Chapter 3

            Ivy couldn’t sit up anymore. It was like she was paralyzed from the waist down. “Just let me see if my dad is okay, please?” she begged.

           “Sorry, honey, he’s going to die whether you get him some help or not. I've injected him with a deadly poison, he WILL die.” He said walking towards her. “Let me help you.” He said pulling her to her feet and helping her to her father’s side.

           “Dad?” Ivy whispered in his ear.

           He opened his eyes and met her for a moment. “Baby, I'm so sorry about this. Your mother and I thought this day would never come. We were retired for many years. I was approached at work about them maybe coming for us. I didn’t think it would happen,” he managed to say.

           Ivy kissed him on the forehead. “Dad, it’s okay, just tell me what to do,” her words slurred. 

           Ivy looked up to where Daniel was standing. He looked like he was getting impatient. She then took her gaze off him. His eyes were closed again. She checked for dad’s pulse; he didn’t have one. Tears swelled in her eyes. 

           Daniel pulled her to her feet and forced her down on the couch. “This is the last one; you won’t remember this when you wake up. The police are going to ask you loads of questions. When you come of age, we WILL be coming for you.”

           “What?” Ivy asked.

           He didn’t answer her; he pushed the needle into her arm, injecting her for the final time. “Ivy, when you come of age, you will come with us willingly, you understand?” he asked before she closed her eyes.

           “Whatever,” she said groggily.

           Ivy’s eyes jerked open; she wasn’t sure where she was at first. Hearing the monitor blaring, her heart was racing. A nurse came in to see what the issue was. “Good morning, how you feeling?” she asked.

           The Doctor came in shortly after she did. “I am Doctor Mac. How are you feeling?”

           Ivy sat up; her stomach turned. “Huh, what happened to me?” she asked feeling her head.

           “A home invasion; the people killed your parents and drugged you. We almost lost you three times.” He said looking down at the chart.

           “Wait, what?” Ivy asked confused. “I thought I was having a nightmare; my mind feels like it’s been through a roller coaster.” She complained.

         Doctor Mac stopped writing for a moment, “Yes, sorry to tell you, but we weren’t able to save your parents.” He looked down at the chart again. “But it looks like your condition is improving. I have to let the detectives know you are awake and better. Are you able to talk to them now?” he asked.

         Ivy put her head back down on the pillow. She didn’t know what happened, she thought she dreamt something, but now her memory was drawing a blank. “Yeah, I guess, but I don’t remember anything that happened. I'm the dark,” Ivy said, sitting up again.

         He left the room and soon returned with two detectives. They smiled; she didn’t give them the little smile she used to have. “Hello, Ivy. Can you tell me what happened last night?” the blonde detective asked, watching for a reaction from her.

           Ivy looked away from him, trying to remember what happened. She remembered coming home from school, some guy there, and then it was dark. “I, I don’t remember anything. I was drugged, wasn’t I?” She asked looking up at the detective, while her fingers messed with the blankets.

           He looked up. “Did the Doctor tell you that, or are you assuming because you can’t remember?” he asked clearing his throat.

Ivy shrugged her shoulders, “Both, I guess.”

            The detective looked at his partner, “Hmm, what else can you tell us?” he said, jotting down something on his notepad.

           “I don’t know. I don’t remember, I don’t,” she said in a soft voice.

           He looked at her again, “Look, if you're protecting someone because they killed your parents for you, you need to tell us. This pretending not to know things is wearing my patience,” he growled.

           Ivy glared at him, “LOOK, I don’t remember. If I did, I would tell you. I didn’t want my parents killed, I LOVED them!” Ivy growled. “If you're done accusing me of having my parents killed, you can leave.” She said folding her arms across her chest.

           The two detectives smiled and left the room. Doctor Mac waited by the door. “Your friends came by a little bit ago asking if you’d awaken.”

           “Friends? The detectives? They aren’t my friends.” Ivy said pulling at the tape on her hand.

           “No, not them. Drake, Daniel, Micah?” he said clearing his throat. “Do you know them?”

           “Yes, but they aren’t friends. Please call the police if they come around, they're probably the reason I’m in here.”

           “Sure thing, get some rest. Your Uncle Dave should be here soon to take you home.” He said half smiling before he left.

             Ivy put the pillow over her face and cried as hard as she could. Daniel and Drake came to the hospital to check on her why? She closed her eyes trying to remember what happened. Whatever drug they used did a good job.

           A nurse came into the room before dawn, changing Ivy’s bag, and checked everything to make sure she was still breathing. Ivy glared at her, she was in a good dream, being awake reminded her of what her situation was. 

An hour or so later, Ivy was furious she couldn’t sleep, so she turned the Television on, CSI was on, something she remembered she enjoyed. Ivy fell asleep shortly before 9 am.

           An hour or so after she’d fallen into a deep sleep, she awoke to someone walking around her bed. “You looked puzzled,” someone in the darkness said.

           “Who's there?” Ivy said rubbing her eyes.

“The name is Daniel,” he said coming into them so she could see him. “Glad to see you’re awake. Was starting to worry.”

           “So, you know what happened to me? Did you tell the police?” She asked moving the blanket off her legs so she could get up. “You're the one that was at my house, you drugged me why?”

           He shook his head, “No, I was instructed to come and check on you to make sure you woke up.” He said clearing his throat. “You should stay in bed; the medicine takes a lot of out a new coming Dweller.” he glanced at the door. “Yes, I drugged you, soon you will understand why.”

           “Woke up?” Ivy said moving her legs to the side of the best. She wanted to call someone to come and help her, but no one came as she pressed the button.

        Daniel took a step towards the door, he knew the Nurses would be in, “Yes, from the drug I gave you. I have started your destiny.”

         Ivy wasn’t sure what she was hearing, the nurses weren’t coming, she felt paralyzed “What? What the hell are you talking about?” 

            Daniel opened the door, “Eh, never mind. I have to go.” He left.

           “Are you in here Ivy?” Uncle Dave said as he walked into the room. Ivy laid her head back. “Hey, sweetie, how are you feeling?” he asked.

           Ivy half smiled at him, she’d already had a rough morning, she was happy someone she knew was there now. “I don’t know, numb, I guess. I can’t remember what happened to Mom and Dad. I'm scared the person who this is going to come back and hurt me.” She said with a sad face.

           Uncle Dave hugged her hard, “Aw, honey, nothing is going to happen to you. I promise.”

           Ivy kept her hands wrapped around him; she didn’t want to lose him too. She was afraid someone was coming after her, and somehow, she felt she’d die after “I hope not,” Ivy cried. “Uncle Dave, you look torn.” She said releasing him from the hug.

           Uncle Dave shook his head, “Eh, I've been crying for days. First, your Aunt leaves me and now I lose my baby brother and his wife. My family is falling apart.” He said grabbing some tissue.

           “I know. It feels like someone did this to punish me. I think someone at school did this. Maybe they didn’t mean to kill Mom and Dad, but to hurt me.” Ivy whispered.

           He touched her arm. “Did someone threaten you at school?” he asked.

           Ivy shifted, lifting herself so she was more comfortable, “No, but it’s the only thing I can think of. Why leave me alive and kill my parents? It doesn’t make any sense.”

           “I know. All of this doesn’t make sense,” he said, looking around the room. “I'm going to see if the doc will release you.”

           “Okay,” Ivy said as he walked away.