* Here's part five. Enjoy everyone! :)*
When she had first awakened a week ago, it had been to frantically screaming nurses, smoke, and ash. In her coma, Alex's pyrokinetic abilities had been on auto-pilot and reliving the horrible events that had lead to the death of her husband had not helped. The nightmares had been reoccurring ever since, increasing in intensity. She awoke, more often than not, to the smell of ash and things about to burst into flames. Luckily, no one had figured out how the former hospital had burned down, nor how it had begun in Alex's room. There had been no casualties and, thus far, Alexandra had been able to keep her mutant heritage a secret. Now it would be more difficult. This was happening too frequently to be coincidence. Too many questions would be asked and, sooner or later, the answers to those questions would get back to Theo Delacroix. Then he or his goons would be back to finish what they had started.
Alexandra sighed and rubbed her stomach, now flat as an iron and hard with muscle that was just starting to come back. The scar there was tiny, so perfectly sewn back together that it was nigh unnoticeable, yet, Alex knew each and every ridge of it like the back of her hand. It was where they had performed a c-section in an attempt to save her son from the trauma caused by Alex's injuries. All the doctor's work, however, had come too late. Little Jean-Claude now lay in a cemetery next to his father with a beautiful tombstone covered in etched roses that bore the name LaRose. That damned vampire had cost Alex everything. Just thinking about her little son, imagining what he might have looked like had he grown, brought tears to the woman's eyes, tears she quickly wiped away. The clock at the side of the hospital bed read 3:30 A.M., as good a time as any to put her plans into motion.
Alexandra sat up and composed herself, shooing off the nurse who came running in to check on the smoke alarms that were going off. Alex assured her that everything was fine, a wire too close to something wet, and that there were no flames anywhere. She let the woman check the room over from top to bottom and promised her that everything would be alright. The nurse raced off, determined to report the damage and to see what could be done about repairing damaged machinery. As soon as she was gone, Alex was in motion.
She leaped from her bed and searched the room for something to wear besides hospital clothes. After procuring herself jeans, tennis shoes, socks, a bra, and a t-shirt, the young lady barricaded herself in her bathroom and quickly shoved on the borrowed outfit. Once, while she was struggling into her shoes and socks, Alex glanced in the mirror and felt the side of her head where the metal plate was buried under her skin. The bullet had nearly penetrated her skull and it felt odd to bang on the side of her head and hear it rattle, just like the Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz. It was an amusing thought but quickly pushed aside.
Sneaking quietly from the room, Alex ghosted over to the nurse's station and quietly helped herself to the first set of keys she found there. She was turned around and almost to the elevator when she heard one of the nurses behind her. The woman was small, barely over five feet tall, with short, mousy brown hair and dark eyes. The nurse didn't look as if she could lift fifty pounds, yet, her gaze held Alexandra as sure as a set of pure iron manacles. Alex shrugged apologetically and handed over the keys she had pilfered, knowing it was useless to try and argue her way out of anything.
"Leaving us, are you?" the nurse asked softly.
"Ah-ah have t'go," Alex stammered, "It isn't safe foh me here."
"If you're worried about the room, don't be. We can clean it up," the woman said cheerfully.
"It-It's not dat," Alexandra finally admitted reluctantly, "I have people after me. Bad people. De kind o' people y'all never wanna meet. Dey already killed a lot o' innocent people an' Ah don't fancy bein' next on dere list."
The woman just stared at her, solemn and pondering. Then, she seemed to perk up, as if deciding something, and gave Alexandra a little smile.
"Normally, I'd be checking you into the psych ward but I've seen the wounds. I was there when they pulled you into the old hospital. I know what was done to you. I won't ask for details or anything but...if you really have to leave, then, at least let me drive you to the bus station. I don't have much but I think I can spare you a bit of money and some old clothes. It may not get you far but, at least it'll get you out of the city, and you'll be on your way."
Alexandra's mouth simply dropped open and she stood there, utterly speechless, for what seemed an eternity. Then, finally, she gingerly looked the nurse in the face and smiled a little.
"Alright. When do we leave?"
* I know this's short but it's been a long day and I've spent the last six hours editing a newsletter for my Vassar Area Arts Council. I'm bushed. I hope to have more up soon, though*
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