Monster Wars

A Hospital Bed And Some Pain

I awoke to a pounding in my head, facing a clear blue sky. Everything was quiet for a moment, then painfully loud voices started yelling. I couldn't tell who it was, but they needed to shut up. It wasn't doing my head any favors. Seconds later, an intense burst of pain erupted in my shoulder. I let out a gasp. I was cold, and lying on a hard surface.

"It's down! The griffin is down!" I heard a deep male voice bellow, louder than the rest. "Finish it Samuel!"

"Kara!" A desperate voice called. "Kara! Do you hear me?"

I groaned in response, turning my head to see Matt. "What..." I couldn't finish my sentence due to another wave of pain.

"Shhh, you probably hit your head. I just put some pressure on your shoulder. I think you're going to live." He told me. "I really don't know what to do except pressure. I know CPR though."

"Not needed." I told him. Around me I heard voices, but I couldn't focus on them. I just wanted the pain to stop. "Hurts..."

"I know, I can't do anything about it. I'm sorry." He told me, looking worried.

"How is she?" I heard a female voice ask. I didn't try to move my head.

"She says it hurts. What do I do?" Matt told the voice.

"She got shot. Of course it hurts." The female responded. I finally identified the voice as Lexi. "Hold on Kara. We killed it. We just need to get you to a hospital. We're going to pick you up and bring you to the elevator. This is going to hurt."

I heard footsteps and felt hands slide under my body from all sides. Just like in gym class I was levitated into the air. Unlike gym class, the movement almost made me black out.

"Someone get the door!" An unidentifiable male voice called from near my knees. I heard the squeak of a door opening.

"It'll be okay Kara. We're almost to the elevator." Matt told me, his voice near my ear.

The ding of the elevator, the exit from it and getting place into the van was a blur to me. I couldn't tell much except for the throbbing. My heartbeat was the only thing I knew.

"We're here! Out, get them out, call the doctors." Commands came when I felt the van halt some time later. Them? Who else was hurt? I tried to recall what I had seen during the fight but couldn't.

"It looks like she's going into hypovolemic shock!" Someone called. I gave up trying to tell who was who. I was lifted up again. The sudden intensity of the pain caused me to black out once again.

********************************************

I woke up to white. White ceiling, white sheets, white walls. I was in a bed in this sea of white. I attempted to sit up only to find myself on my

back from the pain.

"Kara! Are you finally awake?" Someone asked. I turned my face to see Matt's face come into view.

"Yeah. I'm awake. Where exactly am I awake?" I asked.

"We're still in New York. We didn't have a chance to get you to the Headquarters up here. You were bleeding out and we just had to get you here. We told them it was a drive by." Matt informed me. "You had surgery and have been out for nine hours or so."

I groaned. "This is bad. Really really bad, isn't it? How long will I be out of commission? When is this going to heal?" If they had to rush me to a hospital...I didn't even want to think about the damage to my shoulder. But I had to know.

"They said you would heal in three to six months. You would be in a sling for eight weeks. You were lucky Kara. If it was your left shoulder you probably would have died. And it was the outside of your shoulder so you'll recover." Matt said softly.

"Who?" I asked. He knew what I meant.

"Ted." He took a deep breath. "It had to be a mistake. He thought you could move or something. I don't know. But, I mean, he wouldn't shoot you on purpose."

"Would he?" I asked quietly. "Why would he shoot to begin with? Why would he take a shot when we decided not to shoot at all?"

"Maybe he saw his chance to kill the griffin and took it. I don't know." Matt sighed. "It's done, Kara. We can't change it now."

"Who else was hurt?" I asked. "When I came into the hospital someone said 'out, get them out'."

"It was Samuel." Matt said. "He...didn't make it."

I took that in quietly, wishing I had gotten a chance to know the older Monster Fighter better. He had been a more important agent, in charge of planning attacks and combat training. More than once he had bound my wounds, but I had never really talked to him.

"Matt, I'm really tired." I said softly.

" I'll let you sleep." He replied. "I'll be here."

Without responding I closed my eyes. Sleep crashed down, and I drifted away.