Recovery

Elliot opened their eyes slowly. The hospital room was dark except for a small lamp in the corner. It took a moment to remember why they were here. The dance. The drugged punch. Coach Wilson and Ryan.

Jamie was slumped in a chair beside the bed, fast asleep. His hair was messy, and he still wore the same clothes from yesterday. Elliot's parents dozed on a small couch by the window, and Megan was curled up in another chair, her head resting on her arms at the foot of the bed.

Elliot tried to sit up, but a sharp pain made them gasp. The sound woke Jamie.

"Elliot!" His eyes flew open. "You're awake!"

The relief on Jamie's face made Elliot's heart grow.

"How long was I out?" Elliot asked.

"Just overnight," Jamie said, taking their hand. "The doctor said you'd be fine, but I was so worried."

Before Elliot could reply, the door burst open. A nurse ran in, followed by two police officers.

"We need to move you," the nurse said, checking Elliot's vitals. "Now."

"What's happening?" Elliot's dad jumped up, suddenly alert.

"Alex Wilson escaped from the hospital," one officer stated. "We have reason to believe he might come here."

Jamie's face went pale. "But he was injured! My mom hit him with a bat!"

"Not badly enough, apparently," the second cop said. "He attacked a guard and stole a car."

Elliot's mom grabbed their things while the nurse disconnected the monitors. "We're moving you to a secure wing," she explained to Elliot.

As they moved Elliot's bed through the hallway, Jamie stayed close, his face tight with worry. Megan walked ahead with the cops, constantly looking over her shoulder.

"Wait," Elliot said suddenly. "My necklace. The star Jamie gave me."

Jamie reached into his pocket. "I have it right here. The doctors had to take it off for your tests."

He slipped the silver chain around Elliot's neck just as they reached the new room. This one had no windows and a police officer stationed outside.

"I don't understand," Elliot said once they were settled. "Why would Alex come after me? He already tried to hurt me at the dance."

Jamie and Megan traded a look.

"There's something we haven't told you," Jamie said slowly. "Alex sent an email from my computer before my mom stopped him."

Megan pulled out her phone. "He sent this to the whole school."

She showed Elliot the screen. It was a photo of Jamie's notebook page with a picture of Elliot. But Alex had added harsh words and drawn ugly pictures all over it.

"That's not even the worst part," Jamie whispered. "He found our texts. The private ones."

Elliot's stomach dropped. "All of them?"

Jamie nodded, his eyes filling with tears. "He sent them to everyone with awful comments."

"But why?" Elliot asked, pushing back tears. "What did we ever do to him?"

Before anyone could answer, the lights in the room suddenly went out.

"Stay calm," one of the cops said, turning on their flashlight. "Probably just a—"

A loud crash cut them off as something heavy hit the door from outside.

"Get back!" the officer yelled, drawing their gun.

The second cop rushed to the door, radio in hand. "We need backup! East wing, room 302!"

Jamie pulled Elliot's bed away from the door, while Megan and Elliot's parents huddled against the far wall.

The banging stopped. For a moment, everything was silent.

Then, a voice came through the door. "I know you're in there, Elliot. Jamie too. How sweet."

It was Alex.

"The police are coming," the officer by the door called out. "You won't get away this time."

A frightening laugh echoed through the door. "I'm not alone. And I'm not leaving until I finish what my father started."

Jamie's phone lit up with a message. He looked down at it, confused.

"It's from Derek," he said. "He says Alex's dad broke out of jail. They're working together."

Elliot couldn't believe what they were hearing. "Both of them? Here?"

The officer's radio crackled to life. "All units! We have a situation in the hospital parking garage. Multiple officers down. Requesting immediate backup."

"They're creating a distraction," the officer by the door realized.

Just then, the ventilation grate above them crashed to the floor. Everyone looked up in fear as a dark figure dropped into the room.

But it wasn't Alex or Coach Wilson.

It was Derek.

"We have to go," he said quickly. "They set fires on three floors. The whole hospital is evacuating."

"Why should we trust you?" Jamie asked.

"Because I'm the one who warned the police Alex was coming," Derek said. "I've been trying to stop him since the bridge. But there's no time to explain now."

Smoke began seeping under the door, and faraway alarms started blaring.

The cops looked at each other, then nodded. "We need to move. Now."

One of the cops climbed up first, then helped pull Elliot through the vent. Their side hurt with every movement, but the fear of what waited outside the door hurt more.

Jamie went next, then Megan and Elliot's parents. Derek and the second officer came last.

They crawled through the tight metal tunnels, following Derek's directions. The smoke grew thicker, making it hard to breathe.

"Almost there," Derek wheezed, pointing ahead.

They exited onto the roof, gulping in the fresh air. Below them, fire trucks circled the hospital, their lights flashing in the night.

"Now what?" Megan asked, looking around the empty rooftop.

"Helicopter's coming," one officer said, checking his radio. "Five minutes."

Derek walked to the edge of the roof, looking down. "We might not have five minutes."

Everyone followed his eyes. Two figures were climbing the fire escape at the side of the house.

"It's them," Jamie whispered.

Elliot grabbed Jamie's hand. "What do they want from us?"

Before anyone could answer, the door to the roof burst open. Alex stood there, a cruel smile on his face. His arm was wrapped, and his eyes were wild with anger.

"There you are," he said, stepping forward. "My father is right behind me. And this time, no one will save you."

Jamie stepped in front of Elliot. "You need to stop this, Alex."

"Stop?" Alex laughed. "I'm just getting started. You think that email was bad? You haven't seen anything yet."

He pulled out a phone and held it up. "One click, and the world sees everything. Your secrets. Your lies. Everything."

In the distance, a helicopter's spotlight swept across the hilltop.

"It's over, Alex," the cop said, raising his gun. "Put the phone down."

Alex's finger hovered over the screen. "Time's up," he said, looking straight at Elliot and Jamie.

He pressed the button.