Page 71 of The Freshman

“He’s going todie.”

Alfie knew it too, but he didn’t wantto die alone.

The awareness of Nate faded, and thevoices didn’t talk again. Alfie felt cold, and still, and moreterrifying than the pain, he felt alone.

Chapter Eighteen

Alfie woke with a gasp and blinked inthe stark white ceiling. A blue curtain surrounded him, and to hisleft was a computer monitor, beeping his heart rhythm. Thepillowcase under his head rustled nosily as he turned his head tolook at the chair beside the bed. The cannula in the back of hishand caught his attention, and he waited to feel the scratch andpinch of skin, but it didn’t come. The chair moved, or the blanketlaying on top did, and Tia poked her head out and gave him a weaksmile.

“You’re up?” She grippedthe top of her nose. “Not up, but awake.”

“Is-is this the firsttime?” He croaked and went to move his hand to his throat, but hishand snagged on the cannula and he hissed.

Tia scrunched her brow in sympathy.Her hair wasn’t sleek and straight, and the skin under her eyeslooked puffy. She yawned, waving her hand. “No, not the first time.You’re usually confused after you sleep.”

Alfie nodded, taking stock of hisbody. It didn’t hurt, but ached with a strange numbness, like pinsand needs, but more disorientating.

“So, whathappened?”

“What’s happened to yourbody, or what happened to put you here?”

Alfie frowned. “My body.”

“Three broken ribs and afracture to your pelvis.”

“I can’t feel it,” Alfiemumbled.

Tia breathed sadly though her nose.“Trust me, when the painkillers start wearing off, you’ll feelit.”

“How long have I beenhere?”

“Two days. You asked forme when you woke and managed to tell the nurse my number.” Shebowed her head, then lifted it hesitantly. “Do you remember whathappened?”

Alfie frowned and sieved through themash of memories in his head. “We were driving Nate to thecemetery— Is Nate okay? Dave and Mike?”

Tia frowned. “Dave and Mike are mostlyall right, few broken ribs, concussed.”

“Nate?”

Tia bit into her lip, then released itwith a pop. “Every time you’ve woken up you’ve asked about himfirst. You look all panicked—”

“Tia is he allright?”

“As far as anyone knows,he’s fine.”

Alfie dropped his head back to thepillow. “I don’t understand.”

“Nate, the psycho whobutchered three men, he’s on the run. They think he set up thecrash.”

“He escaped?” Alfiewhispered.

“Yeah, but that’s where itgets weird. He pulled you from the car, drove you a few miles awayfrom the crash, and dumped you in the road.”

“What?”

Tia shuddered. “Who knows what he wasplanning on doing to you before he changed his mind. It’s got thepolice stumped.”

“The police?”

---