The Thorns of Xena

Chapter 2

"Wake up Xena Celeste",   a nurse whispered in my ear. Where was I? Last night's tragic incident came rushing back full force and I tried to fight, kicking nothing but air.

"Calm down, your safe now. just relax" I felt a soft palm touch my forehead. It was a very petite woman with blonde flowing hair and gentle green eyes she looked to be in her thirties but maybe younger.

"How do you know my name?" I asked through cracked lips, my chest ached and my head pounded with nausea.

"Hush now your fine so be still, I'll tell you more once your physically and mentally ready".

What did she mean by mentally? I'm fine for just being hit by a car if anything, I felt a little better.

It's not like I lost my mind.

"How long have I been asleep?" I ask not so sure I wanted to hear the answer.

"About a week maybe" she gave a small grin.

Her words hit me in the head like a rock and I was certain shock cloaked my face like a mask.

"Now, you must stop talking and catch up on your rest we can't have you passing out all over again."

"But I just slept an entire week I think I'm good on rest" I said truthfully, I wasn't tired at all.

The nurse just smiled.

Wait, what's your name?"

"Elaine" she said with a smile showing bright white teeth.

"Well it was a pleasure meeting you" I said hoarsely as she exited the room with the large iron door slamming behind her. I looked to my sides to see a large lab surrounding me with computers, test tubes and some other things I couldn't recognize.

This did not look like an ordinary hospital, this was like an underground bunker with metal pipes connecting along the top of the ceiling and solid steel doors with a pin-pad and a finger print scanner. 

Why did they need this much security?

There were no windows and the only lighting in the room came from one florescent light placed conveniently over my hospital bed. I looked to the walls trying to find signs or pictures that would give any insight as to where I was but, there were none that I could see with such limited light.

I began to panic as I realized this was definitely not a hospital. Where was I? The last thing I could remember was lying in the road while the rain stung against my skin and those piercing blue eyes looked into mine. 

those eyes... 

The thought of them sent my stomach into a frenzy of somersaults but, the feeling quickly went away when I remembered the owner of those eyes was the reason I was in this mess to begin with.  

God if I ever saw him again I would definitely have some harsh words. 

I tried to hang my legs over the side of the bed but they would not move an inch. I guess my body was more damaged than I thought. To make sure I wasn't paralyzed I wiggled my toes and a sigh of relieve escaped my lips when I realized they could at least move. My fight-or-flight response kicked in and I knew I had to get out of here.

Boom!

The sound of a door slamming rattled my teeth. I looked in the direction of the noise to find that the nurse Elaine was briskly walking towards me. What really sent a chill down my spine though, was the look on her face. Her previous smile had vanished and what replaced it was a void of all emotion. 

"Whats wrong?" I asked 

She ignored me and continued to walked towards my UN-moving limbs.

"What are you doing!" I yelled more as a statement than a question. Elaine gripped my wrist tightly and began tying them with a strap to the frame of the bed. I tried to do something. Anything. Fighting was useless but, I screamed in anger to release this untapped sense of power coursing through me. She moved to my ankles making sure they were bound tight enough, all the while angry tears threatened to spill down my cheeks.

I knew no one was going to look for me, My parents died several years ago in a car accident and my brother was either missing or dead. I had no boyfriend and no close friends to search to the ends of the earth to save me.

 I might as well be dead too. 

Elaine seemed satisfied with her work and turned on her heels back in the direction of the door.

"I thought we were cool!" I screamed out at her before the door slammed again once more. 

I began to struggle underneath the tight straps that left me trapped in the bed and then an overwhelming urge came over me. I was being observed.