Catherine

12. Take Me Home Where Beds Are Soft And I Can Sleep Right Next To You

Catherine was in a police car, her both hands covering her mouth as she was trying to contain herself. She has been crying for almost 2 hours since the incident. As shocked as she was, it took her some time to get help, then she managed to find one of the neighbors who then called the authorities after finding out about what happened. It turned into a big deal in just a few several minutes. Journalists came out, crawling from every corners of the streets as they rushed to this 9 years old girl, with her hands covered in blood, her skin turned pale, paralyzed from the shock, crying and sobbing, unable to talk as she walked alongside a police woman, willing to punch anyone who would dare to get closer to her.

Catherine was taken to the same hospital as her friend. She was fed with that awful and mediocre hospital food she hates so much, she had her clothes removed and changed, she got analyzed for any kind of injuries or concussions she might have got in the event, then she was put in a room with her belongings. Her parents were already aware of the situation, so they were already on their way.

Catherine is now in a room, in the company of a doctor. It's been almost 4 hours now, and she is still crying, refusing to stay alone. She is laying on the bed, on the doctor's lap, with a blanket on top of her. She has some cookies and a hot drink next to her bed, her eyes look swollen and exhausted, she wants to stop crying, but she can't, she is trying to control herself, but she is too scared of what she saw. The same image keeps running right before her eyes, her friend's screams are still echoing in her head, getting louder and louder, craving for her life as Catherine stands in the back, hidden, unable to do anything but watch and listen to this obnoxious sound of the knife on the hands of this dark entity standing in front of her friend's corpse. This dark entity who keeps cutting through her skin. Catherine keeps crying, she can't stop trembling. She has never felt so scared in her whole life.

" Honey... sweetheart... " said the doctor, holding her hand. Catherine looks at her in the eyes, her mouth is open as she tries to speak. Her whole body is trembling, her hands are shaking as hard as an earthquake, her voice trembles as she tries to let out a single word. She bursts out crying again as the doctor holds her in her arms. " It's okay. It's over, it's gone. " The doctor herself didn't know what else she could do, she was terrified just by listening to what happened, and there was nothing she could think of to make her feel better. There was no way around it.

" I-I w-w-want my dad! I-I-wa-want-my-mo-mama! I-wa-want-mys-sis-sister! " she says as she keeps crying. " I-I'ms- sorry! I don't-wanna-keep goin'! I wa-na stop! I'ms-scared I wa-I can'ts-stop! "

" It's okay, sweet-heart, you have nothing to apologize for. Your parents are on their way. I won't leave you. I'm here. It's okay, honey. Just let it all out." said the doctor as she held her in her arms. She was constantly looking at the TV, then back at her... she really didn't know what else she could do.

All of a sudden, she heard people from outside, then a knocking on the door as the doctor responded " Come in. ". While the door squeaked open, Catherine lifted up her head and she saw her parents standing at the entrance. Her mother had her eyes on tears, her sister, Ellen, was staring at her, still unaware of the situation. Her father was heavily breathing his lungs in and out as he stared at his daughter. " M...mom...Ellen... dad... " Catherine said as she was sobbing. Her sister and parents rushed to her as they involved her in a big hug.

" I-I'm s-sorry... I'm s-so s-sorry! " Catherine said, crying.

" Oh Catherine! Thank God you're okay! " her mother said as she looked at her daughter, checking for any bruises, Gordon stood up as the Doctor was looking at them.

She asked for a few minutes of their time. Given the situation, she was instructed to tell Catherine's parents that the police officer would like to have a meeting with them. " Since Catherine is still a child, the police officer would like to have your authorization to do a questioning. But she is not here at the moment... she is currently at the crime scene, to try to find out more about this young woman...but she has her subordinates waiting for you, outside. " the Doctor said as she was holding onto a few papers on her hands, handing them to Gordon. Catherine's parents asked the Doctor if everything was okay, and she nodded by saying that she hadn't suffered from any injuries in the event, but told them that they might consider giving her a few days of good care, so that she can rest and recover from the trauma, even though this is something she might never be able to recover from. The Doctor herself admitted that she could not believe her eyes when she and her colleagues were informed of such occurrence, to then a few minutes later, having to run to an emergency room to try and save the young woman involved.

Gordon could see right trough her, the hospital outside this room was still in full alert over the person who was still in the surgery room, depending on the hands of these people. The Doctor was rubbing her hands on the sides of her face, trying to hide her nervous state of mind, softly massaging her forehead with the tip of her fingers. She admitted that it was her first time ever in this situation, and at some point, she didn't know what to do. They've been switching places with other specialists so they could take the time to rest, and then go back at it later. She was so scared of all of it, she herself didn't want to leave Catherine's side, not even for one second.

" I can't thank you enough for taking care of our daughter. " Carine said at some point as she looked at her. Catherine was holding tight to her mother, trying to stop her sobbing. " I really can't... whoever this person is... I-I don't know why - what happened... but I hope you can save her. She doesn't deserve to die, not this way... even after what she did... but I really hope, all of you... I hope you succeed. There is no way I can thank you enough for what you're doing. " Carine said with her voice trembling as she spoke.

" Yes ma'am. " the Doctor said as she nodded, shedding out a tear, then quickly cleaning it off her face as the family left the room.

Later that night

Catherine was on her parent's bed, laying on her mother's lap... her sister was by her side as well. She had stopped crying, but was still sobbing. Her eyelids were still swollen from her crying, she was exhausted but couldn't sleep, she was hungry but couldn't eat. She had thrown up so much over the night, she almost passed out. She could still smell the blood from the clothes she was wearing earlier, she still felt these huge butterflies in her stomach, they were so aggressively restless, she couldn't even eat because she would trow up right away. Her mother kept caressing her head as Ellie held her sister's hand, still uncontrollably shaking.

" Oh my God... " Carine would whisper to herself every once in awhile. She had never seen anything like this. She had never felt this scared before. For the first time, she felt incapable of doing anything, she couldn't handle watching her daughter's suffering right now. She kept telling her " It's okay, sweet-heart. It's over now...I'm here, Catherine. ", but this time it wasn't working. It won't work, because this is clearly not one of those situation where Catherine would cry over a spider, or over losing her favorite toys. This was something way off her expectations as a mother... this was not something her daughter would easily recover from... THIS IS NOT SOMETHING HER DAUGHTER SHOULD'VE GONE THROUGH!!!... No one can get back from this. Her daughter can't undo what she has done today. And now it is a reality they will face for the rest of their lives. She kept looking at Catherine, then back at the snacks she had on her bedside table. She wanted to tell her to eat, but it would only make things worst, she would trow up and come back at crying again. Catherine's body was still trembling so much, her own hands would sometimes start shaking too. Her husband was downstairs at the door, talking to the police officer who had contacted them 40 minutes after they got home. Carine was feeling weak. She started thinking that maybe she was failing, just like her mother said she would. Failing as a mother. She wanted to cry, but not in front of her daughters. She can't show any weakness towards them at a time like this. Her mother's words were starting to get in her head...she started taking them as the truth.

" Carine... " she heard her husband's voice from downstairs. She snapped out of her thoughts, then looked down at her daughters. Catherine was asleep! Just, Ellie was still awake, caressing her sister's hand... she then looked up at her mother.

" Mom, I think daddy's calling you... " she said, softly. Carine slowly stood up as she carefully held Catherine's head, then laid her head on the pillow. Ellie remained next to her sister as Carine left the room, and went downstairs.

She saw her husband standing next to the door, next to the police officer. He turned to her as she opened her arms walking towards him, and burst into tears.