Hunted

Awake

*Lacey's POV*

     I could see Alex's mouth start to turn an alarming blue color the longer I gripped his neck but I didn't care. His eyes were huge as he stared directly at me, silently begging me to stop. My chest was on fire and my heartbeat raced in my ears. I wanted him to hurt, to make him suffer just like he did to me. My hands started to scream in protest the longer I held on but it didn't matter; It was worth it. He was too weak from his injury to put up much of a fight but he did manage to dig his nails into my arm successfully drawing blood. The pain was a mere annoyance; not nearly enough to hinder me. I knew subconsciously what I was doing was wrong but I couldn't stop. It was like a dam had broken, all the anger and pain from the past few weeks flooding out in an uncontrollable rage.

The sudden lack of movement from Alex froze me in place. I looked down in horror as what I had just done finally hit me. "Don't be dead, please!." I begged as I frantically searched for a pulse. It was there, but very weak. I didn't know what to do so I just laid his head in my lap and gently brushed his hair away from his face. Hopefully he will just wake up on his own or I have no idea what I'm going to do.

*Samantha's POV*

     I opened my eyes to almost complete darkness. Only the dim glow of the machines I was hooked up to illuminated the room. I tried to turn my head but it was no use. I was too weak, not even able to call for help. I knew I was in a hospital but I couldn't remember why. The only thing I knew for sure was I was totally alone and in pain. I couldn't do anything but stare at the door and pray someone came in soon.

"Oh, you're awake." an older nurse called from the doorway. She didn't even knock before she came in, making it quite obvious she didn't expect to find me conscious. That's a comforting thought. "I'm gonna go page the doctor hunny I'll be right back." she said and walked out. Irritation shot through me the moment she left. She didn't even ask me how I was doing or if I needed anything, just walked right off. Screw the doctor, I thought, just give me pain meds. I closed my eyes and tried to ignore the pain in my stomach but it was impossible. It felt as though someone was twisting a red-hot knife through me. My eyes shot open and a horrible wail escaped my throat as the last few minutes before I ended up here came rushing back with a vengeance, demanding to be seen.

I remembered making out with Oliver in the woods. I remembered looking over his shoulder and trying to scream as a man came rushing up behind him. I remembered him hitting Oliver in the head and knocking him out and trying to get away. I remembered the agony as he stabbed me in the stomach, laughing as he did. I started losing consciousness the second time he stabbed me and by the third I was gone.  

I cried out, begging someone, anyone, to help me. I felt as if I were reliving that day all over again and I can't make it stop. The nurse who ran off to get the doctor came running in followed by a frazzled looking man I could only assume was the doctor. "Calm down Ms. Santiago. You're safe." he stated in a matter of fact tone but I just couldn't. I had too many questions burning in my mind but I couldn't stop screaming long enough to ask them. Where is Oliver? Is he okay? Did they catch the man who did this? Why did he look so familiar to me? Where had I seen his face before?

I didn't get a chance to ask any of these questions as they must have realized I wasn't going to calm down on my own and quickly gave me medicine to help. It didn't put me to sleep right away but made me too tired to scream anymore, which I and probably everyone else on my floor was grateful for. "You've been through a lot and need time to recuperate. We will continue to monitor your condition and when some of the medicine wears off and you've had time to rest, someone will come in and talk to you about what's going on. If you need anything, just push this button and someone will be in here to help you." the nurse said as she placed the call button in my hand and quietly left the room.

The medicine may have calmed me down enough that I wasn't screaming anymore but it did nothing to stop the images seared into my brain of the attack. I just want Oliver to be okay, that's all I care about. Please, please be okay, I thought as I slowly drifted off to sleep.

*Lacey's POV*

     I've been sitting here for hours, waiting for Alex to wake up. I feel like such an idiot, even though considering the circumstances, it could have been a lot worse. I have no idea what I'm doing here. Any sane person would have ran away by now, or finished the job, but I just couldn't. I've always been the one my friends went to when they had a problem. I love helping people, even if it breaks me. I've never walked away from someone who needed my help and I don't plan to start now, at least not as long as I can help it. I want Alex to wake up just so I know he's okay but I'm also dreading his reaction. I mean did just try to kill him. No, not kill him, but hurt him. I may have just damaged any chance of a relationship with my messed up, psychotic brother. Then again, maybe it's for the best. Who knows?

I looked down at Alex, and nearly screamed when I met his dark eyes. He was awake and just staring up at me, no emotion on his face whatsoever. I didn't move, fearing his reaction. He didn't say a word as he rolled off of my lap and onto the ground. I tried to help him up but he brushed me off. He pushed himself up into a sitting position and sat with his back against the wall as far away from me as possible. I sat unmoving, not trusting him to not go off. Seconds passed, which turned into long, agonizing minutes as we sat in silence staring at each other. Finally, he took a deep breath and said "I guess I deserved that, huh?" with a smirk and I couldn't help but laugh.