Exposed

Chapter 12

Chapter 12

It was dark for a long time.

The only thing that told Alexis she was still alive were the many voices that she heard circling around her.

The voices would call out to her, begging her to wake or respond, but she couldn't.

It both aggravated and pained her that she could hear her family and her friends, yet not be able to reassure them that she was alright.

But was she alright?

As hard as she tried, she just couldn't seem to form words, or even open her eyes for that matter.

At first, she wasn't even sure if she had a body anymore. She couldn't move. She couldn't feel anything.

She was trapped in her own dark prison, immobile and alone.

Alexis felt as if she were under for days, her brain constantly focusing everything it had on waking up, but with no success.

She tried even harder when she heard Justin's voice. She could hear the pain in it. Alexis later realized that most of the time, Justin seemed to be humming her a tune of some sorts.

Many times, there were words spoken around her, and so she tried to focus and understand what was going on. However, most of the time she would only get pieces of conversations.

"I'm so sorry for not telling you." She could hear Justin speak faintly.

"Don't apologize, Justin." A woman replied softly. It was Pattie, Alexis was sure.

There was silence for a while. Alexis could barely hear movement around the room and finally there was a small crash.

"Don't let your anger get the best of you, Justin. I know it's hard." Pattie soothed her son.

Alexis felt her heart lurch at Justin's anger, afraid at what it meant.

Was he angry at her? For her?

She was inwardly screaming for answers.

"Every time I walk in here I fall apart. I can't carry my anger into this room. But there's so much of it. I don't think I've ever been so angry in my life. Yet then when I get in here, I'm overwhelmed with sadness. I can barely hold myself together. What's wrong with me?"

"You're overwhelmed with emotions, Justin. That's normal. It's normal for you to be angry, and it's normal for you to be sad."

"But I shouldn't get to be sad. I should be strong. For Alexis. I feel like I don't have control over myself anymore, over anything."

"Yes, you do."

"No, I don't. If I did then she wouldn't be here, in a damn hospital bed again."

"Justin there's nothing that can be done about it now." Pattie sighed.

"Yes there is. It's just going to take everything I have and all of my pride to do it."

"What are you talking about?" Pattie questioned. "Justin, don't do anything rash."

"I'll wait for the results. And when I get them I'm going to take dad up on his idea."

"Justin you can't! You can't do that to her!"

"The lab results will determine that."

The next time Alexis came out of the darkness she could hear her mother's cries. They seemed so close.

"Why didn't you tell me sweetie? Why didn't you tell me about your baby?"

Alexis immediately felt guilty.