Slowly Drowning (Under Construction)

Chapter 6

I'm running from something. I don't know what I am running from. I'm just running, fast, through a forest. My legs are numb with tiredness and cold. I trip over a pile of leaves. I try to pull myself up, panting, I look around wildly wondering where it went. I see nothing, I slowly rise to my feet and start walking back the direction I was running from. Something grabs me, I scream.

I sit up panting. Dr. White runs in, "Are you ok?"

"Yeah. Just a nightmare. I guess." He looks at me worried. "I promise." He nods and reluctantly leaves. I look around and think. 'What was chasing me? Why would I have a nightmare like that?' Jaden walks in the room.

My eyes light up. "Jaden." I reach my arms out to hug him. He leans in and gives me a hug.

"Hey. How have you been?" He looks down. "I know about Brad. I-I'm sorry I wasn't here."

"Jaden it's fine. He might get put behind bars now. They brought police in here to ask questions. They already had him in the cop car before they came in here."

"He might get put in jail?!" Jaden stands up. "This is fantastic!"

"I know. For once in my life I feel like I can breathe again. Will you bring Dr. White in here?" He nods and brings him in. "When will I be able to walk?"

"You can try now if you would like?" He walks over to the side of the bed and takes my arm to help me up. "Take it slowly." I stand and wince. "You ok?" I nod as Jaden watches anxiously. I start to walk around the room with ease. "Alright. I think that's enough for today." He helps me sit back down on the bed. "Your improvement is miraculous. You've been through so much and yet your body seems to recover quite quickly."

"I-is that a good thing?" Jaden stands up and looks at Dr. White concerned.

"Yes Jaden. That is a good thing. That means her body is going back to its normal state."

I stand to get a glass of water that is across the room on a table. Dr. White and Jaden stand. "Guys. I can get my own water. I'm not three." I walk over, pick up the glass take a drink, set it back down, walk back, and sit on the bed with them watching me the whole time. "What? I can do things for myself. Can you both stop staring at me now?" They both look down and then look at each other with worried eyes. "Is there something I don't know? You both have been acting weird since I could walk again."

"You shouldn't have been able to walk yet. The injuries your body has sustained. You should not have been able to recover this fast."

"But isn't it a good thing that I did? I mean then you can get me out of this room and give it to someone who really needs it."

"Yes. I suppose that's one way to look at it. I'm just not understanding how you healed so fast." His voice trails off into mutters and grumbles that I can't understand. Dr. White walks out looking at my X-rays and bloodwork, leaving me and Jaden. He raises his eyes to look at me. "I-I don't know what to think about all of this. I just can't handle the stress of it all."

My eyes start welling up with tears. "You?! You can't handle the stress?! How do you think I feel?! I'm the one going through it! You chose to stay! I can't! I have to deal with all of this! Because it's my body! Believe me, if I could make all of this go away I would!" At this point my cheeks are soaked with hot tears. I try to wipe them away but they keep getting replaced by new ones. He looks at me in surprise. I've never yelled at him before. I feel awful for yelling at him when he's been through so much with me but at the same time I don't care. He's trying to make me feel sorry for him by saying he can't handle it.

"Rayne. I didn't mean it like that. I know that this has been harder on you than any of us but I feel like I'm being ripped apart little by little." He fiddles with the butter knife that sits on my plate of uneaten food.

"Are you breaking up with me?" I start to go through all the possible scenarios for what he was saying. None of them are good.

"No. No. No, I'm just saying so if I can't give the right answer or if I can't help you then you know why. Rayne I don't picture myself with anyone but you. I'm going to go home and sleep. I haven't slept since your surgery. I'll see you tomorrow maybe." He leans over and hugs me. I can't help but think he only said that because of the state I was in. I lay in the room alone, with nothing but my vile thoughts.

It's been two days and Jaden still hasn't come back. Dr. White said I could leave so I'm packing up what little stuff is mine. I'm hoping Jaden is at home when I get there. Part of me thinks he's planning some type of party to welcome me home. The other part thinks he's packed up everything of his and left. I believe the doubting part more. I stop at a Wendy's to get a hamburger, the first non-hospital food I've had in awhile. It tastes like heaven. I feel sad when it's all gone but now that I'm full, I can drive home in hopes Jaden will be there. When I pull into the driveway it's bare. Jaden's car is gone, the extra car is gone, and so are our bikes. I still have high hopes he will be there, waiting for me with food made, perfect lighting, and a romance movie.

When I walk inside is see none of the things I had hoped for. The house is bare and eerily quiet. "Jaden! I'm home!" There's no response as I walk through the house. "Jaden?" I start checking every room. "Jaden!" I walk into our room and see everything has been moved out. Everything that was Jaden's has been moved out. "Well I guess this isn't our room anymore. It's my room now." I mutter to myself quietly. I walk down to the living room and sit down. As I pick up the TV remote, I hear something fall in the garage. "H-hello?" I stand and start to walk toward the door when the handle starts moving. I run into the kitchen to get a knife. I sit in a corner holding the knife shaking, and trying to breathe quietly. A shadow moves across the floor in the living room. I draw in a sharp breath as I slink around to hide behind the couch. Just as I think I'm going to make it, a hand clasps around the back of my neck.

"Did you really think you could get away from me?" A familiar voice whispers as I feel their hot breath on the nape of my neck.

"Why are you doing this? Why did you hit me with the car?"

"You know why. Now I just wanted to visit. Your going to stay facing the couch, if you move I will shoot you. Don't think I won't. I'm going to leave now. Stay." The hand let's go. I hear the shuffle of feet and the creak of a door. I slowly stand and walk into the kitchen. I feel sick, like I need food but if I eat I'll throw up. I grab a bag of crackers for later. I walk into the bedroom and lay down on the bed. I slowly grab the covers and pull them up until they almost fully envelop me.