Locks and Keys

Chapter 25

An incessant beeping echoed in my ears and I flailed my arms trying to stop it, whilst my eyes still closed.

"Ugh." I groaned, as I continued to thrash around like a mad woman, still searching for the origin of that bloody noise.

"Key, stop, you're going to hurt yourself." Came my twin's voice from somewhere to my left. I instantly stopped, obeying his orders and resting my arms at my side once more. Under my fingertips was the cottony fabric of the sheet that covered me. Behind my head was a fluffed up pillow that was so big, it propped my head up at an awkward angle, causing my neck to ache painfully. I groaned again and slowly let my eyes flicker open and adjust to the white light overhead. I turned my head to the left and my brother's figure blurred into view; he was leaning over the bed with a crinkled brow and worry overtaking any other emotion that could possibly be in his eyes.

"What's wrong with you? You look like someone stole your stamp collection." I sniggered, remembering his little hobby from when we were kids. He blushed slightly, before casting me an angered look.

"Key, you're in hospital."

"Yeah, and our mother is Michael McIntyre." I snorted.

"Look around, Key, you've been out for three hours. Mum and Dad aren't here yet, they're on their way, I called them when we were let into your room." He said, his hands twitching back and forth over one another, showing his distress.

"We?" I asked confused.

"Look to your right, Key." Lock instructed with a smirk. I did as he said and slowly turned my head, my neck flinching slightly as I did, because of the strain caused by the movement.

"Hey, Key, remember me?" A smooth voice asked. The boy sat there, with the same worried look in his eyes that my brother had, but he made an effort to hide it through his jokey tone and tight smile. Seeing him brought back the memories of what had happened just hours before.

"Oh, you, the person that told me that I was losing my mind." I deadpanned, which caused hurt to flash across his face.

"I didn't say that, I just told you the truth." He said, defensively.

"I'm messing with you," I chuckled, causing myself to wince from the pain that overpowered my whole body. "Ouch."

"Oh. Do you remember anything more, other than before moving back to the UK?"

"Nothing, although, I will still take you up on that date offer, you're too hot to turn down." I said with a wink and an eyebrow wiggle.

"You two are going on a date, even though you have no idea who he is?" Lock asked, looking amused when I turned to face him.

"If he was a girl, would you turn down that face?" I accused, pointing towards Ollie's face.

"If I was being honest, no, I wouldn't, but saying it makes it seem like I have a crush on you, Ollie, which I don't. We're strictly bros." Lock said, giving Ollie a fist bump.

I rolled my eyes and shut my eyes, because they had began burning from the strain of keeping them open. I could feel the pull of my exhaustion pulling me down, and I was eager to welcome it with open arms. It had felt like I ad only just closed my eyes when my parents burst into the room and scurried to my bedside. My mother had tears in her eyes and my father looked as if he was barely holding it together.

"Oh, Key, we've been so worried. And you, young man, should have told us all about this when you found out!" My mother's voice quivered, but she still managed to hit Lock over the head.

"I wasn't allowed to tell you, mother, I made Key a pinky promise!" Lock whined, which I nodded at in agreement.

"I didn't want y'all involved, I thought I could sort it out alone."

"Well, you couldn't. I want to know the names of the people responsible immediately." Dad snapped, but his glare softened almost instantly. "Sorry, I don't like seeing you hurt, Key."

"It's okay, Dad, but I can't remember anything since the last few weeks of living in the States." I admitted, looking down at my hands in shame. I regretted my decision instantly when I looked up at my parents: Mum had tears streaming down her face and Dad looked like he was about to murder someone. Oops.

"You don't remember anything at all?" Mum asked, panic laced in her words.

"Nothing. I remember everything after I woke up in that warehouse, but before that I just pull a blank." 

"So you don't remember the last three months, at all?" Dad questioned, his worry growing more and more prominent.

"Nothing." I sighed, repeating myself was getting annoying and I was already tired. "Now, would y'all mind, I'm just gonna pass out, please keep it down."

"Sure thing, Honey, you get some rest." Mum said, looking sympathetic. It wasn't that I didn't love my mother, because I did, but I just wanted to slap that look off her face. I was not a sick puppy in need of some love and attention. In need of sleep and food, maybe.

"To be honest, I didn't need your permission, because I was going to pass out anyway." I muttered, before turning onto my side and closing my eyes. I heard both Lock and Ollie chuckle, which was to be expected; I was hilarious. I could practically hear my parents rolling their eyes, as I fell back into the anesthetic induced sleep.