"Ummm.... Alli?" Susan asks, trying to break the silence.

"Yea." I reply in a soft tone of voice.

Susan just glared at me. "How long did they beat you?"

I look around the room, slowly studying everyone else around me. "Like what, how many minutes?"

Susan glares at me, looking like she's about to cry her eyes out. "No, Alli. How many years? And how many minutes would also be helpful."

"Ummm," I mutter, "I kind of don't want to answer that."

Joe walks up to me and places his left hand on my right shoulder.

"She's not the only one who wants to know that," Laura says between tears as she runs into the room.

"Why are you here?" I ask with confusion.

Joe pats my shoulder and says,"Susan called her."

"Laura, I'm so sorry, I can't explain," I mutter after I hear what they just said.

"Allison, why are you apologizing?" Laura asks with confusion, "There is really no reason to."

"You rushed in here after I had a normal night, and you're paying extra for the hospital! Laura, seriously?!" I yell with rage.

"Allison, it's okay," Joe mutters, "It's not Miss Clark who's paying."

"I am paying, Joseph," Laura mutters.

"No... I paid," Joe replies.

"You did not," Laura replies with a shocked tone of voice.

Joe slowly nods his head.
I look at him with shock. "Joe..... Can I talk to you in private?" I ask while scratching my forearms with my fingernails.

"The tubes!" Joe yells, "And if everyone's okay with it."

"There's no way I'm leaving," Laura mutters, "I don't know if the nurse will release you or not."

The nurse walks into the room. "Miss Allison, I see that you're awake," she mumbles, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm good, thank you," I reply politely.

"So... We did surgery on you last night," the nurse mutters under her breath, regretting telling me.

I look around the room, pausing my sentences and studying every single person in the room.

"You did?" I ask in shock.

Laura nods. "I was in Dallas arresting someone last night. I came as fast as I possibly could."

A police officer walks into the room. "Officer Clark, you are free from duty."

Laura stays by my side.

"Aren't you gonna walk out, Officer Clark?" the officer asks.

"This is a family friend of mine," Laura replies with a poised tone of voice.

"Alright then, Officer Clark," the police officer announces, "Allison Mitchell is officially released from the hospital."

"Now," I announce, "Please don't take me home."

"I will never LET you go home," Joe replies sternly.

"Ummm..... Sorry...." I mutter under my breath, embarrassed by what Joe just said. I know he didn't mean to but my face just keeps getting redder and redder and redder.

Everyone looks at the police officer except Laura. She glares at me.

Laura looks sternly into my eyes, but also looking a little concerned. "I don't know who will be in charge of you. One other person volunteered, so there's a custody battle going on right now."

"Who is this other person? Is she a murderer?" I ask myself.

I gulp down some air nervously, as if looking for something else to calm me down in the process. "Okay then."

I have to calm down. I will not be adopted by a murderer. If I did, they're insane.... And so am I... Just feel like dying in front of everyone but I know I don't want to. My energy just bounds up inside me because I am so nervous. Like... Why am I alive? Why did I survive? Just know that I survived all of this tragedy makes me just want to die. If the nurse hands me a knife, I will cut through all of those tubes, especially the tubes that make me normal, and live insane. I need to show Father what he can't do to me. He can't turn me crazy. I know he can't. He can try his best to fight me, but all he could do now is get arrested. The police don't really care about me. All they want is their money. That's it, and nothing more. It's sad to think about it, but when I realized it's just for their money, my heart ripped inside my chest.

I'm about to sob my heart out, but I just can't. Joe is here.... Homeless and alive..... Standing right in front of me..... I don't know how he got here, but it just warmed my heart when he rushed into the room. He cares about me... He actually cares! I never thought that a miracle would happen like the way that it's happening right now. I just..... I feel so free! My mind is clearing and I'm starting to see things normally? I don't really know what's happening inside me, but I'm trying to guess. I know I'm probably legally insane. My mom is probably crying with joy from the heaven that bends above us. With that God we both adore.

"Come," Laura says, "Follow me."

What did this mean? The nurse unhooked my machines and I immediately followed Laura out of the hospital and to the car.

"Miss Clark?" Joe asks.

"Yes?" Laura replies.

"May I take Alli somewhere?" Joe asks.

Laura nods. "Stay safe."

Laura drives her car out of the hospital parking lot. Joe takes my hand and looks into my eyes with hope.