Claws

Chapter Twenty-four- Letters

Soo, this is the last chapter ever. And yes I'm aware that I haven't done anything with this story in forever, I just wanted to finish it. So, yeah, enjoy!

       Twenty-four

My first conscious thought was that I was finally laying somewhere remotely comfortable. It was soft, slightly squishy, and there was something warm laying on top of me. My head was elevated, along with one of my legs. Was I dead? Was I finally in Heaven? Had I escaped the nightmare I’d been living? 

       This was my number one definite theory, and I would’ve stuck to it had I not heard an annoying beeping sound in my ear and felt a pull at the skin on my left hand. 

       I still had my eyes squeezed shut, but I was very aware that I wasn’t dead at all, and let out a little groan as pain registered throughout my body. 

       “I think she’s awake!” I heard a very familiar voice exclaim. Colby? 

    “Oh, thank God!” I heard another voice sob. I easily identified the voice as Sydney and was overwhelmed with relief. 

      Other voices chimed in and I immediately recognized all my other brothers. What were they all doing here? Where was I, anyway? 

       Aching in my head, I finally decided to find out. I pushed my eyelids open slowly. My surroundings were blurry at first but as my eyes focused, I saw the welcoming, relieved faces of Colby, Kyle, Cameron and Carter all staring down at me. 

       Blinking a couple times, I looked around the room I was in. All white, lumpy bed, obnoxiously bright lights on the ceiling, beeping monitors, IV stuck in my hand.

       Hospital. 

      Looking to the bed across the room from me, I saw Sydney’s tear-streaked face-- and I lost it. I broke down in tears, tears of relief and joy and overwhelming confusion. What happened after I blacked out? How were Sydney and I found? Where was Jack? Was Max dead? Endless questions I wanted to ask, but first I had to hear a couple of my own. 

       “Kaylee, don’t you ever do that to me again!” Colby scolded, tears running down his face as he took my ice cold hands in his. “You scared me to death, what were you thinking?” 

       “I-I don’t know,” I squeaked. My voice was raspy and quiet. 

       “How does your head feel?” Kyle asked, tucking a strand of my dirty, greasy hair behind my ear. Ew. 

       “My head?” I repeated, bringing my hand up to touch my head. I flinched a little as my fingers glazed over the top of my head, which was throbbing. 

       “What about your leg?” Carter asked. I looked down to see that, in fact, my leg was elevated and in a cast, as was my right arm and hand. Well, it was going to be a bitch to write with a broken right hand.

       “It hurts,” I answered, almost mechanically, “what’s wrong with it?” 

      “You shattered all the bones in your shin and knee,” Kyle informed me. Huh. You would think I would remember that one... 

       “Does your arm hurt any?” Cameron asked. I just nodded, trying to take it all in. 

       “Wh-what happened?” I finally stuttered. Colby gently sat on my bed next to me, careful not to jostle me, and took my hand again. 

      “Kay, you, Syd and Jack were all in a bad car wreck while you were trying to rush to Jack’s grandma. You know, in South Carolina?” he informed me. Glancing at Sydney, she just gave me a look that told me that this was the most convincing cover story.