Unraveled Minds

A Broken Trust

Olivia slowly began to regain consciousness, her eyelids fluttering as the sterile lights of the hospital room flickered into view. A sharp pain radiated from every part of her body, and as she tried to move, she realized she couldn't. Her arms and legs felt heavy—no, they were immobilized. Panic surged through her as she took in her surroundings.

She was wrapped in a full-body cast, her limbs suspended, and a tight, uncomfortable mask covered her mouth and nose. Her breaths were shallow and labored, each one feeling like it had to fight its way through the mask. Confusion washed over her like a wave, and Olivia struggled to remember how she ended up here. What had happened?

As if on cue, the door to her room creaked open, and a doctor entered, her footsteps soft against the tile floor. The woman was in her late thirties, with gentle features and tired eyes behind her glasses. She smiled softly when she saw Olivia awake.

“Oh hey, you're awake," the doctor said, her voice calm and soothing. “I’m Dr. Vanessa Lawson. You’re in the hospital, Olivia.”

Olivia's eyes darted around the room in shock. She tried to speak, but the words got caught in her throat. Her mouth felt dry, her voice hoarse as if she hadn't used it in days. She stammered, barely able to get the words out. "W-w-wha... w-what h-h-hap...pened?"

Dr. Lawson stepped closer, looking at her with a mix of sympathy and relief. “You were brought in after suffering a very severe beating. You're in a full-body cast, Olivia. We almost lost you several times during surgery, but you’re alive, and that’s what matters now.”

A pit formed in Olivia's stomach. Her body was broken, and her mind felt foggy. She blinked back tears, struggling to make sense of it all. "W-who... d-did... this... t-to me?" she asked, her voice trembling, barely audible.

Dr. Lawson sighed and shook her head. “We were hoping you could tell us that, Olivia. What do you remember?”

Olivia closed her eyes, trying desperately to recall the events that led her here. Her mind was a haze of fear and confusion. "I... I... r-remem...bered... going... to sleep... with... m-my g-g-girl...friend... and now... I’m... h-here."

The doctor’s eyes narrowed slightly, as if considering something. “What’s your girlfriend’s name, Olivia?”

Olivia hesitated, her thoughts swirling in a mess of emotions. She searched her mind, but something was missing—like a blank space where there should have been memories. Her breathing grew more erratic as tears welled up in her eyes. “O-oh... I-it w-was... um...” Her voice cracked, and the tears started to fall down her cheeks. “I... d-don’t... r-r-rem...ember. I don’t remember…”

Dr. Lawson placed a reassuring hand on Olivia’s arm. “Hey, it’s okay, Olivia. Memory loss is not uncommon in situations like this. We’re going to take care of you. The police will find out who did this. Meanwhile, my team and I will make sure you’re as comfortable as possible, alright?”

As Dr. Lawson spoke, the door flew open again, and Olivia’s best friend, Coley, rushed in, her face etched with panic. “Doc, is she going to be alright?” Coley asked breathlessly, her hands gripping the bedrail as she looked at Olivia’s cast-covered body.

Dr. Lawson nodded calmly. “She’s awake, and she can speak. That’s a good sign. She’s not in pain; the medication is helping.”

Coley’s eyes filled with tears as she turned to Olivia. “Oh my God, who did this to her?” she asked, her voice rising with desperation. “Who would hurt her like this?”

Dr. Lawson shook her head. “We don’t know yet. Olivia doesn’t remember much about what happened. We’re giving her time to recover. Hopefully, her memory will come back in bits.”

Olivia watched the conversation unfold through a haze of pain and confusion. Coley’s familiar face should have brought her comfort, but something about everything felt... off. She tried to speak again, her voice strained and weak. “I... I’m... al-alright... w-who are... y-you?”

Coley’s face fell, tears brimming in her eyes as she leaned in closer. “Olivia, it’s me... Coley. We grew up together, remember? We lived in the same town in Tennessee... we’ve been best friends since forever.”

Olivia frowned, trying to grasp at the memory. She could see flashes of Coley in her mind, but nothing clear—just foggy images. “I... kinda... remember,” she whispered, though it wasn’t like it used to be. Everything felt fractured.

Dr. Lawson and Coley stepped outside the room to talk in private, and Olivia was left alone, staring at the ceiling, the weight of her injuries sinking in. She was broken, both physically and mentally. Tears streamed down her face as the reality of her situation hit her like a tidal wave.

Suddenly, the door creaked open again, and Olivia turned her head slowly, her heart skipping a beat. Ariadne stood there, a worried expression on her face. “Olivia... Oh my God, you’re awake,” she said, rushing to her bedside. “I’ve been so worried.”

Olivia’s eyes widened in fear as she looked at Ariadne. Memories started to flicker in her mind—the fight, the beating, Ariadne’s hands striking her. Her heart raced as terror flooded her body.

Ariadne’s eyes narrowed slightly as she noticed the fear in Olivia’s gaze. She leaned in closer and whispered, her voice cold and threatening. “You tell them I did this... and I swear to God, you’ll be the fourth.”

Olivia’s breathing became shallow, and her heart pounded in her chest. She tried to speak, her voice trembling with fear. “A-Ariadne... y-you’re not... al-alright... y-you... n-need h-help... I-I want t-to help you...” Her words were broken, but she pushed through the pain to get them out. “W-what d-do y-you mean... fourth? H-have you... k-killed someone else...?”

Ariadne nodded, her expression icy and detached. Olivia felt a wave of nausea wash over her. The girl she had loved, the girl she had trusted, was a monster.

Just as Ariadne leaned back, Dr. Lawson and Coley returned to the room. Ariadne quickly shifted her demeanor, smiling sweetly as she addressed them. “I’m her girlfriend. I’ve been so worried.”

Dr. Lawson gave Ariadne a polite smile and checked on Olivia’s vitals, while Coley stood by the door, glancing between them all, her concern evident. “We’ll be back to check on her later,” Dr. Lawson said as she and Coley turned to leave.

But before they could exit, Olivia found the strength to speak, her voice hoarse and strained. “S-she... did... this... t-to me.”

Both Dr. Lawson and Coley froze, turning back toward Olivia in shock. Ariadne’s expression darkened, her eyes narrowing with cold fury.

The room fell into an unbearable silence, tension thick in the air as Olivia’s fragile voice exposed the horrifying truth.