Hushed Confessions | ✔

{29} Unraveling the Truth

Malik Idris

A strange beeping echoed into my ear, pulling me from my deep slumber. My eyelids were heavy, head pounding as I tried to peel them open. A flash of white light expelled across my eyelids, making me immediately recoil from the harshness. Come on, Malik, I told myself.

Giving it one last try, I opened my eyes, adjusting to the bright white walls and sunlight peeking through the windows. Ridwan laid against the window sill, eyes shut and snoring softly. Nathan's laptop sat on the chair adjacent to my bed. At the mention of his name, I felt my features immediately darken.

"Morning, Malik," his voice chirped as he walked in.

My limbs felt sore, glued down to the bed. Lifting an arm felt as if I were lifting a boulder. My abdomen was numbed; I couldn't feel a thing except the heavy weight of the bindings wrapped tightly against my torso in an uncomfortable hug. Looking down, I realized it was my wound, redness seeping into the wrap.

My memories recalled the stabbing, Cole's painful grunts as he fell beside me, and an all too familiar feminine voice, one that haunted my sleep at night. It couldn't be her.

She was in a psych ward from the crimes she accused me of. They wouldn't let her escape such a high tech hospital unless someone of authority issued her out.

"I brought you some coffee," stated Nathan softly like he was afraid I'd lash out on him.

When Nathan came close to leave the coffee cup on the counter near the bed, I took the opportunity to grab the collar of his uniform.

Nathan gasped, staring at me with wide blue eyes. Blue eyes, blonde hair, male. My anger only fed off the realization as my grip tightened.

"You fucking bastard," I snarled. "Where is she? Where did you take Sajdaa?"

"Malik, let's not be unreasonable here-"

"Bullshit! You lead us to our deaths!" I yelled.

My other hand went to grip his throat as I sat up, imagining how satisfying it would be to break his neck for all the damage he caused.

Nathan clawed at my hand, struggling to breath. "M-Malik."

The struggling seemed to have awoken Ridwan, who upon seeing the chaos, jolted out of his sleeping position and raced towards us, pulling Nathan and I apart. "You guys! Chill out, we can't be killing each other!" he exclaimed worriedly before giving me a pointed look. "Sit down, Malik. You're too weak to pick a fight."

I pointed a shaky finger at Nathan, who was soothing his throat from my harsh grip. "You liar! Nathan, I trusted you!"

Ridwan raised a brow. "What did he do?"

"He lead Cole and I to an ambush. Where is Sajdaa? Nathan, tell me where you took her!" I yelled, tears brimming my eyes. If my suspicions were correct, Sajdaa would be dead by tomorrow morning.

"How do you know she was taken?" questioned Nathan, not locking our gazes.

"Cause you look extremely guilty and I know she would have been here at my side. What did you do?"

"Malik, calm down. I can explain everything," he stated calmly after he recollected himself. He turned to Ridwan. "Pull the curtain."

Ridwan nodded, pulling the curtain on my left side and revealing Cole, looking busted and bruised all over the face.

He was alive, just more shaken up than I was. His abdomen was wrapped in the same bonds to keep the wound from getting infected, but from the looks of it, it seemed he had gotten punched a couple of times.