The Witch's Doll ⚢

Chapter 20

A/N

Totally random thought, but I just realized. When I was 16, I was writing about characters in their 20s and now that I'm in my 20s, I'm writing characters in their teenage years. Wow, weird. Thank you for reading!

"How's her vital statistics?" Isla wasted no seconds to ask the nurse in shift upon entering Abigail's hospital room guarded by a few constables at the door.

"She's stabilized, Lady Cecil," the nurse replied. "Blood pressure and heart rate are monitored closely."

Isla felt her worries eased, "Any injuries?"

"Internal bleeding from a mild liver laceration, Miss," the nurse smiled as she glanced at the future head, the detective, and the patient. "Patient should remain in bed until the tests show bleeding has stopped. I will come back again to check on her."

A new and uplifting thought dawned on Isla. "Thank you." The nurse nodded before leaving.

They hovered over Abigail as she stirred awake. Isla quickly switched the lamp off, leaving just a dime of the yellowy one above the headboard. It took Abigail a while to collect her thoughts and realized where she was.

"Isla?" Abigail's eyes had no light in them, giving Isla an alarm for concern. She barely recognized Abigail's voice. It came so airily and weak.

"I'm right here," she said in a grievous tone. "Everything's okay. You are fine." Her reassuring voice contradicted with the painful look on her face.

Abigail tried to sit up, but Isla stopped her. Her purple eyes were not the same without their usual mischievous sparkle.

"You'd better rest some more."

"No, no, I must tell you, before I forget."

"Very well then," Isla said, sitting down next to her and grasping the shorter girl's hand. "Abigail, have you any recollections about what occurred?"

Forehead creasing, Abigail looked around in confusion. The Detective Inspector leaned by the door of the room, patiently listening. Abigail suddenly had no memory of coming to this place. "I... I don't remember. I know the memory was in here somewhere... I was about to tell you! It was like a record that had been scratched or the burned film that gave out images in a disoriented view."

Isla inhaled sharply. "You were drowning and you said someone pushed you."

"Yes, yes... someone did."

"Who was it, Abigail?"

Abigail's facial muscles tightened, she bowed her head in shame. "I don't remember."

"What about the silhouette? Was it a man or a woman?"

"I can't tell." Something just clicked together, as if her intelligent light bulb just switched on. "It was like someone one who blended well in shadows. I can't help but feel there's some hideous truth lurking in a dark corner of my mind. I remember Henri. He was carrying me, trying to get me away from danger. He managed so far... until his knees gave in and then dropped me to the ground."

Isla grasped the girl's cold and shaking hands, "Anything else, Abigail?"

The girl searched Isla's face in panic. "I remember jumping."

"Jumping?"

"Yes, jumping!" Abigail gripped Isla's arm harder than ever. "However it was not of my own volition. It feels like I was possessed; like I was watching my body being controlled by someone else, a mere puppet on strings!"