belldandy: "Please, that's so very nice of you. Thank you very much."
Nurse Cheryl: " Don't mention it. It's part of my job. Be back in a few minutes."

Belldandy felt slightly more relaxed now, but was still very nervous as to what is going to become of her. "The police? What did I do exactly to make the police want me? I'm so afraid. What if. What if they put me in jail or..or they find out I've been a bad person in the past? I still don't know who I am exactly. Please someone help me! " Belldandy screamed in her mind as she thought about what may become of her.

She carefully grasped the bed control and pressed a button and the TV turned on, it startled her at first, not realizing what she'd done. Then she carefully watched the news excerpt about how she came to be where she is right now.

(TV) At about 2:50 am this morning, local police responded to an alarm at a Best Buy Electronics Store in the South Mall Shopping Center. To their surprise they found a Young lady, unconscious in the storefront locked inside. She had numerous cuts and bruises apparently from a shattered mirror in the ladies Bathroom. It is still unknown who this young lady is or how she came to be harmed inside the store. Police are speculating she was locked inside with a possible accomplice after hours to loot the store from the inside. No one else was found inside the store at the time the lady was found, and police have no other leads, it is unknown how an accomplice could have escaped the store, as all other access to the store was secure.

This is a photo of the young lady from last night. If you know this young woman or have any information about this strange occurrence please notify the Liberty Bay police department immediately.(TV)

Belldandy: "OH MY! That's ME!"

Nurse Cheryl: "Yes it certainly is you sweetie. Do you remember anything now?"

Belldandy: "I only remember, I remember noticing the cuts on my hands, and. And that I had to get up off the floor of the ladies room, and that there was glass all around me. I felt my hands stinging, and my head was pounding so hard I couldn't think. Then I only remember walking out toward the front doors when loud noises started happening and, I fell. I fell to my feet and started crying, I couldn't remember who I was or why I was there at all, then I woke up in this room."

Nurse Cheryl sat the tray and the large cup of water down and rolled the bed tray up to her.

Nurse Cheryl: "Here, don't worry yourself right now, just relax. Take a few deep breaths and drink some water, then try and eat something ok? I'll be back to check on you in 20 minutes, alright?"

Belldandy: "Oh. Thank you so much. You've been so kind."

The nurse walked out the room as quickly as she entered.

Next Chapter 4

Interrogation