"Don't trust him. He isn't who you think he is. You know - we both know that he doesn't love you," I said, following her as she walked away.
She stopped abruptly after the last part, then turned to me and said, "And how do you know all of that? You are my daughter - aren't you supposed to be happy for me? Aren't you a little too old to be throwing a tantrum because your mom is getting remarried?"
I took a deep breath and replied, "You think I don't want you to be happy? Fine - marry him then." I turned and walked away.
The memory faded as the doctor's voice began to filter in. "So, had you-?"
"What?" I asked, confused.
"Patients don't actually sleep while being sedated," he explained. "They can experience hallucinations and delusions that are often graphic and traumatizing. This can lead to post-ICU PTSD after hospital discharge. Patients who develop ICU delirium are at 120 times greater risk of long-term cognitive impairments. Do you have these symptoms?"
This time I didn't space out; I just didn't understand what he was talking about. I looked at him and slowly nodded, and he understood that I was clueless.
"Let me clarify," he said. "What I meant was, after a patient wakes up from a temporary coma, they tend to hallucinate due to trauma. So, do you see anything strange?"
My eyes shot straight to the faceless around the room. Chills ran down my spine. They felt so real, and even after I confirmed they weren't, it still felt strange. I shook my head no. He nodded and left the room.
After he left, Nolan casually strolled in and took a seat beside me.
"Did they never teach you to knock?" I asked, glaring at him.
He smiled. "That's rich coming from you. Besides, this is my hospital. Sadly, it's the only thing Delaney left me after everything I did for her."
"What did you do for her? Oh, I remember. You took her life. You know, you deserve an award for that. Let's hear it for the man of the year," I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Speaking of which, shouldn't you be asking me why you are awake, let alone alive?" he said, tucking a loose braid behind my ear.
I wasn't going to give him a reaction. I was curious, but I wasn't going to ask.
"I'll tell you anyway," he said with a smile. "Your mum - my precious Delaney - left the hospital to me and everything else to you. She also blacklisted her own twin sister, the only relative you had left."
He looked at me as if I was supposed to understand what that meant. I didn't.
He sighed in frustration. "Let's make a deal. I was going to kill you and take your share as well, but she made sure it went to the foundation if you died. So, here's my offer: I'll get you a nice foster home, and in return you'll disclaim everything. Then it will come to me naturally. How does that sound?"
I glared at him. "Never," I said.
He shook his head. "Think about it. This was the least I could do as your dad... I mean, stepdad."
After he left, I kept thinking about his offer and finally made a decision. I waited until the afternoon staff had left and the night shift had started. Quietly, I got up and made my way to the wardrobe.
I changed into my black zip-up hoodie with a black tank top underneath and my baggy ripped jeans. I scrunched my hoodie up to my elbows and folded my jeans to my knees. Finally, I put my hospital gown back on over my clothes and slipped out of the room.
I made my way to Nolan's office and went in. Fortunately for me, he always spent the night with my aunt Dahlia, so he had clocked out early without locking his door. I found my phone in his drawer, fully charged. He must have been looking for the videos. I left everything as it was and headed for the entrance.
I lied to every staff member I came across, telling them I was just going for a walk or to get some air. I made my way to the entrance and simply left. I never thought it would be that easy. As soon as I was outside, I called an Uber and took off the hospital gown.
The faceless around me started to panic again, just like before. I wondered if they would chase after me if I went too far, but there was no tree stump - which meant no rendezvous point - and what would happen if they caught me?
My Uber arrived, and I got in.
He turned to face me. "How old are you, and why are you going to the outskirts of the city at this time of night? Do your parents know where you are?"
His eyes drifted to the hospital and then back to me. "Call your parents," he said firmly.
I thought for a few seconds, a lie forming. I wasn't sure if he would buy it.
"I don't have parents," I said, my voice trembling. "They're dead, and Menshiem Forest is where they're buried. Please, just take me there."
I looked at him with tears in my eyes, letting the desperation show.
"You could go there in the daytime," he said, his voice softer now. "But for now, I can't. How about I take you to a police station instead?" he asked with a hint of sadness. He believed me, but that didn't help at all.
After driving for a while I started coughing and wheezing hysterically, tapping my chest.
"Hey! Are you okay?!" the driver yelled, pulling over and parking the car. He got out and opened my door, helping me to the ground. He started patting my back, trying to make me feel better.
I pushed him to the side, scrambled into the driver's seat, and locked the door. He got up and started pounding at the window for me to get down. I mouthed that I was sorry, started the car, and drove off, thanking God that Mom had taught me how to drive. I felt bad; I could see the shock of my betrayal on his face as I drove away. He was a nice man, and I was lucky it wasn't some weirdo I'd met that night.
I drove to the outskirts of the city, then got out and started running into the bushes.
The further I ran, the more it felt like my dream was bleeding into reality. The sky would sometimes look different, then shift back. The faceless were everywhere, motionless, no longer panicking. The scent of hyacinth hung in the air, though I knew it shouldn't have been there. I knew none of this was real, but it felt too real.
Then I got there.
I saw them.
The pond and the tree stump.