Chapter Sixteen
Sunday, July 31, 2020 at 3:00am
Destiny is in surgery at Brookside Community Hospital. The doctors are trying to revive her.
“Clear!” The doctor uses the paddles to try and shock her body back to life.
“Charge to 350! Let’s go again. Clear!” Still flatlined.
---
Edwin is in the waiting room along with Ms. Thompson waiting for some news about Destiny’s condition. The television is on.
“Late last night, the Jane Doe found in a tree early Friday morning started showing signs of brain activity. Doctors say, earlier today she actually opened her eyes.”
“Early this afternoon the woman actually started speaking. Although none of us can quite understand her. It sounds like she may be speaking foreign language.”
“Now doctors are saying the woman has been up walking and speaking perfect english along with spanish, french, and portuguese. She appears to be speaking several other languages that have not clearly been identified.”.
“Due to massive trauma wounds to her head and skull, it appears the woman has suffered significant memory loss. She s unable to recall her name or even what date it is. Specialists are working with her to help recover her memories.”
They show footage of the woman sitting in her hospital bed. She is drawing on a notepad.
“Jesus...that woman could be Z’s twin.” Ms. Thompson says. Edwin is too distracted by his own thoughts to look up at the t.v.
“Please if anyone recognizes this woman, let us know. We are hoping a family member will come forward soon. This young woman is going to need all the support she can get during her recovery.” Doctor said.
“Police say there are still no leads on what may have happened to Jane Doe or how she ended up in the tree at Fairview Park. They urge anyone with any information regarding this case to come forward. The tip hotline is (555) 415-6175. Next up, new research shows that peanuts may cause cancer…”
Edwin is pacing back and forth. A doctor enters the waiting room wearing green scrubs.
“Mr. Richards? Ms. Thompson?” The doctor calls. Edwin rushes to the doctor.
“What is it doctor? Is she alright? Is she going to make?”
“Mr. Richards...I’m afraid your fiance didn’t make it...we did everything we could but there was just too much damage to the frontal lobe. She bled out on the table. I’m sorry, Mr. Richards.” Edwin collapsed on the ground. Ms. Thompson tried desperately to hold him up but failed. The two began crying.
“I’m sorry.” The doctor said again before walking away.
---
After Edwin got back to his house, he immediately went to the bedroom. The early morning light seeped into his bedroom. It had been a horrendous day and all he wanted to do was sleep and hope that it all had been one long nightmare.
He collapsed in bed. Just as he started to drift off to sleep, he felt a sense that someone was in his room. He opened his eyes. Standing at the foot of his bed, crouched down was a white wolf with eyes the color of burnt sienna.
Edwin nearly jumped out of his skin. Was he dreaming? This couldn’t be real. He grabbed the first thing he saw, a lamp and held it up as a weapon to defend him from the wolf.
“Hello, Edwin.” The wolf spoke but did not move it’s mouth. The voice was oddly soothing. He relaxed a bit.
“What the hell is this?” He said.
“Calm down.” The wolf said. “I need you to listen to me. There is a woman who needs your help.”
“What woman?” Edwin asked.
“Lana for she is the light and will lead you to the tree of life. Only the light will save you from the serpent.”
“Serpent?”
“Yes. She slithers in the grass waiting idly for her prey. She will cause you great harm. But the serpent fears the light for it reveals her true intentions.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about but this is all just some crazy dream.”
“It is hard to lose the ones we love but all is not lost.” The wolf said. “You don’t have to look to far too find her. Follow your heart…” With that the white wolf disappeared from sight.
“What in the world was that all about?” Edwin muttered. Before long he couldn't keep his eyes open and he drifted off to sleep.
Edwin woke up to the sound of voices coming from downstairs. He followed the noise and when he got to the living room he saw that the television was on.
“That’s odd.” He said. “I don’t remember leaving the t.v. on…”
A news story was on about the woman found in the tree.
“It’s remarkable the stride this woman is making. Her wounds have completely healed and she seems to be getting her memory back.” A doctor said.
“Apparently the young woman recalls her first name as Lana but is unable to recall her last name.”
Edwin’s jaw dropped open. That dream he had with that white wolf had said something about Lana. But it couldn’t be, he thought.
“What in the world is going on?” Edwin felt that he needed to get to the hospital and speak with the woman.
---
When he got there, she was already gone.
“A relative came and picked up her up.” A nurse told him.
“Relative, what relative?” He said.
“Her aunt. A woman by the name of…” The nurse looked at her piece of paper on a clipboard. “Julia Waters.”
To be continued...