Page 135 of With Us

“What’s wrong?” Ben said before Luc shushed him.

“Find a thermometer.”

I must have dozed off, because the next thing I knew, I was in the shower, clothes and all. The water was warm, but it might as well have been ice.

“Dahlia, can you hear me?”

Of course, you’re right here.

“Okay, get her out and wrapped up, but not too much,” a woman’s voice ordered.

I fell asleep before I could see who it was.

“Don’t you dare say a word,” I heard a woman demand, her tone leaving no argument.

Somehow, the other person didn’t pick up on that because they argued, “I have to.”

A new voice floated in. “It should be here in a few. What was the last one?”

“A hundred and six.”

Wow, that person is old.

“Don’t,” the threat came again.

I won’t.

“We’ll see.”

Maybe after a nap.

Chapter Nineteen

Escaping Arkham

Dahlia

Buzzzzzzz.

I swatted around, trying to kill the annoying bug. I hit something, but it felt bigger than a bee.

“Ouch.”

Prying my eyes open, I saw Ben sitting next to me, rubbing the side of his head.

“Sorry,” I croaked out, my throat like sandpaper. I rubbed at my nose, yanking the irritating tube out. A small, constant hiss of oxygen was almost more annoying.

Ben grabbed a small pink jug and brought the straw to my mouth. “Water.”

I drank quickly, regretting it when the liquid felt like dense lead in my chest.

“Shit, sorry,” he said. “The nurse said to sip.”

More awake, I looked around and realized I was in the hospital. The buzzing noise was a fluorescent light above my bed. I glanced down, not seeing any bumps or scrapes, yet my body was sore and weak.

“What happened?” I asked.

“You have pneumonia. That’s all the information we could get since we aren’t family.” He pressed a button. “Maybe now that you’re up, the nurse will tell you more.”

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