No Way Out- Chapter Six

Light beams on my face, spreading the warmth throughout my body. I shield the light with my hand, squinting my eyes. Where am I? As I pull myself up, I get a better look of where I am. There’s an open field surrounding me, the grass a vibrant green. “Well… if this isn’t that cheesy Twilight scene, I don’t know what is…” Purple and yellow flowers sit in clusters around the field. A soft summer breeze blew through my hair, rustling my clothes just a bit. I breathed it in, so beautiful.

I steal a glance at my stomach, lifting up my shirt. There is no stab wound. No remembrance of the closest person I had to an uncle trying to kill me, following orders. “That couldn’t have just been a dream. It was too real.” I look around the beautiful scenery. “This…this is too beautiful to be true.” Gray clouds roll into the sky the moment the words leave my lips. It doesn’t take long before a few rain drops hit me in the face. A small smile plays at my lips, a real smile. The rain gets heavier, washing over me, soaking my clothes and hair. I feel like a little girl again, free in the rain. I twirl, arms out, with my head tilted back.

Black and white hair clings to exposed skin, I feel all my worries slipping away from me one by one. I am Lucy again for this moment in time. The little girl who didn’t have the best life in the foster system but a better life than the one Alena has now. Two girls, one body. Lucy is finally getting her chance to see the beauty in the world again. Lucy would run through the grass with her dolly in hand, twirling in her little flower dress. So carefree.

Lucy… Listen to me talk as if Lucy is some girl I used to babysit… I do feel that way sometimes, like I watched my childhood fly by through the eyes of an older, less understanding person. She is the part of me that I wish I could forget, but she is still here. I’m jealous of the little girl’s life. Of all her laughter, smiles, a steady home---Everything that I don’t have. How could I be jealous of me? Sometimes, I still hear her voice in the back of my mind. Sure it isn’t as loud as my father’s but she’s there. As Alena, I longed for a friendship for so long that I ended up creating one. I created a life for Lucy that I always wanted to have. Someone who is happier than I am, who will tell me that everything will be okay. Who entertains my mind so that I am not sitting alone in the dark, after a horrible nightmare, helping me shake the feeling of his hands around my throat. Lucy, my version of Lucy, helps keep me sane.

Thunder rumbles, pulling me away from my thoughts. I scan the field, looking for something to sit under so that I won’t get sick. The raindrops are getting bigger, coming down harder than before. I spot Haedyn standing at the edge of the field, standing in dark jeans and a white tshirt. The t-shirt clung to his chest and shoulders, making his muscles look broader and more attractive. He has a stern look on his face, but he doesn’t look mad. His jaw is clenched, his brows pulled together deep in thought.

“Haedyn? Haedyn what are you--? Where am I?” He smiles at me, the stern look vanishing from his face in a moment. He motions for me to come over to him. There’s a large tree behind him that would be able to keep both of us somewhat dry. I oblige, running over to him for a hug.

“Haedyn!” My arms wrap around his waist, as I cling to him. He wraps his arms around me. “You wouldn’t believe what I just dreamt about. I was on the roof with Michael and he stabbed me and I�"“ Something felt odd. I have never hugged this person before, this imposter. Who is he? This isn’t my Haedyn. I pull away from him, looking into his eyes for some sort of sign. He brushes some of the wet hair out of my face. “Who are you?” This may look like Haedyn but this isn’t him…

“You’re okay. This is your safe place. A place Lucy, the real Lucy, clings to in your mind.” He says softly, taking my hand in his. His touch felt foreign. “I wish you could stay here but you need to wake up.

“Wake up? I’m not--”

“Yes, you are. That dream… It wasn’t a dream. Michael tried to kill you. You are in surgery now but it is time to wake up.”

“Who are you?!”

Haedyn goes quiet before sighing. He changes into Little Lucy right before my eyes. She is to my waist, her long blonde hair cascading down her back in little ringlets. Her white dress with daisies along the hem of her skirt, shifted a little with the breeze. She held onto a Victorian doll with brunette hair in a silk purple dress and white shoes. Her wide gray eyes looked up at me as she held her hand out. “Lena… You have to wake up. You lost a lot of blood but the doctor made you better. You can’t give up. Do this for us.” I crouch down to her level, so that we were eye to eye with each other.

“How could I return there? He wants me dead and you know he won’t stop. Can’t I just stay here with you? It’s so peaceful here.” Hot, thick tears make their way down my cheeks. I didn’t even realize I was crying until I felt drops fall from my chin. Little Lucy touched the stream gently with her finger.

“This isn’t for you. What about Haedyn? He doesn’t even know how you really feel about him. Are you going to let daddy get away with this?”

“I want to be like you… Carefree… Here in this beautiful place, with you.”

Lucy sighs softly, “You think I am carefree. I’m just a little girl you picture in your mind. I’m not even really here.” She becomes Haedyn once more, pulling me up with him. “You had to have thought of me for a reason. You need to tell me how you feel. You need to fight like you have always been, Lena. You have never given up this easy.”

I never had the chance to… Part of me wanted a life with my family, the life I could never have. The other part of me fought for and escape. How could I go back to that life? As if he could hear my thoughts, Haedyn answered. “You fight, Lena. You have friends with you now.”

“Friends I only have Haedyn.”

“Wake up, Lena. It’s time to wake up.”

“Please, let me stay. At least for a little while…” I beg, holding his hand tightly, never wanting to let go. He closes his eyes, shaking his head. Haedyn and the field disappear, leaving me alone in complete darkness. Laughter rings through the darkness, my father’s scarred mouth appearing around me.

“You will never escape me!”

I jump awake, breathing heavy. My eyes dart around, making sure that I am safely away from my father. I have to blink a few times, letting my eyes adjust to the hospital lights. A nurse rushes in to check on me, since the beeping of my machine is really fast.

“Miss, you are alright. You’re safe.” She checks my IV, her blue scrub top brushing against my arm causing me to shy away from her. She just gives me a soft smile. “Everything looks good. Your STATs are normal. How are you feeling?”

“W-water…” I whisper, my voice hoarse from the anesthetic.

“Of course, Miss. I will go get you some ice chips. You have a few friends waiting to come see you. I will send them in.” With that, the short nurse turns around, waltzing out of the room, her auburn ponytail bouncing lightly with every step. Friends? Dr. Crane and Haedyn maybe?

Wrong. A young man in a dark hoodie walks in, hood down, with none other than Bruce Wayne himself. What? Bruce sits in the chair nearest to me, the younger man standing on the other side of my bed. “W-who are you?” I really need that water. My voice sounds horrid escaping from my desert dry mouth.

Bruce gives me a reassuring smile. “My son said he found you on the roof. You had been stabbed. Your surgery went well. How do you feel?”

“Thirsty… Your son?” I turn my gaze to the boy in the hoodie. He looks about Haedyn’s age, maybe a little younger. His black hair shines under the florescent lights. His deep blue eyes bore into mine with a concerned look. “You… You’re the guy who flew to save me from dying alongside Michael when I flung us over the edge of the building…”

He looks slightly confused, but I could tell it was merely an act. “What do you mean? Flew? I don’t fly. I just saw you on the roof…”

“Don’t lie. I know what happened. I know what I did! Don’t act like I am crazy!” Both men sit there in silence for a moment, looking between each other then back at me. I glare at hoodie boy. “What were you doing there in the first place?”

“Calm down…” Bruce says softly, the beeping from my machine becoming rapid again. The nurse rushes in with a cup of ice in her hand and a panicked look on her face. She checks everything again before turning to give a small glare to Bruce Wayne and his son.

“Please, do not upset the patient.”

Bruce stands up, clearing his throat softly. “My apologies. She was having a recollection of what happened to her. We didn’t mean to upset her.”

The nurse looks at me as if she was asking if he was telling the truth. Who wouldn’t believe Bruce Wayne, boy-millionaire now a man with his own son. I nod slightly, telling her that I am fine. She sits the cup full of ice down on my table then leaves the room. I return my gaze back to hoodie boy. “Are you going to answer me?”

Bruce sits back down, speaking for him. “Demetri… shut the door please.” The young man does what he is asked. Bruce leans forward slightly, looking at me. “It’s true. He did save you from killing yourself. He called the police to get a signal to Batman. While it was stupid of him to jump off a roof to save you, he also had some internet bought instrument that could get him back to the roof.”

“It’s a make-shift of Batman’s claw thingy that he uses to climb buildings.”

“Doesn’t matter…” Bruce doesn’t seem thrilled with his son at the moment. He returns his attention to me. “As I was saying, he got you both back on the roof, there he awaited for Batman.”

“Batman told me that I could meet you here. I had to call Dad to let him know what had happened. He was furious, yes, but we had to make sure you were okay. Batman brought you here.”

That explains the bat ears I saw before I blacked out. “Thank you…” I mutter, popping one of the ice chips in my mouth.

“I’m Demetri Wayne by the way. And I am assuming you know my father.”

“Yes… Nice to meet you, under such circumstances…” I look between the two. “So when can I get out of here?”

Bruce Wayne looks sympathetic. “Not for a while… at least two weeks.”

Two weeks?! I can’t stay here that long! “I can’t. No. I have to leave.” I sit up, wincing at the pain in my stomach. Demetri gently pushes me back down.

“You can’t. You have to stay here. I’m sorry. Is there anyone we could call? A friend? Your parents?”

“No! God, no. I mean… I’m a foster kid but now that I am of legal age, they can’t do anything. Do they have my phone anywhere? I need to make a phone call.”

Demetri searches through a clear baggie containing my clothes and anything else I had on my body when I came in. He fishes out my cell phone before handing it to me. “We can wait out in the hall while you make the call.”

“Thank you.” I nod at both of them, watching Bruce usher his son out the door. I quickly punch in Haedyn’s phone number, listening to the ring. One ring… Three.. Just as it is about to go to voice mail, he answers.

“Hey, Lena. I stopped by the warehouse earlier, you weren’t there. Figured you went out about the town.” I hear the smile in his voice. “Anyway, what’s up?”

“Haedyn…” It’s so good to hear his voice. I know it hasn’t been long since I last saw him but after almost meeting my fate… after begging to dream-Haedyn to keep me there with him, I missed him so much. “I’m in the hospital.”

“You’re what? What happened?! Are you okay?!” The panic in his voice rose with every sentence.

“I’m okay. I just woke up. Please come here.”

“Of course! I’m already on my way.” I hear his engine rev up in the background. “What happened?!”

“It’s a long story… Too long for the phone. Just hurry please… Without getting a ticket or worse…”

“This is not a time for joking, Lena.” Great… Serious Haedyn. I know he is only worried about me. He will be back to his normal self when he sees that I am okay, that I will not die. At least not today. Joker would say that every time is a need for a joke. Right now, joking is keeping me from thinking about everything that is against me when I get out of this hospital. That is if Joker doesn’t hear about where I am first and come in the finish the job.

“I’ll see you when you get here, Haedyn. Just ask for me at the desk.” With that, I hang up the phone, sitting it on the table beside the plastic cup of ice. There is a knock at the door, Bruce walks in.

“Demetri went to see if he could get you something to eat from the cafeteria. You’re probably hungry. It will be soup most likely. You cant have anything else yet. They aren’t sure your stomach could handle it.” He sits back down in the chair beside my bed.

“You said Demetri called Batman?” He nods, his expression turning concerned and hard. I meet his blue eyes, much like Demetri’s. He looks at me as if I am his own child who needs protected. “I need to contact him. It’s urgent. Do you think… I know this might sound crazy… but do you think you or Haedyn could get ahold of him for me? Please?”

He nods his agreement. “Of course. I will do my best to get him here as quickly as possible.”

“Thank you.” If there is one man who could protect me from my parents, it would be him. They have yet to defeat him. He is too good of a man to kill them, always trying to get them help. Right now, I need his help. I need him to keep me safe until I can figure this out on my own. He will help me. I just know it.

Author's Note

Thank you for your patience. I know I haven't posted a new chapter in a little while. I have been doing this thing where you re-read what you already have and fix it. I've done that so many times... I am ashamed. This is actually completely from scratch, not matching anything I have in my notebook for this chapter....and I actually like it. Anyway, Enjoy!(: