Because of Karson

Chapter 7

I woke up in a hospital bed.

My vision was hazy, but I was still able to make out all the wires hooked up to me. I looked around and noticed the plain, white hospital walls. There were no decorations, just a small flatscreen tv hanging in the corner.

I looked down to my stomach, gently touching over the thin fabric. I hissed in pain as I lifted the hospital gown up. My stomach was wrapped in a bandage, meaning I probably had a few broken ribs.

I could feel the excruciating pain in my ribs, it felt as though someone was digging their claws into my abdomen and squeezing the life out of my insides. My whole body was on fire. It was still hard to breathe, but I was hooked up to a machine that helped my body take in oxygen easier. I could feel the bruises covering my body, but when I saw them, they weren't as dark as I thought they would be.

My eyebrows furrowed in confusion as I tried to figure out what happened. Why weren't the bruises on my legs purple? The only bruises that were a rich, dark purple color were the ones located on my abdomen.

I then looked over to see Jace and Olivia laying on the floor. Liv was covered in a small, gray blanket while Jace was using his arm to cover his eyes, blocking the sun from disturbing his sleep.

"Pst, Jace," I whispered, trying to get his attention.

Because I've been out for who knows how long, my voice came out scratchy and rough. This hurt my throat as I started violently coughing and I felt myself about to pass out from the pain. My ribs were throbbing and I wanted to throw up due to the agonizing pain coming from my chest and stomach. I couldn't catch my breath.

Jace shot up from the floor and looked towards my direction. We immediately locked eyes as he visibly tensed, his eyes widening in shock.

He broke out of his trance and finally noticed me coughing, and gave me a cup of water as fast as he could.

"Dakota," he breathed. "Thank God you're awake. We were so worried about you." He handed me the cup of water as I took it from his grasp and scarfed it down. I automatically felt better as the liquid traveled down my throat, immediately soothing the pain.

"What exactly happened, Jace?" I questioned as my eyes traveled down to my little sister still sleeping soundly on the tiled floor.

Jace told me that It's been a few days since our mother beat me.

A few days? What?

Then, a flood of memories came crashing into my brain all at once.

My mom. Jace pounding on the door. The baseball bat repeatedly making contact with my ribs. Coughing up blood. My mother beating me until I passed out.

It was all coming back to me.

Apparently after I blacked out, Jace and Liv brought me to the nearest hospital. Jace mentioned that our mother passed out on the couch after she beat me, but not before chugging a few more beers.

Jace had to pick up my unconscious body and put me in the back seat of my car. Even thought Jace was still a little sore from Brody, he still managed to carry me with ease.

Since he was old enough to drive, Jace got Liv from her room and they immediately drove to the hospital.

When the doctors asked what happened to me, Jace quickly made up a story saying I was robbed and beaten in an alleyway by two older men. He knew that he had to make something up in order to protect our mothers ass. The doctors didn't question anything and they began to do whatever they needed to help my body heal.