Part 1 (2/2)

They didnt always appear together, but when they did, it meant they wanted something. Something Valerie knew she shouldnt give them. But she always gave in”anything so long as theyd leave her alone. She wondered why she was always so much more afraid, so much weaker, facing these two in a dream than she was in real life.

Please, go away, Valerie begged.

Were never leaving. Get used to it, Sanguina rasped in her ear, suddenly so close that Valerie was looking directly into her black eyes. It was like staring into a void. A scream built in her lungs, and she squeezed her eyes shut to escape the emptiness of those eyes.

Some time later, Valerie peeked through her lashes. Her heart was ricocheting around in her rib cage, and she could still taste the echoes of her last scream. Sanguinas hollow eyes were gone, and instead she saw the little window next to her cot in the room she shared with Daniel.

She opened her eyes wider and saw a familiar, beloved face close to her own. This was another one of her hallucinations, like Sanguina or Yellow-Eyes, except that this one comforted her.

Cyrus? Whathow? Valerie whispered.

But Cyrus only glowed for a second and then faded away. She blinked, but he didnt reappear. Fully awake now, she realized that she was kneeling on her bed, clutching her sheets in her hands as she had been during her unconscious vision with Sanguina. She was so weak, completely drained”physically and emotionally”by what she had experienced.

It was a different kind of fatigue than what she experienced after the fight. Then, she had been exhausted, but she would have been able to make it through the day. Now she wondered if the next time she closed her eyes she might not be able to open them again.

She let herself collapse back on her bed. The leftover fear from her dream receded, but it was replaced by a gnawing anxiety about what had happened to her and how she had gotten here. She saw her reflection in the bedside mirror and groaned. Her waist-length brown hair was a sweaty, tangled mess, and her usually warm brown skin had a yellow tinge.

The door cracked open, and Daniel peeked in. He thrust a peanut b.u.t.ter and jelly sandwich into her hand.

Hide it, quick! Shes coming.

Valerie shoved the sandwich under her pillow and gave Daniel a rea.s.suring wink. Dont worry, little man. Its all gonna be okay.

His face vanished, and a minute later, Mrs. Sims came through the door. She was a tall, imposing woman who rarely smiled. Valerie suspected that housing foster children was simply a way to make some extra money, because she clearly didnt like children. Still, she wasnt a bully, like her son, so Valerie couldnt complain. Even considering Adam, this house wasnt close to the worst of the places shed lived. She hoped shed be able to stay.

Adam told me you wrecked his truck, Mrs. Sims said accusingly. She stood over Valerie with her arms crossed.

I apologize, maam. I was curious to see how it worked, and it got away from me.

Thats a lie. You were going for a joyride before Adam stopped you. I know your type. And then you hit him? That was a cowards choice. Adam would never hit a girl back.

Arguing would only make things worse, Valerie knew from experience. I accept whatever punishment you have for me.

Its too late for any of that. You and Daniel are more trouble than youre worth. As soon as I can arrange it, youre both out of here.

Daniel wasnt involved ” Valerie started to say, but Mrs. Sims cut her off with a shake of her head.

I wont listen to any of your nonsense. And if theres any more trouble from either of you, youll go without your meals. Well start tonight. Perhaps an empty stomach will remind you to be grateful for the generosity of those who take you in.

Valerie nodded, and Mrs. Sims left. Maybe it was for the best that Daniel was leaving, too. Without her to protect him, Adam could really do some damage. She hoped that he would go to a nice couple with no kids. Or better yet, maybe he would be adopted. It was better to think that way, since thered be no way to ever see him again.

Still, anxiety for her future made her stomach hurt, and forcing down the sandwich made her want to choke. What if her next foster family was like the one shed had two years ago, and they locked her up in a closet? Or it could be another situation where she had to lie awake at night, guarding herself against any midnight attacks from other foster kids in the house. Shed have to go back to the streets again, which she hated.

Her breathing became shallow, as if she were breathing through a tiny straw. Her heart pounded so hard in her chest that she thought it would explode. She didnt normally give in to her fears like this, but she was already so weak. Daniel tiptoed into the room and saw her gasping for air.

Mrs. Sims! Help! Valeries dying! he cried.

Then she collapsed on her pillow, back into sweet unconsciousness.

Chapter 2.

Some distant corner of Valeries mind registered shouting”was it Daniel? He was shaking her, but she couldnt seem to force herself to fight her way out of the darkness that had her trapped. She vaguely sensed her body being moved, poked, and prodded, but she couldnt even crack her eyes. After a while she stopped trying, and it was a long time before she registered anything else.

The familiar, steady beeping of a heart monitor brought her back to full consciousness. Her mouth was dry, and when she cracked her eyes open, they were sticky, like theyd been shut for a long time.

She saw a row of three neatly made cots. The room was familiar, and Valerie realized that she was back at the Oakland Childrens Hospital. Her muscles relaxed, and she took a deep breath”this was the place where she was safest.

She was distracted from her thoughts by the familiar voice of Dr. Freeman, who had been overseeing her case since she was seven. She strained to hear the faint murmur of his conversation with a nurse. This was her only chance for answers. Later, she'd only get the sugared truth, what they deemed safe for a kid.

Should we call her parents? questioned the nurse.

Foster parents, you mean. But custody of Valerie Diaz is being rea.s.signed, so we should notify her social worker.

Mrs. Sims had wasted no time making good on her promise to kick her out. Not that it really mattered. Aloneagain.

Oh, I had no idea she was an orphan. The poor thing, the nurse said softly.

Yes, its sad. Shes been in the system for twelve years, since she was three. Shes been bounced from one set of parents to the next, since not many people can handle a violent, schizophrenic teenager, even without all her other complications.

What happened to her?

Apparently one of the other kids in foster care with her found her struggling for breath last night, and then she collapsed and has been unresponsive since. Shes been in a coma for nineteen hours now, Dr. Freeman said, and she heard a thread of deep concern in his voice. It thawed a little frozen patch in her heart.

Schizophrenia doesnt cause a dramatic drop in blood pressure. Is there another diagnosis as well? I dont see anything on her chart.

Thats the great mystery. We believe the drop in blood pressure is somehow tied to the schizophrenia. But thats a guess. We have no idea whats causing this. Weve given her MRIs, scans, blood tests, but all the results are normal.

That must be terrifying for her.

Whats worrying me most is that it seems these unconscious spells of hers are taking a heavier toll on her physically the older she gets, and its taking her longer to recover each time. If we dont diagnose her illness soon, Im afraid she might have a stroke and die.

The shock of what she heard reverberated through Valeries entire frame, making her tremble. It couldnt be true. Her life couldnt be over before she had a chance to do any of the things she promised herself shed do one day”see the world, go to college, fall in love. She gasped for air. Might die, she told herself, not will die. Dr. Freeman would never let that happen. In the hall, Valerie heard the insistent sound of the doctors beeper going off.

I had better leave you to give Valerie her IV. Ill come back to check on her as soon as I can, Dr. Freeman said to the nurse.

She heard the doctors footsteps fade down the hall. Her door creaked open, and a stout nurse with round black gla.s.ses entered. Valerie just stared at her, unable to put words to everything that was racing through her mind.

Youre awake! Dr. Freeman will be so glad. Are you okay, sweetie? Youre shaking like a leaf, the nurse said, putting a hand against Valeries forehead.

Im fine, she replied, forcing her muscles to relax.

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