Clarity ~ m.c.

•Chapter 36•

***Mrs. Irwin's POV***

It was starting to get late now, coming on to be 9:45 and Lauren still hasn't come over to pick up Emily and Andrew. I quickly picked up the phone and called the house, thinking she probably fell a asleep. The phone kept ringing and ringing, no answer. This was not like Lauren, she's very responsible and when ever it coming to her brother and sister she's willing to do anything.

I started to get a little worried. I started calling the house again and walked over to the window to see if there were any lights on in their house.

"Oh my god." I gasped as I saw some strange shadow walk across the front yard, climb in the car that was parked in the street and speed off, leaving the front door wide open.

"Mum what is it?" My daughter Lauren asked me.

"Lauren stay here with the kids." I said. "Lock the door, and don't let the kids out of your sight."

"Mum, what's wrong?" She asked extremely concerned.

"Lauren just do it." I raised my voice.

"Alright." She said as I rushed out the door running over to Sue's to investigate as fear welled up inside me of what had come to Lauren.

"Lauren!" I screamed running into the house; there was no answer. The house was a complete mess, furniture was scattered everywhere. I started to walk through the house, that's when I noticed spots of blood on the floor. Oh good god what happened, I thought to myself.

"Lauren!" I called for her again walking out of the hallway into the open room connecting the living room and kitchen. That's when I found her; lying on the cold, tiled floor, Lauren was curled up, beaten, bruised and bleeding. Her eyes were closed and I ran over to her pulling her into my lap.

"Lauren!" I cried slightly shaking her, fearing the worse. I called her name again, trying to get her to wake up, that's when she lightly moaned.

"Lauren what happened?" I asked her but her face was so swollen she couldn't talk, she only moaned more and what what sounded like crying possibly. She couldn't open her eyes, her nose and lips were bleeding and she barely looked conscious at all. I quickly pulled out my phone and called for an ambulance, telling them the house address and to come quickly.

"It's okay Lauren, help is coming." I tried reassuring her, hoping she would stay with me.

*****

***Lauren's POV***

I don't know how long I was out before Mrs. Irwin found me, but I do know that I honestly wished I didn't wake up. I could hear her talking on the phone asking for an ambulance and then calling my aunt and uncle. It wasn't long before I heard more people enter the house and paramedics rushed over to me and started checking for my vitals. But as they checked me, all I could do was moan in agonizing pain from the simplest touches and movements.

They lifted me up onto a gurney, and hooked up an oxygen mask to my face for good measure since it hurt to breathe, I was pretty sure I wasn't. Mrs. Irwin stood and walked next to me the whole time, holding my hand.

"You're aunt and uncle are on their way Lauren, just hold on okay." she would tell me, but I didn't want too. I wanted to find the closest hole, crawl in it and die. I felt dirty, cheated on and disgraced.

I kept going in and out of consciousness, finally as they rolled me out of the house, I could see that a small crowd was forming outside of my house which was all of our neighbors and cops. I could see Mrs. Hemming's was on the phone, but standing next to her was Emily and Andrew with Lauren and Harry Irwin and right then and there I wish they weren't there to see me like this.

"Lauren!" Emily cried running over to me with Andrew following her and Mrs. Hood quickly ran to them to stop them from getting in the way and to not to get a better look at me. They've been through so much and now seeing me like this couldn't be making anything better.

I wanted to cry but I don't think I have any more tears left. As I was pulled into the ambulance I could see all the people I have come to know stand there, watching my numb body being pulled into the ambulance. It felt like my head was going to explode and I couldn't keep consciousness any more as I passed out cold.