Shattered Girl (Emmy)

My head hurts so much more with loud noises and a bright light in my eyes. Why don’t they just leave me alone? The sting of a needle being stuck in my arm. Good, now I will be knocked out again. Everything fades to silence. Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

A loud, consistent beeping pulls me awake again. Is this some new form of torture my father came up with? I’m too tired to open my eyes, and honestly, I don’t want to know if I’m still in the basement or some new hell, I embrace the dark silence when it comes. This is where I feel the safest now.

The beeping wakes me again, but this time, my brain feels less sluggish. Maybe the drug is finally wearing off. Should I open my eyes or pretend to be still unconscious? Do I want to know where I am now? I’m still lying on a mattress, but this one feels slightly different. No, I’m not ready to face whatever new hell my father has left me in. I drift off to sleep again.

and

1 blink awake, my eyes wide open in a dimly lit room. Well, I’m not in the basement, at least. My whole body feels weak and sore. I shift my legs realize two things: one, I’m covered with a sheet and blanket, and two, I’m no longer chained to a wall. I need to sit up and figure out where I am, but when I move, a sharp pain stabs across my hand, and I gasp. There is a loud sound near my feet, and a shadow suddenly stretches across where 1 lay. My fight–or–flight response decided to come back from its drug–induced slumber, and I panicked; the sheet and blanket seemed to trap me against the mattress, and the beeping was getting louder and faster. Loud sounds and raised voices come closer to me, and its getting harder and harder to breathe. I hear my name being shouted before the silence overtakes me again.

The next time I wake, my eyes open, and the room becomes focused. Slowly turning my head, I look around and realize I’m in a hospital room. My sudden movement catches the attention of the person sitting on a chair by the foot of my bed. The room is still dim so I can’t tell who it is until they step forward and I recognize Patrick’s mother Shannon. Her face shows a look of pure relief, and her eyes shine with unshed tears.

“Oh, my dear sweet girl, I’m so glad you’re finally awake. We have all been so worried,” she says with a trembling voice as she steps forward and takes my hand. I open my mouth to respond, but all that comes out is a dry cough. Shannon quickly reaches for the plastic water pitcher on the table next to my bed. She holds the cup for me and bends the straw to my lips as I take my first sip of water in who knows how long.

Now that my mouth no longer feels stuffed with old cotton, I swallow

“Whats happened? Where am I?” I croak, sounding more frog then girl.

“Let me just get the doctor, and I will be right back, Shannon assures me, avoiding answering my questions.

“My guys, where are they? I croak again before carefully reaching for the cup of water again.

“They will be here soon, love. Now I will be right back with the doctor.” With that, she hurries out of the room. I take several small sips of water while 1 wait for someone to come in and tell me what’s happened. I want my guys, and I hope they get here soon. Just as I finish that thought, there is noise outside my door, and my guys pile into the mom, a nurse hot on their heels scolding them about having only one visitor at a time

Seeing all my g guys safe and here, I burst into tears, and they all cluster around the head of my bed. As I look up at them, tears still running down my face, I realize Drew and Mike are here, too, and I stare at them, confused because I remember taking them to the airport.

Seeing my confusion, Patrick steps closer and sits on the edge of my bed, taking my hand in his.

“Love, we are so glad you are awake and safe,” Patrick murmurs to me. When I glance at Drew and Mike again, Patrick continues: “Yes, they really are here; as soon as we realized you had been taken, we called them, and they were on the first flight back home.” I just nod as I try to piece together what has happened.

The door opens again, admitting Shannon and a Doctor who looks to be in his forties. He frowns at the guys, but Mike steps toward him before he can say anything.

“We are not leaving.” He informs the doctor, and after a moment, the doctor nods and comes toward me.

Amuse who had followed the doctor in hands him a tablet, and he looks at it for several long seconds before handing it back to her. He introduces himself as Doctor Williams and then begins asking me questions that I try to answer. He enters my responses and then tells me that someone will be in soon to run some tests and take some X–rays of my arm and ribs. He promises that if everything looks good, he will take off my cast, and I cheer up a bit at the thought of having the full use of my hand back. Dr. Willians assured me he would return later, and he and the nurse would leave

Once the door closes, my guys gather around me again. One at a time, they gently touch my face and kiss me, assuring me that they will not leave and that I’m safe. After Jake kisses me and sits on the side of the bed, I look at all of them,

“Ok, guys, tell me what happened.”