Chapter 99 Another attempt on her life
"Good afternoon, Mrs James," he greeted in a husky voice, approaching me. The nearer he got, the more I felt like I had met him somewhere, but I couldn't, for the life of me, recall where that was. His eyes and face were oddly familiar, even though he had a mask on half of his face.
Forcing a smile as I tried not to think of the strange thoughts going through my head at the moment, I sat up on the bed. "I'm good. Just feeling a little dizzy," I responded truthfully, even though my mind asked me to run, to get as far away from him as I could.
I frowned, wondering why I felt that way with a man who was obviously a doctor. Otherwise, he wouldn't be dressed as one, carrying a tab.
"That's good to hear." He ran his hand through his unusually long blonde hair. "We will have to take care of the dizzy aspect, though. As you are about to be discharged, we can't have any complications." He dropped the tab on my cupboard and turned to look at me. "Where did your husband go? Why isn't he here with you?"
The question didn't seem suspicious, but oddly enough, I felt like there were hidden meanings to it, one which made me give the doctor another appraisal. This time, I noticed how tight the coat was on his body. Not that much to hide the bulge of his muscles.
"Didn't know doctors exercise," I stated with a smile, trying once more to dispel my thoughts, blaming it on my mental state.
He looked taken aback by my question, but he recovered faster. "I think I'm one in a million. I like to keep my body fit, unlike those who let their body sag with age. I can't have all those beautiful ladies calling my grandpa. I will appreciate being called Daddy." He winked at me as he reached for the IV drip connected to my hand. "I think we will replace this," he stated, rummaging in his coat for something.
"Change it? It's enough to last for an hour. The nurse said she will change -"
"I'm the doctor here. Why do you have to listen to a nurse?" He paused the drip and disconnected it as he brought another one out of his coat and replaced the one he stopped with. "This will help you regain your strength faster. You won't feel dizzy after you finish it, trust me."
There was nothing strange about him, and what he said, so I relaxed on the bed, waiting for him to start the drip once more. I wouldn't have thought anything about it had it not been for the shirt he wore under the coat. With the way he kept rummaging in the small pockets of his coat, a button came undone, revealing a blood-stained white. But that wasn't what caught my eye. It was the hint of a blade, hidden there.
"Who are you?" I sat up on the bed, narrowing my eyes at him, as I tried not to panic.
He looked shocked at my question. "What are you talking about?" Though his voice was still rough, like that of a smoker, he tried to sound kind, something he would have fooled me with had it not been for how his right shook.
"You are not a doctor." It wasn't a question. I knew he wasn't. No doctor would wear a blood-stained shirt to attend to a patient when it wasn't an emergency.
"Of course I am." He still tried to play me as he brought a syringe out of his coat. The blue liquid in it caused my heart to skip a beat as I watched him. Icy dread enveloped my body as I gulped, feeling how parched and dry my throat was.
My heart skipped a beat as he raised the syringe, his eyes gleaming as they returned to my face. I could see him calculating and knew I had to find a way out of the place before it became too late. "I'm your new doctor," he added, sounding smug.
"Why did they suddenly change doctors without letting me know? Dr Henry is always the one who treats me. Why are you here?" My gaze went towards the name tag on his coat, further sending me into a fit of fear when I realized something. He was putting on Mr Henry's coat. And the blood...
No, no, no! This can't be happening! Panic set in, my mind racing. I tried to scream, but my voice froze in my throat, almost as if an invincible force held it.
I attempted to rise, but he was too quick. He grabbed my hair, yanking me back onto the bed. Agony exploded through my scalp the moment my head hit the metal, but I didn't register it fast as I struggled to fight him off, to escape.
Fear engulfed me as he wrapped his hands around my throat. I struggled, attempting to kick him off me, but he held tight, pressing until I felt like he would cut off my breath.
I was going to die. Terror gripped my heart at the realization. I fought harder and got him to let go when I hit him in the eye. "Please," I begged, trying to rise, but he was up again. With his palms resuming their position, he forced my head onto the pillow. While I attempted to fight him, I felt the syringe hovering above my skin.
My thoughts scrambled as my life flashed past. Why is this happening? Who is this monster?
Desperation fuelled my struggles. I tried to kick, but he was too strong.
Dashiell!
I screamed in my mind, struggling to throw the man off me while trying to stay awake. I knew I had to fight for a chance to be alive. If not for anyone, but my kids. Just like I was determined to survive, the man was desperate to get rid of me. The syringe inched closer.
No!
This can't be the end!
Adrenaline surged as I summoned every ounce of strength.
"HELP!" I screamed.
But the pillow muffled my cry as the man's grip tightened.