The Next Death

Chapter 2

Mom and Marc are ushered out of the room and a doctor and two nurses take command of the room, checking my vitals and automatic responses. They don't let me get off the bed though. 

Apparently Dan and I got very lucky. Well, Dan got luckier than me. Dan's quick reaction had allowed us to miss a tree that probably would have killed us both, but the car still flipped and landed in a ditch. Our seat belts had kept us in our seats though, so it wasn't as bad as it could have been. We were both scratched up and bruised, but I had gotten hit by something pretty hard during the accident as I had wound up in a comma for a solid week and still had a concussion. I had also somehow wound up with a sprained ankle. Other than that, we were fine.

They would be releasing Dan that night, but I would get to stay for a few days longer so they could monitor me, making sure I was on the mend, and in case I reverted, or worse.

Emma and Riley visit when they can to chat and play games. Felicity brings me contraband food items that according to the doctors, I shouldn't be having yet. Mom, Dan, and Marc visit everyday. 

Before I know it, I'm out and life has more or less returned to normal. The odd dream I had in my comma comes to my mind every now and then, but after three weeks out the hospital, I had almost completely forgotten about it.

I sat in the living room stretching my newly released ankle. Charcoal watches me from across the room. I smile at her. "Dog, you have no idea how good this feels." She whines in response. "Oh shush."

Mom walks in from tending her garden. "Keep doing that and you'll wind back up in the boot."

I flex my ankle. "I'll risk it."

Mom chuckles. "How's the catch-up coming?"

I groan. "I was in a comma for a week, in the hospital on watch for a week, and on mandatory home bed rest for another week. Three weeks. I was gone for three weeks. Two of which I could do some work. Between the make-up and new material, I'm not sure which is gonna kill me first."

"Well, you are taking what, three unneeded classes?" mom asks, raising an eyebrow. "No on would blame you if you decided to drop them. You'd still be my little academic over achiever."

"Thanks mom," I say, rolling my eyes.

Mom walks over and kisses my head. "Don't stress too much. You need to focus on getting better."

"Mom! I am better," I tell her.

"I'd bet you only got about half the sleep you should have on you're two weeks of mandatory rest. You might feel immortal, but you aren't. You'd do well to remember that young lady."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah."

"I love you, Elizabeth."

"Love you too, mom."

She gives my arm a gentle squeeze then walks out of the room.

I spend the next few hours working on homework before heading off to bed.

The next morning, I'm running ahead of time, so I decide to get some more work done before heading off to school. Sitting down at my desk, I open my laptop. A business card sits onto of the key board. 

Picking it up I examine it. The front of the card is cream colored. An old grandfather clock almost as tall as the card stands on the left side of  the card. The name "Father Time's Antique Shoppe" is written in a scrawling calligraphy style font. There's address and partial map is on the back of the card. The store appears to be only a couple blocks from school, on Old Merchants Lane. I don't remember getting the card, so I toss it in my garbage can.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - -

I walked down the hall with Emma and Riley to our lockers. 

"Hey Ri, you have Mr. Faulton for English, right?" Emma asks.

"Yeah, why?" Riley asks, spinning the lock  to her locker.

"Did he go over what he actually wanted in the essay with you guys? My class couldn't stay focused."

I laugh. "I told you, English is one of those classes you want first thing in the morning. Everyone's more chill then," I say pulling my locker open.

As Riley laughs, a business card floats out of my locker to the floor. I stoop down to pick it up. 

I start when I see the card. "Father Time's Antique Shoppe." Just like the one from this morning. What?

"What's that for?" Emma asks, leaning closer to me to read the card. ""Father Time's Antique Shoppe,"" she reads. "Odd. I've never heard of it, and you know how much my mom loves antique shopping."

"I found one of these in my room this morning," I say. "I must have picked them up some where, but I don't remember it."

"Maybe its a sign," Riley says mischievously, closing her locker and raising an eyebrow.

You'll know how to find me, echoes through my mind. I give a half chuckle as I crumple the card. "Totally Ri, that makes total sense."

"Just a thought."

I take the lead walking off, tossing the card in the first garbage can I pass. 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  - - - - 

After the brief math lesson, our teacher declares the rest of the day a work day, which is a good thing for me. I'll take any extra work time. 

Taking my math book out, I flip to the page with the oldest assignment I'm currently working on. Another "Father Time's Antique Shoppe" card sits on the middle of my homework. My mind goes blank as I stare at it in surprise.

A poke on my left arm makes me jump. I look over at Emma. 

"Girl, staring at a math problem won't make it go away," she states empathetically. 

I pick up the card and flash it to her. "Either I'm going crazy, or someone is seriously messing with me. Either way, my brain isn't well enough to deal with it. Not with my homework load."

"Maybe you picked them up before the accident?"

"Maybe, but I've only opened my math book, how many times since then now?"

"If I figure out who it is, I'll make sure it hurts."

"Thanks Em," I say, dropping the card to my desk.

"Always El," she says earnestly, before returning to her work.

I'm going to grab the card to shove it into my bag, as I just wanted to get to work, when I noticed the writing on the back of the card. There's a short note that reads:

 Miss Kissinger, 

The time has come for you to make good on your half of the deal. 

-Mr. Mors

Mr. Mors. That was the name of the man in my coma dream. I glance over at Emma. She's still completely absorbed in her work. I shove the card in my pocket before I turn to my work. 

Unfortunately, my mind can't focus on my work. It keeps going back to my comma dream. I had completely convinced myself it was a dream, but now. . . . 

Buy the time the bell rings, I've decided to drop by Father Time's Antique Shoppe after school. That would once and for all clear any doubt I had about my comma dream being anything more than a dream.