Hunted (Holby City/Jac Naylor)

Chapter 2

I walked around the corner, with my headphones in, in my own world. I was annoyed that my sister had shouted at me.

It wasn't until someone knocked into me that I looked up.

I saw a corridor full of people running towards me, with a look of terror on their faces.

I took an earphone out and was met with a wall of shouting. It must be something serious.

I thought I heard someone shout 'he's got a gun', but I couldn't have. Then I heard it again.

I turned on my heels and ran as fast as I could. I was trying to think of somewhere to hide.

I ran as fast as I could and hid under the circular desk in the middle of Darwin.

There was a deathly silence. I couldn't hear anything apart from my own breathing.

Suddenly I could hear footsteps approaching, and a deep booming voice.

I stayed as still and quiet as I possibly could, hoping whoever it was wouldn't see me.

I held my breath, when the footsteps got right next to me, and I saw two sets of feet walk past...

I sat bolt upright in bed, my pulse was racing. 

I didn't want to wake Jac, but I had to find someone. Jac stirred next to me and mumbled something, barely audible.

"It's okay, I'm just going to the loo." I whispered. I didn't want to panic her.

I carefully climbed off the bed, shut the door to the side room and made my way downstairs. I knew there would be police patrolling the hospital, and guarding the entrances.

On the walk, down to the main entrance I thought about what I was going to say. I couldn't say I had a 'dream' because that would make me sound weird, but they would ask me why am I only coming forward now, at 3am, several hours after the incident.

I got to the entrance and it was bitterly cold outside, but luckily dry. I walked past a porter, who seemed to be stood reading the map of the hospital, but didn't think anything of it.

I spotted two policemen and approached them.

"Excuse me?" I asked in a small voice.

"Did you catch the men who had the gun?" I asked.

"Yes, we arrested the man." One of the policemen said firmly.

"Did you catch both of them?" I replied.

"We are not looking for anybody else as we believed the gunman worked alone." The second policeman replied, he was too busy writing something down in his notebook to even look up at me when he spoke.

"No, there were two of them!" I said, getting a little frustrated. Why didn't they believe me?

"Nobody else reported seeing two men." The second policeman added, rolling his eyes.

"Even if there was 2, we have thoroughly searched the hospital and its likely he escaped in the crowds of mass panic." The first policeman said, losing interest in the conversation.

"Fine!" I sighed and rolled my eyes.

They clearly didn't believe me. I stormed off in temper and accidently bumped into the porter, who seemed to be stood closer than I remembered.

If anyone would believe me, I knew who would.

I texted Alicia, who worked downstairs in the hospitals Casualty department. I liked Alicia a lot, she was kind and funny, and always had an answer or solution to things.

ME: 'Hey Alicia, are you on shift? x'

ALICIA: 'On shift. Manic down here x'

ME: 'I'm coming down to see you x'

ALICIA: 'Sit in staff room, I'll come when I can x'

ME: 'okay x'

I wondered down to the A&E department of Holby City hospital.

Alicia was right, it was hectic. It was the aftermath of a major incident, but it was half past 3 in the morning.

I walked down the corridor past cubicles, around beds and clumps of bloody sheets.

I walked past and the main reception desk, and let myself into the staffroom.

There was nobody in the staffroom and it was nice to be alone for a few minutes in peace and quiet.

I sat on the sofa behind the kitchen counter in the staffroom, and watched the chaos unfold in the department through the window.

After about 5 minutes, Alicia came through the side door of the staffroom. I jumped off the sofa and threw myself into her arms for a hug.

She hugged me tight and took my hand and led me back to the sofa.

She sat next to me and put her arm around me and I laid my head in her shoulder. For the first time since this whole drama started, I properly relaxed and started to cry. I always felt safe with Alicia, she was kind and supportive and she always listened.

"It's okay, you take as much time as you need..." She whispered, kissing the top of my head.

"I...I...I saw 2 men." I said between tears.

"There were 2 and they won't believe me" I repeated, in an exasperated tone.

"2 men? Who won't believe you?" Alicia asked, sounding confused.

"The police!" I snapped at her, pushing her away and standing up.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to shout..." I whispered breaking down in tears again. I sat down cross legged on the floor with my head in my hands.

"You're okay, you're safe here." Alicia comforted, moving off the sofa and onto the floor, putting her arms around me and hugging me

"You're not making sense." Alicia said, she was right. I took a couple of minutes to focus on calming down, before telling her everything that happened.

"Ok, so I came to the hospital from college and Jac shouted at me, because my teacher called her to tell her I was naughty. I stormed off and put my headphones in, and then loads of people started running towards me and they all looked really scared, so I took my headphones out and I heard people shout 'he's got a gun', so I ran and hid under the round desk in the middle of Darwin." I mumbled.

Alicia nodded and rubbed my arm to comfort me.

"Then it went really quiet." I said, shutting my eyes and remembering what happened.

"There was no one else." I added.

I paused for a few seconds, trying to control my breathing and not have a panic attack.

"That's when I heard the footsteps." I whispered. I patted the side of my leg with each step I heard in my head.

"Hard boots on the polished floor." I added.

"It's okay, then what?" Alicia said, taking my hand. As the footsteps got closer in my head, I was patting the side of my leg harder, so she was stopping me from hurting myself.

I brought my feet to my chest and tensed up, and became completely unaware of my surroundings. Alicia knew how dangerous flashbacks can be but she also knew it was more dangerous to try and wake someone up from a flashback.

"I can hear the footsteps much louder and clearer now, they are right by the desk." I mumbled.

"I can see two sets of boots. They have stopped right in front of me. I'm holding my breath so they don't hear me." I whispered.

I started shaking and crying.

The next thing I remember was waking up looking Alicia in the eyes.

"What happened?" I whispered.

"You had a flashback, and then an anxiety attack. It's understandable really, you've had a really stressful day." She told me.

I nodded. She was right. I had not been the same since Jaz died.

"I never used to have panic attacks. Not until Jaz died." I sighed. It was weird seeing and feeling myself so vulnerable.

"Again, understandable." Alicia replied.

"Have you spoken to anyone about it?" She asked me. I rolled my eyes.

"Talking about it isn't going to bring her back." I muttered, refusing to make eye contact with her.

"It won't." She replied. She understood that I wasn't ready to talk about it yet.

"I'm not here to talk about that now though." I said, remembering what we were talking about before I had my panic attack.

"There were 2 men...2!" I said

"but the police only caught one." I added.

"and they won't believe me there was a second" I finished.

"okay – did anybody else see the second man?" Alicia asked.

"I don't think so. The police said I was the only person who reported a second man." I replied.

Alicia nodded. She had her thinking face on.

"How come you didn't you say anything at the time? It's what, 4am now? 8 hours after you saw them?" She asked.

"You'll think I am mad Alicia" I mumbled.

"Try me." She said looking me in the eye.

"I was asleep, and I saw it in my sleep. In my dream." I mumbled quietly.

"You underestimate me, one word – Eddie?"

"Sorry." I said, I shuffled closer to her and gave her a cuddle. There were a few moments of silence between us. I had forgotten about Eddie.

"I don't doubt for one second that you're right." Alicia started.

"but the police have searched the hospital thoroughly, and have been patrolling since
all staff are on high alert so would have reported anything suspicious or anyone who shouldn't be here." She said, she was trying to reassure me.

"a hospital is a very big place though?" I mumbled. There are lots of places someone could hide.

"and it's a very busy place. There's more staff and patients here tonight than there has been in one go for months." She replied.

"True." I said. I guess she was right.

"so its likely the second man escaped in the crowds of people panicking, where he wouldn't have been noticed." Alicia said.

"This hospital is the safest place you could be right now, just remember that. There's police and staff everywhere." She added.

"The police will find him through their investigations." She finished.

"I guess you're right..." I mumbled. She was probably right.

My phone buzzed, it was Jac. I had completely forgotten that I was supposed to just be 'popping to the loo'.

JAC: Have you fallen down the loo, are you alright x

ME: All good, got distracted, with Alicia x

"Would you like me to walk with you back upstairs?" Alicia offered.

"Yes please." I replied.

Alicia stood up and held her arm out to me, I took it and she pulled me up. I straightened out my clothes so I looked somewhat presentable. Alicia went to her locker to get something out, and I looked out the window. I saw the same porter I had seen earlier leaning against the post.  Something wasn't right about him but I couldn't put my finger on it.

Alicia held out her arm and I walked arm and arm with her to the lift. I thought we were on our own, but when we climbed in the lift the porter climbed in after us, and this time he was wearing a surgical mask, which I thought was even odder.

Alicia asked him what floor he wanted,

"2 please" He replied. His voice sent a shudder down my spine but I couldn't work out why. I moved in front of Alicia so she was in between us. He just made me feel uncomfortable.

When me and Alicia got out of the lift, I showed her to the side room that Jac was in.

"You know where I am." Alicia smiled. I hugged her and climbed back into bed with Jac.

"I love you." I whispered to Jac.

"Love you too." Jac replied. I snuggled into Jac and closed my eyes.