***
Veronica’s heart beeps along with the monitor and her breathing is controlled by a heavy machine making it incredibly audible. It’s all very frightening but these signs of life are reassuring. At least I know that physically she’s okay. Being trapped in that room by those savages hasn’t done her very well. She’s got some effects, but the doctor doesn’t think any of them will be long lasting. The same goes for the other girl, another journalist who no one even seemed to know was missing. She’s going to be alright as well. We all are. None of the soldiers died but they did get injured. They’re on the way to recovery though so it’ll all be fine.
I sit closer to Veronica’s bed and hold her hand, willing her to come back around. I know that I need to be patient, they keep telling me as much, but that’s far easier said than done. I just want her back. As I wait, the rest of the world continues to tick past just like it always has done. Work keeps on moving, very much without me, bills pile in at home, friends have outings… life carries on for everyone but me. I stay where I am just waiting. There is no life for me out there, it’s all in here, it all rests on Veronica. I still want her to get well.
“You know, you can leave her if you want,” I hear Michael’s voice ringing out from behind me. “If you’re frightened to leave her alone then one of us can stay. We all want to help you out.”
Michael wanted to help me out so much that he actually offered to come with me on the mission in the first place, but I had to refuse him. Not because I don’t trust him but because I wasn’t sure he could cope and I really didn’t want to lose him. He isn’t trained well enough, it wouldn’t be right to risk him.
“I know you would, Michael.” I pat him on the arm, grateful to him for even coming to visit. “Thank you, but I can’t.” I shake my head rapidly. “I can’t leave her. I’m too afraid. We’ve been apart for too long.”
He takes a seat beside me and nods knowingly. “I know, I thought you might say that. I just wanted you to know that the offer is always there. I’m here to help if that’s what you want.”
“You haven’t been sent to find out when I’m coming back to the office then?”
He shakes his head no. “No one is worried about you coming back to work at the moment. We all know how things are. Everyone just sends their best wishes, that’s all.” He glances at Veronica. “She’s looking better.”
I cock my head to one side, wondering if he’s right. Maybe she is looking better and I just can’t see it because I’m too close to the situation. I haven’t left this hospital ever since we first got here. The changes might be too small for me to pick up on. Clearly, Michael has seen them though. He wouldn’t say that for nothing.
“You think so? The doctor says she’s doing quite well too. With all her vital statistics and everything.”
“Good, good. And the other girl you guys got to, Cyndi, she’s improving every day as well.”
“How are things going with the men?” I abide even calling them men. They don’t deserve that title after the things they do. “Have they managed to get any information out of them yet?”
I don’t even care what tactics they use, although I know no one will do anything illegal which might well be a bit of a shame. I just hope they suffer. They deserve to after what they’ve done. They must specifically pick on women for a reason because Cyndi is another of their victims, and all the people in Veronica’s crew were killed. I wonder if she knows yet. I wonder if they made her watch. I wonder what else she had to see…
It’s bad to think she saw worse things that I did during my tour of duty. I just hope she didn’t have to experience much. She had a view bruises over her body when she was first brought in and a slightly cracked rib, but no obvious signs of anything too horrific happening. I guess we won’t know the truth of that until she wakes up.
I just hope that happens soon. I’m growing ever impatient, desperate to see her face again, to see those eyes, to hear her voice. I’m keeping as strong as I can manage, but if something doesn’t change soon, I might flip.
“I’m going to get us some coffees,” Michael continues while standing up. “And some chocolate too and when I come back I’ll let you know what’s been found out. The men you’ve brought back, if what they’ve told us is the truth, then we have a load of leads to go on. This could really be the beginning of the end.”
Okay, so the beginning of the end is a bit far-fetched, we both know that, but it’s nice of him to say. I need some good news to keep me going and that will do for now. I can just picture those beasts squirming under interrogation, cracking easily under hardly any pressure because they’re such fucking cowards.
“Thanks, Michael, and a coffee sounds amazing. I really do appreciate it. And crisps instead of chocolate, please. I’ve got a real craving.”
27
Veronica
“No!” I scream out, the word bursting from my lungs. “No, leave me alone. Not today, please not today!”
They’re coming for me, the blunt rusty knife which they’
re going to use to hack my head off. It’s going to be a long and agonizing process, not a thankful quick gunshot like Christopher was blessed with. They must really hate me if they have to take me out in such a brutal way. And it’ll be recorded too, shown on the news and probably YouTube too, for the whole world to see. I’ll be that sympathetic figure that no one can bear to look at. I can’t be brave any longer, I’m absolutely falling apart. This isn’t right, I don’t want to die like this…
I force my eyes open, finding it surprisingly easy now, and the light infiltrates my vision immediately. It’s painful enough to keep my eyes blinking but not enough to force them shut again. I’m free to see… sort of. I mean, I can’t see much at the moment, it’s all a little blurry, but it’s all progress and I’m happy with that.
“Are you okay?” Ah, there’s Jordan again, comforting me in his lovely soothing tone… Wait!
“J… Jordan?” I croak out as I very slowly turn my head. Is this real? “You’re here?”
“I am here.” He sounds so happy. I love the lilting in his voice. “I’ve been here the entire time.”
“Where… where is here?” I don’t even bother to sit up even if I’m desperate to. I know my body still hurts too much and although my memories are slightly fuzzy now I still know I haven’t done much sitting up recently.
“We’re back in America, you don’t have to worry anymore. You’re safe. In a hospital.”