Scattered [A Mallory Winston Spin-Off]

[Chapter 5]

My eyes blink open suddenly, and I sense people surrounding me, but their faces are all blurry and fuzzy. A sharp pain shoots through the back of my skull, and I feel a hand placed roughly on the side of my face, and another shaking my shoulder.

How did I get here?

Where am I?

"Mallory?!? Mallory?!? Wake up, dammit; we can't lose you too!!!" The voice sounds muffled, like my ears are full of cotton, and I can barely hear him, but it's a familiar voice.

"Billie...?" I ask quietly, and I hear a loud sob, but it isn't from me.

"Mallory? It's Mike, can you hear me?" I nod my head slowly, ignoring the slight pain I feel shooting through the base of my skull.

He lets out a breath, and I close my eyes as my hearing is starting to return to normal. I hear voices talking loudly, most of them unrecognizable.

There's several unfamiliar voices talking to me, saying my name, but I ignore them, latching onto the only familiar person.

"Mike?" I say quietly, and blink my eyes open again, seeing him come slightly into focus, then blur again.

"Yeah, M?" He says in a quiet voice, and I notice for the first time he sounds choked up. My eyes flutter close again on their own, but I don't fight it.

"Where's Billie...?" I hear him make a low sound in his throat, and force my eyes open again, seeing tears dripping from his closed eyes.

"He's..." His voice breaks and he looks away from me. I suddenly feel scared and sit up with minimal struggle.

"He's gone, Mal..." He manages to say before he breaks into tears again. I feel numb all over.

No...

"Stop it, Mike, that's not funny..." I say in a strained tone. But it's not Mike who answers me. A doctor looks at me with pitiful eyes.

"I'm so sorry, sweetheart...he's telling the truth..."

Her words trigger my memory, and the events that happened in this room come flying back into my head.

I let out an ear-piercing scream, and try to stand up. Pain shoots through my head, and I stumble as I try and run, trying to get far away from here.

"Mallory, calm down!" Tré yells at me from somewhere in the room, but I don't really process his words. All I can hear is 'gone.'

He's gone...

He's gone...

Gone...

Gone...

He's gone...

Billie's gone...

Billie's gone...

Billie...

"Billie!" I hear myself scream out, and I start putting a hand through my hair, yanking on it as if the pain will fix what I know nothing can make better. My breathing accelerates quickly, and I feel like I'm not getting enough air.

Billie...

Gone...

I hear myself muttering hysterically and rocking back and forth, having a complete meltdown.

Tears continue to roll down my face, and I feel someone grabbing onto my shoulders. I flinch away, not wanting anyone to touch me. But I feel the hands stand me up anyways and pull me into a tight hug.