The Shedding Skin

Chapter Thirteen

Her jaw dropped when she heard this. It took her a moment to fully process what her Mother had told her. And she asked,"Stephanie's what, Mom?"

"Stephanie's awake, Tish.",her mom repeated. Her voice sounded irritated as she continued,"I'm coming to get you, please be waiting outside."

Then she hung up. Morticia put her phone back in her back pocket. Then she started picking up her stuff as she asked,"Do you guys wanna come with me and see Steph?"

"Of course I do.",Raven said. Putting her phone into her purse,she looked at Rebecca. Who was staring at both of them. She shrugged a little as she asked,"Only if it's okay with you two and Morticia's Mom?"

"She'll be fine with it. Grab your bag and let's go.",Morticia told her. Hurrying outside, she looked for her Mom's car. Stephanie being awake was one thing she'd been hoping for since she entered the hospital. It was strange how she had stayed unconscious for so long. And she worried what had happened to hurt her heart like that. She toyed with her backpack straps as she waited for her Mom. Raven came up next to her with Rebecca following close behind. In a gentle voice, she said,"It's going to be fine. Your sister's through the worst of it and she'll probably be coming home tonight."

"Maybe coming home tonight.",she said in a soft tone. The poor woman had been asleep for longer than anticipated. Her doctor might make her stay longer for 'tests' just to be sure that she was healthy. Morticia reminded,"She was asleep for longer than they anticipated she would be. They might keep her overnight for observations."

Raven nodded in agreement at this. It would be the logical step for the hospital to do.  And probably the smartest one. But she figured that it wouldn't be as assuring as that. While they waited, Morticia told Rebecca about Stephanie. Rebecca looked a bit confused at the end of the story. She asked,"So no one knows why something that important in your sister's chest just tore like it did?"

"They ran some tests but I haven't heard the results of them.",Morticia answered. She figured that her Mother and Father hadn't been told yet. Otherwise she would know. As she watched for her Mother's car, she said,"I think it might be just something to do with blood pressure and a ton of stress. Stephie has a pretty high-stress job."

"That sucks. At least the doctors fixed the tear.",Rebecca said. Nodding, she gave a small sigh as she saw her Mom come up. Her Mother's face was a mix of emotions and she seemed very anxious to get to the Hospital. They hurriedly piled into the car and Peggy drove off just as Rebecca shut the door. Not even acknowledging her daughter or her friends until they got to the parking lot. She told Morticia that Stephanie had woken up sometime that morning. That she'd been somewhat coherent as she told the nurses about a doll. Some sort of pale little girl doll that looked like a knock off Snow White. And that's all she apparently talked about the entire morning before the call. Morticia glanced over at the other girls as they walked in. It sounded like Stephanie had a run in with the 'little girl' before they did. But she was something else entirely for her. Before she could ask anymore questions, her Mother piled them into the elevator. Not getting into it, she said,"I'm going to get Stephanie something to eat from McDonald's. You girls keep her company until I get back."

"Okay, Mom.",Morticia agreed. It would make asking about the doll so much easier. She pressed the button for her sister's floor. Then waved at her Mom before the doors closed. As the elevator got to the right floor, she said,"That was the most weirdly convenient thing that's ever happened to me."

The other girls nodded their heads in agreement but said nothing. They didn't want to jinx what little luck they just gotten. 

When the elevator reached the right floor, Morticia hurried to the right room. Her hands gripping her backpack straps tight as she sped down the hall. It was hard to not just immediately break into a sprint but she managed. As soon as she got to Stephanie's room, she sighed with relief. Stephanie was sitting upright in the hospital bed and fussing with her TV remote. A frown on her face as she muttered,"Freakin' stupid piece of junk..."

Dumping her backpack by the door, she hurried over to her side. Then she said,"Hey Sleeping Beauty, you're finally up."

Stephanie turned to her as she smacked the remote a few times. A grin grew on her face as she said,"Hey, Tish...I was wondering when you'd get here. I can't tell you how much the TV around here stinks."

"Yeah I kinda could guess from your fight with the remote.",she said. Her sister's grin turned sheepish as she set it down. Morticia felt relieved that she was awake and talking like she normally did. It made her feel a lot less worried. When Raven and Rebecca came in, she asked,"So Mom said you've been talking about a doll? That was a knock off of Snow White or something?"

Stephanie's face immediately turned pale as she picked up the remote. Her expression turned to fear as she muttered,"I did huh...oh...I guess it was the drugs talking or something."

"Steph...did you see a little girl that was very pale and looked like she was poisoned?",Morticia asked in a gentle voice. Her sister stared at her for a few seconds before she nodded. Glancing at the door, she nodded her head yes. Then she said,"I found this doll at an abandoned house that a friend showed me. It was just laying there and I wanted to give it to you."

"I set it on my bed and I was planning on surprising you with it.",she told her. Morticia knelt down by her bed as she listened. And she asked,"So what happened next?"

"I turned my back on her to tell Mom something and then...",she trailed off. Stephanie gripped her chest lightly as she looked at her sister. Her mouth formed a thin line for a second before she continued,"Then she was a little girl with all this gross bile coming out of her mouth. I tried to leave the room but the door shut and locked. I tried to scream but I don't think Mom could hear me at all."

"It all happened so fast, she had her hand around my neck. Her hand phased through my chest and she grabbed my heart...she....I tried to fight but...",she trailed off again. Setting her hands in her lap, she took several deep breaths. Morticia rubbed her back as she looked at her friends. Raven asked,"What was the last thing you remember?"

"I remember hearing her giggle and that's it.",she said. Rebecca sat down in a chair near the door. She set her bags down as Stephanie continued,"I only vaguely remember waking up this morning...everything's been really blurry since then."

"The Hell did I miss while I was out?",she asked. Looking at her little sister and then at Raven. Morticia gave a sigh as she answered,"A lot. And you might not believe everything that I'm about to tell you."