Chapter Twelve (Adapted): Breakdown and Necessary Lies

الفصل الثاني عشر (مُقتبس): الانهيار والأكاذيب الضرورية

بعد اختفاء الشاب الغامض، سقطت لوسي أرضًا فاقدة للوعي. كان للصدمة والخوف وقعٌ ثقيلٌ عليها.

سمع موروي وآدم صراخ لوسي فاندفعا إلى الخارج. فوجداها ملقاة على الأرض فاقدة للوعي.

"لوسي!" صرخ موروي وهو يركض نحوها. "ماذا حدث؟"

حمل موروي لوسي بين ذراعيه ودخل بها إلى المنزل. كانت سارة قلقة للغاية وبدأت بالبكاء.

"استدعي سيارة إسعاف!" صرخت سارة. "بسرعة!"

اتصل آدم بالإسعاف وأخبرهم بما حدث. وبعد دقائق، وصلت سيارة الإسعاف إلى المنزل.

حمل المسعفون لوسي إلى سيارة الإسعاف وقادوها إلى المستشفى. كان موروي وسارة وآدم قلقين للغاية. ركبوا سيارة موروي وتبعوا سيارة الإسعاف.

كان رايان يراقب كل شيء من نافذته. بدا هادئًا وغير متأثر، لكنه في أعماقه كان قلقًا على لوسي. قرر رايان الذهاب إلى المستشفى أيضًا. ارتدى ملابسه بسرعة وغادر المنزل.

وصل موروي وسارة وآدم إلى المستشفى. انتظروا في غرفة الانتظار بقلق بالغ. بعد وقت طويل، خرج الطبيب من قسم الطوارئ.

"كيف حالها يا دكتور؟" سأل موروي بقلق.

أجاب الطبيب: "إنها بخير الآن. لقد أصيبت بصدمة عصبية شديدة أفقدتها الوعي. تحتاج إلى الراحة والاسترخاء".

"هل يمكننا رؤيتها؟" سألت سارة.

"أجل، يمكنك رؤيتها الآن،" أجاب الطبيب. "لكن لا تزعجها كثيرًا. إنها بحاجة إلى الراحة."

دخل موروي وسارة وآدم غرفة لوسي. كانت لوسي مستلقية على السرير، شاحبة.

قالت سارة وهي تركض: "لوسي! يا حبيبتي، هل أنتِ بخير؟"

"أنا بخير الآن يا أمي" أجابت لوسي بصوت ضعيف.

ماذا حدث يا لوسي؟ سأل موروي. من فعل بك هذا؟

نظرت لوسي إلى آدم وريان. عرفت أنها لا تستطيع إخبار والديها الحقيقة. لن يصدقاها، وربما يقلقان كثيرًا.

قالت لوسي وهي تتعثر: "كان الأمر مجرد... صداع. كان سيئًا لدرجة أنني فقدت الوعي."

"صداع؟" سألت سارة بريبة. "لكن هذا غير منطقي."

أنا متأكدة أنه لا داعي للقلق يا أمي، قالت لوسي. "أحتاج فقط إلى بعض الراحة."

نظر رايان إلى لوسي. عرف أنها تكذب. رأى الخوف في عينيها. همس رايان في أذن آدم: "اعتني بوالدينا. أريد التحدث مع لوسي على انفراد."

أومأ آدم برأسه وسار نحو والدي لوسي. "أمي، أبي، هل ترغبان في بعض القهوة؟ أعتقد أننا جميعًا بحاجة إليها."

قالت سارة: "أنا متعبة جدًا يا آدم. لا أظن أنني أستطيع شرب أي شيء."

قال موروي: "سأذهب لأحضر بعض القهوة، لعلّ ذلك يُساعدني على البقاء مستيقظًا".

بعد أن غادر موروي وسارة وآدم، سار رايان نحو لوسي. وقف بجانب سريرها ونظر إليها باهتمام.

"من كان هذا الرجل؟" سأل رايان بهدوء.

Chapter Thirteen: Silence and Caution... In the Hospital Corridors

"I don't know," Lucy said, looking at Ryan and Adam with tearful eyes. "I'm scared. What if they think we're crazy?"

"Crazy?" Ryan said, rolling his eyes. "To the police, we already are. Just imagine us saying, 'Hey, officer, I've been handed a threatening note for someone who may or may not exist, and I'm the only one who saw it!' They'd laugh us to death."

"Well, you don't have to put it that way!" Lucy exclaimed, looking around to make sure no one was listening.

"But it's true!" Ryan replied with a provocative smile. "Do you have a better plan, genius?"

"At least I'm not trying to be an asshole!" Lucy countered.

"Guys, guys!" Adam chimed in. "Wait, Ryan has a point. Telling the police won't help us. We have to figure this out ourselves."

"Adam's right," Ryan said. "But while we're at it, we need to make sure Lucy's parents don't suspect anything. Adam, can you make sure they're busy? Maybe you could take them to the hospital cafeteria or something?"

"Sure," Adam said. "I can do that. I'll do my best to keep them out of the room."

"Okay," Lucy said reluctantly. "But that doesn't mean you have to be so rude about it, Ryan."

"I promise I'll do my best," Ryan said with a wry smile.

Lucy sighed. "Okay, so what do we do?"

"We'll go through your belongings here," Ryan said. "We'll look for anything that might connect you to this guy."

"That means going through my handbag? How exciting," Lucy said sarcastically.

"Don't worry, I'll make it as fun as possible," Ryan said with a wink.

"I'm shaking with fear," Lucy replied, rolling her eyes.

The three of them started rummaging through Lucy's belongings. Adam prepared to leave to distract Lucy's parents.

"Oh my God, look at this thing!" Ryan shouted, holding up an old magazine. "Have you been reading this crap?"

"Shut up!" Lucy shouted, trying to snatch the magazine from him. "Give me that!"

"I can't promise that," Ryan said, lifting the magazine out of her reach. "I need some fun in my life."

"If you don't give me that right now, I'll..." Lucy started to threaten, but Adam cut her off.

"Okay, I have to go. I'll take Lucy's parents for coffee, and I'll keep you guys updated if anything happens. Be careful," Adam said, leaving the room.

Lucy and Ryan sighed simultaneously, but stopped arguing.

"Okay, okay," Lucy said. "But don't blame me if we find evidence that Ryan was an alien in a past life."

"I'm looking forward to it," Ryan said with a smile.

The two continued searching, exchanging jokes and sarcastic comments. Despite the danger they faced, they managed to find some humor in the situation. The room was small, and Lucy's belongings were limited, but they were determined to find anything that might help them.

Chapter Fourteen: Facts

Shortly after Adam left the room to distract Lucy's parents, Ryan also left, claiming he needed some fresh air.

"I'll be back in a bit," Ryan said to Lucy, winking. "Don't worry, I'll keep the monsters away."

"Oh, shut up," Lucy replied, throwing another pillow at him.

Ryan left the room and headed straight to the hospital cafeteria, where Adam had already taken Lucy's parents.

"How are things going?" Ryan asked, approaching Adam.

"They're busy eating cookies and gossiping about the weather," Adam whispered. "But I don't know how much longer I can keep them here. You have to have something."

"I have an idea," Adam said. "I'll pretend I need to use the bathroom. I'll say I ate something bad. They'll believe it."

"Excellent," Ryan said. "Meet you in the bathroom in five minutes."

Adam went to his parents and apologized, saying he had a stomach ache. He persuaded them to stay seated while he went to the bathroom.

Five minutes later, Ryan entered the bathroom and found Adam waiting for him.

"What's going on?" Adam asked. "Why did you ask me to meet you here? I already know you haven't told Lucy that you're the boy she saw in her visions."

"You know?" Ryan asked, surprised.

"Yes," Adam said. "I also know there's more you're not telling us. You can't deny that you know who Lucy really is."

Ryan sighed. "Well, there's no point in hiding anything from you. You already know so much. Lucy isn't human."

"I know that," Adam said. "I saw the Moroi digging that hole in the woods. I saw how he buried that thing there. I heard you talking to the Moroi about Lucy. I know you think she's a vampire."

"Then you know the danger we're in," Ryan said. "We can't trust her."

"But she's our friend!" Adam protested. "She hasn't done anything to hurt us."

"Not yet," Ryan said coldly. "But the time will come. She's a vampire, and that means one day she'll need to drink blood. And when that happens, who knows what she'll do?"

"You're wrong," Adam said. "Lucy isn't like other vampires. She's different. We can help her. We can find a way to control her thirst."

"You're irresponsible," Ryan said. "You can't change her nature. She's a monster, and she'll always be a monster."

"I refuse to believe that," Adam said. "I trust Lucy. And I know she'd never hurt us."

"Well, be careful," Ryan said. "Because I won't hesitate to do what I have to do to protect my family. Even if it means destroying Lucy."

"I won't let you hurt her," Adam said.

"Are you trying to protect her?" Ryan asked. "You're choosing her side instead of mine?"

"I'm choosing the right side," Adam said. "And I think the right thing to do is give Lucy a chance."

Ryan looked at Adam angrily. "You're going to regret this decision."

Ryan left the bathroom, leaving Adam alone with his thoughts. He knew things were getting too dangerous. Ryan was determined to destroy Lucy, and he must do everything in his power to protect her.