Background
Paul awakes from a coma to find he's several states from his last memory of an accident in Colorado that may have killed his soul mate. He's determined to get to the truth no matter the results.
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There are voices in my head telling me to wake up, telling me to put my big boy pants on. I say her name. "Katrina, where are you?"
"I'm in your heart, where you can find me." She whispered in my ear. I opened my eyes bathed in a cold sweat. It was the dark hospital room. I had a cast on my foot, stuck in a sling. I bucked and strained to scan the room.
From a thick leather chair in the corner, a shadowy person moves toward me. Is it Kat, or is it a ghost? I squirmed, as she came into focus. Yellow lights from the hall gave her life, illumined her shoulder length raven hair. Her red-stained eyes come into focus. "Mom?"
"How's my baby?"
"I'm okay, mom." I lied. I'm not okay. She looked as if she cried a river with streaks from eye shadow. I wanted to tell her no. I'm stuck in room, several states from my last memory, a fragmented one of an accident in Colorado. And most of all, I don't know where Katrina Is, or if she's alive.
"I can't believe you're here. Thank God your alive," she said. "You lived. You're going to be okay." She looked as if she hadn't slept in days. Worried lines ran across her forehead. She was not okay.
I ignored the pain surging inside me. They must have shot me with morphine. I knew I needed another round. The pain and pressure burn and builds. "I can't believe... I'm alive, either"
She reached for me, clutched me the best she could without toppling over or separating me from the IV and monitor.
"Where's Kat? You know, Mom, my fianc�©."
She shook her head. Tears sprouted. Mouth contorted.
"Is she alive? Is she?"
"She...she didn't make it. I'm so sorry."
Finally, the hammer drops on my heart. It's a crushing blow that will never be the same. I have no reason not to trust her. I wished to fall through a trap door. But how does she know? A few days ago, I was in Colorado, and I've lost time and place. "Why am I alive? If that's true. I shouldn't be alive."
She smothered me with her body and words. "Her father, Mr. Kiosk. He gave you the best care, and they were afraid you would die in Colorado. He had a mercy flight arranged, so you could be here...for me. He paid for everything, despite the shock and horror of his daughter. I'm so, so sorry, son."
I fought for air. She wouldn't let me breathe. I mashed the call button. I looked myself over. I needed to know more about what happened. I can't put all the pieces back together. I closed my eyes until my head throbbed with pain.
There's the noise of twisted, crunching metal. It was her truck. I'm behind the wheel. Stars shine like a billion silver trinkets. The mountains crowd my left side. We ride like a coaster in the dark on rolling hills. T-boned! I hear the sound of breaking glass and crunching metal. I see her face of death. Then blackness. "Dear God: no. What have I done? I killed her! I killed her! "Did I kill her, Mom?"
"I... don't know, son. Please rest. Please, please don't make things worse. Your foot was crushed. For God's sake, don't do this to yourself."
I found the call button. "I need some pain medicine. The pain..." I arched my back until my cast swayed in the sling.
"I love you, Mom. But I think I killed her. I need to know... what really happened!"
"Not now," she pleaded. "Not now. Give it time. You can recover at home."
But this was not my home. I was living in Colorado. I was engaged!
The calvary charged in through the open door. The lights come on like the crack of dawn. A skinny nurse with red hair holds a needle in her hand. I've never been so in love with a needle before should it deliver me from my senses and kill the pain.
My body caved; my mind followed. I fell into the darkness.
