Part 2

(Earlier)

Selena opened the shack door, watched her extremely wet and frantic friend carry a girl into the living room and placed her on the floor.
"Find something to prop her head up," Jim commanded as he began to dart into the bathroom in search of a first aid kit.
"You're not worried about the rug?" she asked in confusion, grabbing a pillow from the couch.

She waited for an answer but heard Jim throw numerous objects onto the floor from the bathroom. Selena rolled her eyes and placed the pillow under the girl's matted head, and peeled the dark coat off of her. She suddenly saw how damaged the girl was and almost threw up.

She looked as if she had been used for some experiment from the various wounds and cuts around her body. She then lightly checked for a pulse on the side of her neck and noticed the strange markings on her wrists and arms.

"Where have I seen these?" She thought as the girl softly moaned and slightly turned her head to the right.
"Jim! She's coming out of it! Hurry up, you!" Selena yelled, not knowing what to do.

Jim finally ran into the living room and placed the first aid kit in front of him, along with some rags, bottles of rubbing alcohol, peroxide, gauze and some black thread.
"You can't be serious," Selena muttered as her friend placed the black thread into the eye of the needle. He then grabbed a rag from the floor and poured some peroxide into the cloth, causing the liquid to spill in droplets onto the rug.

"It's the only way. I couldn't just let her bleed to death," Jim muttered back as he lifted the girl's shirt up slightly and grimaced at the sight of the deep wound. It didn't take long enough for her to scream as the cold, wet rag was placed on the open wound.
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(2 days later)

She opened her eyes tiredly and sighed. Her mind cleared briefly and she then sat up slightly from the bed, looking around the room. It seemed like a plain, modest type of room minus the antiques.

Her eyes lowered momentarily and she noticed that her stained arms were tightly wrapped in bandages and that her shirt still clung to her sides without being fully damp. She then held her head as it started to pound, causing her to slide out of the bed and into the hallway.

"This is weird," she thought as she slowly walked through the hallway, "I'm in someone's home and I have no idea where the hell I am."
Before she could turn the corner, she bumped into Jim and stumbled.
She started to get a look of terror in her eyes but quickly calmed down as he started to speak.

"It's OK. I was headed in your direction anyway," he said calmly.

His eyes weren't as dark and intense as they were a few nights before. He looked at her with instant relief and lightly smiled.

"At least you're up. I was starting to get worried."
"Well, you don't have to. I'm alive," she replied, holding her head.
He raised his eyes and replied, "She speaks. I can finally have a conversation with someone."
She shrugged as he walked over to her side held his hand out for assistance.

"You want to join me for something? It's just you and I for the day."
She shrugged her shoulders again and glanced down at the floor.
"Why don't you join me," Jim replied softly, leading her into the kitchen area of the house surrounded by a stove, oven, and some cupboards while the table was placed up against the edge of the wall. He pulled out a chair for her and grabbed two lukewarm mugs from the stove and placed them on the table in front of them.

"Here," he replied, placing the mug in front of her, "It's tea. I hope you don't mind. It's the only thing my friend and I have in here until she's able to get more supplies."

She nodded and placed the mug around the palms of her hand and felt its warmth almost instantly. After a moment, she asked:

"How long have I been here?"
"Two days," he replied.

She raised her eyes in shock.
"I know. It seems like it's been..."
"Years?"
"Yeah. You were in and out of consciousness a lot so..."

Jim watched her hold her forehead and say, "I'm sorry if...I've been causing so much trouble by me being here."
He shook his head and replied, "No trouble. My friend and I could always use an extra guest."

She looked around and asked, "Where is your 'friend', by the way?"
"She's out. Like I said about the supplies."
The girl nodded and stared down at the half-full mug for a few moments.

"You've been the perfect house guest, by the way," Jim added.
She looked at him slightly and muttered, "Thanks."

A brief silence surrounded them once more until he asked her how she was feeling.
"OK, I guess. I still feel a little bit weak after a few nights ago."
"Do you remember anything from that night?"
"Just that I had gotten off the subway and heard these menacing voices. Everything else is still hazy but..."

She suddenly placed her head in her hand and sobbed silently as he looked on.

"I'm sorry. I just...I don't remember anything. I don't remember a damn thing that happened after. Just my name."

He stared at her sympathetically and asked her who she was.

"Marlie."
"I'm Jim. And I'll try to help you out, OK?"

Marlie nodded slowly and wiped a tear from her eye as Jim pulled a chair next to her side and placed an arm around her.

(To be continued…)