My Return (Vampire Diaries) (Book Seven)

I Went to the Woods

"I'm not sure I'm following you," the paramedic told me.

"I remember being stabbed by the Phoenix Sword, which means this is all some sort of looping nightmare, custom-made from my own psyche," I told her. "Which, I don't get, by the way. If the hell stone was gonna punish me, you would think it would have to do with Stefan, Damon, Sarah and my family."

The paramedic looked at me in concern. "Maybe I was a little hasty in my check-up. Can you look straight ahead?"

"I think I'm fine," I told her. "I'm just... I'm not in the mood for charades, all right? Can we just skip to the torture, please?" I called out to the cops nearby. "Hey, officers. Why don't we just get on with it, huh?"

I stood.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," the paramedic told me, making me sit down again. "Sit down. You are not making any sense."

One of the officers walked toward us, taking a wallet out of my jacket pocket, looking at the driver's license inside to get the information. "Martha Hammond?"

"No," I answered. "But okay."

"That's what it says on this license," the officer told me.

"I believe you, but that's not my wallet," I told him.

"Possible memory less," the paramedic told him.

The officer looked at me. "Have you been drinking, ma'am."

I thought for a moment. "Oh. I get it. I'm a vampire with control issues, and alcoholism is a metaphor for my bloodlust. See, now we're getting somewhere."

The paramedic and officer seemed to be getting more worried and confused with every statement I made.

"Ma'am, could you stand up for me?" the officer asked.

I stood. "Are we going to a warmer hellscape?"

The officer frowned in confusion. "Maybe. First, I'm gonna have to ask you to walk in a straight line."

I frowned, looking around in confusion.

        ~~~~~~~   

I was doing a field sobriety test while the officer watched me walk in a straight line away from him.

"Nice work, Martha," the officer told me. "And back to me."

I rolled my eyes, turning to walk toward the officer. "What is this supposed to prove?"

"That you were under the influence when you were driving the bus," the officer answered.

I looked at him in confusion. "What did you say?"

"What the hell happened to you?" the officer asked.

"I'm not sure," I told him. "I woke up in the middle of the road, and I saw the bus on fire."

"Yeah, you're a real hero, Martha," the officer told me sarcastically. "Saving half the kids from the accident you caused."

"Why do you keep calling me 'Martha'?" I asked in exasperation, frustrated.

The officer handed me a breathalyzer machine. "Here you go."

"And what if I refuse to take the test?" I asked.

"Then you're not giving me much of a choice," the officer told me, grabbing me by my jacket, turning me around, pushing me against the side of his police car, handcuffing me. "Martha Hammond, you're under arrest for driving under the influence."