Escape

Chapter 17

"GO! MOVE! Coming through."

"Third-degree burns, probably ear damage and internal bleeding. Took a hard blow on the side. Concussion."

I heard the commotion around me, but my eyes refused to open. My whole body burned. I couldn't move. I couldn't stop the pain. I tried shutting it out but my ears kept ringing, pain seared throughout my body.

I felt my body getting lifted and placed on a soft surface. I tried to keep myself awake. To try and remember what was happening, but everything was hazy. Eventually, everything quietened out and I fell asleep after I heard a soft voice whispering my name, calming me down, promising me that everything was going to be fine.

******

I felt something cool touch my hand. I woke up, my vision, cloudy. A quiet beep noise tickling my one ear. I blinked to clear out the fogginess. Looking around, I saw tubes attached to my hand while my other arm was almost covered in bandages. Lifting my one hand I reached to my ear but to the contrast, I felt fabric wrapped around my left ear and bandages fastened to keep the dressing in place. I looked down at my body and slowly removed the covers, my legs were covered in bandages too. I sighed and placed my head back on the pillow. Removing the nasal cannula, I took a deep breath, when pain shot through my abdomen. I released my breath, my eyes watering up. Slowly lifting the hospital gown, a gasp left my body when my eyes met the fresh wounds under the cloth.

A tear slipped through my eyes and I tore my gaze away. My eyes looking out of the window but my brain still hovering over the sight of my abdomen which was now covered in scars. Not looking down, I pushed my gown back at its place. Covering my ugly scars. Concealing my ugly past and the danger looming over my head. Emotions lodged in my throat. I wanted to scream, but nothing came out of my mouth. It was all too painful.

That was when the door of the room opened revealing Brian, holding a cup of coffee. His hair dishevelled, bags under his eyes and his clothes crinkled. His eyes met mine, and a smile morphed on his face, quickly placing the coffee on the little table placed adjacent to the bed, he came up to me.

"Hi, how are you? When did you wake up?" He asked, his eyes scanning my face.

"I am fine," I said for the first time, my voice hoarse. "Woke up a few minutes ago," Replying, I looked down, avoiding his eyes.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I said my fingers tightly clutching the gown as if my life depended on it. If the cloth moved, it would reveal the hideous scars. The scars which now a part of me. The scars which showed the real me, the vulnerable me. The outcast, the ugly, the weak. The side no one wanted to look at. The side everyone would look at me with pity.

Brian eased down beside me being careful to not to hurt me.

"What happened?" I asked trying to clear out the tension.

"There were bombs planted inside, I--" Brian replied

"Yeah, Maria, mentioned that," I sighed. "Is everyone okay?" I asked.

"Yeah, we all were far away from the explosion."

"What about other people in the mall?" I asked.

He moved his gaze away. I understood. My heart sinks. The pain started to clutch my chest. Fueling my anger. The emotions burning inside me. The need for justice overpowering my every sense.

"We didn't kno---" Brian continued.

"What about Maria?" I asked.

"She escaped."