Chapter 26 Hospital
653words
They've been everything but helpful.
They didn't believe my story and concluded the drug found in my system had some hallucinatory defect.
The cops wanted to enroll me into a teens with drug problems program until Kayn recounted what he witnessed.
According to him, a homeless guy attacked me and injected me with something.
The cops believed his version, which mercifully spared me from the drug program, but still left me without answers.
I refused to believe Kayn's story.
I knew what I saw. I would have remembered if I got jabbed by a needle, and I sure as hell didn't take it myself, either.
Those slimy tentacles were real.
How did you explain those deep scratches across my body?
Mom announced her arrival by shouting at the hospital staff from somewhere in the hallway. In between the yelling, I could hear Dad working hard to calm her down.
Mom had a history of anxiety, and she'd never been able to handle imposing loads of stress.
No doubt getting a call from the cops saying I was in the hospital, and had been a victim of a violent attack, had taken a load out on her.
My stomach sank at the sight of her as she rushed into the room with a look of terror on her face, her eyes red and swollen from crying.
"Mom—"
She flung her arms around me and pulled me into a hug. "Oh honey!"
"Ow, Mom," I flinched.
"I'm so sorry, love." She immediately pulled away and lifted a hand to cup my cheek. "You have no idea how much you scared us."
"Sorry?" I offered, my tongue thick.
The nurse had given me something for the pain, and I started to feel the effects of it kicking in.
According to her, it was perfectly safe to take with the drug already in my system. Now that I felt it, I had my doubts.
Was it supposed to make me feel this trippy?
Dad shook hands with the cops, then moved on to Kayn, thanking him.
I looked back at Mom. "I'm okay."
"Are you?" Mom asked. "Promise me you'll tell me if you're not okay?"
I felt like I was losing my mind, but I wasn't about to tell her that. This took a significant toll on her, and I didn't want to worry her more than she already was.
Mom turned and approached Kayn. For a moment she stared at him, her lips trembling as she forced a smile.
Out of nowhere she draped her arms around him and pulled him toward her.
He stiffened, placing his hands on her back to return an awkward hug.
That's when Mom burst into a fit of sobs, pulling him in even tighter. "Thank you. Thank you so much for being there for her."
I was too trippy to roll my eyes.
To Kayn's credit, I didn't want to think what could have happened if he didn't show up.
I was grateful to be alive and I've already thanked him several times.
However, I had no intention of throwing myself at him like Mom was doing at the moment.
I knew that, without a doubt, he knew something he wasn't telling, but I wasn't in the mood to argue.
Dad sat down beside the bed and took my hand in his. "How are you feeling?"
"Okay-ish," I slurred, surprised at how difficult it was to talk all of the sudden. "A bit tired."
Dad glanced at the cops talking to Kayn, with Mom clinging to his arm and listening to what they had to say.
