The Deal Breaker (Book II)

Chapter Three - Lie to Me

                                                               Chapter Three

                                                                   Lie to Me

I’ve been going through test after test and scan after scan, all coming out with wonderful results. Everything that can go right has, and I’ve been told I am incredibly lucky to be making such incredibly progress. On the other hand, I haven’t been able to stand or walk. It’s not because I’m incapable of walking, but I not allowed. It’s frustrating to have to stay in bed for days and not be able to stretch my sore limbs or pee without a pan or tube. It’s also highly embarrassing, especially when David has to leave the room for me to use the bathroom.

 My sleeping schedule has been sporadic. I’d go to sleep at noon one day and wake up at two in the morning or even one in the afternoon the next day. It drives me insane because I’ve been desperate to speak to Matthew about the accident. I have to get my story straight before I can tell David any details. But Matthew hasn’t been here since I first started coming to over a week ago. I’ve had people visit me though, such as Roger, Matthew’s driver, and Rocco, a vampire who works as a guard for Matthew. They just pop their heads in and mutter a few things about them being down the hall before disappearing again. But my most astonishing visitor was Shana, the witch who works for Matthew but should be modeling instead.

She came in just as I was waking up one night, trying to enter as silently as she could. David had gone home, after I forced him to because he looked uncomfortable in the chair, and I was alone in bed. It’s difficult to sleep when alone. So when I saw a tall, skinny blonde quietly enter the room, I was rather startled.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t think you’d be awake,” she muttered, her voice rough and gravely.

I simply stared at her, surprised by how hoarse her voice was.

“Is he here? David?”

My head shook from side to side as I took in her strange and crooked posture. She was slightly hunched over as if she had some serious back issue. Usually she stood up straight and walked gracefully across the room. But not now. She gripped onto the recliner with one hand and used a cane with the other just to get to my bed. Her eyes, usually a pale blue, were practically glassy and white. I saw no color in them, just whiteness.

“Is he here?” she repeated with a frustrated sigh.

“No. He went home,” I replied slowly. “Are you okay?”

She leaned against the handle of the dark wooden cane and propped herself against the foot of my bed. With a shaky hand, she brushed some dull and frizzy strands of hair from her face, revealing wrinkly skin and a few spots.

“Holy crap.” I couldn’t help it. It just spilled out when I saw the bags under her cat-like eyes and the wrinkles over her mouth and forehead. “What happened to you?”

She tossed her canvas bag next to my feet and began digging through it. “I’m exhausted.”

An unexpected burst of laughter erupted in my throat. “Oh, sorry. But exhaustion couldn’t have done that to you. I’ve stayed up for a straight five days once, and I didn’t get a single wrinkle. Are you okay?”

Her hand pulled out what seemed to be a bundle of twigs, which she sat on my legs. “It’s a different kind of exhaustion. I’ve just been running my magic too much, is all.”

I knew nothing about witches or spells. I definitely knew nothing about running too much magic. If this was the results of using magic, it’s a good thing I’m not a witch. Call me vain, but there’s no way I’d do magic if it made me old and wrinkly. “What’re you doing here?”