Reign of Brayshaw (Brayshaw High) - Meagan Brandy Page 0,74
of the machines. The nurse comes in twice, but still, no one speaks.
Eventually the sun rises, and when the nurse comes back for her morning round, the others finally drag themselves to their feet. They stretch where they stand and instantly, the weight of every eye lands on me but I don’t look.
I have no strength, no drive.
I feel sick to my stomach, but I don’t show it. My head is pounding, but I ignore it. My world fucked, my mind mush, my thoughts muddled.
I can’t figure out what I’m supposed to do. The right move versus the wrong.
My eyes lift to Captain again.
I did this.
I got him shot, I drove Maddoc away, I left Royce feeling abandoned.
I killed my mother, and inadvertently Collins’, too.
Donley will come after us now, for answers if not for more. He—
“Stop it,” is whispered in my ear and my head snaps left.
Victoria stares up at me, distress in her brown eyes. “This isn’t your fault.”
“Isn’t it?” I say back, not bothering to whisper. “She was my mother, she showed up because of me, left because of me, hated this world because of me. I did this. My existence brought all this on. I never should have made it out of the womb. Go, Vee. Get some sleep.”
Her eyes narrow. “You need sleep, and you need to eat.”
“Why should I eat when he doesn’t get to?”
“Because he’d want you to. And he’d be angry if he knew you hadn’t. They all would.”
I shake my head looking away, but she grips my chin forcing it back.
I glare at her.
“I’m getting you something, and you’re eating it. If you don’t, I’ll make sure they tie your ass down, shove a feeding tube down your throat and make you.”
I can’t help it, a small scoffed laugh leaves me, but my stupid eyes fill with moisture. I clench my jaw, nodding.
Her shoulders visibly fall with her sigh and she rushes from the room.
“Mrs. Brayshaw.”
I look over my shoulder to find Fernando at the door.
Royce hops to his feet, moving toward him, but he keeps his eyes on me.
“Ms. Maybell is downstairs. She’s staring up at the window.”
I look to Royce right as his head snaps to mine. He gives a small nod, so I say, “Let her up.”
I never should have made it out of the womb, I said.
Females were no good to him.
Holy shit.
I jolt from my chair, my eyes flying to Royce before I storm out to find the nurse.
“Carmen!” I shout right before she disappears behind a door.
Her worried eyes hit mine and she rushes my way but keeps moving past. “What happened?”
“No, wait!”
She spins on her heels, frowning at me.
“He’s fine.” I shake my head, thinking better of my words. “Or nothing has changed. This is about something else.”
The woman’s brows pull in and she steps closer to me. “What is it?”
“Blood,” I say, and she tilts her head. “When someone donates blood, it has to be clean, right?”
“Clean?”
“No diseases, no drugs. Clean.”
She nods. “Yes, that’s right.”
“Do you test the blood or take the person’s word for it?”
“Everything is tested before being marked clear for transfusion.” The edges of her eyes tighten. “I can promise you the blood used for Captain was squeaky clean.”
“What about mine?”
Her head draws back.
“Raven...” Royce draws out slowly, but I ignore him.
“The blood you have in stock for me, the blood delivered by Estella Graven. Was it tested yet and found clean?”
“Of course. It was tested the day it arrived. Things may be run a little unorthodox in this wing, but I promise you we still practice good medicine.”
“So there were no drugs found in the blood given to you for me?”
“None.”
My shoulders fall and I stumble back slightly until my ass hits the wall. I use it to hold me up, tipping my head back for a deep breath when nausea fights its way in, but it’s no use.
I gag but swallow it down, only to gag again.
I slap my hand over my mouth and dash for the bathroom, just barely making it to the garbage in there before I can no longer hold it.
My stomach, already empty, releases more. Yellow and green acids fight their way out, and I dry heave, coughing and gagging every few seconds.
Once it stops for even a moment, I shift toward the sink and splash water on my face, before dropping my ass to the tile floor. I rest my head in my hands.
In the same second, the door slowly swings open, a