The Facebook Stalker

The Facebook Stalker -- Chapter 24

Things started coming back to Kate very slowly. The first thing that she realized that she was cold. Freezing cold. And that she hurt. All over. It didn’t seem like  there was a single square inch on her entire body that didn’t throb with pain. Opening her eyes, that felt like eight ton bricks, and blinking several times, Kate’s eyes fought to focus in on her surroundings. She didn’t know where she was, but she did know two things.

1. She wasn’t dead.

2. She wasn’t in her dorm room.

Then the memory of her horrific night came back into her memory, and Kate began to tremble.

“Oh, Kate, honey,” Kate’s mother was at her side from out of nowhere, it seemed.

“W-wh-where--” Kate’s mouth seemed to had forgotten how to form words. Kate blinked, bringing her mother and her soft features into focus. Her face was a mixture of relief and concern.

“Oh, sugar. I’m so glad you’re awake. You’ve been asleep for ---let’s see-- about two days now. You’re in the hospital, angel. Oh, my goodness, I’ve been worried sick! Your father and Megan are going to be thrilled to hear that you’re awake!” Kate watched as her mother hit a button next to the bed Kate was laying in. “Bring Mr. Anderson and Miss Smith into Room 218 when they return, will you, please?” Kate’s mom spoke into a little box.

“Sure thing, Mrs. Anderson,” came a female voice from the box.

“C-c-co--” Kate stammered, when her mother looked back at her.

“Oh! You must be freezing! The doctors said you probably would be,” Kate’s mother replied. Kate watched as she hurried over to a little cabinet with tall double doors. When she pulled them open, Kate saw stacks of what looked to be blankets, sheets, pillowcases, and hospital gowns. “Here,” her mother said, laying a heavy blanket over the top of Kate. 

“Let me get you some water,” she added, getting a little plastic cup from a table on the opposite side of Kate’s bed than what the speaker box was on. Opening a drawer, her mom retrieved a straw, and placed it in the cup. Holding the cup to Kate’s mouth with one hand, and holding the straw steady with the other, Kate’s mom helped her get a drink of the cool, refreshing water. Kate smiled after her drink. Her mom was in full ‘mom-mode’ and that instantly made her feel better.

“Wh-what happened?” Kate asked, her throat now moistened, and her voice coming back to her.

“Oh, baby! Well, you’re in the hospital. The Cook County Hospital. Did you know that they filmed that television show, ‘ER’ here? You know, the one with George Clooney?” her mom asked. Kate nodded, smiling. Her mom was infatuated with George Clooney. She probably knew more about him than he knew about himself. 

Well, anyway, you were cut pretty bad by that---Alan guy,” Kate’s mom shuddered when she said the name. “You had to have a lot of stitches, and they have you on all these different pain medicines,” she continued.

Kate thought back to, apparently, a couple nights ago. The last thing that she had remembered, just after the searing pain of the knife cutting through her flesh were cops busting through the door. 

“Oh, you’re awake!” Kate turned her head and saw her dad and Megan walk through the door to her hospital room. Kate was never so glad to see them, all of them. Kate watched as they walked over to her bed, and sat down. Kate’s mom was holding Kate’s right hand, and Megan took a hold of her left. Her dad rested his on Kate’s knee.

“How are you feeling, Katie-bug?” her father asked.

“Okay, I guess. Confused,” she answered.