Chosen (The Urban Legends Series Book 1)

by R. S. Broadhead

  “Jeez. Hello? Can you hear me, miss?”

  I blinked, focusing on a guy about my age. “Wow. You’re pretty hurt. Looks like you’re hung on a piece of glass.” He shifted something around my midsection. It was hard to tell; everything was numb. “Shit.” He backed away, hiding his shocked expression underneath a draped hand. “There’s a doctor that lives right down the road. I think I should get you to him. It seems like that’s your worst injury. I’m going to pull you free. It’s probably going to hurt.”

  No shit. I pursed my lips, silently counting to ten, trying to take my mind anywhere else.

  He gripped my shoulder and scooped under my midsection. “Ready?”

  I wasn’t. I wanted an ambulance to appear out of nowhere with some top-dollar meds that would numb the hell out of my body and put me on cloud nine until I was all healed up and better. Before I could answer, he hoisted me away from my warm, damp indentation in the metal. It was agonizing. At least the glass going in was fast, not giving me time to really feel it. This was different. Pain hot as fire felt as if it were ripping apart every organ in that area. I was sure once I was free, I would look down to see half my insides still lying there. Blood squirted, covering his shirt when he shifted my body.

  “Fuck!” He took off the plaid button-up he had on and rolled it up. Then he covered the wound, pressing it tight against me.

  I could feel the gash open with the pressure. Darkness lined my peripheral vision. I tried fighting it. It didn’t look inviting. I blinked, anything to free myself from the chilled feeling. But it was impatient, closing in even faster.

  “Don’t die on me!” I heard my rescuer’s voice from somewhere far away.

  My head rolled back as he tapped it harshly. Nothing could help me now.

  “She’ll be okay. It’s minor injuries.”

  I tried to open my eyes, but it felt as if they were glued tight.

  “Good. I was scared to death she was going to die on me before I could get her here.” That voice I recognized. It was the guy who’d found me on the car.

  “She’s lost a lot of blood, but I think she’ll be fine. Do you know what made her wreck? Was there another car?”

  The wheels started turning in my groggy head. The kids. They were what had made me wreck. They were different kids but looked the same as the ones that had knocked on the door last night. An icy chill swept across my body as I remembered their eyes, black, soulless. They’d disappeared into thin air. There was no way what I’d saw was human. Three kids that age couldn’t just up and disappear. Let alone parents allowing their children that young to be out in the middle of the night on an old road.

  “Her car was the only one there. Maybe she ran off the road trying to miss a deer. They’re pretty bad on this road at night.” He sounded as if he were moving, judging from the way his voice seemed to be getting harder to hear.

  I’d been in a wreck in the middle of nowhere. No phone. No one knew where I was. I had no idea who had me. Overwhelming fear weaved throughout my body. My chest hurt from my heart struggling to keep up with the panic I was putting on myself. I was stuck here.

  A beeping sound off to one of my sides became erratic, shrill. My chest heaved as if something heavy suddenly rested there, pressing down. Footsteps pounded toward me.

  “I think it’s best if I sedate her. Her vitals are going crazy.”

  Something stuck me in the arm. It was painful, but no sound would escape my lips. My mind was fully awake, but my body wasn’t.

  “She’s meant to be here. That wreck wasn’t an accident,” the doctor said.

  “What do you mean?” the other voice asked.

  “Look.” There was silence followed by a gasp.

  “Is that the mark?”

  “Looks like it, doesn’t it? I saw it when you brought her in. She’s been chosen. He’ll be here for her soon.”

  The sun leaked in across the tattered, once-green carpet. I sat up, wincing at the pain in my midsection. After pushing the rough comforter down, I pulled up a shirt that was several sizes too big for me. I was wrapped with bandages already stained a dark red. The shirt dropped from my trembling fingers. Where am I? I touched my head, trying to remember. The bumpy disfigurement of stitches glorified my uneasy predicament.

  My eyes combed the room for any signs of my location. A small TV sat on a battered dresser, one drawer missing at the bottom. An air conditioner rattled in the window, blowing semi-cool air. Thick curtains lined with dust across the top covered the panes above. A trashcan sat to the side of the bed half full of used bloody bandages. A door stood ajar to my right. The smell of mildew seeped from the bathroom.

  The door burst open, sunlight blinding me from outside. A dark figure stood against it. I dangled a hand over my narrowed eyes, trying to make out who was coming in.

  “Aw. She’s up!” I had heard the voice before, but I couldn’t place it at the moment.

  A guy entered, his face finally swimming into focus. Flashes of my last memories surged through my mind. I backed away until my spine touched the headboard.

  He held up a hand, stopping when he noticed my uneasiness. “Do you remember anything?”

  I swallowed, never detouring my stare from him. “I remember crashing into the bank, and you. You pulled me from the car. Everything after that is a blur. Where am I? You said ‘other’ night. How long have I been here?”

  He visibly relaxed, but didn’t come any closer to me. “You’re at a motel room. I got a doctor to patch you up. He thought it best not to move you too much for a few days, so we got you a bed here. We figured you’d be more comfortable having your own room rather than staying at a house with someone you didn’t know. He’s been giving you something to keep you asleep so you could heal. You’ve been here for a few days.”

  A few days? This is ridiculous! I had somewhere I needed to be, and these people had kept me here?

  His fingers, stained with dirt, tipped the bill of the baseball cap off his head. A mop of wavy brown hair fell across his broad forehead.

  “Why didn’t anyone take me to the hospital instead of a sketchy motel? And don’t you think someone should’ve called the cops? I mean, I have people that are probably worried about me.”

  He chewed on his full lip, his pallid cheeks seeming to lose even more color. “The doctor who took care of you is the best in town. He had everything here to get you on the mend. Your injuries weren’t too severe. Worse thing was the gash on your abdomen, but luckily that wasn’t too deep.” His words sounded rehearsed, as if someone had told him what to say.

  “What town might that be?”

  “Hell.” So here I was, right back in the same spot I’d tried to leave. “And to answer your question about the cops, the sheriff has taken care of the car. We have it at the mechanic shop getting work done, so you’ll be out of here in no time. Someone named Nolan was called from the cell phone we located. He didn’t answer, but the sheriff left a message. It was in pretty bad shape when we found it. It’s over in that corner with the other belongings he pulled from the vehicle.”

  I looked over to see my bag, the cell phone lying on top.

  “It probably doesn’t work anymore. He said it did something funny and shut off when he was going through your contact list.” He paused for a minute. “Your name is Piper, right?” His tone seemed as if he knew but wanted to check to make sure I remembered.

  I nodded, confirming that I hadn’t forgotten who I was. He visibly relaxed, his shoulders dropping forward slightly. “I’m Jensen White. I was sorry to hear about Frank.”

  The mention of my grandfather’s name kickstarted my priorities. Days. I had been here for days. “I have to get out of here. I have somewhere I need to be.”

  Jensen stepped forward with a hand outstretched.

  I stopped and looked at his lined face. There was something he didn’t want to tell me.

  “Piper … I don’t know how to say this, but the funeral service has already happened. We didn’t know
how long it was going to be before you woke up. The lady at our funeral home arranged the entire thing the way you wanted. He was laid to rest in Summerland like you wanted.”

  I couldn’t believe I had missed the entire service. The one thing I’d come back to Alabama for, and I had missed it. I felt sick to my stomach. I pulled my knees up, cradling my forehead against my hand.

  “I heard it was a nice service, if that helps any,” Jensen said.

  I only looked at him, unable to come up with a suitable reply. How could I? This was the worst I had ever felt about anything in my life. Looking back on it, I deserved it. My grandfather had struggled with a heart attack and had died alone. A heart attack that he might have been saved from had I been there. How could I have been so selfish to live so far away with no regard to his life? He was getting older. I knew that. He needed family with him.

  “I want to see the grave. I need to get back,” I said, reaching for the phone on the nightstand. “Is there like a cab service I can use?”

  “Sorry. You’re not going anywhere until you’re able to travel,” another voice said, stopping me. A paunchy man with a pointed beard and moustache appeared from behind Jensen. He didn’t keep a safe distance to allow me personal space but strolled into the room like he deserved to be there. I stared at his outstretched hand. “I’m Dr. Lane Brown.”

  “I guess a thanks is order for you, huh, Dr. Brown?” I spat in his direction, rather than taking his hand. I’d missed the service because he had chosen to keep me sedated.

  He closed his fist, dropping his arm to his side.

  “No thanks needed. I was just doing what I was born to do. May I have a look at your injuries?” He motioned downward, toward my body that was still covered.

  “Not right now.” I turned, refocusing on what I’d been doing when he came in. I picked up the phone and put it to my ear, expecting to hear a dial tone. Nothing but static. “What the hell? The phone doesn’t work?”

  “This is an old motel. Not many people stay here. If you want me to call someone for you from my house, I’ll gladly do so. Just write down their number.” He went to a desk and snatched a pad and pen off the surface.

  Of course the phones didn’t work. This was Hell.

  “There’s nowhere else I can use the phone? No offense, but I don’t know you, and I don’t trust you. I want to make the call myself.”

  He glanced at Jensen, who was bouncing from one foot to another. “Sure. There’s a restaurant at the front that will let you use theirs.” He forced a smile that didn’t meet his eyes. “Please have someone help you if you need to get up. I don’t recommend you do that without assistance. You need to stay off your feet as much as possible. I don’t want you to reopen those stitches.”

  As if on cue, Jensen pulled a walkie-talkie out and handed it to Dr. Brown.

  “Here, since the phones don’t work, Jensen will stay up at the front. If you need to get up, he can come help.” He placed it on the table near the dead phone. “I’ll be back shortly to check on you again.”

  The two of them disappeared, leaving me alone in the stale room. I leaned back, burying my head into the flattened pillow. It pounded at my temples and burned across the gash on my forehead. My life had gone from pretty good to fucked up in the blink of an eye. Maybe that was how crazy people were. Fine one moment — then bam! Gone off the deep end.

  Despite what Dr. Brown told me, I forced my body up. Slowly, I shifted off the bed, feeling like I was made of lead. I shuffled across the floor as I held onto the furniture for support. Dirt collected on the pads of my feet as I entered the bathroom. I sat down on the toilet seat, breathing like I’d just run a marathon. There was no way I was getting a stranger to help me use the bathroom. I had no idea what their intentions were. I winced, pulling some toilet paper free. After I was done, I managed to make it to the sink. I rested my hands on the rim after turning on the water. The pipes groaned, forcing the water through the system.

  I didn’t recognize the girl in the mirror. She was battered. Dark bruises covered most of her features, her hair matted with dried blood holding it back. The water ran over my hand as I cupped it. I splashed it through my hair, trying to wash what I could off. Pink streaked the sink as I rinsed it off. This was going to take forever. I glanced back at the shower. It was barely big enough for one person to fit. If I sat on the floor, there was no way I would ever pick myself back up. A frustrated growl rolled out of my throat and escaped my dried lips. I stared at my reflection as tears burned against the bottom lids. I splashed another handful of water on my face, shocked to see black stain my skin.

  Startled, I backed away, looking down at the sink. Thick, blackness oozed from the faucet; filling the bathroom with a pungent odor so strong it made it difficult to catch a breath. I snatched a towel down from a rack and rubbed it across my face. What was this stuff? My stomach rolled, causing my insides to ache. I dropped the towel near my feet, and a chunk of something soft fell off. I backed away from the horrific sight, leaving the faucet in the on position. Bumping the corner of the television, I lost my balance and hit the floor, knocking the air from my lungs. Pain shot through me like acid pumping in my veins. I dragged my body across the floor, finally making it to the nightstand.

  Glug. Glug. Glug.

  The black liquid cascaded over the rim of the sink, splattering against the pale pink tiles and ran toward the carpet. Without tearing my eyes from the mess in front of me, I felt around for the walkie-talkie. I grabbed it, and brought it to my mouth as I pushed the button on the side.

  “Hello?”

  Static greeted me.

  “Jensen, please! I need help.”

  I was just about to give up on him when the static cleared and his breathless voice came through.

  “On my way now.”

  Within seconds, the door burst open. He surveyed the room, covering his nose once the smell hit him. He jumped across the bed, and landed softly in front of me. “Are you okay?”

  I pushed him back.

  “Just turn that sink off.”

  His shoes made a sickening sound as he sloshed through the revolting sight. He returned a moment later, gagging and covering his nose, careful not to smear his stained fingers across his face. As he navigated toward me, he avoided the saturated carpet as much as possible.

  “What is that stuff?”

  For a second, his eyes shifted in the direction of the stuff I was referring to, and then they fell back on me. “No idea. But it smells awful.”

  He hooked under my arm and hoisted me to my feet. Light-headedness seemed to make the walls cave in around me as I fell into his arms.

  “You sure you’re okay? Maybe I need to call the doctor back.”

  “No!” I heard myself shout. There was something about that man that was … off. Really, this whole place gave me the feeling, but him … It was like he was trying to keep me here for some reason. “I’m just a little dizzy with standing up. That’s all. I’m fine,” I said once the black fog cleared up.

  His eyes narrowed as he bit his lip.

  “I promise.” I smiled, trying my best to convince him.

  “Well, you definitely can’t stay in this room. Do you think you make it to the lobby so I can grab another key?” The pain in my midsection seemed to ache more at the thought of walking, but my stubborn pride and need to see where exactly I was convinced me to nod.

  Slowly, he guided me in the direction of the door. Fresh air had never been better. I sucked it in, dragging it to the tips of my toes. “Do you work here?” I asked, eyeing the aged motel as we passed by each door. Woods surrounded the back and sides, with an old road running along the front.

  “I work in the restaurant at the front, but when they need someone to watch the motel, I’ll fill in. It’s extra money, so I can’t complain. I should be thankful for a job with the unemployment rate being what it is in Alabama and all.”

  “Are there a lot of unemployed people in this town? Seems pretty small, s
o I would imagine a bunch of people would have to commute.”

  “Nah, everyone that lives here has a job, believe it or not. If they don’t work at one of the businesses, they work from home doing stuff like farming. We’re completely self-sustainable here.”

  That was hard to believe. The town was in the middle of nowhere, it seemed. Surely, not everyone in this backwoods piece of country had a job.

  Ding.

  The doorbell sounded off as we entered the lobby. It looked as I’d expected. Old. But the smell that wafted in my direction churned my empty stomach. Fried food — bacon to be more exact. Noise from under a closed door near the back caught my attention as I licked my lips, practically tasting the delicious greasiness in the air.

  Jensen stopped short after taking a key from a board behind the desk. “Hungry?”

  I loved him. No matter what my previous assumptions about him were, at that moment, he was an angel.

  “Just a bit,” I lied. I was so hungry I was on the verge of bulldozing the door down and ripping food from someone’s hand on the other side.

  “Let’s go get you cleaned up, changed, and then fill your belly up. I need to wash up too.” He looked down at the black smears across his hands.

  We walked to a room a few doors down, and he unlocked the door. This room looked the same as the other, but hopefully, the plumbing was better. I sat on the edge of the bed as he turned on the shower and placed a towel close enough for me to reach.

  “Can I help you take the wraps off your stomach?” He motioned toward the area but kept his eyes down.

  With a grunt, I lifted my shirt enough to give him access.

  Gently, he went to work until I felt the air nip at my skin. I stared down at the laceration.

  “Did you hear me?”

  “Huh?” I shook my head, looking up at him.

  He watched me intently. “I’m going to go get you some clothes. One of the ladies in town dropped some off for you. Do you think you can get undressed and in the shower alone?” His face was red as he waited on my answer.