by Laura Hysell
We hurried down the front steps and began crossing the parking lot, my heels clicking on the pavement noisily. “Isabella? Mark? You’re late for the meeting!” I heard the voice of the Superintendent behind us.
I stopped and Mark ran into the back of me. My breath expelled with a whoosh. The man was built like a tank. “No, Isabella,” he whispered, but I jabbed him in the stomach. I’m pretty sure this hurt me more than him, since my funny bone immediately began tingling and he didn’t even flinch.
“Oh, we were just getting some things out of Mark’s truck,” I said sweetly, rubbing my elbow all the while. “He needed a hand carrying things so I volunteered. We’ll be right there.” I turned and rushed over to Mark’s Jeep Cherokee, pointing for him to unlock the door.
“Do you need another hand? I can help as well,” Superintendent Blanks said as he started walking towards us.
“No, no, it’s just a few things. Don’t miss the meeting on our account. I promise we’ll be right there. I know this must be an important meeting,” I smiled sweetly back, waving the superintendent away as I pretended to reach inside Mark’s Jeep for something. What was the superintendent doing at a high school staff meeting? The man rarely left the district office across town.
“He’s leaving,” Mark said softly.
I stood up and watched with Mark as the door closed behind the superintendent. Mark’s hand brushed across my back, sending a shiver down my spine. “He’ll be back if we don’t hurry. Get in the truck now!” Mark said as his hands encircled my waist, guiding me into the jeep.
I climbed in the driver’s side and scooted across to the passenger seat, smoothing my skirt out beneath me. Mark climbed up behind me and immediately started the truck. I looked back toward the high school and saw Superintendent Blanks running back towards us, waving his arms and yelling. Beside him were two men in dark suits running towards us. Mark glanced at me, and then quickly backed the jeep up and we were out of the parking lot in seconds. I glanced behind us and my breath caught. The two men in suits had jumped into a black car and were peeling out behind us.
“They’re following us?” I whispered, more to myself than to Mark. I watched the car back out of the parking lot and swerve onto the road behind us. “They’re following us!” I screamed. Mark glanced in the rearview mirror as the black car sped to catch up with us.
“Damn, why do I have to be right about this shit now?” Mark swore as he sped around a corner and shifted gears. The jeep groaned and bucked as he missed a gear in his panic. “Shit!” he swore as he corrected the truck.
My hands were shaking uncontrollably as I watched the car behind us. “Seriously, Mark? Fuck!” I exclaimed. Mark shot me a surprised look. Being a high school English teacher, I usually refrained from using profane language. I found it degrading. Shit, damn, fuck!
I gripped the dash as we sped around another corner. Were we on two wheels? It certainly felt like it as we careened around corner after corner. Mark turned suddenly onto the main street through town, zipping in between cars. If this were a big city we might have been able to pull off a great escape, but this was a small town. The sleek black car behind us had no problems keeping up with Mark’s rugged Jeep.
Why were they following us? What was the big deal if we didn’t go to this meeting or get this vaccine? I glanced behind me again, seeing the car right on our bumper. “We need to do something different, Mark. We’re not going to lose them this way,” I screeched, my voice raising an octave.
“I know!” Mark jerked the wheel again, sending me flying towards him. My leg hit the shifter hard and I had to grab the passenger door to move myself back into my seat. I’d forgotten to buckle my seatbelt in the rush. I grabbed the seatbelt now in a panic, buckling myself in just as we veered around another corner, the tires squealing in protest. We were going to die! I glanced at Mark, noticing he wasn’t wearing his seatbelt either. My hands were shaking as I reached across his chest and began buckling him into his seat.
“What on earth are you doing, Iz?” he growled as he reached around me to shift.
“I’m buckling your seatbelt! What did you think I’m doing?” I screamed back at him as I heard the buckle click.
He shook his head but said no more as he continued driving like a maniac. I was surprised no cops were following us. We were on the outskirts of town on a long expanse of road. We weren’t going to lose them on this stretch of highway. Mark slammed on the breaks and turned us off the highway suddenly. We slowed down as we turned onto a gravel road. I glanced around, recognizing our location. We were on an old logging road that led up to a small natural lake that kids usually frequented in the summertime for skinny-dipping and make-out sessions. A quick glance behind us showed that the car was still following us, but our distance had increased.
“What are you planning to do, Mark? Take them swimming.” I quipped.
“Oh, you’re just so funny,” he said dryly. “This truck is 4-wheel drive with nice big tires, unlike the little car behind us. We can go places they can’t. I know what I’m doing. They can’t follow us now!” he added as he turned off the road and began following a muddy track that could barely be called a path. I smiled at Mark’s logic. This was it! We weren’t going fast, but Mark’s jeep had no problems navigating through the terrain. We were getting out of here!
Bang! Bang! I ducked my head in terror as gunshots ripped through the air. I felt the truck lean towards its left as the back driver’s side tire was shot. The path we were on climbed upward through thick mud.
“Mark! They’re shooting at us! What the fuck?” I screamed.
“Hang on,” Mark said as our momentum slowed in the thick mud. Mark stopped and quickly put the jeep into 4-wheel drive. The jeep groaned and bucked before continuing slowly up the steep, muddy path. The jeep was struggling in 4-wheel drive and I knew the car behind us wouldn’t even get this far. If we could just get some distance between us we’d be safe.
Bang! Bang! The whole back of the truck seemed to sink into the mud. Putting the truck in 4-wheel drive wouldn’t do any good if we had no tires. My face was wet with tears. I could hear yelling grow closer, and realized the men in suits had gotten out of their car and were climbing up the path after us. I looked up at Mark as the truck stopped moving forward, utter defeat on his face. “I’m so sorry, Iz,” he said as another gunshot rang through the air. Blood splattered across my face and I stared in horror as the light left Mark’s eyes.
Chapter 2
My head was pounding and I was hearing voices. Hmm, isn’t it usually a bad thing to hear voices? Wait, there were people talking about me. Okay, good, not hearing voices in my head, but actual voices. My eyes wouldn’t open though. I tried with all my might but it seemed as though my whole body was numb. My brain seemed slow, sluggish. What had happened? Where was I? Mark!
Memory returned to me with increasing speed. We were in the truck, driving away through the woods. Mark knew a way. He would get us away from the bad men. Oh, and they were definitely bad men. Hmm, why did I think that? My mind was growing fuzzy again as I tried to access my memories. I knew they were bad but couldn’t recall why I thought that. Where am I?
The voices were growing louder. They must be walking towards me. I strained my ears to hear. My breathing sounded hollow and I could hear a steady beeping noise. Was I in a hospital? Footsteps were coming closer now, along with two voices.
“I’m not sure why she’s still unconscious,” a male voice was saying. “The tranquilizer should have worn off hours ago. We think it’s most likely stress-related.”
“You’re sure she’s not having a reaction to the vaccine?” a second male voice said. This voice was deep and rich, with a strange accent I couldn’t place. “It doesn’t seem to be working right.”
“No, no reaction, sir, I’m quite sure. She’ll receive the second dose tomorrow and you’ll see she’s just like all the rest.” The first voice sounded nervous now. “Her body is just working quite a bit slower because o
f the tranquilizer. We don’t normally administer this if there are other medicines in the person’s body, but since you insisted…” the voice trailed off.
“There’d better not be any negative effects, doctor,” the man with the accent was speaking slowly now, enunciating his words. “I will hold you personally responsible if we have to dispose of this one. Give her the second dose right away.”
I strained my ears, but heard nothing for several moments. Then there was a shuffling noise and I felt something on my ear, then I heard a beep. Thermometer? “105 degrees,” the doctor’s voice murmured. Yes, a thermometer, but was my temperature really that high? I didn’t feel like I had a fever.
I struggled to open my eyes again but they wouldn’t open. I told my fingers to move, but they didn’t feel like they moved at all. The doctor who hovered over me certainly didn’t indicate he noticed my feeble attempts at moving. I could hear papers flipping and the sound of someone scribbling on paper. The distinct sound of heels clicking on the floor indicated another person had just walked in. I heard a swish of clothing and caught the scent of a sweet perfume.
“Doctor Douglas?” a woman’s voice said.
“Ah, Patricia, what is it?” the doctor asked. His voice was softer sounding now than when he’d spoken to the man. I sensed he liked this woman. Or perhaps he just really didn’t like the other man.
“Is she all right?” the woman, Patricia, asked. I didn’t know anyone named Patricia and I certainly didn’t recognize her voice.
“She’s burning up and I’m pretty sure she’s blind. I don’t know what this vaccine did to her, but I honestly think a second dose will kill her,” he sighed. I swallowed hard, or tried to. My body didn’t seem to respond with any of the usual movements it should. I was blind? No, I just couldn’t open my eyes. How could he know if I was blind? Wait, maybe he’s talking about someone else. Yes, that’s it. He’s talking about someone else.
“Geez, Max, she’s been through enough!” Patricia exclaimed. Oh, yes, I definitely had the sense there was something more going on between the doctor and this woman. Yes, Max, listen to her! I have definitely been through enough.
“I can’t go against his orders, Patricia. He’ll kill me! I’m sorry. I have to go prepare the second dose now.” I heard footsteps as someone walked away. It must have been the doctor leaving because the smell of perfume suddenly grew stronger and I sensed this woman leaning over me.
“I know you can hear me, Isabella Howerton. I slipped something into your IV to give the impression you are in a coma. I was hoping it would stop Max from giving you the second dose, but he doesn’t dare go against orders. He’ll die if he disobeys. I couldn’t stop him from giving you the first dose, but I switched the batches. I hope it helps. I’ll explain later if I can.” She paused but I still felt her breath warm on my cheek. She kissed my neck then and I felt wetness roll down my neck and across my collar bone. I felt her tongue move across the wetness, licking it up. What the hell? Did she slobber on me when she kissed me and now she’s licking it up? Gross!
Her voice was velvety sweetness now and I felt my heart beat faster with her words. “When you see your brother tell him our debt is repaid,” she laughed softly then and I sensed her leave. I would have been shaking if I could have made my body function properly. What the hell was going on?
***
I dreamed. Heck, I was hooked up to machines and unable to move. What else was I going to do? But the dreams were strange and very disturbing. I kept dreaming about a woman with deep brown hair that cascaded in waves across her shoulders and black eyes. And I do mean black, not a dark brown that looks black. Her eyes were like twin coals waiting to be lit on fire. Her eyes sought to capture mine, but I refused to look at her. Every time I evaded her eyes she laughed. She spoke to me, though I have no idea what she said, and her voice was the velvety sweet voice of Patricia. Her skin was milky white and she was covered in a dress that appeared to be made of smoke. It shifted back and forth, revealing portions of her body I’d rather not see.
A man entered the dream then, vying for my attention. Patricia seemed aware of his presence, but acted as though he wasn’t there. The man was god-like! I could barely keep my eyes off him, but some part of me told me not to look. I found myself shifting glances between these two irresistible beings, unable not to look, but knowing that to look would be a very bad thing to do.
His hair was pale gold but his eyes were black too. I avoided looking at those eyes and he too laughed when I did, though he was definitely not amused. Where the woman was made up of darkness and smoke, this man was gold and fire. He was completely nude and my breath caught at his perfection. I examined him from the neck down, not daring to look at his handsome face in case his eyes bewitched me somehow. His shoulders were broad and well-muscled. Every inch of him was muscled perfection. My eyes trailed hungrily down his ripped abdomen, lower, lower… WOW!
I quickly averted my eyes as he laughed. My face must be on fire! Oh, but he was quite a man! Hmm, I’d seen Mark without a shirt on and I wondered how he’d compare to this man. Mark! No! Memories of blood splattering my face shattered the image of these two beautiful beings. I woke suddenly, my heart pounding in my chest.
My eyes were open and I squinted, looking around at my surroundings. The room was dark, but I could make out shapes. I held my hand up to my face. Yup, that’s my hand and I can see it. It’s just dark in the room. Whew, I was worried when the doctor had mentioned blindness. It must have been a temporary side-effect of whatever that woman had given me, along with the 105 degree fever. I felt my forehead, but it felt completely normal to me.
I looked around the dark room, waiting for my eyes to adjust to the dim light coming through the curtains Looking down at myself, I noted there were no IV’s or wires attached to me, although I did appear to be in a hospital gown. I pulled the blankets off and careful stepped onto the cold floor. Slowly, I moved toward the window and pulled back the curtain. I had expected to see outside, but instead my window looked out into a dimly lit hallway. The hallway seemed to be gray concrete and I gave an involuntary shutter. Where was I?
I pushed the curtain back in place and felt my way around the room until I came to a small closet, hoping my clothes were inside. Nope, there was nothing in the closet except a hospital robe and slippers. I pulled the robe on and slipped my feet into the slippers, then began feeling my way around the room until I reached a door. I quietly turned the handle and peeked out into a brightly lit hallway that appeared very similar to the one I viewed outside my window. The floor was tiled slate, but the walls were cold gray concrete.
The hallway was quiet and seemed the same looking both directions. I quietly tiptoed down the hallway to my right, looking for anything to indicate which way to go. Doors were spaced out along both sides of the hallway, but there were no signs anywhere indicating what was behind the doors. I took a deep breath and turned the knob on the first door I found. The light from the hallway illuminated the empty room, which looked precisely like the room I had just come from. I closed the door and moved on to the next room, which was another empty carbon copy. The hallway continued on the same until I reached a dead end. I turned around and scurried back the way I had come, unsure which room was the one I had started out in.
After checking over 20 rooms I finally came to a secondary hallway that seemed exactly the same as the one I was in. Sighing in frustration, I decided to just continue the way I had been going instead of taking the new hallway. I was beginning to think I was completely alone when I opened a door to peer in and noticed a person lying in the bed. I tiptoed toward the person, squinting in the darkened room. I saw a slender arm hooked up to IVs and long, blonde hair. A woman, I figured as I inched closer. Her head was turned away and she seemed to be dreaming, tossing in her sleep. She rolled toward me and I gasped, stumbling backwards several steps. She looked just like me!
I jerked awake, sitting straight up in bed. Was that a dream? I looked around the room
, then down at my arm and the IVs running to the machine beside the hospital bed. I carefully removed the tape holding the needles in my arm and pulled the IVs out. There weren’t any more wires hooked up to me so I hopped out of bed and went immediately to the window. It was just as I had seen it in the dream. Next I went to the closet, pulling out the robe and slippers that were right where I expected them. I walked to the door and stopped before pulling it open. What if I’m still dreaming? I thought I was awake last time. I pinched my arm for good measure, wincing at the slight pain. I seemed to be awake this time. I ran the back of my hand across my forehead. I didn't feel clammy or feverish.
Slowly I opened the door and immediately noticed the difference. The walls and floor were the same materials as before, but the hallway ended to my right. I opened the door further and stepped out into the hallway, listening for sounds. Everything seemed quiet, so I ventured down the hallway until I reached the next room. I opened the door and was immediately disappointed. The room was completely empty of people as well as furnishings. I quickly closed the door and moved down to the intersecting corridor. Three ways to go, but all directions seemed the same. I was about to turn left when I heard the faint sound of voices coming from the right. I scurried down the hallway toward the voices and stopped outside the second door on the left. It sounded like people were arguing, but I couldn’t make out any words through the thick wooden door. Then one voice grew louder, sounding as though he had moved toward the door.
“… permanent damage! I’m going to go check on her now.” I recognized the voice of Doctor Douglas, but had no time to listen further as I watched the door handle turn. I ran to the next room and quickly shut the door behind me, hoping I had made it in time. Several minutes passed and my breathing returned to normal. I glanced around the room I was in, noticing for the first time it appeared to be a hospital room like mine, complete with a patient on the bed.