Twisted Returns

"Nicole Veronique, just as planned," Lorraine says. "Isn't she a darling?"

"Definitely," I say, kind of lying. I had only gotten a glimpse of her, so it's not really possible. "Did it hurt?"

"Giving birth?" she says. "Not at all. They gave me this medicine that was meant for fairy births. And fairies are usually born bigger, about six months old if it was human. So I couldn't feel a thing."

"Oh, that's good," I say. "Sorry I couldn't be here."

"Yeah, it's okay. What happened with that anyways? No one told me anything."

"I don't want to talk about it."

She nods, understanding. "I'll ask Marigold later."

At that point, Ashlee walks in, holding a stack of papers. "Hey. We just finished running tests, and Nicole is perfectly healthy. I've been assigned to help you take care of her."

"Really? Do they think I can't take care of her myself or something?" Lorraine asks, slightly insulted.

"No, it's not that," Ashlee says. "It's just with this terrible war and everything, and they know what you had to go through. Plus, since I used to be human myself, they thought it would be better for me to help."

"Oh... that's great," Lorraine says unconvincingly. Ashlee is a bit accident-prone.

Ashlee doesn't pick up on this. Excitedly, she continues. "It's the first human baby here in a hundred years."

"Really? I thought there weren't any humans here at all."

"There are, but it's technically illegal. So I'm not supposed to talk about it."

"Oh." Lorraine doesn't say anything more. She can get information out of just about anyone, but not Ashlee.

"Okay, I'm going to bring Nicole back in a bit." Ashlee leaves the room.

"So..." I say, after a pause. "How do you feel?"

"Perfect," Lorraine says. "Other than tired, but that's just at the moment. I'm going to ask the doctors if I can go fight."

"But you should rest," I say, surprised with her decision. "And Nicole needs you."

"Ashlee will take care of her. If I fight, it will just an extra person helping. The war will end faster. It will be better for her, in the long run."

"You just had her today, and you're leaving her already?"

"It won't be forever. She won't remember it."

"But-"

She holds up her hands. "Yes, I know I could get killed. But I'll be careful. I won't leave her."

"I don't think you'll be allowed."

"I'll go anyways."

I don't bother convincing her to stay anymore, because I know she can't be persuaded. And I'm not going to be the one to rat her out. Instead, I just look around the hospital room.

It's a calming blend of blue and white. Like all hospitals, it smells way to sanitary and unnatural. I never want to be the one lying in that bed for any reason.

"Where's Cody?" I ask, suddenly remembering. The father should definitely be here for an occasion like this.

"Still on defense. The connections have to be secure and I don't want to risk it."

"But this is important," I say, "and you know it is."

"Yeah, but I'm pretty sure they need him, and I don't want to risk that either. I don't even know if it's possible to call him in."

Suddenly the whole "clean hospital" smell is overwhelming. My head is reeling and she nods. I leave the room to get some air.

On my way out, I check the clock. Three forty-three AM. With no windows, there is no sense of day and night. I fund Dean sitting outside on a bench, since only one visitor is allowed at a time.

"You okay?" he asks. "You don't look so good."

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just the smell of this place makes me feel sick."

"Maybe you should get some sleep." He pulls out a folded piece of paper from his pocket. "I have our room assignments."

"I thought I could just go to my room, I say, thinking of my warm, comfortable bed.

He shakes his head. "Not secure enough. We're rooming together, by the way."

"Okay," I say, remember having to share a room with him back on Earth. Although he's a guy, he doesn't make a bad roommate. "Let me go say good night to Lorraine." I push through the heave double doors leading to the hospital wing. Then I realized that I never knew the number for what room she's in.

"That's great!" I hear someone say in the hallway to my right. I recognize this voice as Ashlee. Since she's taking care of Nicole, I assume that she must be near Lorraine, and if not, I can ask her. I follow the sound of her voice.

It's coming from room seventeen, the door slightly opened. I take a peek to make sure it's Lorraine in the bed. But the bed is empty. The room, however, is not.

I can see Ashlee. Her back, at least. I can tell it's her by the long brown hair. But I have no clue who the other person is.

Pressed up against a wall, I can't figure out the other person's identity. Their blue hospital uniforms blending together, I can't tell where one body ends and another starts.

Quickly, I back away from the door. I can't help wondering who the mystery guy (or girl) is. Andrew? He's working as a medical assistant, so it's possible. And Ashlee has been known to have a crush on him.

But that just doesn't seem like him. Something in my brain tells me that it was someone else. I could be wrong either way.

I retrace my steps to the hospital entrance, making my way back to Dean. The sleep deprivation is starting to catch up with me.

"Said good night?" Dean asks.

"Yeah," I lie. "I'm tired now. Can we go to bed?"

He nods. "We have to report to room 4C. It's really far underground."

"Safer, I guess." I sigh. "Let's get going."

"Okay."

Though I really am tired, I know that this body is capable of staying up much longer. I don't tell him the real reason I want to sleep. I don't tell him that I want to block everything out.

Reality is just too hard.