Beautiful Poison by Laura C. Reden

Author:Laura C. Reden
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Laura C. Reden

CHAPTER 14

I had a faint memory of reaching up into my hairline and getting scolded like a child near a hot stove. A peek in a hand-held mirror. And a scraggly, gaunt girl looking back at me. She had purple shadows under her gaunt eyes and a shaved section of her head. But I’d grown suspicious when seeing a reflection in the mirror. I didn’t know who she was, but I think they said it was me.

I slept a lot. I wasn’t sure how many days and nights had lapsed. It was probably a side effect of the medication. Something that dripped through my IV. I did some toe wiggling though, and I was proud of myself when I passed the test. I wasn’t so happy about leveling up to leg lifting. Lifting my legs was like lifting a spoon through nearly set Jell-O. My feet seemed to rise, but the flesh and muscle of my leg lay stubbornly on the bed.

Today was the best I’d felt yet. I still woke groggy, but it took less time to become alert. I recalled waking only once in the night. I longed for Walker to be by my side, but once I gained some consciousness and realized I was in the hospital, I just let the ache in my heart pull me back to sleep. It wasn’t the same sleep I’d been in all summer long. I didn’t return to an alternate existence when my mind drifted. It was quite the opposite, really. Nothing happened at all.

One of the first faces I woke to this morning was my little brother’s. Conrad came to visit, and I was excited to see him in his true form. The last memory I had of him was one I wished would soon be forgotten. The smile that spread across his face reminded me I’d done right by coming home. Now, I couldn’t imagine all the pain I would have brought to my family if I had stayed in Baylor. And it was difficult to forgive myself for having that as my plan for so very long.

“You are awake!” Con announced.

I smiled lazily and cleared my throat. “Hey there.” Con came crashing into me with a big hug, and suddenly words didn’t seem to matter anymore. There was nothing I could say that he hadn’t already said for both of us with this loving gesture. He trembled as he grabbed me tight. At thirteen years old, he was as tall as I was, but much stronger. “It’s okay. I’m okay.” I promised. My throat and mouth were properly hydrated, and speaking was easier now.

“I thought you were going to die!” he choked.

“Conrad!” Mom scolded.

“What?”

“It’s okay. I did too.” I admitted. Of course, I wouldn’t admit all of it. Nobody needed to know the extent of my nightmare.

“You did? Do you remember it?” Con asked, as he pulled back and sat with one leg stretched across my bed.

“Do I remember what?”

“Con. Please. She needs to rest,” Mom said.

“What?

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.