In Your Time

Chapter 24

*Phoenix’s POV*

I woke to the sound of beeping. I was confused as I opened my eyes and was met with the makings of

a hospital room. I tried to sit up but immediately regretted it as a piercing pain stabbed my side. I

wheezed as the beeping sped up.

"Don't try to move. You cracked a few ribs," I heard Braden said as I felt a hand on my shoulder. I tried

to relax and the pain eventually started to subside.

"Why am I at the hospital? I thought I asked... not to tell your parents," I wheezed. He sighed before

holding my hand in his gently.

"I know, but I couldn't leave you like that. You were having trouble breathing and I couldn't sit back and

watch. I want to ask you something, and I know you won't want to answer... but I saw it. I saw you

disappear, Phoenix. What's happening to you?" He asked. I felt and heard my heart rate pick up as I

looked at Braden. I disappeared in front of him? There wasn't a reasonable explanation for it. My only

option was to tell him was the truth.

"I'm not from here... or even this year. The truth is... my dad is a world renowned scientist in the year

2026. One day, my friend Merlyn and I snuck into his lab at the time they were testing a machine. I got

sucked in and dropped here, in 2017," I admitted. Braden sat back as he took a breath and tried to

process what I told him.

"So you really time traveled here? You're from the future? You realize how insane that sounds, right?" © 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

He asked.

"You said you saw it for yourself. My dad has been trying to bring me back. That's why I disappeared

for a while, but they couldn't get me out of the warp. The trip takes a heavy toll on my body. I come

back worse the longer I'm in it, and I recently found out that if I get pulled back and forth too often, it

could kill me. I also can't control when I get pulled in," I explained honestly. He stood and ran his hand

through his hair. I could tell it was taking him a while to process everything.

"That's why I played dumb. There are things I can't tell you because it may ruin the future. Also, this is

something you can't tell anyone... ever. That's also why I didn't want to tell your parents," I finished. I'd

talked too much and my sides were starting to hurt again. I winced as I tried to calm my breathing down

again. He sat by my side again and grabbed my hand in his.

"I won't tell anyone, but still I couldn't watch you be in this state without doing something," he explained.

I took a shallow breath and relaxed against the bed. After a short while, George came into the room

with a chart.

"Oh Phoenix, you're awake. You have major bruising centralized around your torso. A few on your

extremities, but our main concern is your ribs. They were probably already sensitive from before and

this incident was enough to crack a few. You've been in a unconscious for a few days. Do you

remember what happened?" He asked as he checked the monitor and brought a stethoscope to my

chest. A few days? How much of a toll did that trip take on me?