Worth It

Chapter 1: Days Gone By

My eyes peeled open slowly. I was dizzy, disoriented, and it took me a second to clear my vision and to realize where I was. "Hospital." I croaked out, blinking and rubbing my eyes. I looked around when my eyes finally focused.

None of the machines connected to me were working. No lights, no clock, no electricity. It was creepy. Unnervingly silent. And I knew it wasn't a good thing. I sat up in my bed and pulled the IV's out of my arms, looking around. IV's didn't scare me anymore, I was used to them. My wrists were bandaged in thick cloth and they itched like nobodies business. I picked up the clipboard next to my bed and read the notes.

Chloe Wilt

Patient has been in a coma for 1 month so far due to blood loss. Wrists have almost completely healed. Evac required in case of infection.

I put the clipboard back down and got out of bed, rubbing my throat. Where was everyone? Why was the electricity out? Why the hell did I require an Evac? And an evac from what? There was no sign anyone had been in my room for awhile. When I pressed my finger to the seat, dust stuck to the skin.

I straightened out too fast, causing myself to stumble a bit before gaining my balance. I was so confused. I pressed my palm to my forehead and made my way to the bathroom. My body felt so weak. I swallowed hard and recoiled when I saw myself in the mirror. I looked almost dead. I was pale, with sunken in eyes and my blonde hair was long and knotted. 

This wasn't what I looked like before. I had to force myself to look away before turning and  taking a step toward the door but froze in my steps when I heard something crash.

"Nurse! Help!" A raspy voice calls out. I waited, but there was nothing else. No rushing nurses going to assist him, no alarms, nothing. Part of me wanted to investigate and part of me wanted to lock the door and use my sheets to escape out the window. 

I pulled the door open slightly and looked around. "Oh God." I whispered. There was blood and bullet holes, wires, and just scenes out of a horror movie. I gagged, covering my mouth. I hated the stench of blood.

The lights were flickering as I exited my room. I looked down the hall, trying to find where the sound was coming from. I heard water running in the room next to me, so I slowly made my way there but before I could push the bed away, the door opened and I jumped back.

"Ma'am. Do you know what happened here?" The man asks me. He looks worse than I do, and he's holding the side of his chest. "Ma'am?" He says again.

I shake my head, trying to close my widened eyes. "I just woke up." I tell him. "Me too."

I move the bed from in front of his door and watch him struggle for a moment before offering him my arm. We slowly walk down the hallway in silence. I watch him silently, trying to figure out whether he was actually injured or just waiting to kill me. I decided I'd kill him first.

When we reach the front desk, he tries the phone frantically. As expected, it doesn't work and he searches the desk for something; anything. And all we found were matches.

I was uncomfortable with the idea of talking to that man, I didn't know who he was, why he was here, or what caused his wound. I didn't know what was happening, where my family was. Even so, I was never very loud, preferred to stay quiet or not talk at all. 

"Whats your name?" I ask him, forcing myself to speak up. He looks down and smiles at me. Or what he thinks is a smile, and says, "I'm Officer Rick." His hair was messy, he had a long beard and his skin was pale. Some officer. "Chloe..." I mutter, still observing him with scrutinizing eyes.

He doesn't notice it though and just continues to walk towards one set of double doors, pausing at the window. He stared through it with a look of horror, and I followed his gaze.