I tried to open my eyes, but I couldn't. Something was stopping me from seeing. The only thing I could feel was the heat. It felt like over one hundred degrees. The only thing I could do was moan and hope someone would help me. I moaned so much, but no one came to help me. Didn't anyone care?
Then I heard someone speak. "Shush... shush... you must calm down... I'll help you cool down Lydia." A man said as I felt a coldness touch my forehead. It felt like a relief. A damp cold feeling that didn't last for very long I thought.
Time was of no substance to me, because days had gone by without me knowing it, until I finally woke up from a deep slumbering chill that I hadn't realised I'd been in.
"Lydia... Lydia." I slowly opened my eyes and saw Tim sitting next to me on a chair right next to my bed.
"Tim... what... what's going on?"
"You've been ill... you had some kind of chill and you were really out of it for three days, but you will get better now." Tim said.
"Oh... I have? I can remember feeling very hot." I said still feeling a little weak.
"Yes... that's because you had a very high temperature. The Doc got you out of it though. You can thank her when you see her, which should be soon." Tim said still holding my hand.
"Oh... I remember falling in a ditch." I said.
"Yes... you did." Tim replied.
"Oh... what about Shirley? Where is she Tim?" I said in a whisper.
"Don't worry about that now... just get better and then we will talk." Tim said as he suddenly let go of my hand as Jenny entered the room. "I'll be back later... just drink plenty of water and get better Lydia."
I tried to nod as he got up to leave, but all I could think of was Shirley. Was she dead or had they let her leave?
36. Lydia Brown - Where is Shirley?
I opened my eyes and saw Tim sitting in the armchair next to me. He was asleep. He appeared peaceful, but haggard and strained on the outside. His jaw and chin were covered in stubble. I realised he'd been neglecting himself again. Had he found more alcohol from somewhere, I wondered? I sighed deeply to myself hoping it wasn't the case.
I shuffled in the bed and sat up. I touched my head. It wasn't hot anymore. I felt much better too and brighter in myself. I wanted to be up and about all of sudden, so I got out of bed. I didn't feel dizzy.
I wasn't sure why or what I was doing really. The last thing I remembered was being dragged or carried into the house. I wanted answers. What had happened to me? Did I hit my head or get ill from a chill? Yes; that was it!
I sat back down on the edge of the bed, thinking of how I had got here. I could remember being wet. Some of it was coming back to me now. I had fallen into a ditch, but why? I thought about it for a moment and then it came to me. I had been out trying to find everyone. I had been out in the snow looking for them and trying to get answers as to what they were going to do with Shirley. I remembered bits and pieces, but I especially remembered Tim implying that he was going to kill her. Was she dead now? Oh no!
I touched Tim's hand. I needed him to wake up now. I needed answers. I had to ask him and I wanted to find out and I wanted to know why I had gotten so ill. Did I get too wet? Was that why? I tried desperately to remember if Tim had said anything to me before I had passed out.
I shook Tim's hand and slowly, his eyes opened. I watched as his blue eyes focused on me. His hand touched the stubble on his face and I watched him rub it as he started to move slightly in the chair.
"Hey."
"Hey back." I answered.
"You should be in bed. It's too soon for you to be up." He said in a concerned voice.
"I'm fine. Really. I don't feel ill anymore." I said trying to reassure him.
"You maybe feeling okay, but your body went through a terrible chill so you really need to stay in bed and rest." He stated as he took hold of my arm and took me back to bed. I got inside the covers and Tim sat on the bed next to me.
"Tim... what happened?" I asked, hoping he would tell me everything.
"You came looking for us and then you fell in an icy ditch and got a chill." He stated clearly.
"No... I mean before that... why was I looking for you all? Why didn't I know where you were? Did you deliberately not tell me what you were going to do? Tell me Tim. I want to know what you were up to with the others." I said calmly and quietly.
"I wasn't hiding anything and I didn't do anything to Shirley if that's what you are implying. She is alive and well." He said smiling as he folded his arms together.
"Then, where is she right now?" I asked as I stared at him intently.
"We let her go. She wanted to leave here. She said it was too hard for her to be with people. She was distraught and unhappy, especially, as she was the one who'd killed Charlie... her own husband. I know it was an accident, but I think she blames herself and I think she despises all of us, which was one
