The Fate Of The Marked

Chapter Two

I became aware much slower than before. I moved one of my legs and was met with pain. My shoulders and neck were stiff. My entire abdomen hurt.

I turned my head and cracked my eyes open a little. The room I was in was dark and silent besides the clock ticking in the corner.

Carefully, I sat up. There was an IV in my wrist leading to a bag of clear liquid beside me. I pulled the tape off and slid the needle out, letting it fall to the ground noiselessly. Somewhere in the distance, a door closed loudly. I glanced around the room again and felt my panic rise.

I kicked the thin blanket off my legs and stood shakily. I guzzled down water from the sink to sooth my burning throat. The window was locked, but the door wasn't. I stuck my head into the hallway. It was empty.

I stepped out and let it shut behind me, heart pounding, glad I was wearing jeans rather than a hospital gown. That would make it easier to disappear.

I didn't see a single nurse until I reached the elevator. She stepped out and smiled at me and my heart dropped. I stepped back as far as I could and let her pass, hoping that she wouldn't recognize me.

I raced in just before the door closed and pressed the button for the first floor with a sigh of relief.

I couldn't remember exactly why getting found by people was a bad thing, but even the thought of getting caught left a sour taste in my mouth. My hands were shaking as the doors opened again.

I passed by everyone, going straight through the center of the long reception room. It would look suspicious if I tip toed around the corners. I kept my head down and pushed the double doors open.

Two streets later, I collapsed against an alley wall, breathing as though I had just ran for miles. My chest sides burned and I had to focus completely on not throwing up. The cold wind bit at my face and fingers.

I curled up beside a dumpster, trying to breath in more through my mouth. I had to get further away from the hospital. Someone was going to notice I was gone.

It took me a long time to push myself back up. My stomach had stopped turning, but my head was light and my legs were trembling. The wind was blowing harder as I left my hiding place. The sidewalk was deserted.

I ducked my head and walked as fast as I could without falling over, which wasn't very fast. Four blocks. Five.

Up a hill. Seven. Nine.

The streets became more crowded, people rushing everywhere in the late afternoon to get things finished. Someone knocked into my shoulder and sent me sprawling into the street. I shoved myself up and jumped out of the way, racing across the crosswalk and out of traffic, ignoring the worried stares and the deafening honks of car horns.

I took off again, even though it became harder and harder to breath.

I reached a series of warehouses by the time it was dark. I was completely numb by the time I managed to find a place to sit. I slumped back, head spinning. In the distance, dogs were barking. A loud siren made me flinch and my ears ache. Everything seemed to become a thousand times louder.

All at once, a blinding heat came over me, and I felt my eyes slip close.

And then I was falling.