Dylan
WHEN I CAME to, I could feel my heartbeat in the side of my head, and it felt like I was moving. Something was wrapped snug around my neck. My head lifted for a moment, and straps came down on the side of my face, holding something in place. My breathing sounded funny. People spoke around me, but their words didn’t make sense. Someone sniffled.
Wondering what the hell was going on, Iopened my eyes. Bad idea. Overhead lights blinded me, increasing the pain to a nausea-inducing level. I swallowed back bile and squeezed my eyes shut.
“Just lay back and relax,” someone said... a male, calming voice. I didn’t recognize it.
Broken memories flooded my mind. Fear. A gun pressing into my ribs. The Safeway sign. An elderly couple in front of me at the pharmacy counter. I struggledto make sense of it all.
“Where am I?” I asked. My voice sounded muffled, as if I were talking through a tube. Squinting through the pain I tried to sit up, but straps kept me from moving.
“You fell and hit your head. We’re taking you to the hospital to get checked out. Just relax.”
I fell and hit my head?
My head throbbed, but I couldn’t move my hand to feel for damage. I was jostled forward,down an aisle, then through a doorway until the grey Portland sky was overhead. It hurt too much to keep squinting so I closed my eyes again, suddenly sleepy.
“We need you to stay awake,” the man said.
“I am awake. Just resting my eyes.”
He snickered. “All right. Keep talking to us then. What’s your name?”
It took me a moment to remember. “Dylan. Dylan James.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Dylan.I’m Tony. Liz is also here with me. We’re gonna get you to the hospital.”
A door shut, muffling the sounds of the city. A man had been trying to get me into his car. I suddenly remembered where I knew him from. Panicked, I tried to sit up again. Straps bit into my shoulders, forcing me still. My eyes sprang open again. I needed to talk to the cops. “Where are you taking me?”
It was darker.I blinked, letting my eyes adjust enough to make out an IV bag.
“The hospital,” Tony repeated.
Something pinched my arm.
The next time I opened my eyes, I was in a room. Machines beeped around me. Someone was squeezing my hand. I looked up to see Addison standing guard, concern etched into her face.
