Hunted

Memories

*Oliver's POV*

     My head is killing me and I feel like I'm gonna pass out at any moment but I'm determined not to let it show. The last thing I need is for them to try and admit me again. The doctor wanted to when he examined me but I refused. I just had a concussion which is nothing compared to Sam's injuries. I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to her. She's my world. I know we just started dating a few weeks ago but that's beside the point. I really feel like she's the one and I'd be lost without her.

"Look, I can't just sit here and wait any more. I have to know what's going on." I said, quickly exiting the conference room. Rose looked like she was gonna follow but Dimitri held her back, whispering something in her ear. "Coward.." I mumbled. At the desk was a lone nurse, deep in thought over a crossword puzzle. I waited for her to look up but she never did. "Ahem." I said, clearing my throat, hoping to catch her attention. She acted as if she didn't hear me and continued chewing the end of her pencil. "AHEM." I said loud enough to draw the attention of a couple sitting across the hall. She still didn't look up and I was tired of playing games. I slammed my hand down on the counter and yelled, "EXCUSE ME." She glanced up, an irritated look on her face. Oh how I wanted to slap the shit out of her but I knew in my present situation that probably wouldn't be a good idea. "Can I help you?" she asked while rolling her eyes. "Yeah, you can. First you can drop the attitude okay? You have no idea what I've been through today and you being a bitch isn't helping. And second, I'm trying to find out some more information on my girlfriend Samantha Santiago. She was brought in a few hours ago and the last thing I heard was that she was in surgery, but that was over two hours ago. Is she okay? Did something happen?" I asked, not pausing for breath. "Sir, there's no need to be rude. I don't have access to that information. If anything had happened, someone would have came out and told you. Most likely, she is still in surgery and there's just no new information at this time. Please go back to the waiting room and as soon as possible someone will come out and update you on her condition." I felt so helpless and angry all at once. They expect me to just sit here and wait while Sam is in surgery and Lacey is missing? Not gonna happen. "NO!" I screamed, jerking the book out of her hand and throwing it across the room. "Sir, you need to calm down NOW or I'm gonna have to call security." she said, her voice rising in pitch with each word. "I will NOT calm down. I need to see Sam. I need to see her NOW." I yelled and grabbed her arm. I could hear a voice in the back of my mind telling me to stop but I wasn't in control of my actions anymore. She called for help, and before I could do anything else, two security officers ran up and grabbed me pinning me down. I tried freeing my arms with all the strength I had but it wasn't enough to break their iron grip. "Sam..I need to see Sam.." I sobbed, still trying to break free. A sting in my upper arm made me turn my head. The same nurse I just assaulted  had  a syringe in her hand, injecting me with medicine. " Why.." I asked, unable to keep my eyes open any longer. I felt myself being lifted up and strapped down to something but I didn't have the energy left to even care, much less fight it. "Sam." I whispered, right before the drugs fully claimed my mind.

*Lacey's POV*

     I opened my eyes, the pain in my head severe. I blinked, trying to focus but it was no use as I quickly realized  I was blindfolded. I flexed my arms, testing the strength of the ropes holding me down and knew I had no hope of escaping on my own. At least I'm not gagged, I thought and opened my mouth to scream. "I wouldn't do that if I were you." a deep voice said, sounding too close for comfort. I tried kicking out, but only succeeded in turning the chair I was in over. I hit the floor with a thud, pain radiating down my shoulder and into my hand. Tears pooled in my eyes, but were trapped in the blindfold before they could fall. "Let me go, please." I begged. I hated how weak I sounded but I couldn't help it. "Please..." Heavy footsteps echoed around me. I flinched, expecting pain but none came. Rough hands grabbed my arm and pulled until my chair was upright again. "Don't do that again." the same voice I heard before said. "I'm gonna take off your blindfold now. If you scream, I will gag you. I don't want to hurt you so don't do anything to make me." I caught a whiff of stale cigarettes as he leaned in and untied the blindfold, letting it fall into my lap. It took a while before my eyes adjusted to the light. I looked around, taking in my surroundings. I was in a dimly lit room with just one door and no windows. There were no decorations of any kind, except a picture taped above what I assumed was his bed, if you could call it that. There was no frame and no mattress, just a bunch of ratty old blankets thrown in the far corner of the room. I squinted, trying to make out the faces in the picture but it was too far away. "Do you like it?" he asked. I looked at him, determined not to respond. "It's not much, but it's home." he added, apprehension in his eyes as he waited for me to answer. I pursed my lips together, grinding my teeth in the process. "Look, I'm not gonna hurt you okay? That was never the plan." he said, his voice filled with sadness. "Sure could have fooled me." I spat, angry with myself for giving in. "Why are you doing this? I don't know you." I added. He looked at me, his dark eyes penetrating down to my very soul. What is it about this man that draws me to him? I should be terrified, but I'm not. He's so..familiar. Yet I've never seen him before...have I? I dropped my gaze, not wanting to look at him at longer. "Lacey.." he started but I cut him off. "How do you know my name? Who the hell are you?" I demanded. He grabbed my chin and lifted my head until my eyes were level with his. "You..don't remember do you?" he asked. "Remember what?! You bastard!" I yelled. He abruptly stood up, catching me off guard. He walked over to his "bed" and ripped the picture off the wall. I flinched, unsure of what he was going to do. "Look Lacey, don't you remember?" he said, holding the picture in front of my face. It was as if my world turned on its axis, everything I knew to be true crumbling into nothingness. A boy with curly black hair and eyes just as dark had his arms around  a little girl, no more than 3 or 4. The little girl...was me. " Alex?...This can't be..you..you died." I stuttered, painful memories flooding my mind. Things I tried so hard to forget for so long came rushing back, and I was helpless to stop them.

It was cold outside. Cold enough to have mom force both me and Alex to wear two jumpsuits and a hat. "Momm... do we really gotta wear all this? I can't move." I whined. "Yes you do, you don't wanna get sick do you? Now go run along and play." she replied. "Oh and Alex, make sure you keep an eye on your sister. Don't let her out of your sight." Alex rolled his eyes and grabbed my hand, pulling me towards the woods. "Slow down!" I complained, holding my sides and trying to catch my breath. "Come on slow poke!" he yelled back, barely visible through all the snow.

Something shiny caught my attention. I knew I wasn't supposed to go near the lake but I just had to know what it was. "Alex, come here!" I shouted, but he was too far ahead to hear me. Just a quick look, I thought and stepped onto the ice. I had almost made it to the middle of the lake when I heard strange noises. I looked down, and watched helplessly as the ice began to crack around me. "ALEX! HELP ME!" I screamed, too terrified to move. The cracks got bigger and bigger, and at last gave way plunging me into the icy depths. The cold was mind-numbing, my arms and legs struggling in vain to make it to the surface. I inhaled water, the coldness shooting daggers through my chest. I want my mommy, I thought as the lack of oxygen made it harder and harder to stay awake.

The next thing I remembered was waking up in the hospital. My parents were both sitting by my bed, waiting for me to wake up. "Oh sweetie you're awake." my mom sobbed as my dad jumped up and ran out of the room. He came back with a nurse, who started poking me and I really didn't like it. I was so scared I started to cry. "It's okay. You're gonna be okay." the nurse said and rubbed my arm. "Where's Alex?" I asked, looking around the room trying to find him. My parents looked at each other, tears running down their face. "Why are you crying? Where's Alex?" I asked again. "Honey, Alex is gone." I blinked, not understanding what she meant. "What do you mean gone? Where did he go?" I asked. She grabbed my hand and brought it up to her face. "Alex saved you Lacey. He pulled you out of the lake but must have fallen into the water. We found you laying on the ice but we couldn't find your brother. He..he drowned." she said, trying to keep herself together. "You mean, I killed him?" I asked. I remember thinking that this must have been a joke, and that Alex would come in the room at any second and say 'Just kidding', but he never did. I went home a few days later and we never talked about it again. The police ruled it out as an accident and eventually stopped looking for his body.

It took me years to get over his death and even to this day I blamed myself. I mean yeah, I was only a child when it happened but if it wasn't for me, my brother would still be alive. At least that's what I thought. But now here he is..at least someone who says he's Alex. I looked at him, taking in the same brown eyes I had long forgotten. How could I have not seen it? How could I have not known he was alive? "Where..I mean how..how did you live? Where did you go?" I asked with many more questions left to ask. He stood up and turned away from me. "I did fall in the water that day, but someone saved me. I thought she would take me to the hospital, or back to my house but she didn't. She put me in her car and drove far away, too far for me to know where I was or how to get back home. She turned out to be a fate worse than death." I blinked, confused at what I was hearing. "What do you mean a fate worse than death? What did she do to you? And why didn't you ever come home?" I asked. He spun around, with nothing but pain in his eyes. "I don't want to talk about that Lacey. Don't ever ask me about that. I just cant.." he said and turned around to leave. "Wait! Please, let me go." I begged. "I can't do that. Not yet." he replied and left, turning the light out behind him. "STOP! PLEASE!" I screamed, but he never came back.