Page 85 of Castle

Few seconds later, I was lying on the ground, injured. Castle had rolled down the hill. A blast had reverberated only a second after we’d jumped and all I could hear was white noise.

It felt like a fever dream.

I scrambled on the dirt, crawling to the other side of the road, my body screaming in pain. I wanted to find my husband.

“Castle...” I called out.

I was blinded by the flashing lights of a car speeding toward me.

I was about to get run over.

THIRTY-THREE

You know,sometimes when you’re in that depressive phase and think about death, and how you would die? Well, I always wondered whether I would grow old and die in my sleep, or if it would be tragic, gruesome, and painful.

Well, now I knew I was going to die being run over by a car.

I closed my eyes.

I hope Castle is safe.

The car screeched to a halt.

I opened my eyes, only to be blinded by a pair of headlights. Car doors opened and slammed shut.

A worried young man walked out of the car. “Shit! What happened? Are you okay? Were you hit by a car?”

“I had an accident...” I began explaining.

There was a woman with him too who I assumed was his wife. She passed him a look before I heard her whispering, “Maybe it’s a trap to rob us. We shouldn’t get involved in this.”

“Please...” I pleaded, “My husband was in the accident too. I think he is injured. Can you help me get him to the hospital? At least let me call the emergency.”

“Let’s go, honey.” She insisted, grabbing his hand and trying to drag him back inside the car.

The man looked torn between listening to his wife and doing what was right.

“Please.” I had nothing to lose. If they refused to help me, I’d die anyway.

“Fuck it.” He walked around the car and put one arm around me and the other below my knees as he lifted me.

“Wait! You have to help me look for my husband first,” I told him. “He must be here somewhere.”

The man looked at his wife. “Call the emergency. She’s having wounds. I’m going to go look for her husband.”

“You can’t be serious, Shaun!” she shrieked.

“She clearly needs our help! Don’t be such a cruel bitch.”

“Whoa, I’m a cruel bitch now, do I have to remind you all the times that you?—”

My head felt heavy, and I was losing consciousness. My vision was turning blurry, and they were going in and out of focus. I didn’t have the luxury of being unconscious. I needed to make sure Castle was safe. I reached out towards them. My mind and body battling against each other while they continued to argue.

“Castle...” I choked out.

And then there was darkness surrounding me.

I opened my eyes to a hospital room. I had an IV attached to my arm, and no one was around.

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