Grey Blood - Chapter 4: Chapter 4

Angelina sat in the back of the police car, her hands folded in her lap, her fingers gripping the fabric of her oversized sweater. The silence inside the vehicle was suffocating, yet she preferred it over the chaos happening back at the house.
The flashing red and blue lights reflected off the car window, casting an eerie glow across the darkened streets. She could still see the paramedics wheeling out the bodies of her aunt and uncle, the black sheets covering them making her stomach twist.
She should have felt something—anger, relief, sadness—but all she felt was... nothing.
Her life had never been easy. She had spent every moment of the past sixteen years in fear of them, yet now that they were gone, the emptiness in her chest only seemed to grow.
"Angelina," Officer Carter's gentle voice pulled her from her thoughts. She turned her head slightly but didn't meet the woman's eyes.
"We're taking you to the station for now, just to get everything sorted. Then, we'll need to contact social services to find out where you should go next."
Social services. Foster care.
Angelina swallowed hard. She had heard of the system, and from what little she knew, it wasn't kind to girls like her—girls who had nowhere to go, no one to fight for them.
She didn't respond, only nodding.
Officer Reynolds, who was driving, glanced at her through the rearview mirror. "Do you have any other relatives, kid?"
Angelina hesitated before shaking her head. "No... I don't think so."
She had no memory of her real parents. The only thing she had ever been told was that her mother had died giving birth to her, and her father had abandoned her. Whether that was true or not, she had no idea.
The rest of the drive was silent.
When they arrived at the police station, Officer Carter led her inside, guiding her through the brightly lit hallways. The walls smelled of cheap coffee and paper, and the buzzing of voices and ringing phones filled the space.
They stopped at a small office, where Officer Reynolds sat down at his desk and pulled out a file. "We need to get a few details, Angelina," he said. "Just basic information, alright?"
She nodded, sitting stiffly in the chair across from him.
"Full name?"
"Angelina Waters."
He jotted it down. "Date of birth?"
"December 2nd."
More scribbling. "Any known family members?"
Again, she hesitated before shaking her head. "No."
"Any medical conditions we should know about?"
Angelina bit her lip, her fingers tightening around her sleeves. "I... I think I have asthma," she admitted hesitantly. "I mean, I've never been to a doctor, but sometimes when I get really stressed or if I do too much running, it gets hard to breathe. Like my chest is too tight, and I can't get enough air."
Officer Carter's expression softened. "That does sound like asthma, sweetheart. Have you ever had an inhaler?"
Angelina shook her head. "No. I just... sit still until it passes."
The officers exchanged a brief look before Reynolds continued. "Alright, we'll make sure you get checked out."
Angelina just nodded, lowering her gaze. She had never thought much about it before—it was just something she had dealt with on her own. But now that someone actually cared enough to ask, it made her feel strangely... exposed.
He exchanged a look with Officer Carter before nodding. "Alright, kid. We're going to run your information, see if anything comes up. Just sit tight."
Angelina sat still as they typed away on the computer. The minutes passed slowly, the air in the room feeling heavier with each second.
Then, suddenly, Officer Reynolds froze. His eyes widened slightly as he stared at the screen.
Officer Carter leaned over his shoulder, her face growing pale.
Angelina frowned. "What...?"
Neither of them spoke right away. Then, Officer Reynolds turned to her, his voice careful.
"Angelina, are you sure you don't have any family?"
Her brows furrowed. "I... I don't know. I was told my parents were gone."
He exchanged another look with Carter before slowly exhaling. "Kid, your name isn't Angelina Waters."
Her heart skipped a beat. "What?"
He turned the screen toward her. Her eyes scanned the text, the letters blurring together, but one thing stood out:
Angelina Grey – Reported missing at one year old.
Her breath caught in her throat.
Grey.
She didn't know that name.
She didn't know these people.
But the next words out of Officer Carter's mouth made her entire body go numb.
"You have a father, Angelina. And six older brothers."