Freed

47

Izzy's POV

There was a heavy weight pressing down on my eyelids as soft, white light began to creep into the edges of my vision. Shards of glass seemed to be lodged in my throat from how sore and cracked it felt. There was a burning in my chest as something throbbed and my entire body felt like it was caged in a vice-like grip. My ears rang painfully as the sound of machines beeping and monitors whirring became audible.

My lashes brushed my cheekbones as my dry eyes fluttered open. I blinked away the bleariness that clouded my vision, feeling like I was floating amidst a disoriented haze. A pristine, white ceiling began to appear in my line of sight as my eyes centered in on my surroundings.

My brows furrowed in confusion as I slowly skimmed my gaze over the ceiling, letting it swivel down until it landed on the white walls. My memories were clouded with fog, and my mind was blank as I struggled to figure out where I was or what had happened. I tried lifting my head off the pillow, but the pain that flooded through my body was so intense, so overwhelming, that I couldn't. I rolled my head over to the side to graze my eyes over the entire room, trying to figure out what was going on.

I went still and something snapped inside of my mind, breaking through the hazy confusion as I caught sight of the heart monitor.

Slowly, I let my gaze drift down until I saw the IV hooked into me and it clicked.

I was awake.

No.

The memories flooded into me, ripping apart all the confusion and bleariness I had felt mere moments ago. Panic bubbled in my throat, along with a terrible sense of dread because this—this was not supposed to happen. Nausea began to churn and it sent my stomach rolling as a bitter sensation crawled up my throat. My chest began to burn.

I was awake. I wasn't supposed to be awake.

I was supposed to be gone.

My lips parted and my throat burned as liquid fire seared through it. "No." The word came out strangled and hoarse. "No. No." I wasn't supposed to be awake. This wasn't supposed to be happening. The panic swirled behind my eyes, sending my heart and mind into a havoc. The heart monitor's beeping intensified; the sounds turning more persistent and rapid. I began trembling. "No, no, no, no, no, no."

"Izzy."

My head snapped over to see my sister standing at the door. Sophia's eyes were swimming with surprise and disbelief as she watched me.

"You're awake," she whispered and I snapped.

I shot upwards in the bed, ignoring the mind-numbing pain that lashed out at my body. My chest began to heave as my eyes began to burn. My chest throbbed and breathing turned difficult. My body trembled so violently that I was having trouble seeing as my shaky fingers latched onto the IV line. In the background, I vaguely heard Sophia shout no, but it was too late.

I ripped the IV tube straight out of my vein. Blood sprayed and sharp, stinging pain sparked through my arm from the force I used, but I was already moving, my breathing coming out in panicked gasps.

Black dots danced at the edges of my vision as I swung my legs over the edge of the hospital bed, ignoring the weakness traveling through my entire body. Sophia tried to grab onto me, but I let out a frustrated sob and shoved her away, managing to balance myself on my feet as I landed on the linoleum floor.

I wasn't supposed it be awake. I wasn't supposed to be awake. Why was I awake?  This wasn't supposed to happen. How had I failed?

"Izzy, stop!" Sophia's voice was panicked as the tried to grab onto my hand, but I ripped it out of her grasp and wildly searched the hospital room for anything—something to put me back to sleep.