Hide and Seek: The Mad Girl Sees All novel Chapter 14

Chapter 14

The full-body exam took longer than treating the wound. Blood work, EKG, bone density, muscle function tests-one after another.

Lyra sat on the exam table, bored out of her mind, propping the rag doll up against the pillow and having a staring contest

with it.

“Open up. Dr. Walsh held out a tongue depressor.

Lyra obediently opened her mouth and let out an “Ahhh.”

“White coating on the tongue. Mild signs of malnutrition.”

Dr. Walsh jotted it down, then pressed a stethoscope against her back. “Deep breath.”

Lyra inhaled, then hiccupped halfway through. Dr. Walsh’s lips twitched, but she said nothing.

Lana stood by the door, paging through the freshly printed report, her brow knitting tighter and tighter.

Underweight, barely a hundred pounds. Muscle mass below standard. Nine separate micronutrient deficiencies. Bone density below average for her age.

This was the body of a girl who had spent fifteen years locked in a psychiatric ward, kept alive on nutrient goo. And yet, just hours ago, that same body had vaulted out a second-story window and back in, snapping a Wraith’s wrist bone with one kick.

“All done.” Dr. Walsh slung the stethoscope back around her neck. “Overall a bit worse than I expected, but the wound on her back isn’t deep. Fascia is intact, no stitches needed. The long-term, malnutrition-that we’ll have to fix with diet, slowly.”

Lana nodded. “Can she shower?”

“Waterproof tape over the wound. She can shower, but no soaking.”

Lana turned to Lyra. “Want to take a shower?”

Lyra’s eyes lit up. “A shower? With hot water?”

With hot water.”

Twenty minutes later, Lyra stood in the shower stall, hot water pouring down on her head, steam fogging up the entire room. She closed her eyes and let the water stream through her hair.

At the hospital, showers were timed. Five minutes. Lukewarm water. An orderly standing right there, watching Here, no one was rushing her. The water was hot.

She squeezed body wash into her palm, worked it into a foamy white lather, smeared it across her face, and made a gooty face at her blurry reflection in the glass.

She giggled.

Outside, a female medic stood with a stack of folded clean clothes. Hearing the Laugh from inside, she froze

She turned to Lana and dropped her voice Chief Sterling, what… what is she laughing at

“Leave her be Let her shower as long as she wants

14

32 am

the mire everysung was finished, the digital clock at the end of the hallway read 22 17

From being teleported into the mission at two that afternoon, to clearing it after three hours of fighting for her life to commg back for dinner treatient, the exam, and a shower-nearly eight hours had passed.

Lyra had changed into a clean gray-blue cotton long-sleeve, her hair blow-dried and resting on her shoulders She shuffled along behind Lana in a pair of slippers.

‘Sleepy

A little Lyra yawned, covering her mouth with the back of her hand, her eyes narrowed to slits.

Lana led her down a quieter hallway, stopped at a door, swiped her card, and pushed it open.

The room wasn’t big. A bed, a wardrobe, a desk, a chair, a lamp. Clean bedding on the bed. The pillow was the soft kind.

Lyra stood in the doorway and looked around.

“No iron bars.”

“None”

No cameras either?”

“None.”

Lyra walked in and pressed down on the mattress. The bounce made her fingers test it twice more. “So soft.

She plopped down on it and bounced again. “Sis, is this really my room?”

All yours. Keycard too. Anything else you want, just tell Zoe. She’s your personal assistant. Anything you need, go straight to her Lana gestured to a sharp-looking young woman beside her.

“Ms Vance, I’m right next door. Whatever you need, anytime.” Zoe gave Lyra a small wave.

‘Okay

This is the phone the base set up for you.” Zoe handed it over.

All the standard apps are installed, plus the game forums. The contacts only have Chief Sterling and me right now so you can reach us I put a list of everyone else in Chatter-add whoever you want, skip the rest

Lyra took the phone, beaming “Okay”

Lana set the keycard on the desk Lyra, the base has security After eleven, some of the hallway lights go off Don’t be wared and don’t wander

Im not gonna wander I’ve got food and drinks here. Why would I run?”

Lana watched her hug the pillow and rub her face against it, and couldn’t quite keep the smile off her mouth

“What do you want for breakfast tomorrow?”

Lyra froze mid-cuddle She looked up, eyes shung I get to order?”

Of course

2/4

932 am

Trapace

Pizza rulls she saholt upright the words tumbling out fast

The kind with a thin crust The ones where the cheese and sauce burst out when you bite them! Mom used to buy them for ime in little paper trays, eight to a tray. I could eat three trays in one go!”

Lana watched her gesture wildly and laughed All right Pizza rolls.”

“Anything else?”

“Got any vinegar? I want to dip them!”

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