“But, what if it was someone’s dog?” cried Susan. “Or worse yet, we could have just ran over an innocent person taking a walk!”
I caught a movement in the corner of my eye and Melody screamed as Susan’s door was ripped away from its hinges.
“Susan!” I cried as the winged monster dragged her out of the car, kicking and screaming.
“Help me!” she shrieked, trying to get out of the beast’s grasp.
Crying, I jumped out of the car and raced towards them. “Leave her go you freak!” I screamed, beating on the gargoyle’s reptilian head with my fists. The scales hurt my knuckles, but I ignored the pain and kept punching.
“Chelsey!” screamed Susan, still frantically trying to get out of the gargoyle’s grasp.
The monster screeched angrily and then backhanded me, sending my body flying across the road. My head hit the pavement and I felt a burst of hot pain in my skull, but all I could think about was Susan. I scurried back up and then cried out in horror as the beast leaped into the sky still clutching my closest friend in the world.
I closed my eyes and fainted.
Chapter Sixteen
Chelsey
When I was finally able to open them later, I was lying in a hospital bed. Confused, I tried to sit up but the pain in my head made it impossible to move.
“You’re awake,” said a nurse, peeking her head into the room. She was tall, with short curly red hair, and green glasses.
“Yes,” I replied in a raspy voice.
She walked inside and began examining me. “How do you feel?” she asked, checking my pulse.
“My head hurts. A lot,” I replied, wincing as I moved it.
Her smile was sympathetic. “I’ll get the doctor and I’m sure he’ll order something for the pain.”
“Is my mom here?” I asked. My head was a little fuzzy and I couldn’t exactly remember why I was even in the hospital.
“Uh, no. Let me get the doctor,” she said, walking away.
I closed my eyes and tried to remember what happened. After a few seconds, the memory of Susan being carried away by the freaky gargoyle came back to me and I started to panic.
Someone knocked on the door as I tried getting out of the bed to search for my phone.
“Yes?” I answered.
“Hey, Sleepyhead,” said a man wearing a white lab coat.
The nurse walked in behind him and they both approached the bed.
“How are you feeling, Chelsey?” he asked, looking at a clipboard.
“My head hurts.”
“I’m sure it does,” he replied.
“Um, can you tell me if there was a girl named Susan Fields who may have either visited me or was admitted here?”
The doctor removed his reading glasses. “No, not that I’m aware of. Is she a friend of yours?”
I nodded. “Yes. Where are my mom and dad?”
He sighed. “Actually, we’re not real sure. We tried contacting them and they haven’t returned any of our calls.”
My eyes widened. “What? How long have I been here?”
“Since last night,” he replied.
That was strange…
“Okay, well what about my cousin, Melody Fairfax? Did she bring me in?”
“No, actually a young man brought you here and then left rather quickly,” said the doctor. He tapped his pen against the metal on the clipboard “That’s what I was told, at least.”
“Who?” I asked.
“I’m really not sure,” he replied. “Look, Chelsey, the sheriff will be in to see you sometime this evening. He has some questions for you.”
“Good, because I need to speak to him too,” I replied. “Do you know where my things are? I need my phone.”
“They’re in here,” said the nurse, opening the closet door. She pulled out my purse and walked it over to me.
“Thanks,” I replied, taking it from her. I unzipped the top, pulled out my cell phone, and then quickly dialed my mom’s cell phone.
“We’ll be back in a minute,” murmured the doctor.
“Thanks,” I replied as mom’s phone continued to dial. When she didn’t answer, I left her a message and then dialed my dad.
“Dad, call me. I’m in the hospital, the one in Shore Lake, I believe,” I said, staring outside, into the darkness. It was after eight, and I couldn’t imagine why they hadn’t been to the hospital yet. “I can’t get a hold of mom, either, and… I’m scared.”
Next, I tried calling both Melody and Susan, but neither of them answered. Trying to remain calm, I sent them both texts.
I searched for my Aunt Jody’s name in my contact list and dialed her as well, but got the same results.