Hello again! Hope you're all doing well. I have another chapter for you! Sorry this one is kinda short. I might release another one later, as I like to pair the shorter ones with longer ones, but I've had work this weekend which has kinda been stressing me out and taking up my time so this might just be today's chapter. Regardless, I hope you enjoy it!
Beep. Beep. Beep.
A gentle, steady beeping roused Kora from the grasp of unconsciousness. Focusing a bit harder, she heard a woman's voice. Who is that? What's happening? After a few seconds, she was awake enough to distinguish individual words, focusing deeply on understanding what the words meant.
"...They say they found her in an alley doing their usual rounds. Usually there are thugs messing around back in the back alleys, but they definitely hadn't been expecting a near-dead teenager. the poor girl."
The voice seemed fuzzy in Kora's mind. Alley? nearly dead teenager? Where am I?
She tried to open her eyes, but it felt like they were practically glued shut with how heavy they were. She heard the sound of a door open, immediately followed by a male voice.
"Dr. Weaver, we ran the background check and investigated the address listed and... You may want to call a social worker."
Kora thought she could hear the sound of a paper rustling, but her surroundings were becoming more and more muted and less and less real.
Why am I here? Who are they talking about? Kora thought she could hear them talking again, but she couldn't make out what they were saying, instead being pulled deeper into the depths of fuzzy, heavy sleep.
LINELINELINELINELINELINELINELINELINELINELINELINELINELINE
She could hear the beeping of the monitor again, but this time she couldn't hear anyone else in the room with her. bright, white light pierced her eyelids, and she could smell disinfectant and alcohol wipes.
Disinfectant? Bright lights? Hospital. Why am I in a hospital?
She opened her eyes slowly, and while the blinding white walls hurt, she was correct in her assumptions of the hospital. She shifted slightly, causing pain to scorch up her side.
Pain. An injury? That's why I'm in the hospital. How was I injured?
Suddenly, memories came flooding back of a dark alley. It was cold, damp. She remembered feeling something smooth and hard in her hands. A chain? no. Necklace? that's it. Why a necklace? there was something else metallic there. What was it? Someone else was holding it.
It struck her. A wave of icy terror washed over her as she remembered. A gun. They had a gun. No, not they- Nathan. Nathan had a gun. I got shot.
Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.
She heard the heart rate monitor speed up, signaling the increase of her anxiety. The monitor also must've prompted the doctor to her room, as the door opened and a woman with a concerned expression hurried in.
"Ah, Kora, you're awake. How are you feeling?" Her voice was gentle, yet also expectant.
"Fine. Slightly achy." Kora figured being concise would probably be best here, both because she was worried what she would be asked and because her mouth still felt a bit cottony from the anesthetic.
"My name is Dr. Weaver. Is it okay if I ask you a few questions?"
Kora felt the sweat on her hands and forehead as her breathing sped up, becoming shaky and shallow. What if she asks about Nathaniel? I can't tell her what happened. He'd come after me.
Dr. Weaver, sensing her anxiety, quickly followed up with "It's okay if you don't want to talk to me right now. I have a friend who will want to talk to you, but they won't be coming in for a few hours."
Kora nodded nervously, unsure what else to say.
"Well, it's important that you get lots of rest, so I'll leave you be. If you need anything, there's a button on the wall next to you that will notify a nurse or myself that you need help. Get some sleep, Kora."
Dr. Weaver smiled gently at her before walking back out the door, leaving Kora to the empty room.
As she let herself fall back into sleep's embrace, she couldn't help but think that, while she normally had to combat nightmares as she went to bed, sleep seemed to be her current refuge against the nightmare that had made itself her reality.
Please leave a review if you're so inclined! knowing what people think has really boosted my determination to write!
