Back to You (Sequel to Take Me Away From Here)

Chapter 12

Faith POV: 

I rush into the hospital, feeling my heart pound as I make my way down to the room Kim said he was in. She told me to be ready, and sounded pretty terrified herself. I was going to bring the girls, but she told me that wouldn't be a wise idea... 

I turn the corner, pushing the door open to his room. I feel my shoes fill with cement, as I see him writhe in bed, his arms restrained to the bumpers on each side of him. I don't want to get any closer... Kim turns to look at me, while I just stare, feeling unable to move. She and I lock eyes. She looks just as terrified as I feel. I force myself inside, sitting down beside her. I open my mouth to start asking questions, but I have no clue where to begin... 

He's coated in bruises. His face is swollen, blackened mostly on his left side. His right arm has bruises on the back of his elbow, looking like track marks, all around his veins. His left leg... They have it splinted, but it doesn't even look remotely similar to his right. It's thinner, and has no real shape under the wrapping. His entire body is speckled with odd bruises, while he sweats profusely, cold rags continuously falling off his neck with he squirms. 

"What the hell happened?" I let out, at a complete loss for words. Kim shakes her head slowly, seeming to be choked up. 

"He was beat up by a group of people, we think." She says, while I feel anxiety coat me. 

"Why is he squirming, Kim?" I ask quietly, feeling like there's got to be something else going on. She looks at him, before taking a deep breath. 

"They injected a shit ton of meth in him... I think that was the measure the doctor used... a shit ton..." She releases, sounding angry. She hugs herself tightly for a moment, before shaking her head, tears starting to fall. "He should be dead... I should've found him, dead... Nobody knows why he's still alive..." She says, covering her mouth as she falls apart. I shut my eyes, feeling nauseated by her words. "When we saw me, he got up, and kept trying to run... he tried to run, and his leg... Faith, it was... it was appalling. He was so terrified..." She lets out, wiping her tears quickly and taking a deep breath. 

"No... no..." Tim groans, moving like he's trying to get away from something. Kim clears her throat, exhaling for a second. 

"They gave him an antidote, but it's taking a while to kick in. We really didn't know how much was in him, so they didn't want to over-do it." She informs me, as I move up to the edge of my seat. I rest my hand on his arm, making sure not to touch the sight of any bruises. 

"Tim..." I call out, before he shuts his eyes. He pinches his chin to his chest, shaking his head. "Honey, you're going to be okay..." I reassure him, hearing him start to sob. 

"She's not... She's not..." He repeats, seeming psychotic. I squeeze his hand, wanting him to at least know that I'm here for him. "She's not real... she's not real." He continues, completely crumbling. I feel my mind go back to the night he nearly killed me, because of a hallucination of me... I stare at his restrained hands, convincing myself that I'm safe. 

"Tim, I know you're scared... but it's going to be alright. You're safe." I release, watching him starting to rock back and forth. The sight is painful... "Talk me through what you're seeing." I request, seeing him cringe. Kim lays her hand on my knee, making me look back toward her. 

"I'm not sure that's a good--" She starts, before Tim's voice rasps. 

"Dad... He keeps..." Tim lets out, before starting to crumble. "He keeps telling me to stand, and when I don't he... he..." He says, opening his eyes and shaking his head. "Make it stop.... Please..." He cries softly, making me feel numb. I swallow hard, grabbing onto his hand and wrapping my fingers tightly around his.