• Chapter 4
    ~Damien~
    Seeing her lying on that hospital bed made me think that her life was in danger. I couldn’t bare to lose her. Her sister was crying in dismay. I made a call to The Grill saying that I wouldn’t be going back to work. Jimmy told me that it was fine. He asked about Camren and Jaime. I told him that Jaime was fine, but that they had to sedate Camren because of the hyperactivity in her brain.
    “You tell Jaime that she has nothing to worry about. Them doctors are the best in the state. They’ll have Camren fixed up in no time. Don’t you worry I’ll keep both your jobs here for you till you’re ready to come back.” he said.
    “Thanks Jimmy. I don’t know what we would do without you. I’ll pass along your message to Jaime. We’ll get back to work as soon as possible. Bye.” I said and hung up.
    I stood on the lawn in front of the hospital and stared up at the sky.
    “God, help us get through this. Don’t let anything happen to her. She’s the only thing that matters to me. Keep her safe. She’s my one and only. She’s strong on the outside but not on the inside.” I prayed.
    I went back inside to find her sister clutching her hand and bawling her eyes out. My efforts to calm her down were vain. She eventually fell asleep, still crying. I didn’t think that I could fall asleep with Camren in this state. I remember sitting on the recliner next to her before I fell asleep.
    I dreamt of Camren. We were walking along the beach. Her smile was radiant and she was wearing one of the only dresses she has. This one was short with black lace and stars, it was blue, and she wore short leggings underneath it. She had silver ballerina flats on whenever she wore that dress. I was having the time of my life when the picture suddenly changed. I was still looking at her, but now her face was distorted. It was bathed in sweat.
    She looked petrified. She was tied down to a chair, she was struggling to get out. I heard a laugh echo through the room she was in. When she heard the laugh she went limp. Her head drooped and her body sagged. I could tell that she was scared of this person, whoever it was. She started crying. Whoever it was started laughing even harder.
    The laughing faded away and she started crying even harder. She called my name only she was more yelling than calling. Her screams turned into sobs. She was being tortured. She had bruises, cuts, and scrapes all over her face and arms.
    “Damien, please, help me. Help me, I want to go home. This person, he wants to hurt me. He drugs me before he tortures me so I wont feel any pain, but I do when the drugs wear off. I don’t want this. Jaime must be worried about me and you must be going crazy. I want to go home. Please help me. Find whoever is torturing me and have them put in prison, please I’m begging you.” she silently begged me for help.
    I woke with a start. Camren was asleep on the hospital bed and, by my guess, her sister was in the bathroom. She came out while I was pacing the room. She asked me what was wrong, but I didn’t want to worry her about her sister any more than she already was, so I told her that is was worried about Camren, which was true. I couldn’t help but think of my dream, no nightmare. It was replaying itself in my head. My worst nightmare had actually happened. Camren’s life was in danger.
    I needed to confide in someone, but there was no one I could tell without worrying them. I decided to keep this to myself. I sat with Camren all day long. She looked so peaceful lying on that hospital bed. To a stranger it might seem that she was merely sleeping, but I knew better than to think that. Later that day, the doctor come to take her to get an MRI to see if her brain was still overactive. It showed that her brain activity was still above normal so they kept her sedated for another day or so. That way her brain would have time to calm down and come back to normal.
    While her sister was getting us a bite to eat, I broke down and started to cry for Camren. She was the most important thing to me now the most important thing to me ever. I couldn’t stand to loose her. I had planned to marry her. I have everything planned, I will propose to her while on a picnic to the beach.
    I ran this scenario in my head several times a day. She was so wistful, so enchanting. That horrible dream kept finding its way into my thoughts. I couldn’t let that thought make me worried. It was just a dream anyway. It didn’t mean anything, I told my self, over and over again.
    I went to sit by her bed and she started stirring, like she knew that I was near. My instinct was to take hold of her hand. Her eyelids began to flutter, but she didn’t open her eyes. I couldn’t take much more after that. I broke down and started crying. I couldn’t help but think that we only had so much time together. I wanted to make the most of it, but I didn’t know how. At first I didn’t notice when Jaime walked into the room. I only noticed when she was right beside me. She wanted to know why I was crying, but I couldn’t even begin to explain. She waited for me to calm down and asked me again what was wrong.
    I didn’t dare tell her about my dream, but I did tell her why I was crying.
    “I just want all this to be over. I want her home and in my arms, not in some hospital on a bed completely sedated.” I said after telling her my story.
    “I know how you feel. She’s like a mom to me. I don’t want to lose her. She’s the only family I have. The most important to me. I don’t want to lose her either. I, too, want her home. I also want her happy and if it makes her happy to be with you then I can live with that. Just don’t paint everything black.” she said with a smile.
    I couldn’t help laughing. Jaime always had a positive outlook on things. That made it possible to get along with her, if it weren’t for the fact that she, somewhat, looked like Camren. She and her sister made me feel right at home.
    I silently willed Camren to calm down. The more her brain activity went down the sooner they would take her off the sedative drip.
    Just before visiting hours were over a, very, weary looking couple walked into the room. The woman took one look at Jaime and I saw tears start to well up, but then she looked at Camren and she flat out burst into tears. She rushed over and grabbed Camren. I stood shell-shocked at the woman’s reaction. I looked from her to the man standing awkwardly in the door way.
    I finally found my voice “Who are you and what are you doing here?” I asked them.
    “We were worried about our daughters. We had to make sure they were alright, but my sweet, sweet Camren isn’t alright. What’s wrong with her? Camren? Camren, wake up! Please, mommy’s here to help you.” then she started to cry.
    Her husband, at least I assumed that he was her husband, came over to calm her down. She started to break down. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Camren stir. I hurried to her side and grasped her hand in mine.
    Her eyelids started to flutter and her eyes finally opened. I hadn’t realized that I was holding my breath until I exhaled in relief. She looked ragged, but well rested.
    She looked around the room. Her eyes widened when she saw her parents. Her face paled and she looked like she might puke.