Oh God

My head.

Getting hit with a baseball bat in the head is not fun. I don't advise anybody to try it, unless the person being hit is a proxy or a redlight.

I'm still in the hospital (Palisades, Kay, so you know where I am), but they said they can release me tonight. Now that I'm conscious and somewhat aware of things again, they just wanna run a few more tests on me. Sammie is still by my side, but she's not talking. She still has her mask on too. Won't let it come off. Guess that's part of her Hollowing, or Hallowing, or however people spell it nowadays.

Why did I end up in the hospital?

Fucking Nebula.

I should explain a little as to what lead up to this.

I managed to have one conversation with Sammie when she first escaped from Nebula. She didn't know where she was, as in what state, but she said she knew she was in a town called Springfield. Not exactly a big help, considering the number of states that have a town called Springfield, but I took a risk and I had driven down to Springfield, hoping I could find a sign of her there. Unfortunately, I found nothing. So either I was too late and she moved on, or it was the wrong state. I lost a bit of hope, until the other night.

Nebula posted on Sammie's blog, saying she was taking Sammie to the lake for some fresh air. At first, I thought that it was nothing of importance, but then I remembered what Diana had told me: something was being guarded at the lake. I took yet another chance. Yesterday, when I got out of work, I drove to the lake by me. I took my cane-sword with me, so as not to really be conspicuous. I walked around the lake and found nothing. I took a deep breath, and I risked walking into the woods.

I didn't have to go far. I guess it was maybe about 100 feet in, there was a small clearing surrounded by trees. This is where I had my play sword fights as a kid. This time, I saw two people there. One of them had a mask on, and the other didn't. The one without the mask. She was a few inches shorter than me, fair skin. Long blonde hair, blue eyes, somewhat skinny. Kinda attractive. I felt that this was Sammy, and Masky there was Nebula. They were both just standing there. So, I called out.

Me: Sammie!

Mask-less: Hello Lucien.

Me: Um.......Sammie? Are you ok?

Mask-less: I am not Sammie. (points at the figure in the mask) That is Sammie. She's rather quiet. But she is well. As am I. It is a pleasure to meet you, Lucien.

Me: Nebula. You bitch, what did you do to her?

Nebula: Me? I did not do anything. She just happens to be the quiet type of Hallowed.

Me: But it's because of you she is like this. How dare you come after my friend!

Nebula: I do what my Master asks of me. She brought herself into this world. I merely helped her choose the correct side.

Me: Your Master? I will tell you what I think of your Master! (pull the sword out from the cane)

Nebula: Would it not be easier to use your words, Lucien? We wouldn't want Sammie getting hurt here, would we? (she pulls a baseball bat from a sheath on her back)

Me: Words won't save Sammie. Only action.

Nebula: You won't be saving her. She will be staying with me.

Me: We'll see about that. (start walking forward, sword pointed at Nebula)

At this point, Nebula raises her bat and holds it to defend herself. She pushes Sammie out of the way, and that's when I charge in.

You know, I always forgot that I don't exactly have much speed. For a younger girl, though, she moved fast with that bat. Almost like it didn't weigh anything. I'm just thankful I've been working with my sword for years, or I never would have kept up.

I managed to cut across her clothes and arms several times, but she slammed me with the butt of the bat in my right leg, right where I got kicked by the horse and punched by the proxy by my job. I'm limping at this point, but not done yet. I'm not losing Sammie when I came this close to saving her. I manage to parry the bat out of Nebula's hands, and I stabbed at her right arm. I didn't run through it, but did start bleeding. I pulled back and stabbed her right leg too, creating the same effect. She screamed in pain, and I took this moment to grab Sammie and start running. Before I got far, though, Nebula caught up to me and swung the bat at my head. I ducked almost in time, but still got a good amount of the blow. I turned around, and Nebula caught my left arm with a pocket knife. She stabbed it hard and deep. There was a huge gash, so much blood coming out. I pulled the knife out and I threw it at her, but she ducked down. As she did that, she recoiled in pain again from the stab to her leg. I ran as best as I could with Sammie, got into my car and started driving to the nearest hospital. I passed out as I was parking and managed to get what I could out in my entry.

They stitched up my arm here, and they said I only have a mild concussion, thankfully.

Sammie, though.

She's Hallowed. She won't respond to me. Barely even a twitch. I don't know what to do. I would try to contact Jeff The Keeper, but he's decided to sacrifice himself. I need Cheska. She has the cure. She can help me here.

Ugh, the doctors are back, ready to take me for testing. When it's done, they said that Donnie is here too, and that he wants to ask me questions about what happened. At least it's him I'll be talking to, not any other cops who wouldn't listen.

Kay, when I'm done here, I'm coming over by you. Sammie is gonna need a place to stay. I'll be sticking around too, just to keep an eye on her.

-Lucien Drage
Member of the Isabel Initiative
Fighter for the Cause
Survivor of The Threat
Defender of the Scared
Friend of the Free-willed
Brother to All