EVA
“David...” I managed to whisper coherently. “David.”
“Eva, you’re gonna be alright. I called an ambulance. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
At first, I didn’t recognize the voice, but then I saw Maggie. A wave of nausea hit me full force as I sat up.
“Lay down. The ambulance is on the way,” she said. I fought her off and stood.
“David.” I kept saying as I stumbled out of the room.
“Eva, wait! You’re not well. Come back!”
I hugged the walls all the way out. The cold seeped into my bones the minute I opened the door. It helped with the dizziness.
I half crawled a few steps, more and more disoriented.
“David! Baby, where are you?” It took me almost superhuman strength to shout, but once I started, I kept going. “David!”
I thought I heard something. “The lake!”
The dizziness and nausea held me back, but I fought it with everything I had. The noise was becoming clearer; grunts.
“David? David!”
The splash came before I saw the water swallow them. My scream pierced the night but it felt foreign to me, like somebody else’s voice.
“David!”
I tried to run towards the water, but only managed to stumble and fall on my knees at it’s edge.
“David!”
Someone turned the outside lights on, but it didn’t reach too far. I could barely see over the surface of the lake.
My lungs were burning and it felt like I was ripping my throat apart, but I didn’t stop screaming. My body fought the madness back and, after a few forces heaves, I doubled over and puked. Then I screamed again.
Nobody was around. I had to do something. I crawled closer to the water and pushed myself into it; I had to save David.
Someone grabbed me by the waist and hurled be back on the grass.
“No! David!” I protested, so confused I had trouble remembering where I was.
“It’s alright. We’ll save him,” a man said before leaving me alone. I stared at the sky for what felt like hours, in a state of complete immobilization. Then, I heard the sirens.
“Miss, can you hear me?”
The sudden crispiness of the paramedic’s voice woke me up. I couldn’t have been sleeping, I was in a sitting position, wrapped up in a blanket.
“Miss, can you hear me? Can you tell me your name?”
She shoved a light in my eyes and I blinked.
“Her name is Eva...” Maggie started to answer for me.
“Where’s David?”
“Who’s that, Miss?”
“My boyfriend. Is he alright?”
“He’s on his way to a hospital. How are you feeling?”
“Miss, can I have a moment with you?”
I looked up at the man in a police uniform and panicked. David wasn’t alright. Otherwise why would the police be here?
“Where’s David?”
“He’s being taken to a hospital, Miss. I’m officer Garrett. Miss, can you tell me what happened here?”
“I need to get her to a hospital, officer,” the paramedic argued.
“In a minute, Ma’am. Just let me have a word with her.”
“Sir, you can talk to her when...”
“I want to see David,” I intervened.
“What happened here, Miss?”
I frowned. Too many people were talking around me. Strangely enough, it was quiet, despite the deafening noise from the police officers roaming around, asking questions and looking for things in the grass.
“Can you tell me what happened, Miss? Eva?” The policeman crouched in front of me, trying to make eye contact. I looked away.
“He tried to rape me.”
“Who? Your boyfriend?”
“No! Alex.”
“Who’s Alex, Eva?”
“He’s my brother. Her ex,” Maggie explained.
“I was at the party. I saw David, he was in bed with another girl... I... I had some drinks, and Alex came. And I went with him. Why did I go with him? Oh, God...”
“What party, Eva?”
“Where’s David? Where are you taking him?” I asked on a more demanding tone.
“He’s going to a hospital, Miss. He’s...”
“What hospital? I want to see him!”
Sudden panic took over my mind and I started screaming David’s name.
“He killed him! David! I want to see David! I want to be with him!”
The policeman tried to put the blanket back on my shoulders but all I could see was Alex forcing me on the bed. I pushed officer Garrett with all my strength and when the paramedic tried to restrain me, I fought her off.
“David! Help!”
“We need to sedate her! John!” the paramedic shouted as officer Garrett grabbed my hands.
“Help! Take me to David! I need to be with David!” I screamed before I felt a sting I couldn’t quite locate. Then I puked again.