Breakfast came and went. The doctor came in and talked to her for a while before leaving. The nurses were in and out all morning but she didn't see a sign of any of the Rangers. She didn't call because if they were on a case, she didn't want to bother them. They'd taken her from her room so she could get a bath while they changed sheets and cleaned the room. She finally got a chance to brush her teeth. She swore they had fur growing on them.
She was returned in time for supper. By then, her appetite was not really there as she realized how exhausted she was. She hadn't asked for any further pain medication though she knew the nurses had instructions to give her small doses diluted in her saline solution. It took the edge off but didn't do away with it completely. She picked at her food before the nurse came in and removed her tray after refilling her water mug. One of the nurses had found an assortment of magazines and even a book of puzzles to do while sitting alone.
She had dozed off around six. She slept fitfully, dreaming of strange things that made no sense. The Rangers kept turning their back on her no matter what she did. If she asked for help, they seemed to fade away, moving through the mists as if she didn't exist. The dreams began to turn to nightmares of her past, trapping her in a maze that she couldn't escape. The sound of a gun going off in her dreams jerked her awake, causing her to sit up suddenly, yelling angrily at the one holding the gun in her dreams.
The pain of her stressed injuries is what brought her out of the nightmare fully as her body throbbed in pain, trembling with the unknown and chills from her sweat soaked gown. The nurse from the night before came running in, looking around frantically before moving over to Crane. "Gunny, you need to lie back down. Here, I'll help you."
Crane was still shaken by the dreams and nightmares. She felt the woman's hands on her back, easing her back down in the bed. "Gunny, do you need me to get you something to help you sleep?" she asked.
Crane shook her head, "No…no more pain killers. Cause…me to dream …nightmares." She stammered out. "Tea…chamomile…" she managed to murmur out as she tried to relax again.
The nurse simply nodded, "All right. I'll see what I can find for tea and I'll be back hon. Just be careful with yourself."
Before the nurse could walk out, she called to her, "Did the Rangers come by today?" she asked.
The nurse paused and then turned, pursing her lips. "I'm sorry hon. They didn't. They've had the entire crew out with the sheriffs department on a massive manhunt for an escaped convict that was being transported. I pray they all come back safely."
Crane nodded and relaxed a little more as the nurse left the room in search of the requested flavor of tea. She had learned long ago that painkillers left her with horrible nightmares. The only thing that could get her asleep without the dreams was chamomile tea. She shifted a little and relaxed some in bed, shivering as her damp hospital gown became chilled. She pulled the blankets up closer around her and closed her eyes for a few minutes, trying to get herself back under control.
She woke with a start to the sound of a gun being cocked near her ear. Her eyes flicked in the direction of the gun and for a moment, she was afraid she was having another nightmare. The nurse was standing over her bed, holding the cup of tea, a terrified look upon her pale face. Behind her stood Max with the smile that left her colder than ice. "Hello sweetie. Miss me? I didn't miss you I see." He said, taking the barrel of his gun and poking it into her healing shoulder wound.