The Forest

Chapter 17

    I can't see anything. The whole world is black. After the officer found me outside the building she, and two other officers, picked me up and brought me inside. All I remember is sitting down on the bench outside the main office with people surrounding me asking me questions. One of the officers, a tall male, had a phone in his hand stating there was "an emergency". I didn't answer them because the world was spinning and words were too hard to process. Suddenly I heard sirens and every thing else is a complete blurr...maybe it was best that way.

   Besides the fact that it was dark I could hear voices. The voices sounded familiar, but I couldn't make out who it was or where it was coming from. I tried opening my eyes, but I was scared at who I would see. Would Sam be there? Would he be waiting to take me to Jasper to get rid of me? Would he try to choke me to death like his black haired friend? I panicked and started to shake all over. I was gasping for air the image of his hands around my neck. The noises that I heard before were now screaming at me, "Matthew! Matthew it's okay, wake up! Someone help him!". I tried to shake the thoughts away, but they wouldn't leave. I pictured Sam with Japser, standing outside my window, waiting to attack me at any moment and end my life. The voices screamed again, "Matthew wake up!", and they shook me so  hard at the unexpected jolt I opened my eyes. It was my mother.

    "Oh my god! Matthew, you're awake!" she continues, "Tell me, what happened to you? No one is telling me a word. They claimed you hadn't explained what happned. You passed out from losing too much blood in your foot"

   I automatically know where I am. The hospital. I looked down to see my left foot wrapped up in bandages. I try to move it, and a spring of pain shoots through it. I let out a heavy sigh. I try to lift my head and it starts to pound.

    "Matthew? Are you listening? Can you hear me?" she asks urgently.

   "Yes...I can hear you" I tell her although the voice that comes out of my throat doesn't sound like mine. It sounds scratchy and horse.

    "What happened? Someone tried to hurt you? Whoever it was I'm going to find whoever they are and throw them in prison!" she yells.

    I thought about it for a second. I could never tell her what truly happened to me. She would never believe it. She'd tell me I was just being delusional. She'd tell me I was just thinking crazy, irrational thoughts. I had to make something up.

    "Matthew, you're driving me crazy. Just tell me what happened or I'm going to have a heart attack"

    I take a deep breath, "Okay..promise you won't get mad?"

    "Honey, just tell me what it is. I promise I won't get mad"

    "Okay...Well, I wanted to get some fresh air. You know..I had first day nervousness..I could barely find any of my classes, you can ask the principal..I was getting so over whelmed I had to go outside. I went out to take a breather and these guys came up to me. They were probably students..They kept bothering me. They said they didn't like new kids. They told me that I was freak. They..beat me up. I tried to fight them away, but they wouldn't stop. I got away running and one of them grabbed my foot and stabbed me. Another pushed me down and tried to choak me. I managed to fight back and dragged myself to the main entrance and banged on the door. The officer found me and after that...I can't remember anything else and they ran away" I tell her, hoping that she believed every word.

    "Matthew...I can't believe this. Do you remeber who they are or what they look like?" she pleads to me.

    "No..I don't. When I try to imagine it all exactly I can't make out their faces. It's a blurr. Plus, I wouldn't even know their names..they could've been anybody" I lie again.

    "Are you sure? The officers from the school told me a group of boys broke their security alarm on the back door of the building. They caught the kids on camera. Would you happen to know anything about that?" she asked me and it seemed almost like she thought I could've been one of them.

    "No. I didn't know anything about that...maybe they were the people that attacked me" I tell her again. So many lies.

    "See..that's the problem. They have no identification of the boys at all. In fact, they aren't even in their school's system of students. They can make out their faces slightly but..there's no real luck there"

    As I listened to my mother talk she sounded heart broken. Me however, I expected something like this to happen. My mother should not be worried about this. I don't think finding them is going to solve our problems. I have to survive. If they were to find me again, I may not have another door to bang on for help.

    "I'm very sorry. I don't know what to do." she says to me softly, tears coming out of her eyes.

    I wanted to consoul her, tell her everything is okay. I, just this once, didn't want to tell her another lie. I didn't know if everything was going to be okay. I didn't know anything.

    "You'll have to get crutches and this is being taken account by the police. The sheriff is here" she claims and I felt my heart stop.

    "Sheriff? He's here? Right now?" I ask trying not to sound panicked or afraid.

    "Yes. He's outside in the hall right now. He's going to ask you a few questions about today. Just tell him all that you told me and everything will be fine" she says with a smug look, "Hey, I'm sorry I can't be here for too long. I have to pick up Sammy soon. Sherrif is going to take you home, okay?"

    I wanted to shake her so hard. Why the hell would she let Sheriff take me home? She's insane. How could she leave me alone with him? God only knows what he's found out...or if he found out anything. This can not happen.

    "Can't Sammy try out for soccer another day? I dont want to be alone" I pleaded to her, but I knew it wouldn't work. Taking Sammy to a soccer practice was more important than staying with her son that just got attacked and sent to the hospital.

    "I'm sorry hunny. You'll be safer with Sheriff" she says, kisses me on the forehead and leaves.

    I wanted to get out of here before Sheriff came. I could hardly move though and pain still sat in my foot for what seemed like forever. I noticed a button for the nurse to come and pushed it about ten times. They needed to hurry.

    A few minutes later a women showed up. She was in a nurse's uniform and her name tag said
"Paula R.". She was looking down and didn't bother looking up from her clipboard. She had long black hair and a familiar frame.

    "Hey, I was wondering if I could possibly use the bathroom. I need to move my body around I feel so stiff" I lie to her so that maybe I could sneak away long enough for Sheriff to leave.

    The woman didn't answer me, "Hello?" I said to her wondering why she wasnt saying anything.

    She looked up from her clipboard and I was surprised. It was Suzanne.