Page 151 of Twisted Collide

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JOSIE

I tryto blink my eyes open, but my lids stick together, not wanting to budge.

What the hell is wrong with them?

I lift my hand, rubbing furiously, but as I do, a sharp pain radiates through my body. An audible groan escapes my mouth, and wow, I sound like I’ve died.

What the hell is wrong with my voice, body, and eyes?

“Don’t move. You have a head injury.” I feel like someone told me that before, and I didn’t remember. I also feel like my brain is floating like a balloon over my body, but that’s another story.

“You have a concussion.”

The voice sounds familiar, but it hurts to think.

I feel disoriented, and my head throbs. A concussion makes sense—my head does feel like it’s been hit with a sledgehammer.

I blink again, and this time, my vision comes into focus.

Instantly, the fluorescent lights sting my eyes, and I cringe, wanting to recoil and hide under a pillow.

“The light.”

My father is in the room, and the moment I speak, he switches off the overhead light.

Much better. While the room is still a sterile hospital room with white walls and no bells and whistles, at least I can see a bit.

The only light in the room is from the hallway, but it’s enough to see his face.

He looks tired. Dark circles paint the underside of his eyes.

It’s obvious I’m in a hospital, but why?

I try to think, and when I do, my brain hurts even more.

“What happened?” I ask. Maybe some guidance will help with the memories.

“What is the last thing you remember?”

“The game.”

No, wait, that’s not right. I remember the game. I remember watching Dane getting in it with a few players from the other team, and after the game was over—what? What did I do?

My dad asked me to give him his key.

“Are you okay?” My dad’s voice has me looking in his direction.

“Yeah, I was just trying to remember.”

“Take it easy. The brain is a complicated thing. After a concussion, simple tasks like even thinking too hard can cause confusion.”

“Great.”

“It will be okay, Josie.”

“How did I get here?”

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