Maya

“Nikki, can you shut off the alarm?”

Beep. Beep. Beep.

“Nikki.”

The same incessant beeping continues. I open my eyes and come face-to-face with a heart monitor. I bolt upright in the bed, and my chest aches in protest.

I stare at the IV embedded under the skin of my left hand as I try to comb through my memories. The last thing I remember is going to Richard’s house to watch TV in bed.

So how did I end up here?My fingers trace the clear tubing that leads right into my nose. I follow the line with my eyes, landing on an oxygen tank.

“She’s awake.” Richard’s raspy voice has me turning my head toward the sound.

He hangs up the phone and tucks it into his pocket. The look on his face has a chill spreading across my skin. It reminds me of how he used to…