Witness

•CHAPTER 21•

I woke up in a cold sweat and for a second, completely forgot where I was. But the white walls and bed said it all; I was in a hospital.

There was a plastic mask on my face and I tore it off, sucking in fresh air.

I looked around and nearly jumped when I saw a man sleeping in a chair next to me. At first I thought he was George, but then I realized it was just Ricky. Oh how glad I was to see him.

I felt something restraining my arm and looked down to see a cast covering my fingers to my elbow. An it was in my other arm.

Ricky adjusted in his chair and groggily rubbed at his eyes. He must have gotten no sleep.

"Awake so soon?" I asked him, my voice hoarse.

Ricky froze in his hair and flung open his eyes. "You're awake!" He exclaimed.

"Yes, I have awaken from the dead." I flopped my head back into my pillow and the dream I had flooded back into my memory. Jeez it's like I'm being haunted like a ghost.

But what if ghost George was right about Ashley?

"How you feeling?" He asked.

"Like I was kidnapped."

Just then the nurse came in and I stared at her. I hated hospitals; laying there bored all the time. This nurse should just let me go so I can get more money at the casino and clear things up with Ashley. If they will ever be clear...

"You still have a bit of a fever, but it should be gone sometime around midday at the rate you're healing."

She wrote something down on a clipboard and added, "Some police are coming to talk to you in the morning." When she saw that I wasn't going to talk to her, she sighed and left the room.

"Kyle, are you okay?" Ricky asked out of the blue, intently staring at me.

"Why? I'm fine." I insisted.

"If I were you, I wouldn't be."

I hesitated before I spoke. "I'm guessing you've talked to my dad?" I looked at him and he slumped back in his chair, his arms folded across his chest.

"He's waiting outside." Ricky said. He got up from his chair and shuffled to the door, opening it and mumbling something I couldn't make out. Then, with one glance towards me, he left the room and in came my father.

Shoving his hands in his pockets he said, "How you doing?" While standing at the end of the bed.

"Why did you leave me to visit mom?" I sat up in my bed and folded my arms.

"I-She wanted to give me money for you. But when I heard you were gone, I came back as soon as I could."

That made no sense. "Why didn't you take me with you?"

He hesitated to speak.

"I don't care if you and mom are dating again!" I replied frustratingly, but deep down I didn't want them to date. They ruined my childhood-beat me when they were drunk! I didn't want that to happen again. "You almost killed me in the car. You probably don't remember because you were drunk."

He wiped his face. "I know I did. I was hitting a rough patch with work."

"That's not an excuse for almost killing me!"

He sat down where Ricky once was. I just stared at him.

"I know that you read cards and steal money. I know that often leads to beating people up."

"It doesn't matter anymore!" I got louder. "You were never there for me! What else was I supposed to do just to live?"

"If the police want you arrested, I'll testify for you. I'll say that you were trying to catch George. All the money is returned." Of course. He will just pay back whatever I owe.

"You weren't there when they found me." I mumbled.

"I'm sorry, okay?" He stood up and walked towards the door.

"Sorry isn't enough. I guess I never was since you ran off and abandoned me."

Slowly, he opened the door and disappeared down the hall.

I leaned back into my pillows and anger filled my veins. I held up my wrist and ripped my IV out, wincing as a drop of blood trickled down my arms.

Maybe I can escape-become a fugitive and run from the police. Yes, I would escape. After all, it is still nighttime. Ricky would fall asleep, then I would make my escape. Yes! I will take the nurses-

"What are you doing?" Ricky's voice startled me and I snapped out of my thoughts. I realized I was still holding my wrist and I quickly shoved it under my blankets so he couldn't see the blood.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

Ricky seemed like he was in deep thought and scratched his head, then his face flickered with realization. "Don't you dare." He demanded.

"I wasn't going to! I don't know what came over me!" He always seems to know what I was thinking. Like once at his party, I went to take his car to pick something up from my house, even though I didn't have my license. He came running out and yelling before I even hit the sidewalk!

"Kyle, what is up with you? Thinking to escape?"

"I don't know! George-I just- where is Ashley?" I blurted. I've been dying to ask and it has been killing me.

"Ashley?" Ricky sighed, sad that I changed the subject. "She is in a special organization- lucky to be in one. Some girls refused to be in one and just... disappeared. She is safe; it's an organization for girls like her."

"I wanna talk to her before the cops take me."

He seemed to be thinking about it, but finally agreed.

To be honest, I have no idea why I pulled my IV out. I guess I was more messed up than I thought.

But my main worry was the future. What would become of me? What about Ashley?

I was doomed.