Saving Annabel

Chapter 6

This chapter is dedicated to  seddna Thanks for your votes and comments!

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The door opens and I turn my head to see a doctor come in. He's older—maybe in his forties or fifties—but surprisingly, his skin is perfectly smooth and free of pores.

He avoids eye contact with me and instead starts fiddling with the oxygen tubes.

After a few seconds of silence, he says gruffly, "I imagine you have a lot of questions."

I let out a snort. Well that's the understatement of the century.

I'm about to ask how to get out of here, but he cuts me off hurriedly, "I can't answer any of them."

I frown, crossing my arms. How am I supposed to find out how to get back to my sister if I can't ask questions?

After a few seconds of him fiddling around with the oxygen tubes, I ignore his earlier statement and ask, "Why not?"

The doctor looks at me and clenches his jaw tight. He ignores my question and instead takes a small device out and types something into it.

Then, fidgeting with my tubing some more he says, "Since they have requested your testing to be as soon as possible, I have to heal you the quick way."

He wrinkles his nose at me in distaste. Then the doctor takes a deep breath and grabs onto my arm.

"Okay, so what I want you to do is breathe in and out with me. Can you handle that?"

I narrow my eyes, but nod.

"Stay calm," He mumbles. "Skints always get so freaked out by this."

Before I can ask him what he means, the doctor says, "Okay now calm your heartbeat and breathe in time with me."

He takes off my mask, and my breathing becomes quickened and shallow. The doctor takes a deep breath and motions for me to do the same. I feel the slight flip in my stomach as my lungs fail to fill up with oxygen.

I look over at the mask now lying on the side table. The doctor gruffly grabs my chin and moves it so I look at him.

"In. Out. In. Out."

I time my ragged breaths with his, each gasp scratching at my throat. The doctor's grip on my arm becomes hot. Within seconds, my ragged breaths decline and breathing becomes easy and natural.

I stare at him with wide eyes.

"How did you—"

"Do that?" The doctor sighs. "I told you not to freak out, but of course you did."

He takes his hand off my arm, and I stare at it as if it was an alien. The only explanation I can think of is impossible. Yet here I am. Good as new.

The doctor rolls his eyes. "I know what you're thinking and no it's not magic. Well, your definition of it anyways."

I gasp. "Can you read minds too?"

The doctor looks at me with startled eyes, and then lets out a bellowing laugh.

"You think, that I can read your mind? Like some magician!"

"Um. Well, no." I look down, suddenly red.

Then, coming to a realization, I widen my eyes and inhale sharply. "Does this mean you can heal anyone?"

The doctor chuckles. "Of course."

I cover my mouth with one hand to cover up my gleeful grin. Annabel could be healed! All I have to do was to get her here. I bite my tongue, barely able to hold in my excitement.

The doctor smiles and rocks back on his heels, clearly pleased with my amazement.

After a few seconds, he breaks the silence. "Well, now that you're healed, we need to go. The test makers want you in the other room."

He turns around and walks a few paces toward the door before turning back. "Follow me."

I scramble out of bed and slip on the slippers next to my bed. Trailing behind him, I walk out the sliding glass door and into the grand hallway.

The doctor is silent so I speak up. "You haven't told me your name."

He lets out a heavy sigh. "Don't ask questions. If you don't pass the test, it'll be harder for you to go back."

"What test?" I say, struggling to keep up with him.

The doctor turns around suddenly with flaring nostrils. "What did I just tell you?"

I duck my head and mumble, "Not to ask questions, Sir."

His face turns bright red. "Then don't!"

I lower my head and follow behind him, focusing my attention on the hallway instead. It's mostly empty, with only a few other people in the hall. One wall is curved and completely covered in windows. I notice that the engineers weren't very creative with selecting scenes—all of the windows reveal the same beach. The ceiling and other wall are made up entirely of glossy white walls with the exception of a skinny window lining the entire hallway.

On the other side of the skinny window are people walking. But something seems odd about these people. They're not dressed in white—but black.

I inch my way over to them, keeping my eyes trained on the doctor. He doesn't notice my sudden distance.

On the other side of the window reveals another hallway—run down and dark with a wall of mirrors lining the entire wall. My heart skips a beat. I recognize it at once.

It's the hallway leading to the infirmary in Indigne.

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Hey guys! Thanks for all the reads and support!! It really means a lot to me <3 <3

Please vote/comment/share! Remember whoever vote/comments/shares the most gets a chapter dedicated to them :)

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And Btw I'm thinking of changing the title because Submerged is generic and doesn't fit my plot anymore. Can anyone think of some? :) Here are some of my ideas: The Back Door, Secrets Kill, Secrets that Kill, or Underground.

TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK!! :)

Peace

Love

And Chocolate <3