Extraterrestrial

Chapter 3: the great escape

I hear him come near me quietly as I subtly wiped my face with my hospital gown, letting my shoulder-length brunette hair cover half of my face. When I was sure that my tears were dry, only did I face him. He awkwardly extends his arm towards me but lets it drop at the last second. "H-hey, I'm James. I helped to bring you here." He says gently. Softly extending his hand to me again, expecting a handshake. My heart throbs at this stranger's attempt at cheering me up. "I... I'm Angie. Um, Angelina Johnson."

Then without thinking much about it, I asked bashfully. "Can I hug you?" My voice came out in a meek whisper. If he hadn't been standing so close to me, he wouldn't have heard it. But he did as he stood closer for me to hug him. It wasn't going to change the bad things that happened to me but it was the consolation I needed. Enough to choke back the tears and all the suffering I'll have to endure the next few days.  

Just then I had a bad feeling out of nowhere. Minute hairs all over my body were raised to attention. Senses tingling like danger was approaching. A similar feeling to what I felt this morning moments before I was being shot at. I knew I had to get out of here. I don't know how or why, I just knew I had to. I looked at the stranger sharply. Eyeing the room for any clothing to change into; to avoid attracting unwanted attention.

I pulled apart from the comfort of his body. "Hey, um, thanks for everything you've done for me. How would you prefer me to return the favour? I have somewhere else to be right now." What I don't tell him is how I instinctively had this bad feeling in my chest.

I grabbed onto his arm as I rose from the bed to steady myself. "Whoa whoa whoa! Easy there, you're still recovering. And it's fine you don't owe me anything. Um, what are you looking for?" he asks hesitantly, supporting me in my frenzy. "Clothes, are there any in here? In this room?" I point to the side table drawers.

I paused to look at him for a moment, letting the things he'd said process in my chaotic brain. Ah, he's one of those rare kind souls. I'll further press him on it later.

"Look here uh..."

"James."

"Right. James, I am not trying to run away before paying back what I owe. I really just need to go. So if you don't mind, I suggest you help me. And quick!"

After that he stopped hesitating, thank fuck, we moved a little bit faster.

We couldn't find any clothes but thankfully, he let me borrow his hoodie. Albeit a little begrudgingly, understandable, seeing as I'm a total stranger. Who's supposedly an injured patient making an escape plan. I pulled the hood low over my face, doing well to cover not only most of my face but also the top half of my body. The large material fitting loosely over my small frame.

I usher him along the hallway. Instinct telling me to stay away from the nurses' station, slipping into the emergency stairwell in the corner of the wing. Doing well to get out of the hospital in the most inconspicuous way possible. The stranger dude keeps asking me whether I'm sure and if I am well enough to walk so much. And I keep reassuring him that I'm fine. Never stopping for more than a second.

We managed to make it to the ground floor of the hospital, where the lobby is; where most people are milling about. We were so close to getting out of there. But then he suddenly pulls me to a stop. Guiding me to the side of the busy corridor, pinning me next to a vending machine. "Wait wha-" I was cut off as he pushes his face close to mine. I froze thinking he was going to kiss me but all he does is rest his forehead on mine. I tried to shove him away but he had my hands pinned to my sides. His body is so close to mine, I could feel his body heat. His breath fans my face. My lips. I blushed, forcefully turning my face away. He shifts position, his head now resting on the side of my face, against my neck.

"Stay calm. The cops are here. You're running away from them, right? They won't see us if we do this." He mumbles into my ear. The moment ended sooner than I expected. Not that I expected it to last.

"Well, I wasn't exactly running from the cops per se... I just knew I had to leave is all." I somehow managed to force out, without stuttering. However suspicious I might've seemed to him at the moment, I just wanted to clarify. Although thinking back on it... that may be a lie.

He nods subtly.

Soon as he was sure the cops were gone, he broke apart from me. "Let's go," he walked away without hesitation and I followed behind trying not to overthink the situation.

"I guess this is where we part? Thanks for your help, I really appreciate it." I said sincerely. We stand there awkwardly, not talking to each other. Figuring our next step. "I...uh. Do you mind giving me your phone number or your bank account number? I could wire you-"

"No, really like I said before. You don't actually have to. The doctors said you were fine." He hails a cab, motioning for me to follow. "I'll explain more in the car. We should go."

"Where do you live?" He asks me, I tell him my address and he repeats it to the driver. It was a cheery middle-aged woman. Which was a rare occasion in itself.

"So what do you mean, I was fine?" I clearly blacked out. My body was hurting all over. I literally survived an explosion? Hello? How?

"When we brought you in, you were covered in filth so we weren't sure what was wrong. The nurses cleaned you up and the doctors did some tests. But they all came out negative. You were as healthy as a horse." He explains patiently.

"I'm ok?" I looked down at myself, lifting my shirt off to check my chest. I was indeed fine. "There's nothing wrong with me." There's nothing wrong with me? Now, I know for a fact that I was injured. At least a scratch, a few gaping wounds on my limbs but now that I checked. It was apparent that my body was unscathed. Completely free of injuries. That's strange.

"Yes, I was just around the neighbourhood and I heard the explosion go off. I had to take you to the hospital as soon as possible, just in case you were hurt. You don't have to worry about the bill. I had it taken cared of."