Realm of Renee

Chapter 36

31st July 2019

RENEE

Six hours.

Six hours of sitting patiently, as Clover and Mike's surgeries took place. They were only patching up the physical injuries, including a large wound in Clover's stomach, caused as a result of the car crash. Mike's injuries included his fractured right arm and left knee, along with multiple scrapes on his face.

Strangely enough, the doctors weren't able to explain the cause for Clover's coma, since her head injuries were minimal. They finally attributed it to acute blood loss in the brain, but I didn't feel like that was the reason.

Neither did Phyllis.

"Clover is not in a coma, she's trapped!" She told us seriously, her voice all aged and croaky. "I received a vision of her stuck in a dark room."

"Mom, Clover is in the ICU," Mrs Hayes told her tiredly, her eyes bloodshot from crying all day.

"Where is this dark room?" I asked Phyllis curiously, but I saw mom shaking her head at me, warning me to not engage in conversation with Clover's weird grandmother.

Especially since I was already influenced by dad's fantastical ideas.

"I don't know," Phyllis looked crestfallen. "But it's not the ICU."

I leaned my head against the wall, remembering something that had happened two months ago. I had been in the same hospital after the near-death accident, talking to Clover about the Realms.

And then, Clover said this.

"I saw myself being trapped in a small, dark room, locked for days... I was bleeding, looked like I was dead..."

Clover had foreseen this, whatever Phyllis was talking about.

That's when I consulted the expert in such matters, my one and only boyfriend, Noah Stark.

"Noah? You there?" I asked doubtfully. He'd been quiet for a long time.

"Nice of you to finally remember me, Ren," He replied sarcastically.

"I thought you were busy with going to your ultimate hiding place?" I questioned.

"Ultimate hiding place?" He laughed ironically. "It's nothing but a slimy dark cave, probably the least interesting place on Pluto."

"Well, at least your best friend and your brother aren't going through surgeries," I said, before telling him about Clover and Mike's accident, how I was in the hospital right now and also Clover's grandma.

"That's... A lot," He admitted. "And you still need to hide yourself."

"Exactly," I frowned. "I can't think of any place that's safe."

"Wherever you hide, don't let Phyllis know... she seems suspicious," Noah said.

"She's a harmless old lady!" I protested.

"First of all, she's a psychic. According to you, she also heard our conversation... Which is why she could be a spy from the ISA..."

"She's Clover's grandma. I don't think she's a spy," I retorted.

"Ren, babe, I'm sorry, but you need to broaden your horizons and find out more about her. Unless we know, we can't be sure." Noah said firmly.

"Fine, Sherlock," I scoffed. "Is that all you have to say?"

"No, I'm not done yet," He replied immediately. "I suspect Mike too, I think he did something to Clover, which is why she's in a coma."