“I would, but we shouldn’t interrupt her body’s biorhythms, except if absolutely necessary. Come, I’ll get you set up, something to eat and drink maybe. You can come back in when I get the cot set up. It’s overwhelming, I know. Take a minute alone with her, and I’ll meet you outside here.”
Nodding, Mrs. Flynn stood by her daughter’s head, “Can I touch her?”
“I would prefer you not, with all the lines and such.”
“I can’t even touch my daughter. She may die, and you won’t let me even touch her.”
“It’s for safety, infection reasons. Please, I don’t mean to be strict—she is extremely unstable. I cannot emphasize that enough.”
“Fine.” Mrs. Flynn clenched her jaw and her fists. “Leave us.” The nurse did.
Taking her only daughter’s hand in hers and caressing her forehead, Mrs. Flynn gave her daughter a soft kiss.”I’m sorry I was so hard on you. I didn’t mean to be so hard on you. My girl.”
“My Nia,” the voice whispered.
Mrs. Flynn jumped back, bumping into the IV lines, knocking the IV pump over. The lines ripped from Nia’s body, blood splattered the white sheets, and the alarms wailed as Nia’s vitals tanked. Mrs. Flynn screamed running into the hall, “Emergency! I have an emergency! I need help!”
The black shadow quickly swept over Nia’s bed and dripped dark-red blood into Nia’s mouth—delivered at last. The shadow then retreated, out the door along the floor, as the bodies rushed in. The fight began to save Nia’s life.
“I’m so sorry. It’s my fault, it’s all my fault. It was an accident.” Mrs. Flynn cowered in the corner as the ICU staff attempted to save her daughter’s life for the third time. They pumped her chest until there were no more compressions to be done and no more drugs to be injected. The worn, red code cart sat awry.
It was too late. The lines on the monitor went flat as heads hung low. Mrs. Flynn cried to the unforgiving world.”My baby, my baby. What have I done? What have I done?”
The old nurse flashed Mrs. Flynn a malicious glance, and Mrs. Flynn took it, because she knew the old battle axe was right.
“Time of death 0101,” the young, brunette ICU doctor stated. He turned to Mrs. Flynn. “I am very sorry for your loss.”
“What do I do now?” Mrs. Flynn was frantic; she stood hands out to the ICU code team. “What do I do? It was an accident. I didn’t mean to. I’ve killed my daughter.”
The doctor approached her. “There will be an investigation. You will need to remain here. I’m sorry.”
In shock, Mrs. Flynn fell back, fell to the hard, white, intolerant floor. She didn’t know what to say. It was a nightmare—a parent’s worst nightmare. They all stood in silence, unable to fully comprehend what had just happened.
BEEP . . . BEEP . . .
They all looked up at the vitals monitor. The reds, the blues, the greens emerged from left to right—proof life’s lines.
BEEP . . . BEEP . . . BEEP . . . BEEP . . .
“She has a rhythm,” the doctor yelled. “She has a rhythm.”
The sounds picked up, and the medical team ran about the room not knowing exactly what to do—total chaos erupted.
“She’s alive? She’s alive!” Mrs. Flynn cried out.
“No—stop, don’t open the blinds.”
“Why not? It’s beautiful out. You should see the view.”
“Just don’t. Please.”
“Very well, Nia. I’m reluctant to release you today,” said the tired Doc. His shift was hitting the thirty-six-hour mark, and he was beginning to think he’d imagined the night.
“Why? I feel fine. Can’t I just go? Haven’t you all tortured me enough?” Nia said, surveying the young doctor. He looked awfully tasty. She felt a pang hunger and tried to push away the unusual new thoughts—this urge to bite, yank into flesh, and—
“How about we at least wait till this evening? We need to run a few more tests,” he approached her bed and put a hand on her shoulder.
His move—the intimacy—excited her, and she felt her heart racing. It boomed through her ears as she watched the pulse on his wrist bounding, thriving; his life force was strong—nubile. She could sense it. Nia leaned forward for a kiss.
“What are you doing?” he asked, lulled by her sensual touch.
She batted her long, black lashes catching his striking, brown eyes. “Do you want me?” she asked with an innocent smile.
He closed his eyes. “Yes, I—”
“Shhhhhh,” she hushed, kissing his wrist, licking his pulse lightly. An urge washed over her to take a bite, just one bite.