Chapter 2 - Hospitals and Evil Plants

I woke slowly, my head heavy and clouded. Christ that had been one hell of a dream, ninja's and snake-men? I needed to lay off the fantasy T.V.

…?

This wasn't my room… where was I?

It was very white.

My blurry vision cleared enough to let me realise where I was.

In fricking hospital!

What the hell had happened? My mum was soooo gonna kill me for what I'd done…

Wait… what had I done to end up in hospital?

Perhaps, just perhaps, that hadn't been one fucked up dream. What if I really was here, in ninja land?

Holy crap!

A nurse arrived and looked surprised to see me awake, she smiled softly and then checked my vitals. We didn't speak, she never asked me how I was feeling, or I ask her where I was. It was pretty silent, that is until she took out a needle for taking blood.

Now, there's this thing you need to know about me. I am terrified of only three things, water; because I can't swim, heights and needles.

I freaked.

I pushed off the covers and threw them at the nurse, who's cry of wait was muffled by the sheets. I thanked my lucky charm voodoo-doll on my belt that they hadn't changed me out of my clothes as I ran to the window.

We were only on the second floor up, I could make it.

I slid the glass to the left, stepped up on the sill, and launched myself out of the window.

I did Parkour (aka Freerunning), and used those skills to spread out the impact of my landing.

Then I ran for the wall surrounding the square in the middle of the hospital complex. It was only just over four-foot high, so I vaulted it with ease. I found myself in a rather busy street, so legged it out of view down some alleys.

I more felt than saw the people who began chasing after me. More than two, less than five my senses told me.

They were near silent, breaths in the wind.

I ducked behind a large bin, squidged myself behind it and held my breath as they hushed past.

All clear.

I ran back the way I had come, and hurried into the nearest residential area. There was a gate leading into a large garden, I pushed open and locked it behind me, then slipped into the shed to my right.

I waited there until I thought it was safe enough, then left the garden. I started running again.

I ran for what felt like twenty minutes until I came up against my first major obstacle.

A large wire fence rose up in front of me, at least sixty-seventy feet high. There were warning signs and 'DO NOT ENTER', signs all over it…

A thought occurred…

If they wanted to catch me that badly that they would send out the ninja's I was sure were currently hot on my trail, they might not follow me in here…

I started to climb.

I neared the top when the first ninja arrived. He stood at the bottom and tried to wave me back down, before calling up to me;

"I am of ANBU level, we have been charged to bring you back unharmed. Please make it easy and come back! It's dangerous!"

Yeah, just 'cos' you're scared I thought to myself. I flicked him a 'V' and swung myself over the barbed wire at the top, missing it only just. I smiled at him as he sent one of his four-man-team back to get permission to go after me in there.

Ha! I couldn't believe I'd outsmarted them that much!

I turned upon reaching the earth below me, Parkour skills still coming in handy, and gave the ANBU a little smile and wave before darting through the bushes and trees, getting as far away from them as possible.

There was a small clearing just ahead of me, I could see it, so I ran in to try and find somewhere safe to hide in-case the ANBU came after me anyway.

Not one of my better ideas since I ended up staring death in the face.

Massive, and I mean MASSIVE Venus fly traps surrounded me. They were definitely big enough to eat people…

I looked around, there were bones covering the ground… some looked half dissolved… I walked through the clearing as quietly and as carefully as I could, avoiding the roots that almost completely covered the ground. Softly, softly…

Inside I was praying, but you think I'd tell anyone that? Yeah right!

A twig snapped behind me and I straightened, turned my torso and did my best to look confident, sometimes all you need is the air of success, and that can be enough to get you through. I hoped it would work.

I recognised the mask…

He was the one who had looked after me on the way here. I frowned at him as he took a step forward… onto one of the plants roots! I cringed as the whole clearing seemed to shiver.

I started running again, but halted at the other side when I heard a strangled cry.

The guy had tried to follow me through the infested clearing, but got caught up in the vines… he was slowly being dragged back… to gaping, sharp rimmed, mouths.

I couldn't just leave him there! It would be my fault if he died!

I grabbed the nearest object, a thick, sturdy tree branch. I smacked the vines, forcing them to let go of the man. As I grabbed his hand to pull him up, more vines lashed out and slapped me so hard in the chest I was flung back at least twenty feet. I'm sure I heard a rib snap.

Is this a bad time to mention I've got asthma…?

I coughed, spluttered, totally winded. The only way to get enough air back into my lungs was to force what I had left out.

I screamed like nothing alive had ever.

Forcing myself to turn my head as I gasped and wheezed for air, I watched as the vines bound the ANBU and led him to certain death.

I'm not sure what made me react the way that I did, but what ever it was, it worked. I found myself on my knees, launching rock after rock, stick, twig and anything else I could find on the ground at the plants. They paused and dropped the man, who was laying oh so very still…

Oh shit! He was dead! It was all my fault… I'd killed him…

I saw red… No way in hell was I going to be taken down by these things next!

I lashed out, fist and claw, tooth and any other body part I could use to defend myself. I bit and scratched my way through the vines to the ANBU. He stirred, he was alive!

Now I had to fight for his life too. I couldn't let him die for real. I renewed my attack with even more force.

They backed off after a bit, and by then I was exhausted. I was still strong enough to drag the ANBU to a safe distance though. There I collapsed on my side, coughing…

Coughing blood…?

Shocked I forgot to breath for a minute, which only made me cough harder.

Blood covered my hands as I tried to stem the gush. I couldn't… I just couldn't! I was going to choke on my own blood and die…!

Black spots danced before my eyes as I slumped to the ground on my side. Voices… I could hear voices calling out to us, but they were fuzzy and distant, and yet the owners of those voices were right in front of us…

My head hurt… I couldn't see straight, or even feel the earth beneath my body… I was so scared… and my chest was on fire…

I'm not sure what happened after that, but, I woke up. I was still laying in the forest, near the fly-trap clearing, but the pain was gone. I didn't feel sick any more!

Medic nin surrounded me, the silver symbol glinting at me in the dim sunlight.

I sat up, one hand to my head and they did nothing to stop me. I stood and clutched my ribs before walking slowly over to the ANBU who had gathered round their team-mate.

"I'm sorry for running off like that… I really don't like needles…"

My voice was so very quiet that I didn't think they'd heard me, but one laughed, the others soon joining in.

"You gave us a good work out that's for sure. Mentality of a ninja this one!"

"Yeah, don't worry about it, we don't do hospitals either."

They kept their masks on, but underneath I could tell they were smiling. I looked down at the ground and glanced towards the clearing…

"We saw you fight them. You're not that bad, for someone who's never had any training that is."

"What? You saw that and did nothing? You retards! What the fuck is wrong with you guys, the both of us could have died in there, and you just watched! Sickos!"

I attempted to storm off, but found my arm caught in an iron grip. I twisted angrily and raised my hand to swat him off, but he grabbed my wrist and so I smacked him with my head. His mask cracked and he stumbled back, releasing me.

I looked at the others, just daring them to take a shot.

Hell hath no fury like a woman's wrath.

(AN: Sorry that it took so long to update, writer's block… anyway it's here now, please review folks!)