Lightning (Thunder Sequel)

Chapter 20

Ryan's POV:

"Have a nice day at school, dear," my aunt says as I walk out the door.

"Goodbye!" I call back, closing the door behind me. I'm not on my way to school though. I'm making another trip to the hospital to try to have another chat with Matthew Carson.

I hop into the car, tossing my bag into the passenger's seat. The bag lands with a clanking noise because of what's inside, Andrew's rocket boots. I don't exactly know why I'm bringing them along; perhaps to aid in searching for Kyleigh if they're needed, or maybe if I surrender them to Dr. Matthew Carson, he would be more convinced that I could be trusted. Or perhaps I have no reason to have them with me, either way, they're charged up and in my backpack instead of my school books. Kyleigh has been missing for six days now and I want to be prepared just in case I find out something today.

I arrive at the hospital in a matter of minutes, parking my car and remaining inside for a little while, not entirely sure what I'm going to do yet. Eventually I recognize a figure walking toward the entrance, Dr. Carson. I grab my backpack, sling it onto my back, and run out of my car toward the doctor.

"Matthew Carson, Matthew Carson!" I call to get his attention before he goes inside. He turns and sees me, a look of annoyance crossing his face.

"You again?" he says as I approach him. "Kid, I told you I've got nothing to say to you."

"I know what you said," I try to reason with him, "but can't you understand I'm worried about her? I just need to know she is okay wherever she is. I'm even willing to..."

"Stop!" the doctor cuts me off. "I don't want to hear it. I can't tell you anything to help your friend. Now stop harassing me and let me do my job." He continues walking toward the front door.

"But... please... I need your help!" I call after him. He completely ignores me, however, and enters the building.

Well, I have no more ideas.

I return to my car, unsure what to do now. I sit for a few minutes collecting my thoughts before I decide to drive away. I turn the key in the ignition and let my car start up again. I'm not in the mood to go to school; I'd be late if I showed up now anyway, so I'll probably just drive somewhere out of town to get away for the day.

I don't get very far though. I pull my car out of the parking lot and start to drive away, curving around the building as the street turns to the right.

And then I see her.

Followed by someone else I've never seen before.

I quickly stop my car on the side of the road and get out, running toward her.

"Kyleigh!!" I call out for her, but she keeps walking at the same pace, unfazed, as if she can't even hear me. I catch up to her, still trying to get her attention as I walk beside her. "Kyleigh? Ky, what is going on? Why are you ignoring me?" I grab her arm and spin her to face me, which finally makes her stop walking. "Kyleigh, please talk to me. Where have you been?"

She stares at me with a completely blank expression, as if she doesn't even recognize me. Her eyes have a strangely dull look to them. Suddenly her arms are on me, tackling me to the ground. I land with a hard thud as she pins me to the concrete. The wind is knocked out of me on the way down and as I make sense of the sudden attack, I notice Kyleigh's blank expression change to surprise and recognition. There is what I can only describe as a 'spark of life' in her eyes, like they don't have that dullness to them anymore.

"Ryan?! Get out of here, run!"

"What?" is all I'm able to say before her features just as suddenly return to their blank state. She stands back up and continues walking as if nothing happened. She follows the other girl who had continued walking this whole time.

Confused, I stand, brush myself off, and follow behind them from a distance, not really trying to stay hidden at all. My presence doesn't seem to phase them at all. They walk around the hospital to the back, hidden within an alley. I watch as the first girl taps on the brick wall and a secret passageway opens.

"What the..."

I run toward the newly discovered entrance and try to follow them inside, but it closes before I have the chance to make it. I press the palm of my hand on the bricks in an attempt to find a secret button or something, but I have no such luck.

Why would there be a secret entrance to a hospital?

And why would Kyleigh know about it?

And why was she acting the way she was?

I think I need to have one more chat with the doctor.

I return to my car, driving it back into the parking lot and parking it. I jump out of my car, throwing my backpack on, and hurrying into the hospital. I have no time to waste so I don't even bother asking the front desk for assistance. I walk inside as inconspicuously as possible, sneaking past the front desk when the receptionist isn't looking. I make it to a hallway and quickly move down it, just hoping I run into a not preoccupied Matthew Carson.

I race down hallway after hallway, passing rooms and a few doctors that give me strange glances. After several moments of coming up short, I finally find him, walking out of a room. "Matthew Carson!" I shout toward him. I visibly see him sigh when he notices me.

"Kid, don't make me charge you for harassment. I can't help you with your problem. Let me do my job."

"No, listen to me! I just saw Kyleigh, outside the hospital!" I explain quickly. He raises his eyebrows slightly in surprise at my statement. "Her and some other girl. They went through some secret door behind the building."

"You're seeing things, kid," he says.

"You're lying. You know something. I may be a kid in your eyes, but you have no idea how much growing up I've had to do in just the last few months. I know how to detect a lie, a secret. And you're hiding something. You know exactly what is going on here and I demand to know." Realizing that I must be right, I use this to my advantage. "I'm guessing what I saw with that hidden door is something you'd rather keep secret. Don't make me have to blackmail you."

The doctor looks me over, probably considering his response to my threat. "Look, Ryan, right? Whatever you think is going on here is way beyond what you need to be involved in." Before he has a chance to continue, his phone rings. He answers it. "Yes... Really...? They're doing what...? I'll be right down." Placing the phone back in his pocket, he addresses me once again. "Alright fine, if you come with me you'll learn what you want to know." Matthew walks back through the door I saw him walk out of before. I follow, accidentally hitting my backpack on the doorframe as I go, resulting in a loud clanking sound. The doctor looks back at me. "What do you have in that bag of yours, kid?"

I take the backpack off and unzip it, revealing the rocket boots to him. "These."

He studies the boots for a moment before nodding and turning toward the wall. I watch in amazement as the wall moves away, revealing a staircase leading downward. He begins walking down the stairs and looks back at me. "Well hurry up, the entrance doesn't stay open forever."