Chapter Three

Calla

My father put his hand on my shoulder. "Cal, it's going to be okay. I promise."

The room started to spin and my tongue felt like sandpaper. A cold sensation settled in my chest and spread out to my hands.

"I need to get out of here. I'm not safe." I tried getting up, but ended up tangled in the tubing attached to my fluids. "I'm next! That's what the text message said!"

A deep crease settled across his forehead. "Calla, you need to stay in the bed. There's a police officer outside the room. I promise you, you're safe."

Ignoring him, I pushed my body up, ripping the IV from my arm in the process. Blood poured from the small hole in my skin caused by the needle.

Concern shot across his face. "Calla, please stop! You're going to hurt yourself."

I swung my leg over the opposite side of the hospital bed and threw my weight over the bed rail.

My body hit the ground with a loud thump. Pain shot through my leg as I struggled to get up.

"Help! We need help in here," screamed my dad as he raced to my side.

A police officer pushed past the curtain divider and into the room as the bandage covering my leg turned crimson red. "What's going on in here?"

"GET A DOCTOR," my dad yelled as he scooped me up in his arms and placed me back on the bed. "Calla, you're safe. I won't let anything else happen to you!"

Dr. Yari rushed into the hospital room. "What's going on in here?"

"I tried to stop her," said my dad, his hands shaking. "She threw herself over the other side. I couldn't get to her fast enough."

"I'm not safe," I said as the fluid from IV sprayed across my shirt. "Someone wants to kill me."

The police officer pointed to the gun on his hip. "You're safe, Calla. We'll find the person that sent that text message. They won't get away with it."

Struggling to take a deep breath, I brought my hands to my throat.

"Calla, I need you to try your best to stay still right now," said Dr. Yari in a calm and steady voice. Looking over her shoulder, she ordered medicine and a needle from a nurse who had just entered the room.

A moment later, the nurse returned with a tray in her hands. She waited for the doctor to stab the needle into the vial before placing the tray on the countertop on the opposite side of the bed.

Dr. Yari held the needle in her right hand. "Nurse Kristi, could you please hold the patient's leg?"

Before I could protest, the nurse held down my bloody leg as the doctor administered the shot into my upper thigh.

Twisting my body away, I screamed, "I need to get out of here. I'm not safe!" The icy sensation spread to my fingertips and my toes.

Dr. Yari pushed a small red button next to the bed. "I need some assistance in here."

A few moments later, two men in blue scrubs entered the room. They held my arms and legs down as I continued to struggle.

Dr. Yari slipped on a pair of white gloves. "Calla, I am going to stitch your leg back up. The shot I just gave you will help you relax. Once you stop struggling, the orderlies will let you go, okay?"

As she pulled off the blood-soaked bandage, my father kissed the top of my head. "I'm so sorry, Calla. This is all my fault." As he stepped back, tears spilled down his cheeks and dripped on to his light blue shirt.

Seeing the pain in my dad's eyes, I stopped fighting and let my body go limp. "Please don't let them kill me, Dad. I don't want to die."

*******

Cliffhangers,

Thank you for reading the next installment of CRIMINAL!

A special thanks to kristimcm for helping me with the medical details in this chapter! :) She's ah-mazing!

Also, a massive thank you to, ThrillingGalReads! Check out this awesome cover she made for CRIMINAL! :)

Hugs and Daggers,

Kelly Anne Blount xoxo

P.S. All votes and adds to your library are always appreciated!

P.S.S. Look for another update coming your way soon! ;)