TURNED

Short Story 1

Lani Loster Story
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I could hardly move from the tightness of my aching muscles. Fuck. I took in a harsh inhale breathing in dirt beneath me than spat, groaning as I tried to wipe my mouth. It took a moment to open my eyes; feeling like heavy crates against my eyelids. I dugged my fingers into the soil beneath me, trying to lift up again as I coughed and spit out the dirt I inhaled. The taste was bitter. My brunette long hair fell over my hazel gray eyes as I moved it from over my face.
When I positioned to my knees I rested, wincing at the pain to my side. I wrapped my arms around my abdomen, looking down at my flank noticing a bruise with faint scratch marks. I didn't know how I got here. I felt dizzy, closing my eyes a moment taking a few slow breaths. I was in the woods and by the familiar surrounding, I could tell I was a mile from home.
I was also naked. I gazed around feeling exposed as if there could possibly be a peeping Tom watching me.
Slowly, I stood. I needed to get back home. I'd never been known for sleep walking but this was something I had to fix, very fast.
I made it to the road wrapping my arms around my exposed breast, nearly home. I loved my town. Blackwaters was always peaceful and quiet. If you wanted to go party, the city was ten miles off our town line.
Tonight should have been no different from the other nights, but what I heard was cries from my fellow neighbors and sirens emanating toward my path. I moved off the road as police cars and ambulances rushed past me, toward the direction I was headed.
I don't know why but my heart sped as if being overdosed on adrenaline and I ran towards my house, praying that everything was okay and it was some drill or elderly person who past away.
When I ran up to my neighborhood street, I noticed people lined up along my house crying in hysteria.
"No," I sobbed out, slowing my run to a light jog before a slow walk. My hands shook, bewildered by what may have happened. The dark sky was lit up only by dim streetlights, police and ambulance lights and sirens.
"Lani..." One of my friends, Sarah came over, tears down her face as she ran to me in dire relief. When she was within arms length she embraced me, crying heavily on my shoulder. I could feel her tears soaking my shoulder, distraught by whatever fear that was gripping at her throat.
Others started to notice me, their eyes widening in astonishment.
Miles, Sarah's husband rushed over hugging me too before realizing I was not wearing any clothes. He took off his sweater handing it to me. "Put this on."
I did, zipping it up instantly. The length of his sweater covered a great portion of my body, stopping just above my knees.
"There's the daughter," one of my neighbors shouted out pointing to me.
I noticed everyone's eyes on me and I could literally read all their thoughts. I walked toward my house until the only thing separating me was yellow police tape, stretched across my front yard. 'POLICE LINE DO NOT CROSS.'
Where was my family? What did everyone think happened to me? I had moved back home a month ago until I finished my internship at our only hospital. I grimaced at all possibilities as I noticed EMT's coming out with no patient to care for. Their eyes were horrid, looking as if their minds would forever be dismantled.
A few police officers came towards me. "Are you Lani Foster?"
I couldn't speak so I nodded instead swallowing hard.
"Ma'am," the Officer tried to get my full attention but I couldn't seem to bring my eyes up to his.
"Officer," a woman's voice came off firm. "I'll be taking it from here."
The woman, possibly late twenties came over to me, pulling out her badge and the Officers nodded walking away. "I'm Detective Walker," she told me. Her eyes were steady on me as if waiting for me to make some weird reaction to her.
"Where's my family?" Thats all I wanted to know. I watched more people come out of my home, never my parents.
I was beginning to feel overwhelmed hating not knowing what happened. "Can someone tell me something if not you?" I sneered, feeling my breath shudder out of me. She seemed to be analyzing me and it was beginning to fluster me.
"Ms. Foster...your parents..." I watched as this Dectetive voice softened, preparing herself in giving me bad news and my eyes began to burn, my skin trickling with sweat from something I couldn't understand but could feel moving inside me.
"Take deep breaths," she ordered as if knowing what was about to happen. She should. I was sure being a detective required her to see a lot of bad things happen and tell families left behind.
My thoughts began to fade as my sight darkened. I guess this was the part where I would fall unconscious. In mere seconds my knees gave out as I did just that.