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“She’s going to pull through. She has to,” Ryder chokes out.

“The doctor made it sound like she would, but until I see her awake with my own two eyes, I won’t stop worrying.”

“Call me after you see her and keep me updated. We won’t be there until around eleven tomorrow morning.”

He sounds just as worried as I am. I’ve been a father for all of two minutes and I already can’t imagine how it would feel to be thousands of miles away from my little girl knowing she’s hurt and there’s nothing I can do about it.

“Beck is staying with November and Asher with some of the other kids. He doesn’t know what’s happening. Should I tell him?” I don’t want him not to trust me after this.

“Not yet. Let him have tonight.”

Yeah, tonight. Tomorrow he’ll see his mom and know there really are monsters in the world.

“I’ll call you when I know something more,” I tell him, and then hang up.

Leaning back in my chair, I stretch my legs out, close my eyes, and wait.

When I open my eyes again, it will either be a new beginning with my family or the worst/best day of my life.

21

Delilah

Confused,I blink, or at least I think I’m blinking except when I try to open my eyes, I’m only met with blackness. I try to wipe at my eyes, but my arms are too heavy to lift.

I want to sit up and figure out where I am, but pain and something else altogether keeps me down. My entire body feels like it's being held down by a lead weight and my head is foggy. I can’t remember where I am or what I was last doing.

Where am I?

“I think she’s waking up,” a familiar voice says.

Dad?

I try to turn my head toward the sound, but it’s like I’m under water and can’t come to the surface.

“Beauty?” Max questions, and there’s a squeeze of my hand.

My fingers spasm in his hold, or at least I think they do.

“Open your eyes, beauty.” There’s a strange warble in his voice that has me doing everything I can to open my eyes to no avail.

A hand smooths over my forehead. “Take your time, sweetie. I know it’s hard.”

“Fight, baby girl,” my dad chokes out.

I try. I don’t want my loved ones to worry about me. I want to wake up and tell them everything is going to be okay, but instead, blackness wins out.

I wake up the same way over and over again. I have no idea how much time passes between each episode. Each time I try to move and try to open my eyes, but I’m unsuccessful so many times I don’t know if I’ll ever break out of this in between.

The next time I wake up, something feels different. I’m still in pain, but now it’s more localized. My face and stomach throb. Tears sting the backs of my eyes and then I feel wetness trail down my cheek.

“Delilah, come back to us. We need you. Your daughter needs you.” My mom’s voice is close but far away at the same time.

My daughter?

Why would she need me?

Bradley.