Where it all began ("Bend or Break" Book 1)

Chapter 9

My heart raced and I began to tremble, My chest tightened. One moment, I'd been fine and the next I couldn't breathe. I was choking and gasped for air. I felt like I was going to lose control. I was breaking down. It felt like the walls and the ceiling was going to collapse on me.

A nurse rushed into the room and kneeled beside me. For a few minutes, she calmly guided me to take slow, deep breaths. I slowly relaxed and my heartbeat studied. The nurse sat on the green armchair beside me for a while, telling me to take slow, deep breaths. She then left the room to attend to another patient.

A quarter of an hour past and still no sign of my brother. Then, the door swung open, and Chris rushed in. I throw myself in his arms and shut my eyes.

"I thought.. I thought the writer had h-hurt you, I was so scared" I sobbed

"Shh Shh, I'm right here Al, you're okay, we're okay" he comforted "Get in bed," he told me and pulled down the covers for me to climb in.

Once I lay in bed again and Chris sat beside me, he asked in a gentle tone as to not agitate me:

" Who's "the writer"?". Shit. I had let it slip out.

"the writer?"

"Al, don't play dumb, you said to me, "I thought the writer had hurt you". Who's the writer?"

I sighed "He sent us murder evidence, Charlotte's bloodied pendant and earrings and" I paused " Last night, I and Andrea snuck out to the woods to bury it, but the writer followed us there and caught us" I explained

"He hurt you?"

"No, No, I'm fine" "I'm not endangered, you are, all of you" I sobbed

"Shh Shh, Will be alright" he assured "We will"

"No, you won't, he'll kill to see how I'll react, to experiment on us" "He'll kill for the book"

"For the book?" he asked

"He's writing a book on me and Andrea. Not just writing it though," bringing it to life" as he puts it. But to bring it to life, he'll kill" I murmured "He killed Charlotte and he'll kill again"

"And if we tell the police, he'll kill you or mom or Marcus, or Luke" I breathed "How the hell am I supposed to stop it, all of it Chris?"

"I don't know Al, but we'll figure it out," he said "Just get some rest now"

"How am I supposed to sleep? How could I, knowing there's a murderer on the loose targeting the people I love?"

"Listen, I'll stay here in your room, I won't leave the hospital, I'll be safe here" he assured me "And mom and Marcus are in Puerto Rico and are more than safe there" "No one will harm us, got it?"

I nodded.

"And you get some rest" he whispered