Lost Without You

Chapter 14

Carina:

Carina sighed in content as she finished her meal before slowly allowing herself to get lost in her thoughts, her mind taking her back to their family trip to Italy the previous year. She smiled as she remembered how happy Gianna was as she ran through the crystal clear waters of the Italian beaches. Cried as she remembered the way Maya would wrap her arms around her as they both watched their bambina have the time of her life, hoping and praying that one day she would get to experience that once again.

The doctor had allowed herself to fall into a deep slumber. Her dreams filled with nothing but memories of her past life alongside her wife and daughter. She was awoken a few hours later by the feeling of someone tugging at her ankle restraints. Carina's eyes slowly fluttered open, becoming accustomed to the incandescent lights that shone above her. She looked down at the foot of the bed, noticing that the woman who typically brought her food was undoing the buckles that held her in place.

"What's going on? What time is it?" Carina asked groggily, her voice raspy with sleep.

" 4 am. It's time for your first visit with the doctor. Higher ups want you to start IVF as soon as possible," explained the woman.

"I'm not ready for IVF," added Carina.

"That's not something you get to decide-" started the woman.

"I'm not fighting you, I am telling you. As the doctor that I am, I can guarantee you that my body won't respond well to the IVF treatments. I have barely eaten in weeks let alone had enough water. There is no way my body could take a pregnancy right now," she explained angrily.

"I understand that, but like I said that's not for you to decide. Like you, we are all just doing what we are told. Trying to survive so we can go back home," she finished undoing the restraints, aiding a wobbly Carina up to her feet. Carina's entire body ached. She had been stuck in the same position for several days now. She shakily followed the woman down the already familiar corridor. The pair stopped in front of the morgue doors, the woman softly knocked before making her way. Carina followed reluctantly, the memories of the last time she was in here all flooding back.

"Good morning, Eva. Doctor DeLuca," the younger doctor greeted, "please, have a seat."

Carina made her way over to the makeshift exam table, taking a seat on the cold metal slab. The doctor explained the already familiar process to Carina, who just pretended to listen and nodded as he went. She looked around the room examining every possible exit. It was the first time since she had been brought down here that she wasn't restrained in any way. She watched as Eva made her way into the hall where everyone would usually wait as the doctor worked. There has to be a way out. These places always have a way out. She thought to herself. The male doctor prepped an array of vials along with a tourniquet and new butterfly needle on the surgical table between them.

"Run with me," whispered Carina as the man moved closer.

"What?" he asked, a shocked look plastered across his face.

"Let's run, you see those doors over there," she said motioning toward the doors at the back of the room, " that's our way out."

The doctor looked over as discreetly as he could, knowing that someone was always watching.

"There's nothing but tunnels back there. We could be lost for days," he reasoned.

"Yes there are, but they will all eventually lead out. We are sitting in a morgue, one of these tunnels had to have been used to wheel out bodies," she bargained. The doctor looked down at his hands, pondering the opportunity that had just been presented to him as he fidgeted with the edge of his glove.