Her Broken Wings - FINALLY Completed

Chapter 2

A faint buzzing kept threatening to bring me out of the darkness. Slowly my head began to clear, and the humming grew into a man's voice.

" . . . minor concussion from repeated blows to the head. Bruises and lacerations all over her body. Sprained ankle and several deep cuts along her feet. A recent break in her arm healed crookedly so we had to rebreak and set the bones. We've treated what we can, but I'm afraid we can't help with emotional trauma. We'd like to keep her here for observation for at least a few more days. Is there any family that we can contact Mr. Grayson?"

"No." The man's voice was familiar, but I couldn't quite place it in my addled brain.

"We can place her in a homeless shelter, but with her condition I fear that could have degenerative consequences. The best thing for her right now is to be in a gentle and caring environment."

"She'll stay with us. My sister will take care of her." The man's voice was firm and held no room for argument. Once again a hint of familiarity flickered past my senses, but I pushed it aside.

"I would recommend giving her time. With most trauma patients I find that it's best not to press them. They'll talk when they're ready." The voices began to grow quiet as they moved away.

I tried to open my eyes, but my eyelids felt heavy, as if bags of sand were weighing them down. By the time my vision began to clear, the voices had ceased. My eyes traveled around the room, taking in the medical equipment and stringent white walls. A queasy feeling began in my stomach when I caught sight of the needle in my arm.

What happened? Where was I? The last thing that I remembered was looking into a pair of piercing eyes. My body felt weird, like my limbs had been stuffed with fluffy cotton balls. I tried to sit up, but it was like trying to lift a bag full of bricks. My head felt drowsy and the pain that had wracked my body before was now lost in the numbing haze. Panic began to cloud my thoughts. What was wrong with me? Why couldn't I move? I heard the beeping sound grow faster and more insistent. The noise seemed to penetrate my senses until it was all that I heard. I couldn't focus. I had to get up. I had to leave. He would be back. I had to escape.

A women rushed into the room, her hands gently resting on my shoulders. I could hear her calming voice in the back of my mind, but couldn't bring myself to focus on the sound. I had to get up. My arm pushed frantically on the bed sheets, but no matter how hard I tried, my strength was gone. I saw a needle flash in the corner of my vision before a faint prick sent a wave of ice racing through my veins. Slowly my panic ceased and my mind fell back into the welcoming darkness.

When I woke again I could feel a hand gently brushing the hair away from my face. My eyes snapped open to see Zoey sitting beside me. Her face grew into a smile when she saw that I was awake.

"Hey, how do you feel?" Her elbows rested on the side of my bed as she spoke.

I tested my limbs, but found that they still felt heavy and weak. "Why can't I move?" My voice came out squeaky and quiet.

"Oh, that's just the pain meds they've got you on."

"Pain meds?" Then I remembered the conversation that I had overheard from the doctor. I did a mental sweep of my body. My arm was in a cast and my ankle and feet were wrapped in bandages. "Where am I?"

"You're in the Saint Andrew's Hospital." I felt my heart jolt in panic. I wasn't allowed to be here. I wasn't supposed to go to the hospital. He would punish me. With a jarring gasp I returned to the present. He wasn't here. He couldn't get to me anymore. With that thought I let my body relax into the pale sheets of the hospital bed.