philophobia ≫ ticci toby

one

|Maddison's pov|

gray clouds hung low in the sky, as small droplets of water fell from them. a cool breeze filled the air, causing the hair on my arms to stand up. I pulled the fleece I was wearing tighter to my skin to keep warm, all while balancing on the bike. the wheels trembled as I rode over the rocky pavement. turning the handle bars, I glided into the almost desolate parking lot. apart from the few ambulances pulling in and out of the loading zone, few cars were actually in the lot.

I dropped the rusted bike and cringed as a screech erupted from the gears. I stood solemnly as an ambulance pulled into the emergencies only zone. I found my feet moving slowly at first then leveling out into a jog. I crouched behind a nearby bush, making sure the scene was still visible.

Four paramedics piled out of the trunk, followed by an older lady that appeared to be crying, who I assumed to be a mother. the medics retrieved a gurney from the truck. I squinted, trying to see who was on the gurney. the person seemed to be unconscious and was covered in a crimson red liquid.

the lady began audibly sobbing and clutching her heart. her wails were sorrowful, you could hear the pain and anger in her voice. it was almost as if she was crying out to anyone of higher powers who might be listening, 'why me?'  the medics rushed the gurney into the building, leaving the crying women for the attendants.

I backed away slowly, pulling my hood strings tighter and returned to the front of the hospital. the glass doors glided open, and I stepped inside the large building. the lobby was stuffy and humid and the air was contaminated with the stench of bleach and disinfectant. the walls were cream colored, which matched the worn down upholstered seating in the waiting room. I slowly trudged into the foyer and over to the front desk.

"Hello, Maddison." a familiar voice said. I glanced over the marble countertop. my eyes met with a pair of small brown ones. the lady had tanned skin and thick, dark hair that had been swirled into a small bun. her clothing hid behind a long, white coat, though a piece of purple fabric peaked out from under her sleeve.

"Hello, Elvira." I replied. Elvira, the nurse who had been here the first time I had been admitted to Saint Peter's Medical Institution. she was identical to a mother figure in my life. her soothing voice and comforting ways allowed me to calm down the first time I had visited the hospital at the mere age of six.

"Doctor Hughes will be here in a few minutes." she smiled warmly. I only nodded in response.

"Everything alright? you always have something to say, even if it is 5:30 in the morning." she questioned while raising an eyebrow.

"I saw something." I muttered, while leaning onto the counter. it was cool and felt good after I had been perspiring on the ride here, "an ambulance, this morning. someone was hurt and their mother, I presume, was a mess."

"I don't get it," I continued and began drawing imaginary shapes onto the immaculate surface, "a mothers love, I mean. why does anyone care that much about someone else? I don't know, it's silly."

"Darling, you must have someone you love. someone you would go to the ends of the earth for." Elvira expressed sympathetically.

"Elvira, you know I don't. maybe Lucas and Grayson, but I couldn't imagine how much stronger a mothers love could be. I wish, I wish that I could feel that. or at least remember my mother." I sighed and slowly turned.

I noticed the quaint picture frames that hung from the walls. some were small, others larger. the colors used were vibrant and stuck out from the plain magnolia that surrounded them. each one showed different scenes, different parts of ones life that from first glance, were puzzling to figure out.