𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝

Chapter VIII : Race Against Time

On the way to the hospital, my phone rang, its shrill sound breaking through the tension-filled silence inside the car. My heart skipped a beat as I recognized the caller ID displaying Dewey's name. Without wasting a second, I answered the call and brought the phone to my ear, my voice laced with urgency.

"Dewey, I'm right behind you and Sam," I blurted out, my voice trembling with panic. The gravity of the situation weighed heavily on my shoulders as I navigated through the traffic, desperate to reach them before it was too late.

There was a momentary pause on the other end of the line, and I strained to hear Dewey's voice over the chaos of sirens and my racing thoughts. Finally, his voice came through, filled with a mix of determination and exhaustion.

"Stay close, Y/N. We're almost at the hospital. Tara needs us," Dewey replied, his voice tinged with urgency. I could sense the weight of responsibility in his words, the unspoken understanding that time was running out.

TARA's POV

I spent most of my time in the hospital watching TV. Sam and Richie hadn't returned yet, mentioning that they were heading to Mindy's house to meet up with the squad. Probably she's going to tell them now that she's the daughter of Billy Loomis.

Being alone in the hospital bored me, and I couldn't help but miss Y/N, who had visited me just yesterday. I was thinking to message him but I don't want to disturb him, maybe he's at work right now.

Suddenly, I heard a thud from outside my partially open door. "Hello?" I called out, I tried to called out again but received no response.

An unsettling feeling crept over me, and I cautiously reached for the wheelchair next to my bed. With great effort, I guided myself into the wheelchair, grunting as I carefully maneuvered my injured legs out from under the blankets.

Taking a deep breath, I gathered my courage and slowly wheeled myself toward the door, the nerves tightening in my body. However, before I could reach the door, the power in the hospital suddenly shut off, enveloping the corridor in darkness.

Fear surged through me as I sat there, staring at the door, shrouded in eerie silence. The sudden ringing of my phone startled me, causing my heart to race. Glancing back at my phone, I hesitated, a mixture of dread and anticipation flooding my senses.

I forced myself to wheel out of my room, to try to look some help but before I could ask some help, I saw something that caught my attention.

There, lying on the floor, was a dead police officer, his blood pooling around him as he gurgled out his final breaths. I gasped, covering my mouth as tears welled up in my eyes. Despite the fear coursing through my veins, I summoned my bravery and cautiously approached the fallen officer.

With trembling hands, I lifted his lifeless hand from his holster, only to discover that the gun was missing. Panic gripped me as I realized the gravity of the situation.

I looked around, the hospital engulfed in an eerie aura as I searched for a room where I could take shelter until Sam returned. My eyes fell upon a darkened room, seemingly empty and secluded. Slowly, I wheeled myself toward it, feeling the blood on my hands seep through the gauze.

Closing the door partially as I grabbed the phone on the wall grunting, I pressed the buttons trying to call emergency but a thuds of the door caught me.

"Fuck," I muttered, gripping the phone tightly as I waited for help to arrive. Just as it approached, a man entered the room, and I swung the telephone at his side, catching him off guard.

The man grunted in pain, and I realized it was Richie. "Ah, goddammit! Why'd you hit me?" he exclaimed.

"Richie, what are you doing here?" I questioned, confusion evident in my voice. He responded, "Sam called me. She said you were in trouble."