Chapter 2

Chapter 2

She swam to the surface, hearing voices, voices she didn’t know, loud then fading away, becoming loud again. There was a drumming, and nothing but black all around her. But that wasn’t right, it had been early morning when they, when they what? She couldn’t remember. She heard someone calling her name, screaming it in terror. She tried to speak and say that she was right here, she was okay, stop yelling, but nothing came out. She tried to move, but her body didn’t want to respond. She could feel the cold seeping into her back, she could feel someone holding her hand. Why was she so cold? Why wouldn’t her body move? Feeling something warm trickle down her face, hearing the voice sobbing her name, begging her not to die. She wasn’t dying, was she? There was no pain, just this floating cold feeling. Then she was pulled back under into oblivion again.

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She woke again, only this time there was light. So much light that it burned her eyes. She closed her eyes and tried to move her head, but couldn’t. There was pain everywhere, and it hurt to breathe. Starting to panic she whimpered and tried to struggle. She felt a hand on her brow and a soothing voice told her it was okay. She was going to be fine, that she had to be a good girl and lie still. She was still so cold, and the hand was so warm and comforting she stopped trying to struggle.

She managed to mumble, “Hurt.”

“Yes, I know sweetheart, you’ve been through a lot, but you need to sleep now dear.”

There was something she wanted to know, something she wanted to ask, but the floating feeling came back, the light faded and everything went black again.
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She became aware of the smells first. Antiseptic, and a faint metallic smell that reminded her of a hospital. Gradually, sounds started to penetrate into the fog she was in. Whirring of machines, beeping, the squeak of shoes on linoleum, a disembodied voice over a loudspeaker asking for Dr. Connor to ICU stat. Hospital?she thought. Why am I in a hospital? she struggled to remember, tried to concentrate through the fuzziness that had settled in her head. She frowned and raised her hand up to her head.

“Well, it looks like somebody is awake.” a familiar voice stated.

Oliver? What is Oliver doing here?

She slowly opened her eyes and looked at him. Widened in shock as she remembered what happened.

“Oh God, where’s……” her voice was rusty.

“She’s here, just down the hall.” Anticipating her next question he went on, “She’s fine. A broken arm, concussion and cuts and bruises, but alright. You got the worst of it kiddo. You scared the hell out of us.”

“Ollie, I’m….thirsty.” She croaked.

He blinked as if surprised and shook his head a bit. Of course she was thirsty. “Here, the doctors haven’t cleared you for fluids yet, but you can manage ice chips I think.” He very carefully poured some small ice chips out of a pitcher next to her bed into a cup and helped her put it them to her mouth.

The ice melting in her mouth, was so cool and soothing her throat; it felt like the best thing in the world. She cleared her throat and spoke again.

“What happened? How did you find us?” She was pleased to hear that her voice was not as scratchy as before.

“Before I left Metropolis, I had one of my men lojack the car.” He could see this information was not setting very well with her, but it was obvious that she was starting to think clearly. She was still weak, but he needed to speak to her, time was running out, so he forged ahead.

“Chloe, we need to talk. Your life depends on it.”