Sam’s Journey, Part Three: Cabin in the Woods (2/2)

(Author Note: I had to split this episode into 2 parts due to Tapas' length limits for short story episodes! This is part 2 of 2)

CW: Hospital Scene

~ Six Weeks since Day 0 ~

Sam woke up to the sound of people talking. She was warm and in what felt like a bed. It was more than just clean, her sensitive nose was overwhelmed with the scent of bleach and other sterilizing chemicals. She could hear harsh electronic beeps from machines, the sound of typing on a keyboard, footsteps, and phones occasionally going off. She opened her eyes, wincing at the blinding whiteness. She was in a hospital.

“Ah. You’re awake.” A man, in his early 50s, was sitting beside her bed. He smiled gently at her and set down a folder marked “Classified” that he had been reading.

Sam frowned and didn’t respond.

“You had a nasty fall there...They estimated about 150 feet? And then hit by two cars to boot. But you only came out of it with a dislocated shoulder, some scrapes and bruises, and a puncture wound to your side…” He cleared his throat. “It looked like you had a bit of stomach trouble too, but, well the doctors say you’ll be fine.” He smiled.

Still, she didn’t respond. She could see blurry forms of people gathering outside of the open door. They watched, listened, and took as many notes as possible. The older man stood up and walked toward the door, talking quietly with the doctors. As Sam’s blurry eyes focused more, she noticed he was wearing a green military uniform. It was decorated with a variety of badges and ribbons, she assumed that they meant he was high ranking or important. On his shoulder was a patch that looked like a circle with a star in the middle. He waved the people away from the door and closed it gently, smiling back at Sam.

“Don’t be scared, okay? You’re safe, I promise.” He walked back over to her and sat down. “My name is General Todd Hilltop. I’m here to help you…”