Frankie’s Choice

Chapter Ten

When Frankie opened her eyes she had no idea where she was. Everything seemed far away. Was she still asleep? Was this a dream? Very slowly, she felt herself sliding back into her body and as she reunited with it, she felt an unpleasant pulsing by her left temple. Had she fallen down and cracked her head?

Then she remembered: the Secret Service agent had hit her to make her release his hand from her mouth.

And suddenly everything flooded back, most especially the hateful things she’d said to Alberic as he lay….

Not dying. Please, please not dying. Please not dead.

Please no.

Frankie tried to sit up but something was weighing her down, so she tried harder and after a few moments succeeded in propping herself halfway up on her elbows. She looked around. Her head was throbbing and she felt nauseous.

She saw she was in a military-style bed under a green blanket. The room was small and clinical, with drab beige walls. One medium-sized window had blinds drawn shut so she couldn’t tell what time of day it was outside. And then she saw a red button near the headboard, so she pressed it.

Less than a minute later a large Italian-looking woman in a nurse’s uniform came into the room. She looked down at Frankie and smiled but her…