Xandra opened her eyes to a faded white ceiling.
To her left was a pole with a pack of white liquid. She raised her arm to see the wires attached to it. Without hesitation, Xandra wrapped her fist around it and braced.
"Woah there!" The curtain swished and a hand grabbed her arm.
Xandra looked up at the doctor with deadpan eyes.
Doctor William sighed. "You know you can't just pull that out like in the movies, young lady." Xandra stared ahead.
He tried to steel his gaze to match the cold woman and sat on a nearby chair. With crossed arms, he said, "You do know this is the second time this week, Xandra."
A small scoff escaped her, but her gaze never fell on anything other than the white blankets gripped tightly in her fists.
"First it was in the bus stop, now it's the park. You should thank the kind woman who brought you here.
"You're overworked, Xandra," William concluded. "How many more times should we see you here?"
Xandra remained quiet for a long time. With a huff, she collapsed back onto the bed and held up her arm. "When can I leave?"
"You're free to leave now. But I'm hesitant until you promise me you'll take care of yourself." William frowned. "Your brother is a dear friend of mine. What would he say to me if he could see you right now?"
He tried to duck down to Xandra's eyesight but she only turned away. He forced a smile and changed the topic. "But hey, he told me you'd all be spending the summer at Blossom Hill. Have you packed your bags yet?"
"How much?" She said abruptly.
"Hm?" William blinked. "How much wha-"
"The fee. How much is the fee?" This time, she looked directly at him. She raised her arm and said, "And excuse me for my bluntness doctor but if this isn't off my arm by the next thirty minutes I'll pull it off myself."
William's mouth fell. This had been the first time he heard Xandra speak a full sentence in the multiple hospital visits she'd had since she moved in the city.
He cleared his throat, "I...I'll get it off now."
***
Xandra flexed her fingers and wrung her hand around her wrist, now free of its medical shackles.
She grabbed her purse from beside the bed and checked its contents. Her wallet, phone, receipts, even the empty gum wrappers stayed in place.
William spoke with a smile, "Isn't it amazing?" A lump lodged in her throat. "The woman even paid for all of your expenses. What do you know? Good Samaritans actually exist in this world."
Xandra remained quiet. She hooked her purse over her shoulder and faced William, her face an ever frozen state of neutrality. With a nod, she bid him farewell.
"Hope we don't see you here again!" William shouted from behind her. Xandra ignored his laughs.
"Oh-hold on!" Xandra stopped but didn't turn around.
William continued from across the hallway, "I think the woman knew you, do you have any idea who they may be?"
To be honest, Xandra knew nothing. But instead of asking further, she continued to walk forward, ignoring the doctor's shouts. Whoever the woman was, she was thankful of her, but meddling in her mysterious identity would mess with her schedule. Xandra needed to get herself together first.
***
Closing the door to her bare apartment, Xandra went straight for her laptop, not even bothering to change or to shower. She looked at the clock on the office table, 3:30 PM, way too late for her schedule.
YOU ARE READING
Counter Clockwise
General Fiction"I wish...time would just stop." Sleeping has always been Xandra's getaway, but an impending vacation back to her hometown forces her to fully succumb into her mind. She has just been exhausted, working to the bone. And all she really wants is for t...
