Trapped With A Killer

Chapter Twenty-Five

I have vague memories of flashing lights reflecting off the broken glass of the windshield, of being lifted out of my seat, of figures hovering over me in the back of an ambulance. I wasn't even aware enough to panic. I was just sort of floating. Everything felt ethereal, and I wondered for a moment if I had already died and this was just the last bit of consciousness holding on before I faded out into nothingness.

When I came to the first thing I noticed was the beeping. I could hear it close, but I also heard the beeping from other rooms. The cacophony was less than pleasant. I pried open my eyelids with much effort.

I appeared to be in a hospital room, lying in a bed. I had an iv in and an oxygen tube on my nose. The smell of disinfectant managed to penetrate through the cool, clear scent of the oxygen flowing into my nostrils. I tried to look around, but realized my neck was in a brace, and I couldn't move it. I was stuck looking up at the ceiling tiles. But the room was dark and quiet, so I assumed that I was alone for now.

Shit, I thought. Where was Wheaton? Did he survive the crash? It had all happened so fast. I couldn't remember. Was he in the ambulance too? My memories were all fuzzy, and I couldn't seem to clear my head of this fog. I realized they must have me on some pretty strong pain medication. Or maybe I was still dizzy from the crash. What was I going to do? If we weren't careful, Wheaton and I were sure to get caught. But what if he was already dead? What was I going to do then? I'd be arrested for sure. I just had to hope that he survived. We just had to keep the lie going until we were discharged. But where was Wheaton? Why weren't we put in the same room?

I heard a door open, and I clenched my fists underneath my sheets, but that motion caused my right arm to scream at me. A nurse peered over my bed.

"Oh good, I'm so glad you're awake. Do you remember what happened to you?"she asked calmly. I tried to swallow and moisten my dry mouth.

"Yes," I croaked. "There was a semi, and we swerved off the road, but I don't remember anything else. Where am I?" The nurse smiled down at me pleasantly.

"You are at Dakota General Hospital. It's good that you remember what happened. Your brain didn't show any sign of severe damage. Other than a sprained neck, some lacerations to your face, and a broken arm, you made it out unscathed. You're very lucky."

"T-the man I was with, is he okay?" I asked, stomach knotted in fear.

"Yes, he is recovering here as well. He had a pretty severe concussion and a couple fractures, but he will pull through just fine," she answered, and I let out a sigh of relief. "Is there anything I can do to help make you more comfortable before I go and tell the doctor that you're awake?"

"Could you sit me up?" I asked, and the nurse adjusted my bed so that I could see the room better before she left. There was an empty bed over to my left, and the window showed flurries of snow against a midnight black sky. It must still be that same night.

They were sure to start asking me questions soon. What was that name that Wheaton had told me to use? Amanda Miller. That was the name I would give. I had no idea how long that lie would hold up. I mean, they would figure out I didn't have any insurance under that name soon enough. Shit, what the fuck was I going to do? I was startled out of my thoughts when the door opened and an older woman in white coat walked in, looking at some charts on a clipboard.

"Hello, my name is Doctor Hawthorne. I'll be your physician tonight," she said, looking up from her papers.

"Hi," I croaked, anxiety filling my guts with lead.

"You have a sprained neck, face lacerations, and a broken radius, which we will have to set and cast now that you're awake," she stated. I looked down at my right arm which was bandaged and swollen. "Your oxygen levels have stabilized so we can take you off of that. We'll remove the iv and switch you over to oral pain meds. Another thing, we need your name and date of birth because you didn't have any identification on your person."