Out of the Darkness

Chapter Sixteen

The next time I woke up, it was to the steady beeping of a heart monitor. For a moment, I thought I was back in that cabin, hooked up to their machines and about to have my memory wiped.

My eyes flew open, only to see that I was in a hospital room – a real hospital room. Why was I here again? I was exhausted. My right arm was so stiff I could barely move it. I could feel thick sutures under the heavily padded bandage.

Right, I had been shot. By a psycho in a cabin in the woods converted into a mini-Citadel. Errol had knocked him and the other one out, and held me while we waited for help. I had been bleeding out, I could feel it.

Where was Errol?

I sat up a little, very slowly, grunting at the pain in my shoulder and arm. I was alone in the room. I didn’t want to be alone. Why wasn’t Errol in here with me? Did anyone notify my parents or my brother? Was someone going to come in and tell me what was going on?

After a few moments of slight panic followed by determined calm, the man I wanted the most walked in the door. He looked so relived, his incredibly blue eyes swimming with tears. Happy tears, for a change. He slowly walked over to my left and pulled up a chair next to the bed.

“Thank God,” Errol whispered. He reached over and brushed my cheek with his thumb. “You’re all right, beautiful. Everything’s okay now, it’s gonna be all right.”

I grasped his hand with a sense of urgency, like I physically needed him there with me. Like he would disappear if I didn’t. Like if he left, he’d stay gone.

“Hey, handsome,” I smiled tiredly.

“There’s that beautiful smile. How are you feeling?”

I exhaled. “Like I got shot by a psycho about to conduct an experiment on me.”

Errol gave a small chuckle. “Well, the doctor says your surgery went well and that you’ll be fine in a few weeks.” He kissed my hand. “You scared me to death, Catherine.”

“I know. I’m sorry, sweetheart,” I said.

“But there was no other way out of that one.”

He nodded in understanding and gave my hand a squeeze. “I wasn’t gonna let them take you from me. I’m afraid to think about where I’d be or what would’ve happened if you hadn’t come into my life.” He pushed my hair behind my ear, as was his way.

I smiled at him, my eyes brimming with tears. I continued to hold onto his hand. “We found each other, like I believe we were supposed to. I’m sure of that.” I sniffled, holding back my tears. “So, what happens next?”

“Jedikiah and the other one are both in custody now. I stayed behind to talk to the police after the medics got you in the ambulance. I gave them my name and told them that I had been one of the Citadel inmates, so now, soon, my fake obituary will be retracted and we can all get our lives back as the case goes on. I didn’t mention anything about your being the whistleblower, though. Right now they think you were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. That you were someone I knew before the Citadel, and that I found you after escaping. I just sort of…didn’t correct them. Even if people ever suspect that it was you who sounded the alarm, no one will be able to prove it.”

I exhaled, relieved. “Thank you,” I looked at him earnestly. “You saved my life, you know.”

Errol leaned forward and kissed me. “You saved mine first. In more ways than one. It was high time that I returned the favor.” He sighed. “I meant what I said earlier. You’re my home now.”

I smiled and shook my head a little. “And you’re mine. We just did what we had to do.” I paused, thinking for a moment. “Hey, do my parents and brother know where I am?”

He locked his eyes with mine. “They’re here, they saw you already. They just made a quick run back home to get some things so they can stay here with you. They’re probably on their way back now.”

I raised my eyebrows. “How do you know? Did you talk to them?”

He smiled and nodded. “I called your mother from your phone after I was done with the police, and told her I would explain everything once they all got here. She sounded confused, but she and your dad dropped everything, called your brother, and the three of them rushed over. Once they got here, I introduced myself to them. They had seen the news report, so I told them that you were the whistleblower – which they know to keep secret, by the way – and that you’ve been helping me…I told them about everything you did for me.”