Blade

10-The Overdose

My eyeballs felt like someone was trying to gouge them out from behind... with a plier. I groaned as I slowly regained consciousness. My eyes watered as I pried my eyelids apart, my head protesting against the effort.

"Rachel. You're awake"

My brain took the unexpected sound like one would take a hammer to the skull.

I groaned in pain, shutting my eyes tight against the intense sensation.

I felt dad's hand on my head, tucking my hair aside, away from my face. Slowly, I opened my eyes again. They were all cloudy now. I felt a tear slide across my temples onto the bed.

"Dad?" I looked up at him. He was smiling, but his worry was very detectable.

I let my eyes glide over my surroundings. This wasn't my room. That realization made my headache even worse.

What was I doing in a hospital ward? What sort of ward was this? How had I gotten... ?

At that last question, the memories rushed back to me with such harshness that I bit my bottom lip against the pain so much that I tasted the metallic taste of blood.

I had passed out in the kitchen, just after I had taken...

My eyes widened. Oh My God!

I sat up on the bed with energy I never knew I had, heart thundering against my ribcage.

The pain that followed made me cry out. Dad held me comfortingly, and we remained that way till the pain subsided considerably.

"Dad. Can we go home?" I asked him, eyes pleading.

Dad frowned.

"Rachel. You need proper medical attention. Besides, the doctor isn't back with your reports yet," he informed me.

If it was possible, I was sure my face would've gotten even paler than it already was.

Reports?! I had been tested?! Oh My God! What if they found... ?!

Someone cleared his throat behind us. My heart sank as I turned to find a man clad in a white-robe. His mustache quivered as his gaze fixed on me. He peered at me through thick round spectacles, his lips set in a thin line.

"Doctor?" Dad questioned.

At that point, I wanted to just die. Right there and then. That would have been so much better than what I was sure was about to happen.

My breathing became laboured. I was panicking.

No, please no...

"Rachel,was it?" the bespectacled doctor asked. I nodded stiffly, my mouth dry. Dad sent me a worried look as I gripped the bedsheets in both fists, struggling to regulate my breathing. "Don't worry, Mr. Brown. She's just fine. A few pain relievers and some sleep will do the job."

Dad looked skeptical as he took my left hand in his, squeezing, but this time, it gave me no comfort whatsoever.

"However, I think Rachel might have something to confess to you," the doctor's intelligent grey eyes fixed on me again, degrading, disapproving. "I went through your medical records. You've been having therapy sessions twice a week. However, no medication was prescribed for your nerves. Am I right?"

I couldn't look at dad. I must have stopped breathing at this point.

"Doctor. What are you trying to say?" dad asked. My heart was beginning to shred within me.

Even after the doctor's gaze left mine, I kept staring ahead.

"We found huge amounts of amitriptyline in her system, Mr. Brown."