Memory in a Bottle

Jace

Just watching Delilah getting an electric shock kills me. Luckily, I got to the switch before it killed her. Dexter and Joe were going at each other's throats. Dexter's gun was right next to me. I quickly picked it up and aimed it at Joe. I couldn't fire because Dexter was in the way. I silently curse as I see another opening. I breathed in and took it. Joe shouted as the bullet hit him. Dexter fell as Joe did. I ran over and shoot Joe again, and again till the magazine was empty. Dexter was clutching his arm as he walked towards me.

"Did I get you?" I ask alarmed.

"Yeah, it's just a graze though. Let's go find that room Delilah's in." I nod and he leads me in the hall. We walked down many hallways. Finally, we arrive to a hallway with many, many doors.

"How are we going to find her?" I ask feeling a little hopeless.

"Easily." He walked over to a room with the door wide open. I didn't see that one... I felt so stupid. I rushed ahead of Dexter and raced in the room. Sure, enough Delilah was there on the floor. I walk over to her and felt for a pulse. I felt relieved when I felt a pulse.

"Delilah?" I shake her but she doesn't stir. I take the stupid collar off her neck. "Dexter, how do we get the shock collar off her leg?"

"I-I don't know but she can't leave here with it on her. Look at the door frame." I did and saw a trigger that'll set off once the collar crosses the door frame. I curse silently. "If she crosses through it'll kill her since she's already got a large dose of shock to her body. Jace we can't move her out of here unless we get that thing off her." I move her leg and looked at the collar. There was some sort of hole in the collar. As if a key fits in the hole. It looks big enough to fit a pen. I look around for a pen or something small enough to fit in the hole.

"Do you have a pen or something small on you?" I ask Dexter and he nods grabbing a pen out of his inner pocket. I grab it and shove it in the hole. I heard a click and collar loosened around her leg. I slide it off and threw it. I picked Delilah up and cradled her. God, I missed her. I look over at Dexter who looked extremely pale. He was still clutching his arm where he told me that I grazed him. It doesn't look like I grazed him, it looks like I hit him. "Dexter? You okay?" I ask knowingly he's not okay.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm good, let's get outta here so we can get her to the hospital." He replied walking ahead of me. There's no way that his arm would cause him to be that pale. I can't tell if he has more injuries since his shirt is black. We make it outside and I see ma in a car. I breathe another sigh of relief that she's here. Dexter gets in the front seat as I lay Delilah down in the back. I close the door and got in on the other side. I picked her up and lay her head on my lap. I heard the engine roar to life as mom drove. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Dexter pull his shirt up and examined his stomach. I saw two slashes on his lower stomach. They were bleeding like a stuck pig. He sighed and put his shirt down. I wondered when he got those.

We arrive at the hospital and Ma rushed out of the car to get some help. There were two stretchers. Dexter got helped on while I put Delilah on another. Once the medics were done, they rushed in the hospital leaving me and ma outside. There was one more stretcher heading towards us. I was confused. I didn't need one nor did ma. Ma saw it and looked at me.

"Honey, I knew you think you don't need it, but I just want to make sure you are okay. With all those bruises and scratches on you.... I just wanted to make sure that nothing's broken." She says looking at my bruises. I forgot that Joe gave me a beat down. I sigh and got on the stretcher for ma. They wheeled me in the hospital and into the same room as Delilah. I watched them take care of her. They tended to her ankle and they are waking her up. I watch as the nurse fixes me up.