Imperium

Chapter 8

Recap
The next words she spoke had me freezed on my spot.

Present

"This is Dr. Riley Thompson. I'm sorry to say that your mother is in the hospital and she is in a critical condition. She wants to meet you...this might be the last time you see her"

I couldn't move or speak. It was as if the world had stopped spinning. My legs felt like jelly and I felt as if I would fall any moment now.

"Miss Jones? Are you there? You need to come to the hospital!", the Dr's words brought me out of my trance.

"Y-Yeah, I'm c-c-coming.", I stuttered as I gripped my sweaty hands tighter against my phone.

I hung up and put my head in my head. I could feel the tears that were about to leak from my eyes but held them in. I couldn't cry, not now.

I grabbed my car keys from the coffee table and ran out of the front door and slammed the door. I didn't bother locking it. I quickly got in and drove to the hospital.

Throughout the ride to the hospital, I wanted to cry but I wouldn't upset mom. I had to show her that I was strong. Mom would break if she saw me crying.

Before I knew it, I had already reached the hospital. I parked my car and ran in the hospital to the the reception. The lady gave me a kind smile but I didn't return it.

"I want to know which room Christina Jones is in", I rushed out in one breath. I was panting because of running.

"Room 304", the receptionist answered.

I nodded my head before running off in the hallways to find the elevator. Once I found the elevator, I quickly pressed the button and waited for it to arrive on the ground. That dumb thing wasn't even fast! Instead of waiting, I quickly sprinted toward the stairs and ran all the way to the 3rd floor.

I searched through the floor for Room 304. I saw room 301 to my left and I went towards it. Finally I spotted room 304.

My heart was beating fast against my chest. Maybe because I ran so fast or because I didn't want to face anything bad inside the room. I hope mom will come out soon of the critical condition. I hope all of this is just a joke. I hope she just had a normal condition and was telling the doctor to scare me...as a punishment. I hope she's giving me a punishment. I already lost my dad, I can't lose my mom now.

I rested my shaky hands on the knob before opening it slightly. I took a deep breath before pushing the door wide open.

I froze.

It wasn't a joke.

Mom wasn't giving me a punishment.

Mom wasn't in normal condition.

She had numerous wires sticking out of her wrist, the back of her palm and her arms. She was extremely pale. She was wearing a hospital gown and her hair were spread above her head on the white washed pillow.

I ran up to her and sat on one of the chairs provided. I took her soft hand in mine and looked at her eyes. They were dull, but there was a different emotion in them that I couldn't point. At that point, I let the tears out that were dying to escape my eyes. I couldn't see mom in such a condition.

The nurse standing next to her bed kept a hand on my shoulder and gave me a sad smile. She told me to press the red button on the wall above mom's head. I nodded and she left the room.

"Alayna...I have something to tell you", mom's voice was very soft, barely above a whisper but since I was sitting so close to her, I could hear her.