Chapter 2 - The Ultimate Betrayal
The sharp edge of the scalpel gleamed menacingly under the harsh fluorescent lights of the hospital room.
I backed Elodie into the corner of the room while my heart hammered wildly against my ribs.
Nurse Sarah slowly lowered her cell phone, realizing that calling security would only bring my mother's personal mercenaries to our door.
My mother smiled warmly, a terrifying expression that completely contrasted with the deadly weapon in her hand.
"You were always so dramatic, Clara," she sighed while taking a slow step toward us.
"I am simply trying to prepare Elodie for the harsh reality of the real world."
I scanned the room desperately for any sort of weapon to defend my innocent child.
My eyes landed on a heavy metal IV pole standing near the edge of the empty hospital bed.
Before my mother could take another step, I grabbed the heavy pole and swung it wildly toward her perfectly manicured hands.
The heavy metal struck her wrist with a sickening crunch, forcing her to drop the sharp scalpel onto the floor.
My mother screamed in genuine pain and stumbled backward against the locked wooden door.
I did not waste a single second admiring my momentary victory.
I grabbed Elodie into my arms and completely tore the remaining oxygen tubes from her small face.
"Unlock the door right now, Sarah!" I screamed at the terrified nurse.
Sarah fumbled with the heavy deadbolt and threw the door open just as heavy footsteps echoed down the main corridor.
Four large men dressed in dark security uniforms were sprinting directly toward Elodie's hospital room.
I shoved past Sarah and sprinted down the opposite end of the hallway with my fifty-pound daughter against my chest.
We burst through the heavy fire exit doors and began flying down the dark concrete stairwell.
I pulled out my cell phone with shaking hands and dialed my husband, David, begging him to bring the car to the emergency exit.
"Clara, calm down and just stay right where you are," David's voice echoed through the phone speaker.
"Your mother called me ten minutes ago, and she is just trying to help us."
I froze on the third-floor landing, completely unable to comprehend what my husband was saying.
"She was trying to hurt our daughter, David!" I screamed into the receiver.
"You need to stop acting crazy, Clara, because the doctors agree you need a psychological evaluation," he replied coldly.
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I slowly peeked over the edge of the stairwell railing and looked all the way down to the ground floor lobby.
David was standing at the bottom of the stairs, handing a massive stack of hundred-dollar bills to the lead hospital security guard.
