Chapter Five

My eyes flickered open to see I was hanging upside down. Still buckled into the seatbelt, I had become securely tied to my seat with both of my arms dangling in the air. Something wet slid down my face and I brushed it away, I then realised it was blood. The scarlet colour substance was thick on my fingers. My head was heavy, and my vision got worse, but before I could try to stay awake, I blacked out.

Opening my eyes was painful. My head pounded away with my heartbeat and I could hear many random voices thundering around me with sharp noises. I ignored them while they shined their harsh, bright light into my eyes. My entire body screamed out in agony, I could not move, nor did I want to. They wheeled away me from what looked like a crash and into what I hoped was an ambulance. Lying before me was the accident that caused my injuries. The car had flipped onto its roof with all the windows smashed out; the car shattered and at the side, there was another vehicle, it had destroyed most of the front. Pieces of the car's window littered the floor like tiny diamonds.

"Kate!" I tried to scream.

Before I could try to call her name again, I heard a gentle voice calling to me. "What's your name?"

"E-Ellie." I stuttered. My face throbbed with pain, but I fought against it. "Is Kate OK?" I winced.

"Is that her name? She is being cared for as we speak," he answered. "You had a very nasty accident, Ellie."

I felt drained suddenly. I wanted to close my heavy eyes, but the man hovering over me told me not to. Everything was harsh around me, all the noises were loud and painful, the visuals were blurry and I could just make out the man in front of me. I just wanted to sleep. With my failing vision, I could see what looked like a hand coming towards me.

Please don't touch me. I thought.

He placed a gentle hand on my face. I waited for him to change; I prayed in my mind that he wouldn't turn. Then I noticed that he was wearing thick gloves. An enormous relief washed over me when he remained calm. I was about to say my thanks when everything went dark.

I tried to open my eyes slowly and winced from the bright light that surrounded me. My head pulsed in sync with my heartbeat and my skull felt like it was about to explode.

I brought up my arm to shield my eyes from the light when something was tugging at my hand. I looked down and saw a clip clamped onto my finger along with an IV drip inserted into the back of my hand. Just staring at it made me feel weak. Immediately I looked away and ignored it. My eyes were now in focus to the room that I was in. I was inside what seemed like a hospital. It was a private room that used only for special circumstances. The room had bright white walls that reflected the harsh, horrible light. The floor looked like cheap hospital lino, and next to my bed was an IV stand and on the other side was a heart rate monitor. Looking over at the corner, slumped down in a chair, was my Dad snoring away. He looked like he'd been here a while, his face had a stubble growing and his clothes looked raggedy. Everything came flooding back to me. The crash played over in my mind like it was reliving the horror all over again.

"Kate!?" I yelled.

I tried to pull the covers away from me; the sheets felt as if someone had woven steel into thick wool. I had no energy, but I had to see Kate. I slipped off the finger clip with ease, and now I just needed to sum up the courage to rip the IV out.

"One, two, three!" I pulled the needle out with a sharp pain, placing my hand over the mark to stop any bleeding. Sliding to one side, I tried to get out of the bed, but both legs felt like jelly. I tried to steady my balance, but I fell to my knees.

"Crap!" I cried. "I need to see, Kate."

Forcing myself up on the edge of the bed, I noticed someone stands by the door. The hospital bed blocked my view. I looked over and saw that it was that woman again. Her high heels clicked along the floor as she came towards me. My first instincts were to wake my Dad quickly. I dragged myself towards him and started shaking and tugging at him.

"Dad, it's that woman, she's here. Wake up!" I yelled.

"I'm sure he's exhausted, Ellie. He needs his rest. He's been watching over you for a few days." she said.

"What have you done to him?!" I yelled.

"I think it's better if we have some privacy." Rhea gave a heartwarming smile.

That smile didn't convince me I had a feeling that this woman came to mock me. I struggled to stand and grabbed ahold of the bed to steady myself. Rhea held her hand for support.

"Don't touch me." I said through gritted teeth.

Rhea grabbed my uninjured hand, and I saw her eyes light up. I tried to pull away, but she had a sturdy grip. My heartbeat quickened as if someone just pumped me full of adrenaline. I could feel Rhea's heart slowly beating to its tune.

"What power you have, Ellie." she said with a smile.

I snatched back my hand, holding it to my chest. Why didn't she go crazy, she wasn't wearing any gloves?

"I'm sorry, Ellie, but I had to know." said Rhea.

"What's happening to me? Where's Kate? Is she ok?" one after the other question flowed freely and I needed answers.

"Ellie, please sit." she gestured towards the bed.

At that moment, the words that passed her full lips would be dreadful news. I settled down onto the bed, waiting for her words.

"Ellie," she said my name with such sadness. "I'm so sorry, but your Aunt Kate has died."

Her words hit me like a brick wall. No, I must have heard it wrong, but from the look on her face, it seemed sincere.

She carried on talking. "I'm so sorry, and you've been in a coma for three days."

"No, please not Kate, please. Tell me this is a dream." I cried. My hands started shaking. My eyes burned with tears as Rhea came and sat down on the bed, but she stayed her distance.

"You're lying. Why are you lying? This is your fault!" I screamed.

"I'm sorry, Ellie, but it's the truth, I would do nothing to harm you." she said.

Rhea got up from the bed and looked back towards me, "Take care, Ellie." As soon as the door closed behind her, the atmosphere in the room changed.

"Dad." I cried.

He shot up from his uncomfortable chair and saw me crying.

"Is Kate..?" I couldn't finish my words, but he knew what I would say. He hesitated for a moment.

"Kate died, Ellie." he said grimly.

I cried into his chest while he held me. My sobs grew louder and uncontrolled. My lungs hurt with every breath I took. My eyes burned from the many tears I cried and Dad hugged me tighter, I was in physical pain hurt but I needed him to hold me.

"H-how did she..?" he cut me off.

"It was a terrible accident, Ellie. You're lucky to be alive. A truck smashed into Kate's-." he choked on his words.

"I'm sorry, Dad." I sniffled.

He looked confused. "What are you-" he quickly stopped. "This wasn't your fault, Ellie." he said.

"If Kate hadn't been taking me to school, she would still be.." my mouth could not form the words I needed. It was almost as if I didn't believe it, but deep down it was true. I had killed Kate.

"Do not say that, Ellie. It was just an accident." he held me tightly again.

Something inside me wanted to push my Dad away and scream. I killed Kate; it was my fault, my fault she was driving.

"It's my fault, mine, my fault that's she dead!" I yelled. My Dad tried to calm me down, but the rage inside me grew. "It's my fault. I have to see her, Kate!" I screamed with a cracked voice.

My dad tried to restrain me, and I fought against him. He called out for help, and doctors and nurses swarmed into the room and pinned me to the bed with gloved hands. They called for me to calm down, but I didn't listen to them. I wriggled and fought against them on the bed as they continued to force me down. One of them pulled out a needle and prepared it. I could feel my heart thumping throughout my entire body and closer the needle drew towards me. As I struggled, the tighter they held me down.

"No, don't," I screamed. "Dad tell them, please!" I looked at him. His face was full of shock as he stood in the room's corner.

Closer the needle came towards my naked skin. I couldn't take it anymore. I fought against the many hands forcing me down as the nurse injected the needle into my skin. Something inside me snapped.

I let out an otherworldly scream that exploded around me. The doctors and nurses flew against the wall, and the windows shattered, showering everyone with tiny shards of glass. The floor cracked around me and the entire room shook with force. Everything around me slowed to a crawl, and I saw everyone's stunned, warped faces. My Dad's face was full of horror as if his nightmares had come alive. The room slowly faded, and I felt the effects of the sedative as the soft bed caught my fall.