𝘿𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝘿𝙪𝙤 ; 𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙨 𝙎𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙗𝙮 [ BOOK 2 ]

ONE

CHAPTER ONE; A WORLD WITHOUT JOHN

An ominous boom startled Caroline out of her abysmal nightmare. Her cheeks were wet and her body was bathed in a cold sweat. The sheets were twisted around her limbs, probably because she was thrashing in her sleep. Her heart pounded against her chest. She trembled. The room was entirely dark. No light anywhere. The remnants of her nightmare still clung to her mind, haunting her.

Caroline had no trouble imagining assassins lurking in the murky darkness of the room. Another flash of lightning illuminated the room in blinding light. She let out a frightened cry and buried her face into her pillow, gasping for a trembled breath. She swallowed and once again turned to see the endless darkness of her room. She couldn't see anything.

Just then, a wave of nurses and doctors flooded the room, one switching on the light to her secluded room, causing her to yelp as the light blinded her eyes. In the chatter that surrounded her form on the bed, she swatted away prying hands that attempted to check her pulse amongst other things.

"Missus Shelby, can you hear me?"

Blinking slowly, she nodded numbly then peered to those around her. "What happened? Why am I in here?" With the sudden movement she made from both her hoarse throat and aching chest, she clutched over the painful area. "I-I-this pain!"

The doctor from before sighed sorrowfully. "Yes, yes. You will be sore for quite some time, sweetheart. You were shot, and although the attack was fatal, you are lucky to be alive."

She shuddered as she recalled the terror. Caroline wasn't sure whether or not it was a dream, because ordinary, she couldn't recall what invaded her mind during her slumber. This was more vivid, as though she had really passed away and stood before her family who mourned for her loss. Perhaps it was a nightmare. Despite many encounters with death, she didn't really want to die, especially not when she had many reasons to live.

Caroline's heart sunk in her chest. "What date is it?"

He chuckled in response, though his colleagues remained still. "You have woken from a coma and the date is your main concern?"

"I tell you what, mister Smith." She gritted her teeth after reading his name tag with force. "I will have you hung in a matter of moments if you do not comply with my wishes."

"I am aware of your title, missus Shelby-"

"Then you are aware that I am not joking."

Another doctor piped up, easing his hands between the two to diffuse hostility. "Caroline, I am afraid that you are not in a position to make any threats. You should take the time to rest-"

"I'll rest when I'm dead." She spat. "I have family to return to, so at once, I demand to be released."

"It's a cold winter's night, ma'am. We cannot let you leave in such harsh conditions."

She narrowed her eyes on the second doctor. "I didn't ask for a a weather report. In fact, I simply asked for the date, to which your colleague here found entertaining, and in return, I find his recent unemployment status to be all the more hilarious."

"I-I am not unemployed." The lead doctor raised a brow in confusion.

"You will be." She growled whilst clambering to her feet. "To hell with all of you. I will have this ward shut down at once due to your nonprofessional mannerisms."

Pain seared through her chest better than a branding iron, her mind conceding to the torment, unable to bring a thought to completion. Without meaning to, her body curled into something fetal mid-walk, something primeval and all the while the pain burned and radiated.