Chapter 7
Slumped in the hard plastic chair at Seth's beside, her hand supporting her head, Jessica drifted in and out of a restless sleep. Flashbacks flooded her mind like an infection inflicting heartache in its wake, all she could see was Seth's fragile frame laid in front of her.
"Seth, don't leave me!" she cried repeatedly.
Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder, gently shaking her entire body.
"Jessica, Jessica" called out a distant voice. Eventually growing to a louder volume, it sounded masculine to her ears.
"Seth?" she thought. The voice seemed a little younger than that of Seth, and grainier too. Jessica could now see the blurring outline of shapes, they began to infuse with colour and the world around her suddenly became much clearer. She rose her head up to see the face of Mort standing just to the right of her, he hadn't left the hospital either. His clothes still a little bloodied from the night before, holding a coffee in his right hand.
"Here you go Mrs F, a fresh cup of coffee." said Mort.
"Thank you" she replied. It must have been her fourth coffee she had consumed, judging by the amount of mugs piled on the bedside table. Her eyes a little bloodshot from the lack of sleep and amount of caffeine that she had drank.
"You should go home and get rest. I'll stay with him" he said in a kind manner.
"I'm fine honestly" she replied, when clearly she wasn't due to the state of her. Her clothes still bloodied, and the tears stains on her cheeks still remained like snail trails on a garden path.
"You've been here all night now Jessica, you should go home and get some rest" he said softly.
"Honestly I'm fine!" she snapped.
"Look Mort I'm sorry. Maybe you're right, but I cant leave him not now" she replied in a less hostile tone.
"It will be fine Jessica, if anything changes I will call you. Now go home, freshen up and get some rest" he said in calm tone.
"Thanks Mort" she replied.
"I'll need to take a statement at some point, but for now that can wait. I'll have Andy drive you home" he spoke softly. He then retreated from the room, made a quick phone call using the hospitals public phone, and then returned, by which time Jessica had gathered up her jacket.
"Andy, should be here any second for you Mrs Fletcher. He will meet you out front" said Mort.
"Thanks Sheriff, just let me know if there's any change wont you?" she asked.
"I will" he replied.
She then turned towards the door, exited the room and made her way to the front of the hospital. Standing outside of the hospital doors, suddenly Jessica had another flashback. She could now see the concealed figure in front of her just as she had seen before, then the all too familiar figure of Seth positioned himself between her and the vigilante once more.
"Jessica look out!" cried Seth.
BANG!
Jessica shuddered with the force of the deputy's car door slam, which snapped her sharply out of her trance-like state.
"Mrs Fletcher, I'm here to give you a lift home" said Andy. With which, he opened one of the car doors and indicated for her to get into the vehicle. Pulling her bag up to waist height Jessica sat back into the passengers seat in the deputy's car. Andy then shut the door tight behind her and returned to the drivers seat, starting the ignition he eventually made his way towards Jessica's house.