STORM CHASING [Love in the Air | PayuxRain]

sixteen

For some reason, Payu felt odd. The rooms that were usually sterile white had a tinge of rust on them. The sky, usually the bluest of blue when not raining, looked like a red lake above that mirrored the red setting sun. 

"..."

Payu felt like he was sinking an inch deeper on the floor with each step. He felt unsteady, wobbly on his feet, as if the very floor he was walking on was made of plaster sitting on top of a rocky sea.

"What is going on?" Payu whispered under his breath.

Even his voice sounded different. As if the sound didn't come from him but from somewhere else.

He drew a breath and continued walking in the empty hallways. The few people that he passed by were either busy with their phones, or looking away from him intentionally.

"..."

Payu walked faster, with more urgency. However, the longer he climbed the stairs leading to the third floor, the heavier his feet seemed to be.

The climb seemed endless. Whenever he was reaching the top, it felt like new steps were being added.

"..."

Payu closed his eyes briefly. When he opened them again, he was more calm. He must have been very tired and sleep deprived. No matter how hard he tried to sleep in the mornings and afternoon it was never the same.

His mind was always awake and the little rest he could get was inconsistent. 

He wasn't complaining. Rain went through so much worse than a few days of sleeplessness. 

When Payu finally arrived at the third floor, he could hear voices. Panicked ones. Voices that were shouting orders here and there. Voices that were on the verge of desperation. Urgency. 

The bouquet of flowers that Payu was holding crumpled in his hand. His unsteady movements and heavy feet kept on going, following the sound of voices that grew louder, clearer, as he maneuvered to the hall where Rain's ICU was. 

After turning left, Payu felt his heart drop to the floor.

"..."

Nurses were outside, eyes all inside the wide open doors of the ICU.

The shouting inside the room was intense. Someone was hysterically screaming. Other voices were loud but they sounded like someone tiptoeing around a wild animal.

The bouquet of flowers fell on the floor as Payu ran towards where the commotion was.

"Don't come any closer!" 

"Calm down, please!"

"Who are you people?!" 

The people outside the unit made way for Payu. Payu's eyes zeroed in on Rain standing at the corner of the room.