Our Own Secrets

Chapter 1: Introduction

I came to in a sterile white hospital bed. Blinking, I looked around. I was still hooked up to the drip. I read the label on the bag- codeine. Looking down at myself, I saw that I was bandaged up with a molded cast on my left arm. I reached up with my right arm and rubbed my hand over my head. All I had left for hair was peach fuzz. I shut my eyes and tried to sleep again.

“Don’t go to sleep again,” a voice said. I opened my eyes and looked at the lanky boy leaning on the door frame. “They’ll come for you while you’re vulnerable.” He had long black hair pulled back in a ponytail and was wearing a conspicuous long-sleeved shirt, even in the summer heat.

“Who are you?”

He smiled and shrugged. “I’m not sure. What’s important right now is who you are.” He stepped through the door and shut it behind him, palming the scanner next to the handle to lock it. “You’re in a lot of trouble, Marlowe.”

My blood ran cold. “What kind of trouble?” I asked, trying to play up the dumb blonde act.

“I’m not sure. The police are looking for you. They’re coming back when you go back to sleep.” The boy put one finger on his chin and tilted his head to look at me. “So, who are you, and what have you done?”

I shrugged, then winced. “I was in a car crash- with a gasoline truck. A government gasoline truck. Is that so bad?”

“Maybe. I don’t know.”

“They’re going to come back for me? The police?” The boy nodded. “So why are you telling me this?”

He opened his mouth as if to speak, then paused in consideration. “Hm… You’ll need a place to stay, won’t you? I’m offering you a place, I suppose.”

“What kind of place?”

“A home.”

“You don’t have to be so cryptic,” I told him defiantly, lifting my chin and crossing my arms- that hurt my ribs. “You could just come out with it and tell me.”

The boy crossed the room and stood over me, staring down at my broken body. “I’m offering you a home. With other people with problems like yours. With other people that might know what you’re going through and how to avoid being caught. “

“I’m still in the hospital,” I told him.

“The police won’t come for a few more days. Think about it. Then call the number in this phone.” He set a cell phone down on the bedside table. “If you really need to, here’s the address.” He dropped a business card on my chest. “I have to go.”

I looked at the business card. It listed an address- somewhere on the Edge, near the safety nets. When I looked up, the boy was unlocking the door. “Wait!” He paused. “What’s your name?”

“Why do you need to know that?”

“How do I know I can trust you if I don’t know your name? You know mine.”

He smirked at me. “I could lie.” I didn’t say anything. “Axel.” He vanished down the hallway, leaving me to ponder his offer.