Book 1: Vines

Chapter 3

"If there's anything you need at all, just give a holler," April's aunt said as she placed a tray of food down beside her in bed.

"I will, aunt Maddie" April replied with a small smile. "Thank you."

"Goodness, you don't have to thank me. I'm just glad you're alive!"

"So am I," April replied, reliving the moment when she was run down by the huge green F-150. "Crazy driver. Must have been drunk."

"I don't know about people these days," Maddie said, shaking her head. "All I want now is for you to heal and get back on your feet. So, you'll need plenty of rest. Doctors orders as well as mine."

"And I'll concentrate on doing just that." April picked up her apple from the tray next to her and bit into it. She wiped her mouth with the sleeve of her sweatshirt as some of the juice leaked out and dripped down her chin.

"I am so glad you're okay," her aunt said, giving her a huge bear hug.

"Ow, ow, ow," April said as she felt a jab of pain in her side start to form.

"Oh, I'm sorry," aunt Maddie apologized and stepped back. "I'll just be going now before I break any other part of you."

April smiled at her aunt as she left her alone in her bedroom. Pillows were stacked against April's back and head as well as on top of one another to support her broken leg, which was now in a purple cast. She loved the fact that she was being catered to. She just wished it was under different circumstances.

Even though it had only been a week since the accident, she wasn't in as much pain as she thought she would have been in. So did Dr. Barley, her actual doctor, who thought it was a miracle that she wasn't any more severely broken than she was. In fact, he had found it quite remarkable that she had healed so quickly from the time she entered the hospital to the time she had been discharged and came home.

April wasn't sure whether she made up this Dr. Farley character and was indeed going insane, whether she was still out of it from all the meds, or whether there really was a Dr. Farley. And if this Dr. Farley really did exist, he must have done something to her so that she healed quicker than normal.

Still, whether Dr. Farley was just a figment of her imagination, or exists and was actually an alien from another planet, she was still unable to dismiss the warning he gave her earlier that week. That not only she was in danger, but everyone she cared about was as well.

But how? That was the big question. How could all of their lives be in mortal danger?

This Dr. Farley fellow didn't have time to explain it to her. But he did tell her they would meet again. And how was it that he knew Brad anyway? And why should April trust him? Did he really believe that Brad could protect her? Was Brad involved in her accident and with this Dr. Farley somehow? Or did she just simply make this entire thing up in her head when she was still out of it?

All these unanswered questions were starting to give her a headache. Instead of dwelling about what happened last week, she turned on the T.V., rested her head against her pillow, and closed her eyes.

The soft murmur from the people on the T.V. was very soothing and relaxing. April felt herself drifting off when her phone rang. Her eyes flew open and her heart started to race. Maybe it was Brad calling to check up on her? They had swapped phone numbers last week.

She shook her head and took a deep breath. Why was she hoping it was Brad calling? It had been a week since she had last spoken to him. Besides, he could be somehow involved with her accident. And it wasn't like she liked him or anything. So, why the hell would she be thinking about him?