Engulfed

Chapter 10

I felt my chest rise up and knew I'd woken up. I could sleep forever and still feel tired.

When I opened my swollen, red, tired eyes, Pete was still in the room. He's clonked out on the armchair next to my bed.

They kept him in. He kept his promise... or threatened them. With either one, I was glad he was here.

I smile and tap on Pete's leg, "Petey..." My voice is foreign and all scratched up. It's been 3 days. Will I ever sound like I used to? Probably not, but I'll try. I am not leaving the guys anytime soon.

Pete jumped up instantly. Usually it takes me three pillows and a full hour to just get him out of bed. Now, I have his full and complete attention.

"Hey," his sleepy voice chuckles.

"How's my sleepy-head visitor?" I smirk.

He nudged my arm with the tip of his tennis shoe, "You're the sleepy head. You slept for 12 hours."

I look at the clock. I really did sleep for 12 hours.

"Dang, I need those drugs for my own personal use," I nod.

Pete laughs again, "You don't even need them."

He paused and left us both hanging in an awkward silence. Yesterday was so different. We were both so afraid that something might happen to the other. At least this reminds me of how it used to be and how it could be if I ever get better.

Pete smiled to the ground, "That wasn't fair, they didn't waste any time to shoot you with anesthesia."

"Yeah," I blush a little. That must've been pretty bad for Pete. I've never seen him so upset and I needed to be there for him. The times when he needs someone the most, I'm never there, "How did that go?"

He shrugged, "Okay, I guess. You logged off and I went a little insane. I was scared, didn't really know what was happening or why you passed out," Pete stopped and cleared his throat, "But I thought about what you said before that, about how I need to not flip out if I want to stay. I pushed it close, but they didn't drag me out, so I'm staying."

"Good, good," I nodded again. It could be worse. I can't listen to him screaming and shouting from the lobby again.

"So," I play with the wires attached to me - nervous habit, "How did I get out?"

Pete's cheeks went red and he looked away.

I kept my eyes on him, "Cause... last I remember... I was- I don't remember much."

"Allie," he said to the ground and looked back up at me, "You kept saying 'Allie' when we wheeled you here."

I wracked my brain for any familiarity of Allie. Allie was the pseudo-name I made for an ex-girlfriend on Soul Punk.

Cause Allie I was so good back then,
But I wonder if I'd be so good if I saw you again.
Listen miss, you've got me.
You should've taught me such naughty things.
Oh, you could've taught me such naughty things.

"Allie like the song?" I asked if Pete would know.

He shrugged, "I don't know, you said it."

"There was a girl..." he finally said, "I caught a glimpse of her. More than a glimpse. She was the one who dragged you out."

All of the sudden, it started ringing a bell.

"Black hair? Tall, skinny girl?" I asked, my pacemaker blinking again.

He noticed and monitored it, "Yeah..."

I flashed back to the night of the fire. I could remember parts of it now. That girl...

I thought I was dying, maybe hallucinating, and I saw a woman fighting the fire. I told her where the exit was. Those were my last words and thoughts before I blacked out for the last time.

But her necklace, just above her black tank and under her chin was a necklace that read 'Allie'.

My head started to hurt, "Allie..."

Pete knew something I didn't know and now I'm dying for it.

"Hey, bud, calm down. It's okay," Pete latched his hand to mine. It was shaking. He was nervous.

"What happened to her? Did you see where she went? Maybe she's in the hospital?" I begged.

He shook his head, "No... She brought you out a few steps into the light and I lost her. The firemen did the rest of the work."

"Oh God," I bit my fist, "Allie!"

A nurse popped her head in. She looked to Pete, who waved her off. She still watched me until I was out of her sight.

"Patrick, don't stress yourself out. She was doing you a favor," he said.

"But she saved me. I told her to get out, save herself, and she went back for me. I need to talk to her. I need to see her," I started hanging at the iv.

Pete started panicking. Maybe if I get him hyped enough, he'll agree to let me go. He can sign release papers, he is on my emergency list. I hate to see him panic, but if it means I can get out of this hellhole, I'm game.

"No, Patrick. You need to keep healing. Give it a few more days and we can look for Allie," he persuaded.

I sighed, easing back into my bed, "Alright..."

Once everything settled back down, Pete smirked at me.

"What..?" I ask and narrow my eyes at him.

He brought his leg over the other and relaxed into his chair, "Oh, nothing, just that this Allie must be pretty hot for you to freak out like that."

I feel my cheeks blush and there's no going back. I can try, and I did, "Psh... No. I just want to thank her."

He laughed, "You're a terrible liar Stump."

I frowned, it's true, "Fine, she was beautiful."

Bad idea. Pete taunted me with her for the rest of the day, up until he fell back asleep into the chair.

~ Becca