Page 5 of Raven
He smiled, reaching to shake my hand and directing me to open the car door.
“Welcome to the Belladonnas, Raven.”
RAVEN
PRESENT DAY
“You’re goingto sever the artery,” I cursed, squeezing my eyes shut tight to avoid the blood squirting; my heart raced as it pounded in my ears, my vision blurring.
A second later, the patient’s vitals dropped, their heart flatlining as the machines went haywire. I could hear the nurses and doctors scurrying around to repair the tear before the poor man bled out. Through it all, I kept my eyes closed and focused on what I could hear. Finally, the patient’s heart rate returned, and he was no longer in peril.
I peeked through my fingers when it sounded safe, not trusting that the danger was over. I’d been fooled a time too many byPhoenix Hospital—my favorite medical soap opera—to trust it was completely safe. Spotting no blood on the screen, I exhaled and dropped my hands, bringing some popcorn to my mouth as I watched the doctors make out on screen.
“About time you gave in, Rebecca. Hottie McGruff over there has been crushing on you for ages. He’s no Dr. Romano, but he’ll do,” I sighed, talking to the characters like they could hear me. “Oh, yes, get it, girl! Chase that post-opt adrenaline high!” Giggling, I continued to eat my popcorn, enthralled by the episode.Would someone ever kiss me like that?
When the credits rolled, I sighed blissfully, already jonesing for the next one. Despite my aversion to blood, I never missed an episode ofPhoenix Hospital. I couldn’t help it. It fascinated me and had everything I loved about the medical field, with hot doctors to boot! And in a way, I got to live vicariously through the characters.
My obsession with the medical field had started early, a need to take care of those around me and gain control. Or at least that was what one tutor had told me. Since the day Man had picked me up, I’d learned everything I could about the body and how to heal others. I’d taken enough classes to earn a Ph.D. and an MD; there was just that one hold up—the whole blood thing. I could do without the blood.
Every time I saw blood, I was transported back to the night my parents died and how it had coated me as I lay in my mother’s remains. I’d inevitably pass out, which made it challenging to doctor people when you fainted at the sight of blood—real or fake.
It was my one flaw in life. Le sigh.
Okay, maybe not myoneflaw, considering I had several, but it was the one I hated the most. The others I’d learned to accept.
“Yo, Rav, we need your assistance!” one of the girls shouted, banging on my door.
Dropping my head back, my blue and black hair fell over the arm of the chair as I stared at the wall upside down. My vintage Tardis tee rode up my stomach, my police box skirt fell to the sides, and my short legs dangled over the other side as I kicked my stockinged feet.
“What?” I shouted, not wanting to get up if it was something stupid like when Darcy used her latest drone to glitter-bomb everyone the second they opened their door. I’d cleaned out pink glitter dicks in crevices I hadn’t known existed for weeks. That crap had taken forever to clean up.
“Karma burned her hand,” Naomi said, activating my mother-hen tendencies.
“On it!” I placed my hands down on the carpet and kicked my feet off the other arm, flipping my body over and landing on my feet. Jumping up, I grabbed my medical kit and rushed to the door, letting Karma in.
“Sorry, Raven, I know your show’s on,” Karma said, her brow creasing as she held her hand to her chest.
“It just ended, but you know I’d stop it to help you. Did you bake me anything good?” I asked to distract her as I peered at the burn.
“Some double chocolate chip cookies.” I could hear the pride and happiness in her voice. Karma loved to bake, and I loved to eat what she baked. It was a perfect relationship.
“Yes!” I threw my fist in the air, excited. Karma’s desserts were the best in the entire world. We all fought over her treats, wanting them all for ourselves.
Once I had her burn cleaned and bandaged, I sent her on her way, promising to stop by for some cookies later once they’d cooled.
Flopping onto my bed, I pulled my laptop closer, clicking on the search bot Man had one of the older girls set up for me after I’d moved here. I couldn’t help but check it every day, even if the criteria was long outdated—gray eyes, brown hair, smells of peppermint, cute smile. Yeah, not the most specific keywords to locate a missing person from twenty years ago.
No results found.
“Where are you, Otto?” I mumbled, stroking the computer screen.
Despite all the years that passed, I hadn’t given up trying to find Otto, my first friend. It might be stupid to hold on to a childish promise, but I believed him when he said he’d find me one day. So, I wouldn’t quit or give up hope either.
Rolling onto my back, I crossed my legs, the blue stockings rubbing against one another in the process. As I stared at my ceiling, I tried to remember what Otto looked like, but just as I’d grab onto his image, it would float away back to my memories.
I’d been so upset the first time I couldn’t recall him until an older Belladonna had sat me down and told me that “memories fade, not the person.” My younger self had taken that to heart, believing as long as I rememberedhim, then he existed out in the world. Possibly searching for me just as hard as I was for him. At least, that was what I told myself.
My life in the mansion had been everything Man had promised. I had my own room, all the clothes and food I could hope for, and a family of other girls living and training alongside me. Perhaps my favorite part of becoming a Belladonna was the ability to learn anything I desired. Unbeknownst to me, I’d been a child prodigy with a genius-level IQ. Of course, with my parents addicted to drugs, it was no wonder that fact had slipped under the radar.