3. Three Benevolent Interventions

The bitchy male nurse glowered down at the gurney, silhouetted in a halo of artificial light. He raised a needle-sharp eyebrow and sucked his teeth. 

"Hm. Decided to join us, did you?" His scornful brow arched into a razor-edged point, nearly melting into his hairline. From below, he bore the likeness of a flippant, spectacled bat. 

Sara's vision flickered as her mind reached again for the black cocoon of unconsciousness. But her recent memories were little more than foggy snapshots, and apprehension lingered at the base of her skull. Clenching her shoulder blades, she pulled her elbows to a right-angle, so she might see her surroundings before surrendering consciousness. 

"Oi!" The prickly diva shouted at his patient, "You are not to be thrashing about until we're sure you didn't bugger anything up in the crash." 

"I'm sure I'm fine," Sara's meager protest was disregarded as he pushed her shoulders back to the sheets. His plastic ID badge swung hypnotically in her face, "Marcus, thank you for everything you've done to help, but it wasn't that bad." Recoiling against Marcus' unveiled disdain, Sara's apprehension turned to dread as her mind flung through the countless abduction stories of girls just like her. 

"Are you bloody joking?" He drew a breath to continue an undoubtedly well-rehearsed tirade, but he was interrupted by a shrill, tiny voice, "Rah-rah!" 

Marcus looked up as the security door buzzed open. The little voice belonged to a cherub-cheeked toddler balanced gracefully on the hip of a tall, handsomely muscular woman with deeply worried chestnut eyes. 

"Rah-rah-rah-rah-rah!" The baby chattered rhythmically as her silky, raven pigtails bobbed with each of her mother's steps. 

"Oh God, Sara! I'm so sorry! Lila has been crying for you all morning. What happened? When I finally let her call you, the prison answered?!"