Remembered

Chapter Six

Anthony (High School, 17 years old)

I woke up and saw an IV in my arm. What had happened? I didn't recall anything out of the ordinary happening over the past week. I remembered seeing that cheerleader after school. She was waiting for her mother to pick her up from practice. I did walk home. After that, everything became a little fuzzy. Where was my phone? Did the nurses take it? I needed to call Colin and see what happened.

I picked up the tv remote and flipped through the lousy channels. Nurses came in and out shocked that I was awake. I tried to figure out what they placed on my body. I knew there was the IV and I could feel something in my nose. I felt so weak. Was I dying? I had to be overreacting. Of course I wasn't dying. The pain was starting to become unbearable. I searched for a call button. After I found it, I hit and blacked out.

I had been exploring the dark forest trying to find something to hunt. So far I had no luck. I heard footsteps behind me. I turned around. I was face to face to with my worse enemy. He smiled coyly and raised his arm. Out of the corner of my eye I saw his sword. Then I felt a sharp pain explode along the top of my skull. The world grew darker as the ground rose to catch me.

A light forced me out of my rest. I heard a voice instructing me to follow it so I did. I heard something being written down. Once I was able to clearly focus I saw a familiar face. It was one of favorite doctors, Benjamin Hamilton.

"Ben." I croaked.

"Hey kid. How are you feeling?" He asked me.

"I'm okay I think. I remember passing out." I told him,

"That's good. Your medication wore off and the pain you were experiencing was too much for you. I have you on some pain killers." He said.

"What happened to me? How did I get in here?" I asked scared.

"From what I gathered from Colin and Lily was that Keith used you as a human punching bag. The EMTs said you had a concussion, several small cuts, major bruising, a black eye. After we examined you, we found you also have a few cracked ribs and a broken right hand." He explained.

"Good thing I am a leftie." I laughed and winced.

"Try not to laugh. Your ribs are still healing." He stated.

There was a knock on the door. Two elegantly dressed people walked in. I smiled. I was so happy to see them even if I wasn't supposed to be. What was with the formal wear? Oh right, tonight was the Lost in Wonderland homecoming dance.

"I'll leave you three alone. I imagine you have quite a bit of catching up to do." Ben walked out of the room.

"Should I be worried about why you brought her." I told the male while I started at the girl with the princess looking updo.

"She is my date for the dance." He sighed.

"What the hell Colin!" I yelled.

"Just friends man. Do you really think I would want to kiss her." Colin assured me.

"Thanks." The girl sighed.

"Why are you here cheerleader?" I asked.

"Because for some reason I am nice enough to tag along with a football player to see his goth guy friend in the hospital." She sneared.

"Oh my god would you two just admit how you feel about each other!" Colin screamed.

"I feel nothing for him." The girl growled.

"Then why were you only talking about him at school yesterday." Colin grinned.

"Let the record state, I do not like him." She frowned.

"Elaine. It's okay if you do. I do like you but I also know how your parents feel about me." I told her.

"You like me?" Her face lit up like a Christmas tree.

"Yeah. You are smart, beautiful, and kinda funny." I smiled.

"Glad we got that over with. How are you feeling man?" Colin pointed to the IV.

"Like I was used for a punching bag." I sighed.

"I knew it!" Ellie exclaimed.

"Knew what?" Colin and I said at the same time.

"That Keith was behind Anthony's disappearance from school." She explained.

"How bad are the rumors?" I huffed.

"Bad. They think you overdosed on a deadly drug." Ellie cried.

"Oh." I whispered.

A few moments later they hugged me and got ready for the dance. I was exhausted. I knew the nurses would be back in to do more tests later. I closed my eyes. Why were things this bad? Everything had been downhill since the fire that killed my parents and siblings. I was too young to remember it. My aunt or as I learned a friend of my mother's told me how much I looked like my father. She also would tell me how I was kind like my mother. She would ramble on about my brother and sister. I had no idea who they were. I only had pictures of them in my wallet. When my aunt died, I lost all of my family. The foster care owner told me I had godparents but they couldn't be located. For a couple years I was tossed around in the system. Until Keith adopted me. That would remain the biggest mystery to me. Why he chose me? I started crying. I could see my aunt covered in blood. I called out to her. I screamed at her to wake up. She never did. Later I learned she died upon impact. The accident haunted me almost every night.

8 years ago
I was seating in the back seat playing with my toy cars. My aunt was driving me to the bowling alley for an early birthday present. I would be nine years old soon. I was super excited because this year she was letting me have a birthday party and I could invite my best friend Colin over. The radio stations had just started playing Christmas music. I groaned. Halloween was only two weeks ago. I liked Christmas a little. It was also my birthday so it was okay. I asked her if we were almost there and she said we were. She laughed. Her laugh was so pretty. As we were singing along to jingle bells, I felt a huge thud against the car. My aunt screamed. The windows broke. The car spun around and glass flew into the car. I tried to cover my eyes. I felt small cuts along my arms. I cried. It stung badly. I called out to my aunt. She didn't answer. She was covered in blood. That made me cry harder. Someone walked over to us. He saw me and pulled out his phone. Soon sirens were blaring. I saw arms hooking under mine and pulling me out of the car. I yelped in pain. They put someone over my mouth. I closed my eyes wanting this nightmare to end. I opened my eyes. The car was banged up. It really happened. We got into a car accident! I saw someone pull a black sheet over my aunt. I heard them say she was dead. I closed my eyes again. Today was too bad to keep them open any longer.

Sunshine filled the hospital room. Tears flowed down my face. I dreamed about the accident. I missed my aunt so much. I could never forget that birthday. It was spent in the hospital. No one visited me. Mainly because I didn't have any family to see me. My injuries were so bad they thought I would die. Luckily I survived. When I was released I was taken to the foster home. Colin's mother couldn't afford to take care of me and didn't have enough room in her home. Now I knew she hated me and my parents. Exactly why she held onto that for so long was an unsolved puzzle.

Ben walked in. He took one glance at me and handed me a box of tissues. I took one and wiped my eyes. Only a few more months and I would be free from Keith. I would be graduating and then I could go off to college. I was accepted into my first choice school. I had a few scholarships lined up. I just had to live long enough to leave him for good.