My Phobia Man

19. Where Is He?!

21.46

Where the hell was Talay? What kind of inventory checking was it? He wouldn't have another accident, right?

Sighing, I called him for the second time, but he didn't answer like the previous time. Was he still busy? I didn't know why but there was a nagging feeling in my heart which told me that something was wrong. For the final resort, I dialled the restaurant's number, but there was no answer. Damn.

Should I go check?

But what if he wasn't alone? Could I handle the crowd or the abashment?

"Whatever!" I shouted out with frustration, ruffling my short hair, and before I lost my courage, I wore my sneakers, grabbed my wallet, car key and phone, and left the flat pell-mell.

Indeed, the restaurant was pretty close, but I was in a hurry and didn't want to encounter any living souls other than Talay.

Like a madman, I drove to the restaurant and saw it was already closed. I thought maybe the employees went for a late dinner, but as I was already out, I decided to give Talay one more call.

How glad I was to do that. The moment Talay's phone started to ring, a small light appeared inside the dark restaurant. Like a moth hypnotised by flame, I pressed myself on the glass window to see it better.

Was it Talay's phone?

With my shaky fingers, I ended the call and the light faded immediately, leaving no room for another possibility. It was Talay's phone. So, he was still here.

Not giving a damn about anyone or anything, I knocked on the glass window repeatedly, crying out for Talay. The thick glass shook dangerously with the huge force I used, but there was no sight of him.

"Where are you?!" I cried out with anxiety, my hands clenched into fists against the glass.

Then I remembered.

The storage!

I ran towards the left of the restaurant, but there was only a wall. Therefore, I took the opposite side and bingo! A metal door painted to white and the keys were still on the lock!

I pulled the door open and saw a horrifying scene under the dim light.

Talay was sitting on the stone floor, his hands bracketing his knees which were pressed to his chest. Although his face was invisible, his violent shaking and gasping were showing his condition.

After the initial shock, I put a bag of potatoes on the threshold to keep the door open and rushed to him. Gathering him into my arms, I patted his tear-stained cheeks to bring his consciousness back.

"Talay, I am here, I found you, you are okay," I kept repeating, but he kept gasping as if there was no air. His black eyes were unfocused and teary.

"Damn it!" I cursed and passed an arm under his clenched knees and lifted him with no little effort. His body was like a piece of ice, so cold and stiff, making me panicking. Walking outside, I sat with him on my lap on the bench near the restaurant.

"We are out, do you feel the breeze?" I said reassuringly, rubbing his chest, "breathe with me, slowly, in and out..."

Although he seemed unresponsive, after a few seconds, his eyes gained a bit of focus and he started to breathe better, following my example.

"Veera..."

"Yes, it is me," I said with a forced smile, pressing his small frame to my chest in an attempt to pass his freezing body some warmth.

"I... was..."

"Hssh, don't talk," I urged him as he seemed to have difficulty uttering words, "I got you, you are safe."

He smiled softly, but then his eyes rolled back and he went limp in my arms.

"Talay! Talay, wake up!" I implored with horror, but there was no response. With my heart in my mouth, I stood up with him and ran to my car. I placed him in the back seat and drove to the emergency with speed.

Once we arrived, I gathered his unconscious body in my arms again and rushed in, leaving my car in front of the emergency door as it is.

Two nurses helped me to lay Talay on a stretcher and took him away from me. With desperate eyes, I watched them turn around the corner, then I slumped on the floor.

"Are you okay?" another nurse appeared next to me and helped me on a chair, "do you know what happened to the patient?" she asked softly.

"He..." I tried to access my brain for a second, "he was trapped inside a storage room for a while. He has Claustrophobia." Well done, brain.

"Okay, thank you," she said and ran behind the stretcher.

Being a mess, I kept sitting there lifelessly until someone pressed a paper cup into my hand.

"It is water with sugar, good for shocks," an elder woman said as she patted my shoulder, "it is going to be okay, don't worry."

Ah, how much I wanted to believe her. I wanted Talay to walk out of the corner with his trademark smile and tell me that I overreacted... but thinking how physically weak he was, I was aware it was impossible.

"Trust this old lady," she said scoldingly and gave me another pat.

"Okay," I agreed. I would give Talay one night to be sick, then he had to be okay and walk home with me. Like the lady said, everything had to be okay.