Off the Map

Prologue

"Claire," someone called. I didn't move. The person called my name again, this time, louder, "Claire." The person sighed. So they tried again. This time using my full name. "Claire Christiana Crater!" I opened my eyes. I looked around to a crowd of strangers staring down at me. Where was I?

I realized I was lying on the ground and sat up straight. Then the familiar voice called me. The voice I would never forget. "Claire, can you hear me?" I looked up to see Jane. She looked shocked and scared. "Are you okay?" She asked.

My head spun as I tried to process everything. I ran my hand through my hair and felt something wet. What was this? I looked down into at my hand that was now in my lap. It was blood. I looked up in confusion. What happened?

Jane looked worried and said, "Hey, it's okay. I mean, are you okay? Sorry, can you tell me what happened? I just sort of got here..." Her voice slowly started to disappear when I fell back into a lying position. If I'm correct, I think I just fainted...

Voices kept calling my name, and for some reason, I just couldn't answer. My head spun even worse now and it made me dizzy. Where was I? Who were all these people? I was able to open my eyes wider after a while.

A lady dressed in a blue nurse outfit saw that I was awake, and she started throwing questions at me. "Hi sweetheart, I need to know your name. Can you remember where you live? To which school do you go to?"

I struggled to reply, but managed to whisper, "Claire."

The nurse looked anxious, but that's only because she was busy with medication. She turned to me and asked again, "Your name, sweetheart?"

I sighed, and tried again, "Clai-"

She interrupted me, "I know that dear, but your full name..."

Seriously? If you wanted it, why didn't you ask that in the first place? My head ached from trying to talk. It wasn't like I forgot my name, if that was what she was implying. Claire Christiana Crater. There. I said it.

The nurse turned to me again. This time lifting her eyebrows, waiting for an answer. Oops... I forgot to say it out loud. But it was too much effort and it made my head hurt.

I took a deep breath in and out. "Claire Christiana Crater," I whispered again. The pain in my head increased and it felt like it was going to explode! I think I pretty much know how it feels like to die. Without my head, I'm dead!

She didn't say anything and kept on being busy. After a while of lying down in silence, I realized that there was a man next to me. I tried to turn my head, but it hurt too much... He saw this, and said in a gentle voice, "There now. Don't move too much! We're gonna get you to the hospital in no time!"

The hospital? Wait, what? Why? What happened? I so desperately wanted to know all these answers! They were making my head hurt even more, and I think the answers would just bring more questions, making me, even more, confused. And well, then my head probably would explode!

I decided that the best option right now, was to fall asleep. That way, I don't have to concentrate on anything. And nothing takes any effort.