The Shadow Recruit | • Editing mode •

Chapter 50

They covered the area and didn't allow anybody near the tent. After an hour or two, the surroundings had calmed. And all the possible survivors were rushed to the hospital to he treated. Still there was no sign of Ryan. I went in with the ambulance to the hospital. They had put up a list of people and I couldn't find his name. I assured myself that maybe he was the last one to come out.
Another officer came in and announced that out of the 50 seats reserved, 49 have been found. One is suspected to have died. They had found his belongings. I dialed his number to remove my fear, but to my horror the cell phone in the officer's bag started ringing. It hit me hard. Did Ryan not make it out on time? It felt as if someone had sucked the oxygen right out of my lungs and it was difficult to breathe. The officer called out for a nurse as he saw I was hyperventilating. And my vision turned black.

I opened my eyes only to find myself with an oxygen mask, lying on the hospital bed. And as I tried to move, I saw a figure sleeping beside me. Tears filled my eyes, Ryan had found me finally. He moved slightly and then woke up rubbing his eyes. "Ryan, am so glad to...", I was startled looking at him. "Hey Riley, are you alright? It's me!", Tyler spoke. I began panicking. Where was Ryan? Then the train of thoughts hit me. Cell phone, officer, me fainting.

Tyler: Are you okay? You know how scared I was to get a call from the hospital at midnight?
Me: Am alright. How long was I out? Wh..where is Ryan? Did they find him?
Tyler: They gave you a sedative to decrease your shock. You need rest. Cathy will be here in sometime now. About Ryan...
(Cathy enters)
Cathy: omg Riley! Don't you dare try to give me heart failures in the middle of the night. How are you?
(She hugged me tightly)
Me: Ry..Ryan...he..didn't ..make it. (I started sobbing)
Cathy: Am so sorry...I wasn't there with you. It's okay...shhhh..

There was a knock on the door and the officer entered along with a witness. He explained that Ryan had helped a small girl out but the fire engulfed him. He handed me a jar of his ashes. My hands were trembling so bad, Tyler had to take care of it. Cathy informed me that our group knew what happened in college and to Ryan and they would directly meet us in the church for the funeral.
It was such an irony. I wanted to visit the church dressed in white but now I shall be wearing black. I never got the chance to say how much I loved him nor did I get to say my goodbye. What sorcery of nature was that? I signed the papers that confirmed he died and took his belongings with me.

His funeral was arranged in the afternoon and all the college students and professors had gathered. The girl that Ryan saved offered him a white rose and the family thanked him. Slowly the crowd started dispersing and then, I met Taylor. She hissed back at me, blaming me for being bad luck in his life. Cathy shooed her away but what she said began yo make sense. I met my friends and they helped me be stable. It was evening with only us there after the ritual. I assured them I was fine. And they should rest up and prepare for the final semester.

I was about to leave when I saw a familiar figure standing. It was Anna. I ran towards her crying my heart out. She patted my back for comfort and started talking about going to hometown. I knew how sad she was but everyone has their way of expressing it. She asked me to take my stuff from the house. The chauffeur took us in the house. I started gathering my clothes, the ones Ryan had bought for me and the soft toys. I had taken some of his clothes, including his hoodies because his scent still lingered on them. I went down, only to see a depressed Marley. Anna was trying to feed him. I asked her and she was adamant about leaving the house with Marley and stay in her hometown. She went in and came back with a laptop bag and said that Ryan wanted me to have it. I hugged her for the last time and the chauffeur left me at Cathy's house. My house was yet to be free of investigation.

I went o the guestroom and locked it. I had informed Cathy that I didn't have an appetite and not disturb me tonight. I sat on my bed hugging his hoodie and cried. The more I thought about what Taylor said, more true it seemed. Maybe I was bad luck for him. Saving me, he always risked his life. If I stayed with him, we could have found a way out or at least ended together. I tried to sleep but something in my pocket hurt. I fished out the locket. But being clumsy it fell and the heart split into two.
Omg I broke it! To my surprise it had something attached to it.
On a closer scrutiny, it was a pen drive?!

A/N : Goodbye Ryan!
(Just for now) Riley you gotta be strong.
Anything suspicious about the locket pen drive? Secret shall be revealed. Is it Ryan who left a message or someone else is tailing her?
Stay tuned for further updates.