I wake up in the hospital bed, not strapped in this time. I feel like David trusts me more when I see this. Like he believes me, and knows I won't try anything. It makes me feel good. David walks in.
"You passed out because of the medicine I injected into your arm after you ate this morning. It finally wore you down. Sorry, I thought you would last longer than that. Are you hungry at all?" He asks.
I shake my head while reaching up to feel my ear. They are ringing for some reason. David is different from most humans. There is something inside me that trusts him so well. I try to push that trust away because I need a reason to trust him. Not to mention, I don't even know if he's actually helping me or not so there should be no reason.
"May I examine you a little bit to make sure your healing right?"
A rush of fear runs through me, I can't let him do that. He'll find out somehow...I don't know what to do. I haven't looked in a mirror for a while so I never really knew people could read what my thoughts were so easily on my face.
"Don't worry, I won't hurt you. I just want to make sure that you're healing right."
So with that he comes over to my bed, or his bed I should say. First he picks up my hand and holds it for a minute. I just close my eyes and let him do his business while thinking about everything he touches. He checks my pulse; I feel his cool, smooth hand against my skin. His thumb presses firmly on my wrist as he feels the beating of my pulse. I don't know what he is doing but he goes down to my hips. This makes me uncomfortable so I jerk my hand on top of his and slowly but nicely move them both one by one away from my hip area.
"Sorry did that hurt?"
I nod my head with my eyes still closed. I can't look in his eyes just in case he gets suspicious. Like I said, he'll probably read my face and know right away that I'm lying. He goes to my arm instead and starts squeezing my upper bicep.
"Does that hurt?"
"A little." My voice never fails to surprise me.
It doesn't hurt that much but it was still uncomfortable. He moves towards my leg. I get myself ready for some external pain. He squeezes my thigh like my arm; my face immediately scrunches up in pain. I let out a groan of pain.
"Sorry," he says with a little too much sincerity in his voice. Maybe he does really care for me. I take a quick peek at his face and it's creased with worry. He takes a deep breath and tells me what he has to do.
"I'm going to have to change your cast now. Well, change the crystals inside of it. It's not going to be pleasant I'll tell you. Would you like me to give you some medicine before we do this?"
I shake my head. I hear he has to do this every morning...or was it every night? Either way, I can't just run away from pain like this when I've had it like my entire teenage life. So I shake my head firmly, knowing deep inside I was brave for doing this because I know it isn't going to be fun.
"Ok..."
He presses two buttons on the bottom of my cast and then my whole leg is on fire. I grunt in pain trying to hold back a scream. I start breathing hard so I slap my hand over my mouth. He looks over at me.
"It gets better each time we do it. I promise." Again, he says it sincerely. In fact, he even looks like he's in pain seeing me like this.
All of a sudden the pain is gone. I hear him putting the crystals in a container. I don't even realize it but my eyes are shut tight and I am holding my breath. I open them and start breathing again. I see him open the small fridge in front of my bed. Might as well call it my bed since I'm going to be here for a while. He takes out some more crystals that were more of a bluish color instead of a red color like the ones he took out of my leg.
"When the crystals sit in your leg too long, they get too hot. The only way to cool them down is to replace them every morning with cold ones."
That explains it. When he gets all the crystals inside the holder he clicks the two buttons again. I'm ready for the pain this time. There is pain but it isn't as bad as the first time for some reason. It still hurts really badly except it's more like a cooling down sensation this time. He must have seen the more relaxed look on my face.
"See? I told you it would get better." He says with a smile.
I nod. Then I slowly close my eyes again. I'm becoming surprisingly sleepy more often than not. It's weird...
I was running when I ran into a thorn bush that clawed off all the skin I had left. I felt the hand that I was hoping would never touch me again on my back. My hands grow sweaty and I start shaking. The hand fiercely shoves me back towards him and I'm facing what I would call my death. It is Dr. Emmers. He spits in my face. His hand comes up and I get ready for the blow...
My eyes fly open and I sit up fast screaming. This doesn't do anything but bring pain that felt like fire to my leg. That is probably the most horrible dream I've ever had in the three nights I've been here so far. David sprints in with worried eyes and a strained face. He probably thought someone was attacking me because of that horrible scream that woke me up. I'm hyperventilating when the buff dude I saw in the truck walks in behind David. I remember David calling him Jake.
"What's wrong? Are you ok? What happened?" David throws all these questions at me in a blur.
I lay my head back down, "Dream..." I say while gasping for air still.
"What was it about?"
I shrug my shoulders. He sighs and looks over at Jake. I look at him too. He is muscular. You can see every line and crease of muscle in his arms and neck. I look at his eyes; they are green with a hint of gold in the edges. They are actually what we would call "marvelous." Those kind of eyes meant luck, romance, or a brighter future. But looking at the state I am in at the moment, I don't really think there is going to be a brighter future. So I just blow the "brighter future" off and totally forget about it.
"Oh, Ally, this is Jake. Jake this is Ally, AKA Alejandra." David says in one quick breath dropping the dream subject completely thank goodness.
"Nice to meet you." Jake says with a slight smile. He probably doesn't want to hurt my feelings by smiling too big making the moment happy. Because it's not, and probably will never be.
David again breaks the awkward silence, "Jake will be staying here when I go to my classes in the morning during the week. He's actually really fun and I hope you'll like him."
I just nod. It's not that I don't want to trust him, I just can't help it. That's way too many people on my list to trust. Yes, all I need is to trust one person and that's me. No one else.
My back is killing me. I start to feel a fever coming on. I turn my head to the side trying to hide the sweat on my face. Apparently it works, "Well I got to go help finish Jake with the food so, just holler if you need me." David excuses himself and Jake out of the room to make food or something.
After they leave, I sit myself up. I can't unhook myself from the needles because obviously it has an alarm on it. So I pretty much do what I did last time I tried to escape except I'm not trying to escape this time. Instead of feet first, I put my hands on the cool, soft carpet first then slowly lower my leg down. It is surprisingly not as painful as the last attempt at this. Once I'm up on one foot I grab the machinery on wheels that looks like it's hooked up to me with my good arm. I roll the machine while I limp my way to the door. When I get to it, I reach out my hand and touch the yet again cold handle. But instead of twisting the knob to open the door, I lock it. Then I roll over to, not the bed, but to the window with light blue pillows decorating it. I sit down and push my gown up so my whole abdomen was bare so just my stomach and blue shorts were showing. I squeeze my eyes shut and drain my brain of any thoughts I was thinking. And concentrate on my wings, opening, feeling the sunshine, getting filled up with energy, and my thirst being quenched.
The feathers tickle my back as they open up for fresh air and a flood of energy courses through my body followed by feeling of water down my throat. I sigh heavily with relief. Then I hear a knock at the door. My muscles tense automatically, my wings fold in without any direction or concern from me.
I hear David's voice seep through the door, "Ally? Can you open the door?"
I silently hop my way over to the wooden door and unlock the cold, hard metal of the door knob again. Once David hears the click he swings the door open like it wasn't even on any hinges.
"Sorry, I probably locked it on accident." David says while looking at the doorknob with furrowed eyebrows.
I nod agreeing to his hypothesis.
"I have to go to med school now so if you need anything Jake will be in the living room and all you have to do is ring this bell to get his attention." David says while setting down a silver, shiny bell that is usually put in offices.
I nod ringing the bell just to test the sound of it. A few seconds after the bell Jake comes strolling in.
"How may I be of service to you Miss Alejandra?" He says curtly while bowing with a fake accent.
I just look at him smiling with my eyes. Jake obviously knows I am just testing to see if it works so he stands up and watches David say his goodbye.
David comes over to the machinery and looks at all of them while writing down on a clipboard.
"Hmmm, your heart rates a little high... it looks like you're getting a fever. Do you feel well?" He asks with concern.
I nod my head with creased eyebrows. I do feel a fever coming on only because I didn't get much time by the window. I'll just have to do it when he's gone I guess.
"Well in that case, I'm going to be on my way before I'm late. I will be back around 2:30 or 3:00." And that was his last words before he was out the door in a flash.
"If ya need me just ring the bell. I'll be right out there in the living room." Jake walks off after he flashes a quick smile at me.
I pretty much do the whole procedure again with locking the door and everything. After I get to the window I let my wings out. I estimate that I got at least a half an hour or so of sunlight.
David POV
I got like NO work done today in school. All I could think about was Ally. It's not that I didn't trust Jake it was just that...he was just plain goofy and outgoing. Ally was the total opposite of that and I was kind of afraid she'd be uncomfortable. But what could I do? Call a random, creepy babysitter? Not happening. I looked out the car window replaying the events that has happened over the last couple of days. Makes my head spin just thinking about it.
Alejandra POV
Light, light, and more light. That's all I could think about. Just got done checking all corners of the room for a video camera that could be recording my every move. I found none so I relaxed and crawled to the window.
Once I got back in my bed. Jake came in quietly but excitedly.
"Hey, SpongeBob is on! I don't know if you've ever heard of him but would you like to watch it with me?" He asks hopefully.
I scrunch my lips to the side making my face look like I was in thought. After some hesitation I decide I kinda want to and nod my head nervously.
Then it is his turn to look hesitant.
"Umm, would you mind if I carried you? Because I don't see any other way..." he trails off.
I look down at my leg frowning. David was going to be home soon anyways so what's the worst he can do that I haven't already been through? I hate making decisions.
I purse my lips and shrug with a little bob of my head giving him a hesitant permission to let him carry me. It only takes him two long strides to reach my bed. I shut my eyes slowly bending both my knees trying not to cause any more pain. Didn't work very well. He puts one arm on my leg and I can feel his hot skin against mine. I take my good arm to set myself up a little and he slips his arm behind my back...a little too low. I tense and he pulls his arm away.
"Sorry, didn't mean to hurt you."
He tries again but a little higher and I relax a bit more this time. His muscles tighten and flex. Then I feel myself be lifted off the bed. He pulls me closer to his chest. My curiosity gets the best of me so I take my hand and tentatively touch his chest. He has on a red shirt with a logo I don't recognize on it. I slowly trace the big, bulgy, white letters on his shirt. He looks down and I steal a glance at him to see a smile spread on his face. Then I feel us start to move. I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from grunting in pain at the burning sensation in my leg.
In less than no time we make it to the couch. He kneels down slowly; I realize how much muscle it would take to kneel down that slowly with a person in your arms. He lays my head on the couch pillow first then slowly but cautiously does the same with my feet. He also makes sure to put my casted foot on a pillow too. Then he goes to the chair right next to me and sits down. He grabs the remote turning the volume up. I watch this yellow sponge waltz around in an underwater town called the Bikini Bottom for about thirty minutes before I hear the door open.
I quickly lurch my head up which not only brought pain to my leg but also nausea to my head. I ignore the pain; instead I look at the door expectantly. David strode in and when he saw me on the couch he looked puzzled for a moment. Probably wondering how I got there. But he gave me a warm smile anyways.
"Ha, how'd you get her to the couch?" David says with a spark of worry in his eyes.
"I carried her of course." Jake replies with a touch of sarcasm to make David smile.
I look at David and could see in his eyes some surprise.
Then he smiles, "I see you've adapted to dear old Jake here."
"If anyone's old here, it's you bro!" Jake retorts.
My eyes all of a sudden get droopy. My ears automatically block out the noise including the rest of the conversation. It's been hours since I gotten rest. But I've been tired a lot more lately. It's like I become more relaxed when David's around... The last thing I feel is strong arms around me, carrying me to my room.
David POV
"Very funny!" I look over at Ally. What do ya know! She's asleep. Jake looks at me expectantly.
"Well I ain't doing it. She's nervous as hell around me. I'm always afraid that I'm hurting her..." He says, throwing his hands up.
I smirk and mouth the word 'wow.' I walk over to the couch and look at her smooth arched face. She's so peaceful when she sleeps. I pick her up carefully pulling her to my chest. She automatically clings on to my shirt digging her face into the crook of my neck. I am amazed how I can care so much for a girl that has barely even talked to me yet...
Alejandra POV
Running and running. When will it end? My head is all of a sudden whipped back with a ripping sound and a streak of pain on the top of my head. I realize that he pulled a whole fistful of hair. I shriek when I feel myself being dragged. He pulls me up and starts shaking me before he puts my leg in a burning pit of fire. I swat, hit, and punch out in front of me blindly. I feel my fist hit someone's arm and I look down at my leg still in the burning fire but somehow can't take it out. I scream and scream until I realize I'm not staring at fire anymore.
I'm staring at a blue tinted ceiling. I look over and see David trying to calm me down. He reaches out but I cringe and close my eyes, waiting for the blow. I peek from under my arm and see his sad expression.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." He looks down at his feet. Then goes over to the machinery and checks everything.
I realize that I shrieked which brought David in here during my dream. Then he tried to wake me which was the shaking in my dream. This then brought pain to my leg which was the fire in my dream. I hit someone in my dream which was David! It all makes sense now. He turns to me right on cue.
"Another bad dream?"
I nod my head, close my eyes and take a deep breath without opening them.
"Alejandra, you gotta tell me what these dreams are from or what their about. It would not only help me understand you more but I could even help you somehow." I open my eyes to see his strained face. I've noticed he only calls me by my full name when he's really serious or worried.
I contort my face in rage from the memory of my dream and look away. I could never speak nor write his name again. He ruined my life. And he is haunting my dreams. I am furious. I hear David sigh and start to walk to the door.
"Just know that I'll never hurt you. And I'm always here."
Then he leaves. I don't ever want to go to sleep. I don't want to ever face those dreams again. What next? Being strapped down and tested on except I would be awake this time? One can only wish...
***********************************************************************************************************************
A/N
Thanks for reading! This chapter is dedicated to ashlandlover for commenting her thoughts and reactions on each chapter!! Thank you! :) I enjoy them very much <3
xoxo- J