A Fight to Remember

Are you the Doctor? (Again) Pt. 1

Enjoy!

Bailey

"We have to talk," My dad said, gripping my shoulders.

I stared at him, knowing my gaze was cold and hard. He was going to try and convince me to let her...

Let her die.

I could see the desperation in the wrinkles of his crowsfeet, feel the heat from his flushed body as he returned from outdoors. Behind him, my mother played with the frayed edge of her sweater sleeve, oblivious to the men who were deciding her fate.

I don't want you to save me.

If there's a chance... I want you to take it... So, you're in charge.

Are you the doctor?

"Not now, dad." I slipped out of his grip and pushed past him.

"Bailey!" he spun around, following me.

Anger pumped through my blood, and every muscle struggled to contain it. My traps bunched, my fingers clenched into fists, and my legs powered me through the hall. I burst into the living room, disregarding the people around me.

My aunts.

My sisters.

Julian and his kid.

They called my name, but it was faint and far away to my ears. In my periphery, someone reached for me, but their touch didn't register.

There was another feeling seeping through my walls.

Hope.

Hope launched me past Amelia. Hope pulled open the door to the slowly sinking sun.

Hope was in the form of Rebecca, a hundred feet away from me, hopping into her little red Toyota.

"Wait!"

She stopped, one leg in her car and one leg out, she registered my approach in surprise.

"Rebecca, I'm coming."

"Bai-," she retorted.

"I'm coming," I growled, and hopped into the passenger seat.

As I slipped on my seatbelt, she reversed and pulled a two-point turn out of the driveway, leaving them behind as I tried to latch onto the future with fleeting thoughts of hope.

xxx

I glanced at Rebecca as she drove, waiting for her to explain, but she was silent. The only sound was the racket of gravel kicked up under the tires as she effortlessly handled the winding road. Tap-tap-tap-tap-tap, my fingernail added to the mix as I tried to subdue my feelings of anger with my dad with this new wave of hope.

"So... what's this thing you have to check out?" I asked after a while. "You said something about the basement?"

She sighed, "I shouldn't have said anything..."

"What? Why?"

"It was months ago..."

"What was months ago?"

"I'm sorry. I don't even..."

"Becks!" I snarled, unable to handle her vascilating.

"You should have stayed home! I don't even know yet. I'm sorry, I should've kept my mouth shut!"

"Just tell me what you know."

"When we get to the ferry, I'll tell you. I can't drive and explain this to you at the same time."