Page 8 of The Devil's Heir

Liliana

I wake up to a beeping noise all around me and realize I'm in a hospital bed.

My body feels like it's been used as a punching bag repeatedly, and something tickles my nose.

I reach up and feel an oxygen tube is the culprit for the itching, so I leave it in place as I glance around the room.

I don't know what I expected, but an empty room isn't it.

I press the red button, and a speaker crackles above my head, "May I help you?"

"Y-Yes," my voice cracks, and I have to clear my throat before continuing, "May I please speak with a nurse?"

"Yes, someone will be there momentarily, dear."

The room goes quiet once more, aside from the machines' beeping. A moment later, a kind-looking nurse comes in carrying a tray. "It's so nice to see you awake, Liliana. Are you in any pain?" she asks as she sets the tray down on my side table.

"Yeah, a little." I try sitting up, but the pain is too much, and I lay back. "Can you tell me how I ended up here?"

The nurse pushes a button on the handrail, raising the head of my bed. I give her a smile of thanks and take the cup with some pills inside it and the cup of water. The nurse waits until I take the medications, takes the cups from me, and tosses them in the garbage can.

"You were hit by a car, dear. We were told you were walking to school in the rain and didn't see the oncoming car as you crossed the intersection."

I try to think back and remember, but my head hurts too much, "Who told you what happened?"

"Your friend. He's been here every day since the accident. He usually sits with you, but I haven't seen him yet today."

"My friend?" I ask because I have no friends.

"Yes, he's handsome, with dark hair and eyes. I can't remember his name, but it's unique, something like Jarod." The nurse looks thoughtful as she tries to remember his name, so I help her.

"Jarek."

'Yes! That's it; such a sweet guy and so polite." She writes a few notes down. "Do you know that he felt so bad because he wasn't able to get to you before the car struck you that he's now paying for your hospital bill?"

"That doesn't surprise me," I say dryly.

"You are one lucky girl, not a broken bone, but you ruptured your spleen and had internal bleeding, so you had surgery. You will make a full recovery." The nurse smiles warmly.

"Have my foster parents been here to see me?" I ask, hopeful, but the nurse gives me a sympathetic look.

"They came on the first day but then informed us that since it was your eighteenth birthday, you had officially aged out of the system.

They left after hearing that the bill was already being taken care of.

They did say that you can stop and pick up your things once the doctor releases you, though. "

I can only nod and try not to let the tears fall.

I still have one more year of high school to go, and I have nowhere to live.

I wish I weren't held back in school the year my parents died; I would only have a few months left.

That, I could have managed, but having a whole other year yet, I'm not so sure.

I thank the nurse before she leaves my room and try to get some sleep. However, I'm disturbed when a knock sounds on my door. This time, it's the nurse carrying some balloons and flowers. A small box is attached to the balloons, and I have a small inkling of what is in it.

I wait until the nurse hands me the box and leaves the room before opening it up. I see that I'm right; the ID bracelet sits inside the box with another little note .

'I hope you feel better, little pauper. I'll be waiting for you.'

I throw the box and its contents across the room before laying back and closing my eyes.

I can't do this. Memories come flooding back, and I remember exactly how I ended up here.

Jarek was chasing me. He couldn't leave me alone and let me go; he came after me.

He's why I ran into oncoming traffic and got hit; I was trying to flee from Jarek.

I can't do this anymore; I need to escape him. I need to go somewhere and start anew where no Falcon is waiting around every corner. I don't know where I will go, but as long as Jarek isn't there, anywhere will do.

It's Saturday, and I'm finally getting released.

Am I feeling better? Absolutely not, but I know I need to leave here and do it before Jarek realizes I'm gone.

I know my foster parents will not let me stay now that there is no money coming in for having me there; I'm only taking up space.

I'm surprised that they are holding my things for me this long.

Then again, that was almost a week ago since they said they would keep my stuff until I got out of here.

They could be long gone by now, but I will still stop by and check.

I know what I need to do. As much as I don't want to, I will have to quit school and disappear. Go somewhere and start over. I don't understand him. What does he want from me? That ID bracelet scared the shit out of me with the inscriptions of ownership; no sane person would wear that, would they?

I finger the metal in my pocket as I wait for the doctor's prescription.

I was going to leave the bracelet, but it may fetch a decent amount of cash, even with my name on it, and I will need as much money as possible.

I need to find a job and a place to live, and then maybe I can enroll in school again to finish.

"Here you go, Liliana. The doctor gave you fifteen painkillers but only take them if needed. Come back if your incision becomes infected, okay?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Take care of yourself, Liliana." The nurse smiles warmly at me, and I return it .

"I will, thank you."

I have to get out of here; I don't like the pitying look the nurse is giving me. She knows my foster parents are kicking me out; she even offered me a place to stay until I get on my feet, but it's too close to him. No, I need to get far away from Jarek, no matter what it takes.

Packing up my meager things from the past two years is so depressing.

I'm glad I don't have much because I don't have a car, and I don't have the money to buy one.

I have fifteen hundred dollars to my name, and now the ID bracelet.

Depending on what I can get for the expensive piece of jewelry, I may not have enough for an apartment, and most jobs need an address for their employees.

With any luck, Jarek's gift will get me by until I get a job.

My life over the last few years fits into an extra-large suitcase, a duffle bag, and a backpack.

Once I say goodbye to my foster siblings, I leave the house all teary-eyed.

My foster parents couldn't even say goodbye to me, which hurt.

I know we were never close, but damn, they could have at least said goodbye.

Closing the door on my past, I take a deep breath and exhale.

I want to be able to smile, but I'm terrified about the unknown and where I will end up.

All I know is that I can't stay here, in this town, not when this is where Jarek resides.

Walking down the steps and the walkway, I glance back again at the place I've called home.

It was the best foster home I've lived in, even if the Mallards weren't very loving; at least we weren't abused in any way.

I turn and walk away, never looking back.

I can already feel the tears stinging my eyes as I think about leaving, but there isn't anything I can do.

Unfortunately, the system says I'm an adult and need to be on my own now, so here I am, on my own for the first time, adulting. I'll be okay; I can do this.