Between Worlds (The Wall Series #1)

Chapter 2

"Mommy?"

"Yes, honey?"

"Will I look exactly like you, when I'll be your age?"

She laughs. 'Well, maybe yes."

"So we'll look like twins at that time?"

"I'll look older, honey. Maybe I won't even be there."

"What do you mean? Why wouldn't you be there, mommy?"

Her eyes were distant. "We are simple humans. We are born, and we die. And that's why, we should make the most of this tiny period of life. We'll leave this world empty-handed someday, just the way we came. And most of all, when mommy won't be there, you'll need to learn how to stand on your own two legs."

*******

I'd never felt so claustrophobic in my life.

We were crammed in the van, Mrs Janet seated closest to the back window, me right next to her, the medics on the other side indulged in the tedious work of stopping the bleeding, and the stretcher my mom was on, in between. The van had a strange feel to it, like it had come from a parallel universe where angst and worry were the only existences.

I was alone.

All alone.

My neighbours could only do so much. The pang of loneliness resonated within.

Mom and dad were always there for me. Always. I could never possibly get used to this.

Or maybe...maybe I didn't need to get used to it. Things would be okay. My mother would be fine soon and my father, wherever he was, would be back home.

My father.

"Mrs Janet," I whispered, with a shaky breath. She was looking out the back window, heedless of my call. Damn that siren.

I said her name a little louder this time. She was still unable to hear me.

I thought to yell, but something inside of me made me stop. I paused to search her face once.

Her expression was unreadable. But I noticed the grief and loneliness in her eyes, and I suddenly felt terrible for her. She had lost her husband recently, and despite the company of her two, lovely twenty-two year old sons, I could tell she did feel hollow sometimes. Sitting in this ambulance, she must've remembered his last day. Maybe the siren wasn't the reason why she couldn't hear me, after all.

I tapped her elbow with my hand gently and she turned to look at me.

"You called my dad," I said, distraught. "Did he pick up? What did he say?"

She flinched a little. Hesitant and unsure, all she said was,

"I'll let you know when we get to the hospital, alright?"

My heart nearly stopped. "What? Why?"

She pressed her lips into a thin line. "Don't worry. I'll call him again when we reach there."

The word hospital sent shivers down my spine. I'd never thought this would be happening. Never.

Why was she so uncomfortable? What had happened?

Panic surged through me. I took ragged, shaky breaths, hoping to calm myself down.

Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out.

If something was wrong Mrs Janet would've told you. She wasn't the one to hide things.

Once mom will be okay and dad will come back home, everything will be back to normal.