Chapter 5: All Gone

Today marked the third day after Blackwood and Sam was still stuck inside the hospital. No one had come to visit her anymore. It was as if everyone vanished off the earth. No phone calls. No texts. Nothing. Not even Mike. Sam felt betrayed. She was certain that everyone else had been allowed to leave.
She crawled into an awkward ball in her hospital bed and cried. "Fucking jerks." She said to herself referring to the group of friends that she had saved. There was a knock at the door. Sam had hoped for it to be Mike but she knew it was the doctor. Perhaps there was something wrong with the evaluation and she would have to partake in another one. It wouldn't surprise her quite frankly. It always happened to her.
Sam didn't respond to the knock. However Dr. Hill still did the courtesy of letting himself in.
"Good morning Samantha." He greeted her almost…cheerfully?
He noticed her hiding under the sheets. He recognized that the hospital atmosphere was indeed driving her up against the wall.
"I just came to inform you of the good news. I gave my evaluation to the Washingtons. They agreed upon your release. You showed no signs of being a threat nor the actual perpetrator behind the entire incident. They believe you and so do I." Samantha couldn't believe what had just been said.
She got out of the bed in a manner of seconds and began to approach Dr. Hill slowly. Her manner was absolutely unnerving.
"All of this because you, the Washingtons-you thought I was responsible? I told you what happened. I told you EVERYTHING. I was there for their son. I was their when he was sending me suicidal text messages and phone calls. I was there for their kids while they were doing what? I'll tell you what they were doing, Mr. Hill. Bob Washington was continuing his long time affair and Melinda Washington continued to smuggle drugs into her system under the table. Crack, cocaine, heroin, meth. Everything she could get her grimy little shaking hands on. And you? You're their petty little resource." Her tongue was burning with venom while her eyes were glassed with tears. She picked up her hand to slap him when Mike barged into the room.
"Samantha." He growled deeply.
Dr. Hill stood in the bright white hospital light while Samantha stood in front of him, her hand in the mid air. Her voice was shaking and so was her soul. Every part of her was stained with sheer disgust.
She looked at him, deeply into the eye. "Never again, Mr. Hill." She spat out her last words to Mr. Hill.
She grabbed her things in a furious rage and moved out of the room before stopping at the door.
"I played your role, Doc. I know you were Josh's shrink…look what it's all come to now?" Sam's silver tongue striked again and she finally left the room. Dr. J Alan Hill stood alone in the room. He could not move. Her words hit him like a wave. Joshua...Dr. Hill was trailed off into his own thoughts by now.

Mike followed behind Sam. He wore casual jeans, a teal tee shirt and he carried a worn leather jacket in his right hand.
Samantha's pace picked up as soon as she realized Mike had been behind her.
"Sam." Mike called from behind. She ignored.
"Sammy!" He called again. She was further ahead, and she continued to ignore him.
You left me. You left the hospital. You said you'd visit me. You said you'd stay with me. The hospital hours were even longer than Blackwood. You left me here. You let them drill me with all these questions. You let them drill me with questions about you, about us. Never again Micha-
Samantha's thoughts had been cut off with an aggressive jerk on her wrist. She twisted around only to be facing Mike.
"What the hell are you doing?! Don't you hear me calling you?!" He raised his voice.
"What am I doing? I'm leaving. Just like you left and just like everyone else did. You all left me, Michael. Every single one of you." She yelled back fiercely.
Mike's stomach turned. He didn't think she knew that he left the hospital almost two nights ago. He knew she was referring not only to that but also to the lodge. Everyone ran out of the house. He tried to stay with her but their non-verbal cooperative plan…he knew it had to work like that. There was no other way. He felt ashamed enough but seeing Sam like this. It killed him.
"Don't touch me!" Samantha pushed away his grip. He backed away slowly and positioned his arms above his head, his jacket still in his right hand.
"Sam. Listen to me. I know. I know what it was like for you. I'm so sorry for everything that happened to you. But-"
"Michael, never again…never again…" She bawled to herself before hitting the floor. Everything was cold. She looked down at her knees. They were all bruised and scraped. Her tears soaked the hospital gown.
Mike knelt down and picked Samantha up off the ground. She wrapped her arms around his neck while she cried into nothingness. They left the hospital with no other hinderances. He carried her all the way to his truck parked beside the hospital. He placed her gently into the passenger's seat before he closed the door and circled around to the driver's seat. She shifted her body therefore she faced the window and her back faced him. She didn't mean for it to look angsty. She was just tired and wanted to rest her head against the window. Mike looked at her frail self from his seat. He sighed to himself before turning on the ignition and starting the car. He began to drive. Sam didn't know where. She didn't question it. All she saw for miles were the endless trees that stood firmly in snowy grounds while mountain ranges appeared in the misty winter air. Canada was profoundly beautiful. They eventually stopped at a gas station. Samantha was surprised Mike found clothes but then again some gas stations usually supply some odd merchandise. Without any words, Mike handed her the clothes from the driver's seat. He placed two coffee cups into the cup holders and turned on the ignition. Sam began to take off her hospital gown. Mike was caught off guard but once he realized he was acting like he was thirteen he let it go and just turned his head to face the window. He noticed Sam's figure was being reflected in the sideview mirror of the truck. He broad shoulders and curvy waist nuzzled into a cozy sweatshirt. She then struggled a bit with putting on the sweatpants but she insisted on changing in the car.
"You can look now." She spoke softly, almost shyly.
Mike cleared his throat. "Ahem…right, well let's keep going."
"Wait." Sam interrupted.
"Where are we going?"
"I don't really know." He smirked to himself.
"Sounds splendid." Sam said sarcastically.
Mike ignored it.
He continued to drive on for a few more miles until he realized it was 4 am and he barely got sleep and neither did Sammy. He eventually continued to drive until he reached some Holiday Inn.

He stopped the ignition of the car. He let out a big sigh before rubbing his face all over with his hands. He was exhausted, worn, really. He noticed Sam was asleep but she wasn't in a deep sleep. She tossed and turned too much, but he knew it was because of the nightmares. He had them too. He concluded it was probably some form of post traumatic stress disorder. He nudged her gently on the arm.
"Hey. I think we should stay here tonight. Hot water, fresh sheets and some decent food." He persuaded.
Sam opened her eyes sheepishly only to find a quant establishment right before their windshield.
"Sounds good." She quietly remarked.
They both stepped out of the car. Sammy had to circle around the car to meet Mike and to follow through towards the main desk.

It was 4 am on the fourth night since Blackwood.