Liberation [Disclosure sequel] h.s

02

Evelyn

"How are you feeling?" Noah asks me as he gives me a piping hot cup of tea which he just bought from the cafeteria downstairs.

Harry has been asleep for four hours now, four hours where I have been completely alone in here. Noah, who helped put Harry back to bed when he got out of control, had to leave because he was still on duty, he needed to go back to the police station, but he assured me he would come back.

I never thought he would come back but he did. Surprisingly, his company was soothing, mostly because he didn't push me to talk, he was simply by my side as we waited for Harry to wake up which could take hours, there was no way of knowing when it would be. I never thought I could enjoy Noah's company after the way things ended between us, especially considering how our encounter yesterday at the police station went. But somehow, I did.

On the nearly four hours I remained alone in here I was trying my best to get some sleep, thinking it would be easy considering the sedatives I was taking. But I couldn't be more wrong. Every time I closed my eyes all I could see was Claire's dying figure in front of me as I hopelessly tried to revive her, my hands covered in her blood as I slowly watched her die. All I could hear was Collin's screams hoping we would save him from his father. I could still feel the metallic smell from the blood stuck on my nostrils, my heart kept racing as fast as it did all those hours ago.

The doctors insisted we should see a therapist which I thought was a good idea, but I doubt Harry agrees to see one. A lovely woman came to see me right after Harry fell asleep and I was alone at last, she told me how it was important we were accompanied by a professional on a moment like this. I wish I could have told her what I was truly thinking but no words came out of my lips. The doctor, which I didn't even catch the name, told me she would contact us again in the morning before Harry was discharged from the hospital.

The question is: what will happen after we leave this hospital?

So far, I didn't have much time to think about what we will do after what happened. Harry needs to rest but I doubt he will even look at his own bed, let alone remain in it for the five weeks the nurse recommended. I know we need to find Collin, but how? I'm hoping we would get any clue but there was no trace of where Howard might be. If he managed to remain under the police radar for months, what makes us think now it will be any different? He probably has many contacts who can help him get away and hide from the police.

I'm so scared for Collin, a million scenarios have been flashing my mind of what might be happening to him. What is Howard's intention with him? Does he intend to kill him just like he did to Claire? Or is his plan even more twisted than that? I don't know what he has in mind, but he won't rest until he makes us all suffer.

"Evelyn?" Noah calls me back to reality after I remained silent at his question.

I blink a couple of times, feeling my eyelids very heavy probably due to the drugs they have been injecting me. Clearly, they didn't think I was as distressed as Harry, otherwise, they would have put me asleep as well.

I wish they had done it.

If they could only have a glimpse at what is going on inside my head,maybe they would change their minds. I would give anything to simply forget about everything, to just sleep without any dreams or nightmares or worries. I want to forget I exist, I want to ignore this pain growing bigger and bigger inside my chest.

How am I going to live without Claire? How are we going to get through the days without Collin? Not knowing if he is alive or well?

I look to the man in front of me, hoping he can read in my eyes I don't have the physical strength to speak, at least not to fake a sentence saying I am doing alright. Because I am not, how could any of us be alright?