Soul Inheritance by Honey A. Hutson Read Free Book Online Page B

in on her in horrible disarray. Sobbing uncontrollably she tried to answer their questions. Finally, unable to calm her, the attending physician administered something with a needle and darkness closed in.
     
    ‡
     
    Fog materialized out of the blackness as she began to wake from her stupor.
    “ Hello there.” A small, stout nurse with black hair and dark eyes reached down and clutched her wrist.  “How’re you feeling?”
    “ Confused. Tired. So tired.” She drew a deep breath, raked her hand through her hair, pulled at a tangle. “What… Why am I here?”
    It all came crashing in. The ambulance, Mitch, the apartment, the dreams, the creature in the car. Her father’s final moments. Katherine sat up clutching the chrome side rails. She took a deep breath and then another. The nurse reached out.
    “ No, no. Calm down, don’t breath so fast, you’ll pass out. Here…” She pushed a small cup of water into one hand, popped a pill in her open mouth with the other. “Swallow.” She helped Katherine put the cup to her lips. “That will help you stay calm, but won’t put you out or anything like that.”
    Katherine collapsed, stared wide eyed at the ceiling. The nurse left and returned with the doctor who quickly, but gently rehashed the events of the evening.
    “ He was in some sort of hysteria when he came around. He may have been dreaming, or his mind may have fractured. The tests indicated that he may have been aware of what was going on around him, but just couldn’t respond. I know this is difficult. It’s especially hard to have seen it happen, for him to have died in your arms like that. But it happens.” He hesitated, “There were no indications as to what was going on with him until it was too late. I’m so very sorry, Ms. McKalister.” He removed a prescription pad from his pocket, tapped his pen on it. “I’m going to send a prescription up to the pharmacy. It’s a mild sedative. You need to take it and I’m going to include enough for the next few nights. It’s imperative that you get some rest. Okay?”
    Katherine nodded dully.
    “ Okay, well, on your way out you need to stop by the security desk and let them know your license plate and make of car so it won’t get towed. Go home and come back when you have yourself together and not on the medication. Do you understand?”
    “ Yes.”
    “ Is there someone we can call?”
    Katherine considered this. “No, I suppose not.” Even if she hadn’t told Nigel to take a hike, she would not have called.
    “ Do you have cab fare?”
    She looked around. “In my bag.” Panic seized her. “Where’re my things?” She sat up, looked around the room sharply. The crisp green hospital gown was twisted around her.
    “ I’m sorry, your clothes were soaked. One of the nurses has some things for you to wear.”
    The nurse pointed to the chair beside the bed. “Your stuff’s there in the floor beside the chair.”
    The doctor went on, ignoring their exchange. “I’m going to send this upstairs to be filled. I’ll send someone with it and forms for you to sign when you can go.” He turned and walked quickly away.
    The grogginess was lifting and she began to gather her thoughts. As the curtain closed she sat on the edge of the bed.
    “ You’ve got to get it together.” She got up and went to the bag, pulled it open. There was a large Ziploc in the top. Inside were some of the photos and papers she had been looking at. They were all splattered with blood.
    Katherine numbly picked up the clear plastic pouch. Blood. Her father’s blood. And now he was dead. Tears came fast and hot, pouring down her face. She let them come, let the pain flow. She stuffed the papers back inside the bag and zipped it. Taking tissues from the box beside the bed she sat on the edge, pulled her knees up to her chest. She sobbed, keeping as quiet as she could manage. Arrangements must be made. Then there would be the task of getting to the bottom of all of this.