I'm Not Alone

The Man in the Mask

Danni's breathing became heavy. "Arraigned for what? Where is my mom?"

The cop stepped forward, still gripping his firearm. "Danielle, there is no easy way to answer that. Your mom and dad are deceased. You have been charged for their murders. Please calm down, as I would like to ask you a few questions regarding the incident."

What?!

Her breathing turned into hyperventilating. Within seconds, her face was red, and her vision began to blur. Her mind ran wild, her body ached. Oxygen left her body and did not return. The computers blared.

"Code blue!" Clara yelled.

The officer backed out of the room, and a handful of other nurses quickly ran in. One began CPR and chest compressions, while another administered medication into Danni's bloodstream. They put a mask on her mouth, forcing air into her lungs. Pulling it out. Pushing more back in.

Within a minute of calling the code blue, the nurses had returned Danni's vitals back to normal. The monitors steadied. Danni was alive, but for the time being, asleep.

They cleared the room. Nurse Clara stopped at the door. Her forehead was covered in sweat. Her shift had just started, and she could tell it was going to be a long 10 hours. Regardless of the circumstances around Danni's admission, Clara was happy that she had lived. She was taught to fight for every life that came through the hospital doors, even if they had done something horrible.

The officer walked up to her.

"Officer Clint," Clara spoke. "Danielle is fine. She will be asleep for a few hours if you want to grab yourself some breakfast."

He sighed. "Damn, I had thought she was a goner. But thank you, I think I will do just that. Call me if she wakes up before I am back, I have a lot to ask her." It was a statement, but his body language turned it into a question."

"Will do, officer." Clara responded.

She watched as Clint walked down the hallway and exited the building. They were located on the bottom floor, next to the ER. She peered back into the room.

Her patient was sound asleep. Clara smiled. Leaving Danielle in the bright, white hospital room all alone, the nurse slammed the door shut.

Danni's eyes struck open, alarmed by the bang. "Do you really have to close the door that hard?!

"What?" A lady responded.

Danni's head ached.

Mom?

"Mom!" She screamed.

Quickly, Danni sat up. She was in the backseat of a SUV. In the front passenger seat, sat her mom. The driver, her dad. Behind her, wood and metal scraps. They were soaring down the highway.

"You guys are alive!" Danni wanted to hop into the front and hug them both.

"Of course, we are?" Her mom answered, confused.

"Are you okay back there?" Her father mocked.

"Yeah," Danni rubbed her forehead. "Just a weird dream, I guess."

Reaching forward and above her, Danni pressed a button, causing the moonroof to slide open. The car filled with the cool summer breeze. She slumped back into her seat and gazed out the window. 

The car continued to shoot down the highway. Her father does not usually speed, as he is a stickler for rules, but today he felt free, going 4 miles over the speed limit. His fingers tapped the wheel, his ring making a soft sound each time he played a new finger chord.