Arlington (Book One)

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Two

My head feels like it is going to split open, the burning within my eyes is intense and every nerve in my body is lit on fire. There is particularly strong cramping coming from my abdomen and both of my legs are broken; I try to open my eyes but find one unable to open. What the hell happened to me?

"Aviva, can you hear me?" A panicked voice asks from my side.

"Eh," is my response. I can't seem to get my tongue to move.

"Greyson she is waking up!" The voice screams and I cringe and immediately regret it. Lightning thunders through my body from the simple movement.

"Aviva?" A familiar voice asks.

"Mhmm?"

"I'm going to inject a pain killer now if that's okay," the voice says. I grunt in response and I feel something inside of my arm for a moment.

"It's going to take a few moments to work but you should start to feel better after that," the voice says.

Time is irrelevant at the moment because of the intense and agonizing pain I am in. Trying to fall back asleep I can't but slowly but surely the pain does start to lessen some. As the internal screaming dies down, I slowly try to open my one eye. Everything is blurry for a few moments, but I am horrified to what I see once everything comes into focus, I am completely covered in bandages and multiple casts

"Aviva, please stay calm, you can start healing yourself once you regain some of your strength," Lena says. She looks incredibly distraught and like she hasn't slept in days. She probably hasn't and I wish I could comfort her, but I can't move.

"Okay," I manage in a strangled voice.

Lena leaves the room to go prep me one of the energy shakes that Greyson developed for me. While she is gone, I start healing the tear in my eye, and by the time she returns the swelling and irritation is almost gone. I am thankful to be able to see out of both eyes again.

"Aviva Rose Arlington, I told you to wait to heal yourself!" Lena scolds me and I don't respond but rather start sipping on the gross drink she is holding for me. I finish it with ease and feel my stomach processing it.

Within half an hour I feel much stronger and start healing my broken bones and major injuries starting with my abdomen. I'm completely exhausted after that; the major cuts will have to wait until later. I rest in bed for a while and Lena just holds my hand before dozing off with her head in my lap. I stroke her hair absent-mindedly knowing she must have been horrified to find me buried under a tree and in the condition that I was. I am not even sure how I am still alive after that.

I doze in and out of for a while until Lena stirs and groans. She rubs her neck annoyed and I place my hand there and rub the muscles out. She lets out another groan of relief as I work the knots out.

"What the hell are you two doing in here?" Greyson asks walking in.

"She fell asleep in my lap and now she has a stiff neck," I say as Lena sits upright.

"How are you feeling Aviva?"

"Not as bad as when I first woke up. I think I healed all of my bones and sprains, plus my liver received a hell of a blow. Now I just need to get rid of these pesky cuts," I say looking at all of the bandages.

"Well please rest for a while, you can heal everything else once you are stronger," he says, and I nod.

"Are my dad and Genève okay?" I ask. They took quite a brunt of my mom's wrath.