Forty Two

Bella's POV

The sterile white walls blur before me. I blink, trying to focus on the beeping machine next to my bed. My head thumps with a dull ache, and a strange, hollow feeling sits in my stomach. I try to sit up, but a sharp pain shoots through my shoulder, and I fall back on the pillow with a groan.

"Easy, honey." A woman in a white coat smiles down at me. "You've been through a lot."

I look at her, my mind a blank slate. "Who are you?" I ask.

"I'm Dr. Evans. You're in the hospital. You were in an accident."

"An accident?" I repeat, my voice a mere whisper.

"Yes, dear. A… bomb." Her eyes flicker, a hint of sadness crossing her features. "But you're safe now. You're going to be okay."

My mind feels like a tangled mess of yarn, every thread leading nowhere. I remember a cottage, a storm, a scraping sound… and then nothing.

"Where am I?" I ask, my voice shaking.