Watcher in the Darkness, Book 3: Imprisoned

Chapter 37, Part 2

A woman in isolation gear dragged us toward the room behind the nurses desk. She shoved us inside then closed the door. The tiny lounge contained a counter, a coffee pot, a microwave and a mini-fridge. Not tall, but imposing as hell, the woman blocked the only way out.

"I don't know who you are." I recognized the woman's voice at once, and it made Karen take a sharp breath. "I don't know what you two think you're doing here. I don't care. This is a quarantine zone. We don't allow visitors, and we definitely don't have time for the media or thrill seekers. You don't belong here, and just so you know, I'm going to tell the CDC. So, congratulations, idiots. If you don't get sick and die, you're going to jail."

Karen's mother yanked the mask off Karen's face, but her anger vanished when she saw her daughter. "Karen?" her mother said, leaning hard against the counter for support. Before Karen could say a word, her mother snatched her into a tight hug. "Oh, my god, Karen. Where have you been?"

I don't know how Karen still had tears left, but her eyes began to shine. She wrapped her arms around her mom then buried her face in her shoulder.

Karen's mother held her at arm's length. "Remind me to kill you later. And not that I'm not thrilled to see you, but what in the hell are you doing here? Do you have any idea how dangerous this is? I know you had to have noticed the armed guards. Not to mention the giant signs all over the place that said 'hospital employees only,' right?"

Karen offered her mother a weak shrug.

"Are you trying to get sick like the rest of these people? We still don't know how this thing is spreading, Karen."

Karen almost rolled her eyes. "I know how it spreads, Mom. Trust me, I'm fine." Before her mother could question her, Karen said, "Mom, is it true? Is Trevor here?"

Karen's mother opened then closed her mouth. Her face pinched with sorrow as she looked away.

Karen's voice tightened. "Is he still alive?"

Karen's mother put her hands on Karen's shoulders. "He's not dead, but he's in critical condition. His family paid to have him moved to one of the private rooms on five. They're flying in a specialist that deals in this sort of lymphatic infection, but they don't think he's going to make it in time."

Karen blinked and her eyes spilled over. "How long?"

Karen's mother's tone was gentle. "The doctors think that he'll probably pass some time tonight."

Karen took a deep, shuddering breath. "Look, I know he probably doesn't want to see me, but—"

Karen's mother frowned. "Why wouldn't he want to see you?"

Karen blinked in shared confusion "Because...we broke up. Didn't we?"

"When?" Karen's mother said, then her eyes brightened with understanding. "Oh, I guess that's the reason What's-her-face took off a couple days ago."

"What?" Karen was shocked and annoyed. "She—I mean, I took off a couple days ago? Did you call the police?"

Karen's mother looked as though she didn't want to answer. "No," she said at last. "I was afraid they'd bring her back."

Karen reeled. "Wow. Really? You haven't seen me in two days, and you didn't tell anyone because you were afraid I would come back. Well, don't worry. You'll never have to see me again."

Karen's mother held out her arm when Karen began to step past her. "It's not like that. I don't know who, or what, that girl was that I brought home from the hospital. All I know is that it wasn't my daughter. She looked like you. She sounded like you, but she was a stranger. Things that she should've known, about you, about us, she just didn't. The doctor told me the sepsis might have given you brain damage, but I knew she was an imposter. I thought I was going crazy, but here you are."