A Highland Wedding

Run Away

Anna

There was a burner phone in the bag like Maddox said, and I was drawing a blank as to whom I could call. I should have called Jer but knew there was a good chance that he wouldn’t pick up an unknown number.

I vaguely remembered Melina’s number and knew she would pick up no matter what because Wuggie was always changing phones.

I dialed the number, looking up and down the street waiting for crazy Claire to come running out of wherever she was holding me. Shuddering I made sure the keys were in the ignition and the car door was open.

She could probably break the window but I wanted to make a quick getaway. I waited for Melina to pick up the phone.

I kind of wished we weren’t all the way in Italy, I didn’t know how to speak or read Italian. My head was killing me and my stomach wasn’t any better. I was leaning heavily on the car; people were eyeing me warily.

“Hello? Wuggie did you break another phone?” I couldn’t help it, tears started streaming down my face and I sat on the curb crying and gulping in air.

“Mel, Mel I need help.” I sobbed and people were now stopping to look at me as if I were a sideshow freak.

“Oh my God Anna? Anna is that you? Where are you?” The phone crackled and I sobbed again, my eyes were growing heavy. I couldn’t pass out here.

“I don’t know what town I am in. I am on a burner phone but I am in Italy. Mel, I don’t feel good I am sorry.” I slumped down and the phone fell from my hand.

People were starting to gather around me and I reached up to feel blood dripping down from my head. This was not good; I didn’t even have my identification on me and I was hoping that Claire wouldn’t find me again.

“Signorina? Parla italiano? Riesce a sentirmi?” Someone was poking me and mumbling at me. What were they saying? I only understood Signorina and Italiano.

“Do you speak English? Where am I?” My vision was blurry and my head was throbbing. I saw a figure in a white coat reaching for something.

I flinched and wanted to run but I was hooked up to wires and tubes. I blinked several times and I wished my vision was not blurry.

“Ah, American. I am Dr. Romero. You are at Rose Catholic Hospital. You have a concussion and a severe head wound. How did you end up like this miss?” He raised a dark bushy brow and I saw him slightly clearer.

That explained why it felt as if my head was going to explode. Might explain my blurry vision as well. I swallowed and my mouth felt as if I had been eating sawdust.

“I was kidnapped by a madwoman.” He reached over and poured a cup of water for me. Taking it I sipped at it and saw him write something down.

“The police will need a statement from you. I told them that right now you are not well enough. Is there someone I can call for you?” I was feeling sick again and he reached over and adjusted the IV drip in my arm.

“Painkillers will kick in soon yes.” He handed me a piece of paper and a pen to me. My instinct was to write Jer’s name down but I ended up writing down Alexei’s name and number. He looked at it and I fell asleep again to the sounds of a normal hospital.

I woke up and the room was shrouded in darkness, my head was feeling better but my vision was still kind of fuzzy. I thought I saw movement in the corner of the room and my heart rate spiked. The machine was beeping frantically.

A nurse came rushing in and looked me over and I was pointing frantically at the corner where the shadowy figure was laughing at me.

“Signora please calm down.” The nurse sounded exhausted and I was probably just another erratic patient that she had to deal with.

“There is someone in the room. Over there in the corner.” My voice sounded like a croaking frog. The nurse looked in the corner and sighed.

Logically I knew there was no one there but my brain did not want to acknowledge that there was not anyone there.

“Ok, I am going to adjust your painkillers. I am sorry signora.” She went over and hit the morphine button again and I was slipping back into lala land. I hoped Alexei would get me out of here soon.

The sooner I was out of Italy and away from Claire the safer I will feel.