SAVANTS

The Chapture 38

New.niuw.

It was a voice that first reminded me of the fact that I was now in the hospital. I didn't open my eyes, but I could hear a silent voice inside the room—machine buzzed, people murmured.

My arms were bandaged and I could feel the pull of the bandage on my hair and the itching in the sutures. Slowly, I left my eyes open. The light is too bright.

"Sky" Sally My mother was by my side in an instant. ''Are you thirsty? The doctors said you should drink.'' He held out a glass, his hands trembling.

"Give him a minute, baby," said my father Simon, coming and standing behind him. ''Are you okay?''

I'm nodding. I don't want to talk. My head was still in a mess, filled with conflicting images. I can't tell which is real and what is imagined.

Supporting the back of my head, Sally brought the water closer to my lips and I took a sip.

''Is it better now? Can you use your voice?'' she asked.

There were too many voices my voice—, Zed, a man who said that he was my friend. I closed my eyes and turned my face to the pillow.

"Simon!'' Sally sounded sad.

I don't want to upset him. Maybe if I pretend I don't exist, she'll be happy again. That works sometimes.

"She's in shock, Sally," Simon replied calmly. "Give him a chance."

''But he hasn't been like this since we first had him. I can see it in his eyes.''

''Shh, Sally. Do not jump to conclusions. Sky, you can use all the time you need, you hear? Nothing will make you hurry.''

Sally sat on the bed and grabbed my hand. ''We love and love you, Sky."

But I don't want love. That's sore.

Simon turned on the radio and listened to the station playing soft classical music. It flows over me like a caress. I've been listening to music all the time in orphanages for years. 

I just talked through singing some weird half-crazy songs I made myself, which made the guards think I was crazy. 

I thought I was crazy once. But then Sally and Simon met me and saw that they could do something for me. They were so patient, waiting for me to show up, and gradually I did. I haven't sung since then.

''I'm fine, ''' I said hoarsely. My brain is like a junkyard of dark pieces.

"Thank you dear.'' Selly squeezed my hand. "We need to hear it."

Simon played the flower arrangement, cleared his throat several times. ''We're not the only ones who want to know that you're okay. Zed Benedict and his family have been camping in the living room.''

Zed. My confusion increased. Panic strikes me like an electric shock.

"I can't." My word.

''Yes, right. I'll go and tell them you're up and explain that you're not ready to receive visitors right now. But I'm afraid the police are waiting to talk to you. We have to let them in.'' Simon said.

"I don't know what to say."

"Tell me the truth."

Simon went out to inform the Benedict family . I gestured to Sally that I wanted to sit down. Now I could see that his face looked tense and tired.

''How long have I been here?'' ask me.

''You've been unconscious for twelve hours, Sky. The doctors could not explain the reason. We were very worried.''

Something made me look. Benedict's family left the hospital. Zed slowed down near the window in the corridor overlooking my room and our eyes met. 

I felt a terrible sensation in my heart. Fearful. He stopped, putting his hand on the glass as if he was about to grab me. I clenched my fists. 

Deep down, I could hear ringtones, discord, violence. The pitcher of water on the bedside table began to shake, the lights above the head twinkled, the bell to call the nurse fell from its support and fell to the floor. 

Zed's expression became darker, his voice louder. Then Saul came to the side and said something softly in his ear. Zed nodded, gave me a last look and walked on. The vibration stopped.

Selly rubbed his arm. ''Weirdo. Must have been an earthquake.'' He returned the bell to its original position. ''I didn't know Vegas was in the earthquake zone.''

I don't know if it's me or Zed. Was he so angry with me that he wanted to shake me? Or was it my fear of trying to push her away?

°°°

Feeling numb, I let Sally brush and weave my hair for me.

''I'm not going to ask what happened, honey, '' he said, being careful not to pull hair around my wound, ''cause you have to tell it to the police and the FBI, but I just want you to know that whatever happened wasn't your fault. No one will blame you.''

''Two people died, right?'' My voice sounds far away. I felt I was watching myself doing a talking gesture with Sally while I was completely hidden deep inside, hiding behind so many locked doors that no one could find me. It's the only place I feel safe.

''Yes. The police and the FBI arrived at the same time, acting on different instructions—it was a huge communication mess, the left hand had no idea what the right hand was doing. Both men were killed in the shootout.''

"Then I'm sorry he's dead." Sally.

There's a knock on the door. Victor Benedict stood at the entrance with an unknown man in a dark suit.

"Can we come in?" Victor looked at me with a certain intent. My vibe did not escape his attention and he seemed, well, wary of me, as if I was an unexploded time bomb or something.

''Please slowly, don't force her.'' Sally got out of bed and made room for them.

''Sky, this is Lieutenant Farstein of the Las Vegas police. He has some questions for you. Is that alright?''

I'm nodding. Farstein, a middle-aged man who was hilly tanned with thinning hair, he pulled a chair.

''Miss Bright, how are you?'' She asked.

I gulped my saliva. I love it.—insting said that he really cares. "A little confused."

"Yes, I know that feeling." He pulled out a notebook to check the facts. ''You have a two-state police department and the FBI, but we're glad we found you safe and sound.'' He tapped on the page while thinking. ''Perhaps you should start from the top—tell us how you were kidnapped.''

I'm trying to remember. ''It was getting dark that day. I've been ski—yah, and many times fell on the ski.''

Victor smiled, his face reminded me so much of Zed when his expression turned softer. "Yes, I heard you were learning to ski"

"Tina's car is in trouble."

Farstein checked his notes. "Mechanics found out that someone messed up the battery cable."

"Yes that's right.'' I rubbed my forehead. Next steps are shaky. ''Then Zed and Xav persuaded me to get into the car. They locked me in the trunk. No, no, they didn't do it.'' I pinched the base of my nose. ''I can see them doing it but it doesn't feel right.''

''Sky.'' Victor's tone of voice was low and urgent. ''What do you see?''

Farstein. ''Are you saying that Benedict's two brothers are responsible for your abduction?''

Something clicked in my head. The images flow easily, smoothly, without pain.

"They pretend to be my friends, want to hurt me."

"You know that's not true, Sky." Victor was furious, his lips clenched.

Farstein looked at him with a deadly look. ''Agent Benedict, you mustn't interrupt witnesses. And given your relationship with the people he accuses, I suggest you step out and send a colleague who can listen impartially.''

Victor walked to the door, turned his back on the room, but did not leave. ''What he said was impossible. I'm with my brothers, lieutenant. They had nothing to do with his kidnapping.''

' Sky, why are you saying this?' Victor's voice rang out in my head.

I looked at Sally in a panic. "He spoke to me in my head— told him to stop." I pressed my hand against my temple. ''It hurts.''

Sally grabbed my hand, standing between me and Victor. ''Mr Benedict, I think it's best you go: You make Sky angry.''

I turned tearful eyes to Farstein. ''I shot them, right?''

''No, Sky, you are not responsible for the deaths of those people.''

''Zed and Xav are dead?''

Farstein looked at Sally anxiously. ''No,'' he said carefully, ''the two people who are stalking the dead warehouse.''

''Gator and Halloran, '' my deuteronomy, considering them. "A Savant."

''What?'' ask Farstein.

'Which one, Sky?' victor asked in telepathy.

''Go from me!'' I pulled a blanket over my head. ''Go from my mind.''

Farstein sighed and closed his notebook. "I can see we're doing more damage than good here, Mrs Bright. We'll leave Sky to rest. Agent Benedict, I want to talk to you.''

Viktor nodded. ''Under the hall. Take it easy, Sky. Your mind will return to normal.''

The two men left. I lowered the blanket to look at Sally who was watching me with fear in her eyes.

''I'm going crazy, right?'' I asked him. "I don't remember—and what I remember feels wrong."

He rubbed his thumb into my knuckles. ''You will not go crazy. You're just traumatized. It takes time. We think the people who did this to you may have been killed in the shootout."

I was hoping someone would tie loose ends in my brain. My mind is like a tattered dress from an abandoned party blown off— no purpose.

If Zed and Xav didn't kidnap me, then why do I think they did.