𝐓𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫

4: elusory

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An audible, gentle, melodic tune hummed the lyrics, soon to intone another deep chuckle whilst her hands rested against the armrest. “Are we there yet?”

“ Soon, Lisa. Have patience .” Her mother said in a calm tone followed by another laugh from her father.

“Don’t worry we’ll buy as much as you want.” 

“No, too many sweets are not healthy.” 

With a sulk on her lips, her eyes met her father’s assurance as he mouthed. ‘We will.’ She smiles and gazes outside the warm gleam of golden hour casts a farewell of winter dormancy. 

The voices of her parents talking about her classes in the front took heed whilst her father drove, he noted in a few remarks she couldn’t help but admire them.

Spring break is over. She will go to college tomorrow starting her first year. To celebrate her new journey. Her parents agreed to a family outing and now they are going to buy some presents since she is going to stay in the dormitory with her friends. It’s a resolution for the end of her teenage years. 

Abruptly their peaceful endearing moments were ruptured as Lisa was drawn to the loud sounds of screeching tires and sickening crunches of metal onto each other her eyes widened she screamed for her father but before the man could grip the steering wheel another car barreled into theirs from the side causing her body to jolt violently shatter glass pieces pierce into her skin, head throb with the force twisted wreckage as she struggles to clutch the seat belt her vision slowly began to daze something warm drips down inside her shirt smell of smoke drape the air the world around her brimming with boisterous chaos screams yells, sirens and the pain increasing pace of her thudding heart slowing. “Sir! She is still breathing! Sir !” Everything turns black into hunting silence. 

Maybe it doesn’t take much to twist a perfectly peaceful night into an uncharted harrowing path. Someone should have let the six-wheeler driver know quaalude and coffee don’t mix no matter how much you consume in your system to drive two cities.

It was that sting sensation that aroused her consciousness. She gasped to sit up momentarily comfort was appeased knowing it was a dream she sighed but the relief didn’t last long as she realized she was in a bed that wasn’t hers. Which could only mean. The infirmary. Not again! 

“ You made everyone quite worried, Miss Manoban.” 

She groused to herself, veiled worry of the head nurse facing her. She looks past. Why was she here? Surely she was with Chaeyoung. She knocked on her door to find…what? 

Explanations. Right. That woman. There was a bloody woman in her room. Surveying her surroundings she was certain she was alone which could mean she passed out. Dammit! 

“You’re lucky you were unconscious inside Miss Park’s room. Anywhere else it’d be more trouble to find you.” 

Lisa stayed silent struggling with bewilderment, her eyes flitted to the dark corners of the room again and again waiting for any movements. 

“Miss Manoban!” The head nurse’s voice slightly raises, lacking sympathy, more of annoyance. Ostensibly, no one would be so pleasant calling out in the middle of the night. But the fearfulness in the young girl’s eyes made her irritation wear off to concern. “ Okay, you just lie still while I check your pulse.” She draws her arm. 

A Palpable feeling of something’s presence in the room intensifies unfaltering, bracing. Lisa tried to focus on the ceiling until her skin crawled, her exhausted body pulsating again, heart raced at the sound of the head nurse’s reliance, however, she couldn’t forget the tacky gleeful crackles it was still echoing in her ears.