Ok! I am back, I'm pretty sure this is the fastest I have ever added a chapter...thank class cancellations for that! But don't get used to it. Once again, if I owned this I would live in a city, and not a farm, also - REVIEW!
It was all over the news, the sheriff's son has gone missing, scandalous, don't you think? From being the uppity boy everyone loved to hate, to being the tragic story of how a car crash can destroy even the most optimistic of personalities, to death, and now this! His body, missing from the morgue, no footage of a body snatcher, just a missing body and a lab coat! Then footage of the same dead and missing kid breaking into and stealing clothing from a Goodwill, is it all a big hoax? Or someone's twisted sense of humor?
I snorted when I read the old newspaper, and I do mean old, this story was printed about a month ago, or so says the date of the edition. A dark part of me was amused by the news, I wondered what they would have thought if more bodies started to disappear then reappear breaking into places. The world would more than likely be in chaos, well, more than it is now. But that's beyond the point. Back to reality.
I'm not too sure where I ended up, I think I'm in the Virginia mountains somewhere, near coal mining towns and hillbillies, if the smell of wood smoke and gun powder have any correlation. It's been a few months now since I was reborn, brought back, damned, or whatever or however you might want to look at it. But I'm not bitter, nope, not one bit. Traveling from Beacon Hills to here, was an interesting endeavor, and this has been the first time I've had time to sit and contemplate.
Week One
It was slow going, I originally pitied the Amish for having to travel horse and buggy to get place to place, but going by foot was even slower, and it took even longer. You would think with being brought back from the dead I would have some type of power, or ability, maybe to make me faster, or impervious to sun burn…something…anything. Nope, of course not, mother nature and any and all the gods do too apparently. I got sunburned, bad, so bad in fact I probably looked like a burn victim…well more of one. The scars on the side of my face throbbed, and I was forced to wear a hood at all times, no matter the temperature while I walked, to make sure that I wasn't given any more notice than necessary. But, being a kid, with a limp, walking down a highway is always bound to get attention. Some good, and some not to good.
The first people who asked if I wanted a ride thought I was a runaway, you could tell by how they acted. It was an elderly couple, they looked like the typical grandparents who would travel to Florida in the winter and in the summer visit their grandbabies up north, bringing candy and presents galore. At first they followed my slow moving form in their red, beat up Oldsmobile, before finally getting the nerve up to drive beside me. The man was the one to talk, thankfully he didn't have a beard nor a mustache so I was able to read his lips.
"You ok kid, do you need a ride anywhere?"
I shook my head and started to veer father into the grass, hoping to make it look like I was about to take a turn to my house, granted there hadn't been a house for miles and from the looks of it there weren't going to be any for a while yet. Stupid farm country. The old couple persisted, until I turned fully towards them and lowered my hood. The old lady's face paled and her weathered, thickly veined hand covered her lips, while the man just looked at me, sympathy showing.
'I don't need any help' I signed, hoping to enhance my 'outcast' persona.
Sadly it worked, but strangely enough the old man saluted me before driving away, as if he respected what I had gone through…maybe he thought I was a veteran returning from the war and needed time to myself, if he only knew where these scars came from. There is nothing heroic about them. Thankfully for the rest of that week I had been left in peace. But of course nothing is simple and the next time someone came upon me, it just had to be a cop.
Blue lights broke through the early dawn, and they broke me from my trance like state. I don't know how long I had been walking, but it turns out in my new state of 'being' I didn't require as much sleep as the Old Stiles did. I think I let out a groan of annoyance, and I turned to face the cop car. Dragging my hands out of my hoodie's pocket slowly and showing that I had nothing on me. The cop slowly, cautiously exited the car. And I didn't begrudge him for it. I mean, if you saw a kid, dressed in dark colors with a ratty backpack and a pillow pet under their arm, walking down an old road at the break of dawn, wouldn't you be paranoid? I removed my backpack and slowly moved forward, dad's voice popped into my head, it was of him regaling a younger me of what to do if I was ever in this situation, though I had better not be. Oh how the times have changed.
Sadly, the cop didn't understand sign language and he saw my hand movements as a threat, idiot. Because the next thing I know, my bad knee is folded under me, pillow pet, Ralph, is lost and I'm being shocked with who knows how many volts of electricity? I know I was screaming, because my throat hurt. My body seized multiple times, and to the point where the cop called for an ambulance. I must have blacked out, because the next thing I knew paramedics were around me, shining bright lights into my eyes and making me even more disorientated. I had enough strength to push the lights from my eyes and squint up at them, then pointed to my ears and shook my head, regretting the motion immediately but they got the picture.
At least I think they did, I blacked out when they touched my left knee. I really need to get a sign on it that says 'no touch'. An IV was hooked up, oxygen was forced into my nose, and a sedative. Because I'm pretty sure I ended up kicking the cop where it hurts before they had me on the gurney.
When I came to, I really hate waking up in strange places, I saw a few police officers hovering by the door. My head slowly, loosely rolled on my neck, eyes meandered through the room, taking in the stats on the monitors, the sludge being dripped into my veins and my backpack, or at least the strap of it, peeking out from a door. The doctor came in, and wrote something on his tablet, or maybe it was an iPad, I honestly don't know because I don't remember reading it. Whatever they had in the IV was good stuff because I was out before I could sign a single word, or even give them the one finger salute.
When the medication wore off, I knew better than to show my awareness. Very carefully I peeked through my lashes and saw that the officers were gone, and one of the IV bags was gone as well. Thank the gods for small mercies. But that was when I noticed the soft restraints holding me to the bed, I'm pretty sure the deity watching out for me was the Trickster god or some other asshole. I kept my breathing steady and attempted to think of a way out, I mean, if werewolves and the stupid Kanima can bypass police and the hunters can get away with toting around a near arsenal of weapons that I highly doubt are from a mom and pop gun dealer, then I should be able to get out of these restraints. I mean, I already survived death….I can't let soft restraints hold me back. A slightly perverted image of me being held down by a certain wolf had his way with me flittered through my thoughts, damn teenage hormones. I made sure my heartbeat was slow, and my movements, hopefully, made as little sound as possible, for then I bit my lower lip and dislocated a few fingers by forcing them towards my palm, who knew fingers could cause so much pain?
Slowly I was able to release my hand, but I had to hold my breath for a moment, the pain was slowly starting to raise my breathing rate and I knew that my heart rate would rise and then all the annoying people would come and I didn't want another loopy shot. I needed to get out, before they realized that I was the dead kid from a few months ago…I wonder if a dead person can have a record after their death….
Fighting the pain, I was able to dislocate my restrained hand and I forced myself to finish the deed. Carefully putting the now swollen fingers back into place was easy, with each pop I felt relief, but now I had to do the hardest thing. I had to get out of this room, out of the hospital without being noticed and without being caught, and preferably getting out of town, far, far away before they realized who I was, am…whatever.
First the IV, ugh, I hate needles, it just gives me a heebie-jeebie feeling seeing them sticking into my skin, or anyone's skin, if I were to be honest, there is nothing natural about it. Once that was done, I looked at the heart monitor and sighed, this is where its going to be the near impossible part of my mission, maybe if all of this works out I can be the next Tom Cruise and continue his legacy in the Impossible Movies….right, back on track. I tested the length of the wires, and was happy to see that the wires were actually a lot longer than originally thought. Deep breath, I slid from the bed, thankful that they didn't think to put restraints on my legs, and used my good foot to slip the door open so I could extract my bag. Chucking off the gown, I was happy to see that I wasn't nude under this sheet, it I was in scratchy boxers, but hey, I actually missed the feeling of boxers hiding my man bits. Now I was able to get my clothing from the bag, I slid on the now too big jeans easily, then shoes. I grabbed my only button up and slipped it over my shoulders and buttoned it up as far as it could go with the wires. Shoes tied, jeans up, backpack, jackets, Ralph, and hospital socks. I was ready to go.
Painfully, quickly, I ripped off the heart sensors and slid out of the room just as the alarm started to wail, or at least I think it did, from the startled looks the nurses had. I made sure the worst of my burn scars were covered up and I moved onwards. Head high, backpack slung causally over my shoulder, Ralph peeking from the side pocket. I remembered to walk like Scott, how he looked and acted after visiting his mom at work. And I made sure to hide my limp.
Heart slamming against my ribs, I was able to make it to the lift before security was alerted. There are small mercies for the 'close door' button on an elevator. I was able to close it just a millisecond before a security guard's arm was able to stop me. You'd think they would find skinny, fit, or at least less doughnut eating guards for a hospital, I mean really. Even with my limp I would have been able to out run him, his arms barely made it past his girth. I exited two floors before the ground floor, then hit every button on the elevator, hopefully those who were watching are dumb enough to think I went to the ground floor.
Again small mercies, I was able to make it to the stairs, and down without a hassle, but that is where the mercy ended. A fit, good looking police officer was guarding the exit to the stairs, and he had his hand on the trigger of his taser, what is with these people and tazing others? Sheesh. I knew he would be on the lookout for me, more than likely they all knew what I looked like and my causal attitude and good looks wouldn't get me as far as the door, much less to the town over. So, I decided that a distraction would be best. Hiding behind the stairs, in that weird little no-space nook, I rifled through my bag. Grabbing the most kid-like items I could find. A mickey mouse hat, ears included, Ralph, a medical bracelet that had the symbol for autism, I was most definitely going to hell for this, but they would have to catch me first.
Putting on the most childlike expression I could muster, one arm holding Ralph closely to my chest, the other nervously ticking, I walked out, straight out – right in the line of sight of the police officer. He was surprised to say the least. Not fifteen feet from where I emerged a large burly hand was clenched around my shoulder. Show time.
I screamed, I let loose the loudest howl my vocal cords had ever done. I had everyone's attention, and I mean everyone. Patients, Doctors, Nurses, Orderlies, even the food cart lady turned. I struggled against the police officer's hold and continued to wail. Letting tears fall. The tears were from the pain of being on my bum leg, but no one had to know that.
Women were the first to act, their motherly instincts kicking in. The officer let go, I sunk to my knees, held Ralph closely, making sure the bracelet was showing, and continued to wail like I was being butchered.
The commotion brought a massive crowd. I mean, I think two floors of the hospital staff and patients alike and their third cousins were there. A soft hand caressed my tear stained cheek, I opened my eyes and saw a young orderly looking kindly at me, her green gray eyes saw the bracelet and she put a reassuring hand on my head before confronting the now red faced officer. Yep, I was on the fast track to hell.
Carefully, keeping up my scared-hurt-confused act, I scooted to a corner, near a sign labeled EXIT to Parking lot. I pressed against the door, hand carefully reaching for the weird door bar, handle, and with one look back, I was on my feet and out of there. I think I broke the Olympic sprinting record, I wouldn't be surprised if I brought up dust. But of course that was only the beginning of a long trip….
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