Betwixt

"Nicole?" Dale reaches out for me.

"It hurts. I'm going back. I can't. It hurts."

"Nicole, stay calm, it's going to be okay."

"What if I don't come back?"

His face takes on a look of fear before fading into darkness. I hear one last Nicole shouted from the bathroom before I open my eyes to the forest around me.

CHAPTER NINE

I slow my breathing. Dale told me to stay calm. I can do that. With very slow movements, I look around me. Pain pulses from my head to my toes and I have to stop in order to ward off the stars in my vision. I want to get back to Dale, but I also need to assess the situation.

Taking my time, I gently re-examine my injuries. My head has stopped bleeding and I now just feel dry crusts in my hair. So gross! With a wince, I try to look at my elbow, but it hurts to turn my head and my hair catches on a twig. I move to free it, which only causes more pain.

Breathing in through my nose, I force my mind to tick off the list Dale gave me.

Jacket. I need to put my jacket over me.

Trying not to move my head, I scan the area and notice my bag just inches from my fingertips. I stretch towards it. Pain slice through me. I start breathing like a pregnant woman in labor and thrust my right hand towards the strap. I miss. Squeezing my eyes shut, I mutter a curse then try again. It hurts like hell, but this time I manage to wrap my fingers around the leather.

A triumphant smile flutters over my lips as I drag the bag towards me, but it soon disappears. The bag jerks to a stop and refuses to come any closer. I raise my head to get a better look and see it's caught on a low lying branch.

NO!

My head drops back with a thud and fresh stars scatter in front of me.

I breathe in again - a long, slow one, hold it for a moment and let it out.

Forcing myself to remain calm, I grab the bag again. It's fully stuck. I yank at it and watch it jiggle against the branch. The leaves rustle beneath it as if they are laughing.

I tug and wrench the strap. "Come here, you stubborn, piece of- "

I let out a scream. As the bag breaks free it brings a pile of leaves and bracken towards me. I cover my face with my good arm and shift my body away. This just makes everything worse. Pain bolts up my leg. I move to try and ease it, which causes my body to slip to the side. I didn't realize I had been balanced so precariously and before I can stop myself, I'm sliding down the embankment.

My body tumbles over in a circle and images flash through my mind.

Yellow circles.

Falling.

A thud.

NICKY!

The last thought screams through my brain as I lurch to a stop.

I'm out of my body again. Dale is beside me, looking worried and distracted as he taps his pen on the open textbook in front of him. Damn it! My jacket. Stupid fall, I wanted to assess my situation better. Where am I now? How far down did I fall? And what was with those yellow circles?

I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to make sense of the image. It doesn't work. My eyes pop back open and I silently curse. I want to get back there. I mean, I don't want to be in pain again, but I would like to see where I am now and I really want to be able to tell Dale I'd covered my flimsy shirt with a jacket.

Oh what's the point! I have absolutely no control over this stupid situation.

Opening my mouth, I'm about to admit defeat and tell Dale I'm back when the desk starts rushing towards me again. My eyes grow wide as the room spins. I squeeze them shut then feel the pain searing my system again.

I'm back in the forest. How the hell did that happen? And what am I lying in?

I spit the debris from my mouth and reach for my throbbing elbow. I'm now in a pile of dead pine needles, the brown sharp ones that prick your skin. I brush the points away from my neck and pull a few from my ratty hair. My elbow is pulsing like a strobe light. Each beat sends a spike of pain from my fingertips to my shoulder. A low moan passes through my lips and a sob climbs up my throat.

Okay, so I'm a total idiot for wanting to get back here. Who cares about a jacket? This hurts too much!

I try to shift my knee to a more comfortable position, but the fire that sears up my leg is too much to bear. I let out a loud cry and stop moving.

Closing my eyes, I try to ward off the tears and think.

My bag. Did it fall with me?

I peer around my body and am surprised to see it resting against my right knee. My fingers scramble down my thigh and manage to grasp the leather strap. I heave it towards me then have to stop and take a few breaths. My head is starting to spin.

I shakily unzip my bag and pull out my jacket. It takes forever and the small task is exhausting. I clasp the jacket to my chest and lay my head back on the pine needles. My brain feels swollen and mushy and despair is only a heartbeat away.

Tears burn.

Dale's writing swirls in front of me telling me to put my jacket on. I look at the letters, scribbled quickly in blue ink and make my mind repeat them. It takes about four tries, but eventually my right hand capitulates and starts shaking my jacket to open it wide.

Trying to stretch it over me is freaking hard work, but I manage to cover my shoulders and tuck it under my chin... sort of.

My teeth chatter as I turn to see how far I rolled. I think I see the spot I was before. Gazing up the hill, I replay the tumble in my head. Yellow circles flash in front of me. Two of them, next to each other.

I frown and close my eyes again.

Circles... swerving towards me.

I open my eyes.

"Yellow circles?" I whisper.

"NICKY!" A young girl screams my name and I wince.

"No." I blink at tears. "Circles."

I force myself to repeat the word, hoping it will eradicate the sound of a child's scream. "Bright circles." I watch them swerve in my mind's eye, over the road then straight towards me. "Headlights!" I gasp.

Those two yellow circles were headlights.

I was hit by a car.

For some reason, the thought is liberating. I finally know what happened to me.

I try to dredge up further memories. Forcing the headlights to come swerving towards me over and over again. I can't glean any more information and after a few minutes I'm spent.

I need to get back to Dale. I need to tell him what I know.

Scrunching up my face, I try to will myself to his side, but it doesn't work.

"Come on!" Desperation taints my voice as I squeeze my eyes closed again. "Arghhhh!" I let out a scream and hit the dirt. "Please! I need to go back!"

A thought skirts through the back of my brain. It's not a pleasant one, but the idea that I have no other choice makes me entertain it. Pulling in two quick breaths, I hold the third one and force my leg to bend.

My scream is lost as I black out.

I practically appear on Dale's lap. Flinching, I jump back from him and take a seat on the empty stool beside him. Mr. Moffat is droning on in his monotone voice about some equation with a ton of letters and numbers. There's a diagram on the board beneath the title Kinetic Energy.

My nose wrinkles and I look at Dale. His mouth is turned down at the sides. I look at the scar marring his features and think it's beautiful.

What?

I shake my head. What is wrong with me?

Yes, I am very happy to be sitting next to him right now, but Dale Fi