Echo Book 2

41. Not Dead

About halfway home, I'm still trying to figure out if I did something wrong. I don't feel like I did. A car pulls out in front of me. I slam into it hard. I end up upside down on the guard rail somehow. Then the car catches on fire. Suddenly, I'm in the suppra lab at my house. I guess the suppra took too much damage. Daddy's going to be pissed about replacing another.

I reach for my phone, but it was in the car too. "Damn it." I get off the suppra table and fall down. "What the hell is going on?" I motion a brain. "Connect to my dad."

He shows up in red lasers at a desk. "Are you ok, sweetheart?"

"I was in the suppra. A car pulled out in front of me. It forced me back, but I can barely stand up. What's wrong with me?"

"Your body is in shock. It's ok. It's reacting. Was anyone with you?"

"No. Only me in the car. I don't know about the other car though. They pulled out right in front of me."

"Where was the accident?"

"I was on the highway. Headed home from the mall."

"Sit down. Get something to drink. I will sort it out. Your body is in shock. Keep telling yourself you're fine."

"Thank you."

I hear him say, "Notify Malax she's at home and fine." The lasers shut off.

I stagger to the sitting room and lay on the couch. That was a lot. A servant brings me some water.

"Thank you."

"My pleasure, ma'am. Would you like a snack? You're a little pale."

"No, thank you. My suppra was in a wreck. It forced me back."

"I'm sorry to hear that. At least you're ok. Yell if you need anything."

"Thank you."

Malax's feather flashes red. I connect it. "Hi love."

"That scared me to death, woman."

"What?"

"The brain walked up to me and said you're fine and at home. Then the police showed up and said you were involved in a fatality accident."

"Not dead. I was in the suppra driving back from the mall and someone pulled out in front of me. I hit them hard, Malax. I don't know if they're ok."

"The police are already there. Your father called everyone in the city, I think. I'm going to check it out, then I'll be home. Tim is already on his way to you."

"I love you."

"I love you too, babygirl. Relax with your eyes closed until he gets there."

"Ok."

Tim picks me up. I wrap around him and cry. He lays down on the couch with me on his chest and rubs my back. "Everything is ok. You're ok and right here. It scared you."

I wake up when I hear Eriska yelling at someone. Then she runs in. "That scared me. We came up on the accident. It was bad."

Malax sits in the chair. "Relax. Let her wake up."

I sit up and Tim puts his arm around me. I think he was sleeping too. I ask, "Was everyone ok?"

Malax nods. "Everyone lived."

Eriska plops beside me. "There were 2 people in the other car. They were banged up, but your car was upside down and burnt. It was bad."

"I remember it catching on fire. Then I was in the lab. I fell off the table."

Tim kisses my head. "Your body was in shock. It thought you were in an accident. Your dad said it's normal."

Zion sits in a chair. "I'm sorry she pulled you off the bike like that."

I rub my face. "I just wish the whole day had never happened."

Eriska jumps up. "Let's lie by the pool and pretend it didn't."

We go out to the pool and sit at the table. "Did you hold his hand yet?"

"No." She smiles. "But he rubbed my knee."

"Next time he's beside you, hold his hand. I bet he smiles."

"Well, he better. Were you ok getting pulled off the bike like that?"

"She wasn't going to hurt the suppra."

"I know, but that was weird and awkward."

"I left. I don't know what to think. I don't believe I was doing anything wrong. But I knew he had a girlfriend. Was I wrong to get on the bike?"

"No. He asked you and you're friends. It was only for fun. She is f*****g crazy."

I shrug my shoulders.

"People are allowed to have friends. You really did nothing wrong. He was pissed. Then the police showed up because I dented the car with her body. But I have immunity. So, her dumbass has to pay for it."

"You had no choice. If I had grabbed her, she would have died."

"Yea. That's why I did it."

"I did like the bike though. Maybe I could learn to drive one."

"Tell Tobias to take you. He is a good driver."

"Yea, another bike to get ripped off of."

"I would never."

"I know. I don't know why I said that."

"You're still upset. About everything... You had a bad day."

"I really did. It would make it better if you held his hand."

She giggles. "I loved it when he was rubbing my leg. It felt like sparks were going off wherever he touched me."

"It feels like that for him too. Rub his arm next time you ride."

Tobias sits at the table between us. "You girls ok?"

I stare at her until she takes his hand. Then I smile. "We're better now."

"You'll have to take her back out. She wants to do that again."

"I said I wanted to learn to drive."

Zion sits with us. "You want to go get some burgers?"

"That does sound good." Tobias rubs Eriska's hand with his thumb. She's doing the same thing.

"You have fun. I'm going to bed. I'm done with today. I hope tomorrow will be better. It's the only hope I have left."

"I know you like burgers."

Eriska gives Zion a dirty look. "Her suppra was destroyed. She can't go out."

I nod. "Even if I could. Suppra's don't eat anyway. Food has no taste. It's a waste to feed them. I'm going to try for a better day tomorrow. Good night, everyone."

"Good night."

I face plant the bed. This was a horrible day.

I wake up stupid early. Guess that's what happens when I go to bed at 7. I go up to the ship and check on everything. Most people are sleeping. I check on Zion's dad. He's still in the medical area. He smiles at me when I peek in.

"Feeling better, sir?"

"Yes. I can speak again too. They wanted to keep me here another day to make sure my head was done bleeding."

"You seem much better. Hopefully they let you out today."

"How is Zion doing?"

"I think he's ok. They were talking about getting burgers last night."

"Did you go?"

"No. I was in an accident yesterday. I needed sleep more than burgers."

He smiles. "You seem better today. Maybe you can get a burger today."

I laugh. "Yea, now that they all had burgers last night. Nobody will want to eat with me. But I'm just checking on how everything is going. I figured I would peek in here. Have a good day, sir."

"You too, Echo."

I get in the elevator and daddy gets in with me. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"I went to bed way too early. Figured I would check on things here."

"I ordered for your suppra to be repaired yesterday. You can stop by the office and pick it up. Azo knows you'll be there sometime today or tomorrow."

"Thank you. I don't know though. People aren't very nice, daddy."

"What happened?"

"Nothing."

"Something did."

Kane gets in the elevator with us. "Good morning. I didn't know you were here."

"I woke up early. Figured I would check things out here. Seems to be going well. Brack was talking very clearly."

"Yea, the vampire venom cured the brain bleed completely. He's at 100% now. It surprised me. I did not think he would make it. But everyone made it. Tre did amazing. I'm sending him back to Nadine today. I can tell he misses her, but he wants to help more with the throne stuff."

"Malax is going to call for a throne meeting after we're done in Oukrant. He'll be able to help again. We're kind of paused right now anyway."

"I'll let him know. That'll make his leaving easier for him."

"Good. You 2 have a good day. I'm going back to the planet."

"You too."

I get to the dining room and the same 4 boys from yesterday are eating. Tobias seems a lot happier. "I need to go over to Kinnik today."

"You want me to go with you?"

"No. Azo only has to make sure the optics line up for the new suppra. It'll only take 15 minutes." I make a plate and sit down. "I spoke to your dad, Zion. He's doing well. Kane said he's at 100%."

"You spoke to him?"

"Yea, he asked about you. I told him you were doing well. You guys were talking about going for burgers when I went to bed. He was happy. I think he'll get out of the medical area today."

"I haven't been able to speak with him in weeks. He was having a hard time."

"You can use the brains to talk to people. I'll show you how later. Let him get out of the hospital first." Malax refills his coffee.

I smile at Tobias. "You seem so much better today."

"I held her hand." He smiles.

Tim smirks. "Try for a kiss next."

"I don't want to push it."

We crack up laughing.