The Monster Within - Book 1

Chapter 9

After a couple of weeks of trying to track him down, I feel like I should give up. The mission was impossible before I even started. I didn't have a name and the only people I had to talk to were my Nan and the carers. The only place I'd seen this man was in the hospital the next town over so I didn't even know where he lived. I was just hoping for a miracle that a picture of him would pop up on social media or from my many Google searches. But nothing came of it.

Nan has been struggling the last few days. She has hardly eaten and her dementia has been at new lows. She didn't know who I was yesterday. Not even a little recognition. It was heartbreaking to watch. I've been here less than a month and I don't know what I'll do when she goes. I'll be by myself all over again. Just like when mum died. This place has quickly become my home, more than anything I'd ever felt living in the city. Will I stay after it all finishes? Or will I go back to my life before this? Back to the city? I cried myself to sleep that night, the unknown lurking in the corner of my consciousness.

When the morning light shines through the window I jump out of bed. As part of my new routine I go to check on Nan before going downstairs to make breakfast. As always she still asleep. When I come back up with her breakfast I tap on the door as I walk in, to announce myself. Her eyes open slowly as she starts to wake.

'Morning, Nan.'

'Cassandra?'

'Yes Nan, it's me.' I say, placing a plate of food on her bedside, with a big smile beaming. Happy to have my nan back. Happy that she knows who I am.

'I had a horrible dream.' She says, ignoring the food.

'What happened in it?' I ask, taking my seat next to her side.

'You were lying in the woods covered in blood. There was a... wolf. A black wolf. Did he hurt you?'

I pause. I'd convinced myself that other night was a dream. A very vivid, lifelike dream. But hearing my Nan describe the beast that had attacked me and then reappeared to me, it made me start to question myself. I wanted to believe it was a big coincidence, but something was telling me that wasn't it. But the reality of it was impossible. I had no cuts, no bruises. There was no blood, no proof. It had to have been a dream. It had to be.

'It was just a dream. I'm fine, see.' I fan my hands up and down my body, demonstrating I was completely unharmed. 'Now, please eat something.'

I go to stand from the bed, but out of nowhere she grabs hold of my arm, pulling me down towards her. She pulls the collar of my top down my shoulder, exposing scars that look years old.
She takes a large, sharp intake of air as her eyes examine the skin on my neck. I don't know how to explain it. I'd never seen these scars before in my life, but there they were on my body, like they'd been there this whole time.  I move my hand to touch one, brushing my fingers along the raised skin.

'What is it?' I ask her, feeling a little panic.

'He did it.'

'Who? Who did what?' I question her frantically.

But before she can answer her breathing becomes laboured. She looks at me with wide eyes as her chest rises and falls.

'Nan?'

Her hands grab at my arms as she struggles for breath. I reach for the phone at her bedside and call for an ambulance that takes too long to arrive. By the time they get there her eyes are closed. She's not moving.

'There's a small pulse.' A paramedic says to the other.

They place an oxygen mask on her face as they take her from the room. I follow into the back of the ambulance, holding her hand the whole way there.

'It'll be ok nan.' I say more to myself than her. 'You'll be OK. You have to be.'

We arrive at the hospital and she's rushed through to an area I can't go into. I'm stopped in a waiting room by a nurse who tells me to take a seat. I don't know what else to do, so I collapse into a chair, as I wait for word about my Nan. My head drops into my hands as I let a little sob out in the near empty room.
After a couple of minutes I try to calm myself down. I take slow steady breaths as I try to get my breathing under control.
I bring my head out of my hands and blink the tears away suddenly aware someone is looking at me from the end of a corridor. I wipe the back of my hand across my face to remove the rest of the tears from my blurred vision, but the figure is gone. Was it him? Was there even anyone stood there? Am I going crazy?

Then all of a sudden a nurse is at my side. I jump in my seat a little at her unexpected presence.

'Cassandra?' She asks.

I give up correcting people about my name now. Hearing my nan use my full name while I've been here has gotten me used to it. No one in the city called me Cassandra and maybe that's because no one there really knew me. It didn't feel right hearing them say Cassandra, so I wouldn't allow it. Hearing the name now reminds me of mum in a good way. For a long time it just made me think of the accident. Something I didn't want to think about. So I buried it and my name with her.

'Cassandra?' The nurse repeats again.

'Yeah, sorry.' I reply, shaking my head. 'How is she? She's okay isn't she?'

'She's stable.' The nurse rushes out, putting me out of my misery. 'But I'm afraid she'll have to stay here.'

'For tonight? Or like a few nights?'

'Indefinitely. I don't know if she'll be well enough to return home now. She had a mini stroke and in someone as unwell as her she's lucky to still be with us.'

'Thank you.' I say to her as I sit back down in the chair unable to register what's she saying. I sit there for a while not knowing what do to as Justin walks down the corridor.

'Cassie?'

I look up to him, tears running down my face. Tears I didn't even realise I was crying.

'What's wrong?' He ask, rushing over to me.

'It's Nan. They're telling me she had a stroke and that she has to stay here?'

'Have you seen her?'

I shake my head, not speaking as I hold back the tears.

'Let me go and speak to someone.' He says as he turns and leaves me.

After a short while he comes back.

'She sleeping now, Cas. Let me take you home.' He tells me as he holds his hand out for me to take.

I reach for him then he pulls me up to my unsteady feet as I fall against him. My hand lands on his chest as I catch myself from falling.

'Sorry.' I say, pulling my hand back down to my side as I take a step backwards.

He steps toward me and lifts a hand to my face as be brushing the tears from my cheek.

'It's ok Cas.' He says still cupping my cheek. He suddenly drops his hand from my face as a look of embarrassment flashes across his . 'Er... let's go, yeah?' He says as he turns, walking towards the exit.