Bring It

Chapter 20

My eyes felt heavy and I was struggling with my breathing.

I looked around and saw I was in a hospital. I looked around and saw Amy and my sister sleeping right next to me. I looked down and saw that I had 2 arms.

What the hell?

I felt a bandage around my head and saw my foot was broke. I sat up and instantly regreted it when my head felt like it was going to crumble under the pressure.

"Amy? Anna? What are you guys doing here?"

Amy shot up and cried in relief. "You know who I am?"

"Of course. You're my best friend that betrayed me."

She looked down in shame. So that was true.

"Why do I have 2 arms?"

"Why wouldn't you?"

"My left arm- it was amputated. My foot should be healed by now. The last thing I remember is Hunter d-dying," I choked on the last word.

She gave me an incredulous look. "I'm going to go get the doctor."

She jogged out of the room and I turned to Anna. "I can't believ you're actually alive."

I frowned at her words. "Why is everyone so worried about me? We should be worried about Carl and Hunter! They're dead, for God's sake!"

"Shells, they're sitting in the waiting room, perfectly fine."

"Anna, what the fu-"

"Shelby Marx? I'm Dr. Halls. I'm to need you to identify these people."

I watched Alex and Taylor come into the room. That's impossible.

I killed Alex. I then saw Hunter and Carl walk into the room. I felt like I was going to pass out.

"That's impossible."

"What is, ma'am?"

"I killed Alex. Hunter and Carl are dead! I'm not awake this is some kind of cruel dream!"

"Damn, princess, I didn't know you wanted me dead so bad," Hunter smirked.

The Doctor looked at me and was writing some stuff down. "Please identify these people left to right. After you're done, I can tell you just what happened."

"Anna, Amy, Mom, Dad, Sean, Carl, Hunter, Alex, and Taylor."

He nodded and wrote some more stuff down. "Can you confirm that Mr. Alex Arendale and Ms. Taylor Lawson have kidnapped you in an abandoned warehouse?"

"Yes," I said hesitantly. The police officers holding them, took them out of the room, hand-cuffing them.

"Miss Shelby Marx, what I'm going to explain to you, may cause you to faint from traumatic stress."

I narrowed my eyes and nodded.

"On the night of September 15th, 2014, you were kidnapped and brought to an abandoned warehouse. You were shot in the arm, but we were able to clean you up and, fortuantly, we did not have to amputate. You were on the run and broke your foot by kicking out a glass window. Your head is bandaged because when you landed, the cold water sent your brain into shock and you hit it hard on a rock. Does that sound right?"

I nodded, suspicious of what was coming next.

"We retrieved you from the water that night after a report of a floating body in Lake Huron off of East Tawas. Today is May 6th, 2015. You've been in a coma for almost 7 months. It is not uncommon for patients to have vivid 'dreams' or scenes of events. When you wake up, you believe that what has happened is real life. A traumatic experience in said 'dream' usually causes the patient to wake up. Is this what has happened to you?"

I stared at him and took a shaky breath. Everything has just been a dream? Hunter and Carl are alive, Alex and Taylor have been arrested, my love for Hunter was all just my imagination.

I nodded slowly. "Yes, that is what's happened. So everything after my kidnapping has just been a figment of my imagination?"

"That is correct."

He was right about the fainting part.

Because after hearing those words, my body gave out.

***

My family was in and out for a while.

Amy came in and apoligized relentlessly about what she had done. She was my best friend, like my sister, and after realizing that what had happened in my mind could of happened, I wanted to forgive her.

The last to come in was Hunter.

"So you really thought I died?"

I chuckled and nodded. "You were shot by Alex. You died in front of my eyes. I was actually sad."

He smiled and stuck his tongue out at me. "I guess I was pretty sad when you were kidnapped. A lot of people were giving up hope that you were going to wake up. I came every day and left a penny in that jar. 234 pennies in that sucker. Every penny represents one thing I learned and admired about you."

I smiled at him. "Maybe you're not so bad after all."

He smiled back. "When you get out of here, can I take you out on a date?"

I nodded and gave his cheek a kiss.

"There's not one thing I'd love more than that."

Edited 6/10/15