Escaping My Shadows

Texas Exodus

"Good morning, Ms. Scoggins. You are looking well this morning."

Claudia had been staring at the ceiling, wondering why she can barely move yet feels full of energy. The fog that seemed to be wrapped around her head has finally faded away. She slowly moves her head to look at the always cheerful Homer Trevino.

Homer, aka Dave Walker, asks, "and how are you doing?" He gives her his usual grin.

As he looks at her Claudia feels that his eyes are looking into her very soul. The intensity of his look makes her uncomfortable.

"Why are you looking at me like that, Dave?"

"Excuse me, Ms. Scoggins. Why did you call me Dave?"

"Because that's your name, Dave Walk–"

Her eyes widen. Dave's slight grin turns into a huge smile. She starts to cry out but he quickly reaches a finger up to his lips.

"Shhhhhh!" He closes his eyes. Not sensing anyone close by he puts the tray down and swiftly moves across the floor to the chair next to the bed.

He whispers, "welcome back to the land of consciousness, Claudia."

She sits up and wraps her arms around Dave. She squeezes him tightly. She sits back and looks up at Dave.

"Dave, what ... how ... I ... I was so stupid.  I let them capture me."

"Don't worry, Claudia. I've come to get you out of here. Once we're far enough away we can talk about what happened ... and what the future holds. Are you ready?"

"Hell, yes," she whispers back.

"Okay. Here, take these." He hands her several capsules. He waits until she swallows them with the help of a cup of water. Putting the cup down he says, "these will give you enough energy to get you out of here. I'm going to step out for a moment. While I'm gone go to the closet. I've got some clothes for you. They might be a little loose, I got your sizes from your parents but you've probably lost some weight."

"My parents? You–"

"No time. Go! Once dressed get back into bed."

Dave quickly walks out of the room. Claudia struggles to get out of bed. As she does she can feel energy moving through her body. She quickly wobbles to the closet. Opening the door she finds a professional-looking outfit, something that a doctor might wear. She dresses quickly and then shuffles back into bed and pulls the sheet up to her neck. After five minutes she senses Dave returning with someone else. Her telepathic skills are returning but she can't quite make out who it is.

"I'm sorry to bother you, Doctor, but she had a strange reaction to the medicine I gave her. Nothing serious but I thought since you are the doc on call you should take a look."

"Well, Homer, it's not a problem. Ms. Scoggins has been an interesting and challenging case. We'll see what we can do to help her."

Dave and Doctor Mahanti walk in. The doctor sees an awake and alert-looking Claudia lying in bed with the sheet up around her neck.

"Hiya, doc!" Claudia says.

The doctor stops and stares at her patient. Before she can react her expression goes from shocked looking to blank. Dave reaches around and takes Lavanya Mahanti's name badge and tosses it to Claudia. "Here, put this on." He removes the doctor's security card and hands it to Claudia.

Claudia gets out of bed. As she sticks the security card into a pocket Dave gently escorts the doctor to the bed. He removes her coat and takes the gown that Claudia had been wearing and puts it on the doctor. He then helps the doctor into bed.