Out of the Woods

by Sunshine1220

Something evil happened that night, under the canopy of trees, but Bella's foggy memories are too terrifying to be believed. And the texts from her husband have left her with more questions than answers. The only thing she knows for certain is that whatever destroyed her life that night is still lurking. Her escape will be more difficult than just being pulled out of the woods.

3. Chapter 3

3.

"We just need you to try, Mrs. Masen. You—"

"I don't remember. Everything is still so … fuzzy," I whisper, squeezing my eyes closed and turning my head. I press back into my pillow and try to block out their questions.

"What about your husband? If you'll just think back maybe—"

"I told you I don't remember!"

"That's enough!" The familiar, commanding voice I remember from the night I was brought to the hospital is final, leaving no room for argument. "I won't have you badgering my patient." My eyes open and flicker toward the doorway. He spares the detectives little more than a glance as he walks into my room. "How are you feeling, Isabella?"

Tears well in my eyes and I close them. "I'm so tired."

That commanding tone returns as he reaches my bed. "I'm going to have to ask you gentlemen to leave."

Judging by his grunt, one of them doesn't like that. "We're not done with our investigation, Doctor Cullen."

"And my patient needs rest. You seem to be forgetting just how close she was to not being able to speak to you at all. You can come back when she's feeling better."

I open my eyes only enough to see Doctor Cullen standing between the detectives and me, his arms crossed and his stance wide. It gives me a sense of protection I haven't felt in days, not even when my father was here. I look past him, toward the men in the metal folding chairs a nurse brought in earlier.

Their scowls are trained on my doctor, but Doctor Cullen holds his ground, unflinching and unmovable. Finally, the men give up and stand.

"We'll be back tomorrow," the taller of the two says, his voice gruff.

"Why don't you leave your card, then Mrs. Masen can call when she's ready to speak to you?"

With a relenting huff, the shorter one hands over a business card to the doctor but looks around him to meet my eyes. "We'll be waiting to hear from you."

I look away, my vision clouded once again as the hopeless feeling I've had since waking burrows deeper into my heart.

I blink back tears as I listen to the fading footsteps of the two men who've been attempting to question me for the past hour.

"Now, how do you really feel?"

Slowly, I turn my head to face Doctor Cullen. "I … I don't know," I rasp.

"That's to be expected. You've endured quite the ordeal."

"Is it …"

"Is it what?"

"Is it normal to not remember?"

He sighs and sits in the chair at my bedside. "As I said, you went through quite the ordeal. Your body is still recovering." He gives me a rueful smile. "I'm sure, in time, those missing memories will return."

The way he looks at me, the curious yet cautious way in which he studies me, leads me to believe there's more he wants to say.

"But what if I don't want to remember?"