Hold Me Tight (Completed) ✔️

Chapter 51

Eliza's pov

The smell of iodoform and chemicals purged through my nose when I jolt myself awake from another terrible nightmare.

This is my usual morning now. To be waken up by the terrifying eeriness of darkness and fearsome, ghastly sounds of metal scraping against the rough wall with a numbing deep cackle that is etched onto my brain.

Everytime it is the same. The same eyes, the same laugh, the same touch. Fear, that is how I can define my past few days.

It's been four days, I have been admitted in the hospital, and two days I have been staring at the old white framed window with nothing but a withered tree to see as a landscape.

I don't know why, but I keep relating myself to that scorched tree. In some ways I feel dead. I can't seem to think differently. For me everything felt dry and shrivelled.

"Ela, honey you're awake?" I heard my mom's voice pulling me from my thoughts.

"Yes." I replied. Although with enough effort, I can speak now. Now that the bruises around my throat have healed I can voice without straining much.

"Were you crying?" She worriedly came near me, wiping away my tears which I didn't know I had.

"Let's get you to the washroom and freshen up, shall we?" My mom asked me, to which I was forced to agree.

I hate it, I'm hating everything about me now. I can't even do anything by myself. I have to depend on someone now. Everytime my mom come to aid for me I can't help but feel sad that instead of looking after my mom she is burdened to look after me. How pathetic am I?

After my morning routine, she brought me some homemade food. A break from the hospital food to get to taste my mom's cooking warmed me in some ways.

"Your dad will be here in a few min-." Before she could complete as if on cue my dad entered.

He didn't say anything he just silently took the seat near the bed. I was not sure about what should I speak. Our last conversation with each other was not something I want to recollect either. I went a little harsh on him and I regret that. But I won't be the first to apologise, I am adamant on that.

I stopped thinking about it and tried to see what my mom was doing. She was getting my food ready. I couldn't move my hand on my will so mom had to feed me, which is something I always loved although not under such a circumstance.

"Sorry I will come right away." My mom excused herself when her phone blared disrupting the silence of the room.

My dad still sat there silently and I feeling a little too awkward turned my head to gaze at the withered tree through the window. We didn't really have a proper conversation in this hospital stay.

A muffled cough made me turn to look back at him. He was on his feet walking to my direction. Without making any eye contact with me he sat beside my bed taking the bowl from the side table.

"I don't think she will be returning anytime soon." Even if hoarse, his voice was gentle.

He lifted the spoon bringing it to my mouth still not looking at me directly. I tried to control the urge from breaking a smile. I couldn't deny I felt happy.

"Have the pain gone?" He asked to which I simply nodded. He wiped the food from the corner of my mouth mumbling a 'Good'.

I felt so happy hearing him speak to me like that, care for me like that. The troublesome thoughts from the nightmare instantly vanished and was replaced with happiness to see him here with me. Not to quarrel but to look after me.