The Devil's Daughter

~7~

🎼Tick tock

Ugh, what is that?

Tick tock

Shut up.

Tick tock

You're killing me!

TICK TOCK

I opened my eyes blinking a few times to get used to the bright light glaring back and found myself in a white room, a hospital room lying on an uncomfortable bed. Tick tock.

"Shut up!" I whined trying to sit up. I expected that pain to return in my back but nothing did and thank god because that really killed me.  I remained a little light-headed but I was able to process the events that had occurred today.

What the hell happened?

I remembered arguing with the mole and Henry holding me when my legs grew weak, then everything went black. I settled with the stress that my father and those gunmen in the alley provoked. Yeah, that sounds right. Stress, a lot happened earlier, I must be just sick with stress. And sick with dread. Great now I feel worse than before. I looked to my left to see a big glass window showing the hospital hallway. I noticed more nurses running past than I did doctors in their usual scrubs. My moment of solitude was quickly vanquished as I heard the familiar frest of my mother down the hall and then my mother and father came into view. She was in a white fuzzy faux coat flushed with worry or from midday drinks with the girls and when she spotted me her worry lines deepened. My father looked similarly troubled but I didn't care about him, in fact, when he met my eye I avoid his and focused on mum. 

"Angelica, my poor baby what happened!?" she all but screamed and pulled me to her chest, crushing me.

"I might need to breathe," I said and she begrudgingly let go of me. However, not wanting to fully separate as she kept her manicured hands on my arms searching for any wounds. When satisfied she still clung onto me - her grip constricting.

"Are you alright?" my dad asked concerned but I wouldn't look at him.

"I'm fine,"

"Don't mumble,  Angie, look at us.," my mother ordered so I did. Theystood shoulder to shoulder flooded with concern for me. All I could think was how he dared to be near her without guilt. "What happened?"

"I don't know. I just felt dizzy and pain..."

"Pain? Oh my poor baby! Where? Are you still hurting? Show me where it hurts!" Mother said growing more frantic. I could see all these paranoid ideas sprout in her head of every impossible thing that could be wrong with me

"It doesn't hurt anymore. It was my back and my head," I said squeezingher hands in a way to relax her. I gazed through the window again to see Henry running right past before backing up to find me. Relief filled his face when he ran into the room and took his spot next to my dad.

"The nurses wouldn't let me come and see you. So, they should be coming to take me out very soon but I don't care because I needed to make sure you're okay. So are you?" He said quickly then took in a deep breath.

"That's right, Henry, remember to breathe." I laughed despite myself. I couldn't believe how hysterical everyone was acting. I suppose for my mother it's not so much of a surprise.

"Are. You. OK?" Henry said.

"No, the doctor says I only have five days to live," I said throwing a hand to my head.

"No Angelica you can't leave me! I can't live without you. I'll follow you up there if I have to," He said over dramatically and I rolled my eyes.