When hidden from the light

Chapter 7

Josiah's point of view

I awoke in an unfamiliar room. Light shone through a window, I guessed it was around 10 o'clock which meant it was the next day. I was in a bed with white blankets and a very comfy pillow. I noticed my wound was bandaged. I was in a hospital, crap! I jumped out of the bed, my bare feet touching the cold floor. I looked down at what I was wearing, ugly hospital pyjamas. I slowly started walking towards the exit, but my wound wasn't healed yet and I stumbled. Not wanting to fall I grabbed onto the wall and accidentally pushed a button. There was a beeping sound, then it stopped. I headed back to the bed and sat down. A few minutes later a nurse came in.

"Hello there, you feeling a little better? That is a pretty bad wound you have." The nurse said.

I didn't reply. Someone was probably going to start asking my name and how I was hurt and I wasn't in the mood for questions, I just wanted to go home.

"Your name is Josiah, am I right?"

I looked up. How did she know my name?

The nurse seemed to understand my confusion and said.

"One of the girls that found you told us your name."

Just then the door opened and two girls walked in. One of them I recognized from the grocery store. Elana. That's how the nurse new my name. Elana's red hair was tied up in a ponytail and she was wearing a grey shirt with jean shorts. The girl beside her had straight brown hair and was wearing a green shirt, jean shorts and carried a leather bag. The nurse left the room. Elana hurried over with a look of worry.

"Are you ok? Feeling any better? What happened?" She asked.

"Elana, breathe." Her friend said.

"I'm fine, you can go home." I said.

Why did this girl even care?

"Go home? You need someone to take care of you. Where are your parents?" She asked.

I stiffened.

"I can take care of myself quite fine, thank you." I said coldly.

"Seeing how you got hurt this badly, you aren't taking care of yourself very well."

Why did she care?

"What do you want?" I asked.

"You could stay at my house, just until you're healed enough. We have an extra room, and apparently my dad already knows you?"

"No, definitely not."

It would be awkward, they'd probably all stare at my mask and I didn't even know this girl.

"Where else could you go then?" She asked.

I thought of my boss, then decided not. I wouldn't want to bother him. But they would be searching for me so I couldn't stay at the hospital, it would be too obvious. But I would endanger this girl by staying at her house. Not if they didn't know I was there. I would have to keep my head down.

I sighed.

"Fine, but don't tell anyone about me other then your family, no one can know I'm staying at your house."

She shrugged.

"Okay."

•••

With Elana's help I arrived at her house around lunchtime. It had taken some time to get to her vehicle because I kept stumbling but I ended up getting there. Elana's house was close the her family's store so I recognized the area. It was a busy part of the town but very beautiful. There were lots of trees around and little shops and I could smell fresh pastries from a bakery nearby.

Inside her house I could smell the scent of vanilla. The house was small but comforting. I could hear violin music playing as Elana led me to a room then she and her friend left to go get some clothes that I could wear and some food. I sat down on the bed facing the door and looked around. The walls of the room were painted brown and there was a desk facing the window to my right. On the desk there was a little lamp. A few minutes later Elana and her friend arrived with some clothes and food.

"Here, these are my fathers, I hope they won't be too big." She said, handing the clothes to me.

"Where is the bathroom?" I asked.

Elana gave me instructions and I headed to the bathroom and closed the door, locking it behind me. I took my shirt off delicately, trying not to make my wound hurt more then it already was. The shirt I was given was the colour grey and was a long sleeve. The shirt was too big, the sleeves long past my hands but it was warm so I decided it was okay. There were track pants in the bundle of clothes and they were only a little long. Also in the bundle were some socks which I was really happy about, my feet were cold. I took the pages my boss had given me and put them in the pocket of the track pants. Thank goodness they had a pocket.

After I finished changing I returned to the room and asked where I could put my old clothes. Elana looked at my shirt for a few seconds and told me it was best if I put them in the garbage. Finally, after I threw out my clothes I came back to the room and sat back on the bed. Thankfully the room wasn't far from the bathroom so I hadn't had to walk very far. Elana was looking at me with worried eyes.

"So, Who is this? Is she your friend?" I asked Elana.

"Oh, this is Maya, my best friend."

I turned to Maya and smiled.

"Hello, my name is Josiah, thank you for helping me."

Normally I wouldn't tell people my name. A name is a connection to your family and friends. A name gets you one step closer to finding someone and it is a name that can get you in bad situations, there isn't even a need for a last name. But this was different, Elana already knew my name and I already had people after me, how worse could it get?

"Cool name, I read something on the internet a few days ago, the person had the same name, something about a boy with red eyes? Is your name spelled the same way?" Maya said.

Hey there! I'm starting school tomorrow. What about you guys? What did you think of this chapter?