Page 1 of A Game of Survival

Chapter 1

Lucille

Screaming, all I can hear is screaming.

“Get her out of here, Linc!”

“He’s losing too much blood. We’re going to lose him if we don’t get the fuck out of here!”

Gunshots and more screaming.

“Lucille! Get up, we have to move!”

“Fuck. Get her up NOW! We have to fucking move!”

“TEDDY! WHERE IS TEDDY!?”

Beep. . . Beep. . . Beep. . . Beep. . .

The pungent smell of disinfectant invades my nostrils, and other than the consistent beeping of machinery that confirms I am still alive, it's the only thing that lets me know I’m in a hospital room. I slowly open my eyes, the blinding light of the room making me shut them again instantly as it all but burns through my cornea’s. I take a steady breath and try again, blinking a few times to adjust to the brightness, gradually sharpening the blurred images of my surroundings. The room around me is almost bare with white walls and flooring, a few pieces of hospital equipment and a light blue chair towards the back of the room, in front of a large glass window. It's definitely not Summerlin hospital. I look up noticing there’s an IV bag pumping fluids into me and several different things written on the board above my bed but I can’t read it properly from my angle. I scrunch my eyes closed again as an almighty thumping pain in my head makes me wish for sleep to swallow me once more. I have to shake it off though, I have no idea how long I've been out. I need to get up now and I need to find Teddy. The thought alone increases the beeping on the vital signs monitor I'm hooked up to and there’s a cold sweat breaking out across my body as the memories wash over me, making me want to puke. My baby, I pray to God that he’s safe.

I attempt to move but my body hurts from merely laying still, never mind what Vinny did. I attempt to remove the IV from my hand and pulse reader from my finger but I can’t. What? Why the fuck can’t I move? I gaze down at my arms, the shock at what I see making my head spin. I’m restrained! A thick belt-like strap is fastened around each wrist, keeping my arms securely by my sides. I jerk my arms as hard as I can against the restraints causing a searing pain to shoot through my shoulder but it’s no use, I’m completely immobilized against them.What the fuck!?This can not be happening. I pull at the restraints again, crying out at the pain ripping through my body. “Somebody get me out of these fucking things!” I scream at the top of my lungs. I can feel the panic rising through my body, my vision is closing in again and I'm finding it too hard to breathe. “HELP!” I scream, my voice cracking at the end as the darkened edges of my vision cave in. Two young female nurses come barreling into the room, immediately rushing to my bedside.

“Oh my goodness Miss, you must be quiet, there are other patients in here trying to rest. Try to calm–” The taller of the two begins before I cut her off.

“Get these fucking things off my wrists right now. I need to get out of here!” I demand, straining as I attempt to pull my hand free once more.

“I’m sorry Miss Holland, but we can’t remove them. Just try to calm down now or you’re going to hurt yourself,” she chides.

I turn my head towards the second nurse and narrow my eyes. “You need to let me go, I need to find my son!” I argue, pulling my arms back trying to release myself with little effect. The nurse does nothing but shake her head at me.

“I’m sor–”

“You heard what she said. Take them off.” A deep guttural voice cuts her off before she can object any more. I snap my head up, meeting Silas eye to eye as his bulking frame takes up the whole entrance to the room. His eyes are pitch black, jaw fiercely clenched and he looks every bit of the devil I know he can be. His eyes shoot towards each of the nurses who seem to have lost their voices at his sudden intimidating appearance. “Take. Them. Off.” He demands, taking a step further into the room.

The taller nurse to my left takes a step back and I swear I actually hear the fear in voice when she objects with a simple, “No.”

Silas’ eyebrows rise in mock surprise. “I’m sorry. Did you just say no?” He questions, taking another step forwards, cocking his head to one side as he observes her. I watch the nurse swallow nervously before she answers with a sheen of sweat beginning to coat her upper lip.

“I…I…We can not remove the restraints, Sir. She has to be examined by the doctor, and he is the only one with the authority to remove them once he sees fit,” she replies, looking to her colleague for support but she only seems to be intrigued by her shoes as she refuses to look up. “You must understand, Miss Holland is restrained for a reason, she could hurt herself, or others if she gets into a hysterical state again” she says, trying to placate him.

Silas’ face turns dark, like Lucifer himself has taken hold of his soul as he encroaches on her, slowly like a predator stalking towards its prey.

“I’m the fucking authority here. So I suggest that if you want to keep your fucking job, you will do as I say and remove those fucking straps from her wrists or I swear to the Devil himself that you and your colleague here will not live to see another fucking sunrise. Do I make myself clear?” he growls. His tone laced with malice as he stands up to his full height, squaring his shoulders, all intimidating and absolutely terrifying, sending a shiver the entire way down my spine as I watch on helplessly from my bed.

Neither one of the nurses speaks as they look at each other before rushing towards me at the same moment and fumbling to remove my wrist straps. The release is instant as the cuffs are undone, freeing the bonding that had left marks against my skin. I bring my arms up, stretching them out above my head and the tension in my back fades until I hiss out at the pain through my shoulder again which earns me a scolding look from the taller nurse who I can now see is called Jane from the badge that she’s wearing.

“I’ll fetch the doctor, Miss Holland,” she nods, dipping her head low without looking at Silas as she and her colleague both scurry out of the room.

The silence is deafening as soon as we’re alone, ringing loud in my ears as I close my eyes and breathe through my pain. In through my nose, out through my mouth. The bed dips at my side as Silas sits beside me. “Where is he?” Is all I ask, barely a whisper, not even bothering to look towards him, keeping my eyes closed, I can’t bring myself to look into his eyes. The silence remains growing increasingly louder with each passing second as Silas shifts uncomfortably before placing his hand gently across my thigh.

“Lucille...” he begins, his voice so low and gentle compared to his previous outburst.

“Please, Silas. Just tell me where he is.” I beg, the intrusive thoughts coming back to battle with my insanity. Silas removes his hand and clears his throat. I know the truth before he even says the words, he’s gone, they couldn’t save my boy.

“We’ll find him,” he assures me, pulling me into his chest and cradling my head against his body, planting a soft kiss into my hair.

The door to the room opens as a middle aged man wearing a light blue smock shirt with a stethoscope dangling around his neck hurries into the room, quickly followed by Jane and her colleague. I can’t begin to process what he says but Silas nods and answers back when necessary as I stare into the bed sheets, my mind a million miles away. I hear words such as “infection” and “stitches” but the buzzing in my head becomes unbearable. Like a thousand wasps are stuck inside, screaming at me to let them out. I can’t focus, I can’t breathe. I. Can. Not. Breathe. My hands claw at my neck as I gasp for air, I’m sure I'm going to die. Is this it? Is this what death feels like? A heavy weight pressing down on my chest, threatening to squash me under the pressure. I feel hands on me, gentle but rough, so many hands. I don’t know who they belong to. I can’t breathe. I can’t see. The room is blurring, large mismatched shapes all begin to transform into deformed gray beasts with sharp teeth and even sharper claws that seep into my sight, snatching away the light. I just need to lie down, to sleep, to let the nightmare end.

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