Page 1 of The Wishing Game

ONE

My lids are sluggish as I try to pry my eyes open. In the distance, I hear a beeping sound that seems to become louder and louder.

"Doctor, she's coming around," someone calls out—a voice I vaguely recognize.

"Please wait outside," someone else speaks.

A bright light probes at my eyes before an elderly woman's face appears before me.

"Mrs. Archibald, can you hear me?"

I open my mouth to answer, but my throat feels as if it's on fire. A ragged sound makes it past my lips as I mumble a barely intelligible request for water. A nurse seems to understand me, and she brings me a glass, then helps me take a few sips.

God, what happened? Every sip is as if something sharp is raking down my throat.

"You might feel some discomfort since we had to intubate you," the doctor explains.

My eyes flash at her before I frown.

"W-what happened?" I croak.

"You were in a car accident," she tells me in a matter-of-fact voice. "You broke your arm and bruised your ribs from the impact. But there was an explosion and you were hit in the back of your head by flying debris. We've had to perform a craniotomy to reduce swelling."

Looking down at myself, I note the cast around my left arm, and raising my good hand to my head, I feel the bandage that surrounds my entire head. My torso is tender, and discomfort accompanies every breath.

The events of the accident are fuzzy, but I remember the truck that almost hit us. Nikki veered to the side to avoid it, but it had been too late.

"My husband. I want to see my husband."

The doctor gives me a strained look, and panic swells in my chest.

"My husband, Doctor. Where is my husband?" I repeat more forcefully. My chest contracts with every word spoken, the pain intensifying.

"You've been out for a week, Mrs. Archibald," she continues, swallowing hard. "Your condition is still precarious and?—"

"My husband," I grit out. "Where is Nikki?"

She blinks at me before she clears her throat.

"Your friend is here to see you," she says briskly before excusing herself.

I stare wide-eyed after her, shocked at her dismissive attitude. Yet that can only mean one thing... My lips tremble as all sorts of scenarios build inside my mind, but I quickly squash down those thoughts.

Nikki is fine. I nod to myself.

The moment the doctor is out, Noelle breezes through the open door, running toward me.

"Oh, Lulu! You're awake," she exclaims as she barely stops herself from giving me a hug. Her arms extend forward before she draws them back.

Her joy is genuine, although there's a wariness behind her eyes, something in the way her eyes glisten with a mix of tears of happiness and sorrow.

I gulp down against the wave of anguish that threatens to batter my very being.

"Noelle, where is Nikki?" I ask her directly.

She falters, taking a step back. Her body language screams distress.

A hollowness develops in my stomach.

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