"Thanks for waiting for me. Did you enjoy the sushi?"
It felt like everything stopped in that moment, the second between when I asked him a mundane question, and everything changed. In slow motion, I watched as his mouth opened to respond and then the sound was sucked out like a vacuum as a loud boom exploded behind me.
Pain surged through my body as I was knocked forward by the force. Heat seared my skin as I felt the flames erupt in a blaze from the front of the restaurant. I'd somehow managed to cover Jude with my body as the debris from the explosion rained down around us. Blood dripped down my face, a wet stickiness blinding my eyesight in a red haze. I felt the blood dripping down my leg as well, but I couldn't move my arm to check it.
Jude laid dazed below me, the fall having knocked him out. He started to rouse as the noise returned to me. I could hear people screaming and crying from every direction. Car alarms beeped in the distance, and water gushed from a pipe nearby. Debris continued to fall around us from above, but it didn't appear the fire had spread. I couldn't make out where anyone else was. Nicco and Imogen were lost in the mess, but I knew they had to be close to the back wall.
"Jude, can you hear me? Jude?"
"Hm?" He blinked, looking at me. "Loren?"
"Yeah, can you sit up? We probably need to move so this ceiling doesn't crash around us. Are you injured?"
"I don't know. I don't think anything major at least."
"Okay, let's try to move, okay. I'll move off you, and then you try to sit up."
"Okay."
"Ready, and go."
I rolled off him as my body screamed at me in pain, and I laid on the floor for a moment, gathering my strength. My new position provided me with a view of the restaurant's back entrance, and I could see guests running around as they tried to escape the wreckage. Dark hair and tattoos caught my attention, and when I looked up at the person, I realized it was Nicco.
He was carrying Imogen and looked dazed as he tried to find his way out of the restaurant. He turned, his eyes catching mine, and time stopped again. Nicco stared at me for a while, and it felt like he looked right through me. Pain separate from my injuries pierced me, and I held his eyes, praying for him to see me, not to leave me. Across the distance, almost as if my silent pleas traveled to him, he halted, recognition in his gaze as he started for me.
Nicco took one step when someone took Imogen from his arms, and another grabbed him around the waist, pulling him back with him. I watched as Nicco fought them off as best he could with his injuries, but eventually, he was pulled back against a chest and dragged out the door. As he disappeared from my view, the arm I hadn't realized was outstretched to him fell to the ground in despair. Pain raced up my arm as I laid there, both from the action and reality of being left behind.
My screams to return made no difference, as they kept dying on my tongue. "Nic, Nic… " Until eventually, my throat filled with liquid fire, and I could no longer bear the agony. The pain became too much, and I succumbed to the darkness calling my name.
* * *
Beeping echoed in my ear,but as I tried to move, my body cried out in anguish. Whimpers left me unbidden, and I reached for someone, anyone, to comfort me. A hand gripped mine, and I settled at the connection. I realized my eyes were closed when everything around me stayed black. My fear made me hesitant to face reality, scared at what I might find out there, or even worse, not find. When I felt the squeeze of my hand again, I slowly blinked my eyes open, deciding to brave my surroundings.
I could hide all I wanted from things, but they always found you in the end.
"Loren? Can you hear me, babe?"
At the sound, I located the voice and blinked to ensure I saw things accurately. Did I hit my head harder than I realized? Reaching my hand up to check my head, I found my right hand was in a cast up to my elbow. Memories of my arm hurting and debris falling around me returned, and I connected the dots to the injury. As I sifted through the memories, my condition began to make sense and explained the pain level I felt.
"Loren, sugar? Are you okay? Do you want the doctor?"
Blinking again at the voice, I tried to recall how I ended up in this hospital room. "Doctor?" I finally managed to ask, my throat sore and raw.
"Of course. I'll be right back, babe."
Once I was alone, I took in my surroundings. Cards, flowers, and stuffed animals littered my room in an alarming amount. There was barely any space left from all the things occupying it. I didn't understand anything. Nothing was making sense. It was like I woke up in some weird alternative dimension. I was beginning to believe the twilight zone was even real at this rate.
The doctor entered a few minutes later, and a relieved breath left me. Finally, perhaps I could put the pieces to this weird puzzle together.
"Doctor!" I croaked out, my voice hollow and soft.
"Ah, Mrs. Carter, you're awake. You gave us all quite a scare there. I'll have the nurse bring you some ice chips for your throat. How does that sound?"
Nodding, I hoped he'd get on with giving me the information I wanted and not bore me with this pleasantries crap. I needed to figure out what was happening. I needed… Jude!
"Jude?" I whispered, the doctor giving me an odd look at the name. He flipped through my chart, but it didn't seem he knew who I was talking about. Oh no, this wasn't good.
"What happened?" I asked instead, hoping to get as much information as possible before the voice returned.