Chapter 28
Elijah
Iwokeup with a pounding headache, my face smashed up against the steering wheel, and a blood smeared air bag. I heard sirens off in the distance, but no other sounds. It was too quiet in thecar.
Slowly, I pushed myself so I was sitting, trying to figure out what had happened and where Iwas.
I could feel warm blood dripping down my arm where glass cut into my skin. A sweet-smelling odor from the engine reachedme.
I needed tomove.
Now.
Looking over to the passenger seat, I saw the door was open and Dawn was nowhere in sight. It had to have been opened from the outside as it was caved inward from the impact. The glass was completely shattered, sharp pieces sticking up where it used to be in theframe.
Surprisingly, the car had landed on its deflated tires after doing a full roll. My body felt sore from the impact already. Steam was rising out of the engine, and I forced myself to unbuckle and crawl out the open door. I could feel the small pieces of glass cutting into my palms andknees.
“Dawn!” I yelled. My head began to pound more, but I ignored it. I kept yelling forDawn.
I don’t know how long I screamed for her, but once my brain realized she wasn’t here, I collapsed, gasping for breath as the sirens grew louder, before voices and movement reached my senses. I couldn’t move as tears poured down my face, crouching there on the ground. I kneeled, hunched over, gasping for breath, still calling for my girl as loud as I could, my voice growing hoarse. I think I puked, as the sour smell reached mynose.
“I’ll get him; check the car.” I heard Kaleb’s voice as he pushed his way to me. “Elijah?” he said, drawing my attention tohim.
“She’s gone,” I cried out, looking at him. “I have to find her.” I went to stand, but my legs gave out. Kaleb caught me and helped me walk to the ambulance before he said anything. I couldn’t think of anything but finding mygirl.
“I’ll find her,” he said, helping me to lay back on the cot so the medics could strap me in. “I’ll meet you at the hospital,okay?”
Everything seemed to be fog covered and I didn’t know what to do. I had never panicked before. Not when Dawn was taken the first time. Not when I had lost my mentor to another. Not when I couldn’t get a case right atwork.
“Kaleb,” I managed to say, before I blacked out in panic, letting the darkness be a promise for hope, forcalm.
* * *
Beep.Beep.Beep.
Slowly, I came back to consciousness. I could feel each bruise, each cut and mark on my body. I could feel the IV in my right hand, pushing fluids into my sore body. My eyes refused to open. Now I had an idea of how Dawn must have felt when she first came tome.
It was purehell.
I knew I was in a hospital. It wasn’t often I ended up in one, so I knew it must be pretty bad. I remembered why I was here and grimaced at thethought.
Groaning, I forced my heavy eyes open, but shut them instantly. The light above me was too bright. Way too fuckingbright.
“Elijah?” I heard my mother whisper out softly, and a soft touch on my other hand. I squeezed, letting her know I wasawake.
“Oh, Elijah,” she cried out, laying her head over ourhands.
“Mom?” I blinked my eyes open, expecting the extremely bright light this time. I had to blink a few times to clear myvision.
“I was so worried about you,” she said, but it came out muffled. “You’ve been asleep forhours.”
“Where’s . . . Where’s . . .?” I managed to get out before the beeping of the heart monitor began to rise, showing mypanic.
“Shh. Lizzy’s with Kelly,” Momsaid.
“Dawn?” I breathed out in panic. I could see the black dots in my vision. “Where is she?” I could feel my heartbeat through my entire body, racing. Faster.Faster.
Thump. Thump.Thump.
