Driving Force

chapter 40

Madison Marshall POV

I wake up gasping for air and quickly sit up. As I try to calm myself from the dream I just had, I can feel hands on me and someone turns on the lights. I try to get my surroundings and take deep breaths, but it's not working. I need to get out of here. I feel trapped.

"Madi, it's 2 am. Where are you going" Jessie whispers as I crawl out of her arms and go to my suitcase pulling out a hoodie and socks. "Bubba, talk to me." She grabs my arms gently trying to halt my movement.

"Mads, whatever is going on in your head, things are going to be okay. You just need to stop and breathe." Cameron adds but my mind won't allow me to process her words.

"I feel like I can't breathe," I tell them as I slip on my shoes. "I just need to get out of here."

"Talk to us, sweetie. What's going on in your head?" Christen asks in a soft yet firm tone.

"Please!" I beg, feeling everything close in. "Just let me go." As I see each of them placing themselves between me and the door.

"You need to take a deep breath." Jessie's hands grab my face but my eyes continue to dart around. "Look at me." I try to obey her command but my body won't follow. Instead, I pull on the collar of my hoodie as I feel it tighten around my neck.

"I'm suffocating," I barely get out as my voice cracks.

"Okay. Okay. Let's go." A voice says as I feel myself dissociate from reality as my anxiety and panic continue to worsen. I hear arguing but can't focus on who said what.

"You can't just take her?!"

"Staying in here is making it worse for her..."

"...It's 2 am!"

I feel hands on my shoulder guide me out the door before my body goes into full fight or flight mode.

Cameron Santiago POV

"Madi!" I scream as she runs down the hotel hallway to the staircase and I sprint after her, "Fucking hell."

I continue to chase her as she manages to run out of the lobby but I see our gap increasing knowing she's much faster than I am. I can't lose sight of her I tell myself, but after 3 blocks, I feel myself slow down as she disappears into the darkness of the empty street.

"Fuck! Madison!" I scream hoping she'll hear me. Before I can do anything else, a figure in a full sprint passes me running in Madison's direction. I quickly make out Jessie's red shorts and ponytail as she also disappears to where Madison ran off to.

"Where'd she go?" Tobin says as she and Christen catch up to me.

I point to the direction of where Madison and Jessie disappeared to. "Jessie's quick."

"We heard you scream out for Madi and then we sprinted after you guys when you disappeared to the staircase," Christen tells me. "Let's just find her." The three of us start jogging through the unfamiliar streets after the two. After a few minutes of jogging, we see two figures on the ground and head in that direction.

As we approach we can hear the wails of Madi for her mom as Jessie just holds her tightly. I can see the pain in Jessie's eyes as she tries to bring any sort of comfort. "Please, I want my mom. I need her, please. I'm begging, please. MOMMMM!!"

"Mads you need to breathe, sweetie." Christen crouches in front of her. "I know it hurts and everything is falling apart but you need to take a deep breath." It takes a couple of more tries to finally convince Madison to focus on her breathing.

"I need to be sick." Madison pushes off Jessie and stumbles as she stands and makes her way a few meters in front of us to the street and lets it out. She points her finger at us not wanting us to come near her so we let her finish without hovering.

When she finishes I walk to her, "Mads, let's get you back to bed." I wrap her in my arms but she pushes me off and walks away. "Where are you going?"

"Just leave me alone."

I turn to the others as we agree to follow her. "We won't leave you alone, but we will give you space."

She continues to walk for over an hour when she suddenly stops. She grabs her head and squats down. We decide to get closer to her in hopes she's tired and we can talk to her about heading back to bed. Weirdly, I notice something dripping on the cement sidewalk in front of her. Jessie is the first to approach and kneels down. Within a split second, her facial expression changes from one that is tired and sad to one full of fear and concern.

"Her nose is bleeding," Jessie says and soon all of us are in Jessie's position on the floor in front of Madison. We try to talk to Madison asking how she's feeling but she doesn't answer. She just continues to hold her head. "Somethings not right."

"Seizure?" Christen whispers. I shrug as this is new to me.

"Madison. I really need you to look at me." Tobin tries to command but Madison remains in her position with her eyes screwed shut. "Mads, it is really important if you can listen to me right now. I know you are in pain, but just open your eyes." It takes a few more seconds but Madison opens her eyes, but they happen to be glazed over and it's not from the tears.

"I am going to pinch the bridge of your nose to try and stop the bleeding. Is that alright?" Christen asks but she doesn't get a reply. "Madison?" All Mads does it look at her confused as if she doesn't know what she said. Christen proceeds to go and hold her nose while the rest of us try to figure out what is happening.

"The stress and running probably caused her blood pressure to go up." Tobin rationalizes. "I'm going to request an Uber, and hopefully she can sleep it off. We will keep watch of her in case anything changes." And that is what we do as the bleeding stops and Madison's body tries to give in to sleep. She ends up falling asleep on Jessie on the way back to the hotel. When we arrived I carried her to her room. We carefully took off her shoes and covered her before Jessie slid next to her while Tobin and Christen took the other bed. As I make myself as comfortable as can be on the couch, I let out the tears I didn't know I was holding in. At that moment, I decide I need only one thing. I get up and tell Christen where I'm going if she needs me. I continue walking out the door and down the hallway until I reach one room. I knock firmly until someone answers. "Cameron?" The tears continue to flow forcefully down my face as memories of my own family and friends' deaths flash over. The pair of hands guide me to their bed and another pair of arms join us. Ashlyn and Ali whisper sweet nothings in my ear hoping to bring me some sort of comfort. 

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AN: Forgive me for the long overdue update. Long story short I was diagnosed with cancer and had a big exam I spent years preparing for. Today is my first day having me time in a long time and wanted to reciprocate my happiness with a chapter for all of you guys. Every time I signed onto the app the past few months and saw notifications of comments and votes that new people are discovering this book for the first time or others are rereading did not go unnoticed and made me smile. I appreciate the heck out of you guys. 

-AK