2:00 a.m.
I had been residing in the hospital waiting room for eight hours. Police, doctors, nurses—you name it—all of them had questions. To my father's medical conditions, to who was the person that had attacked my family, and did I have any suspicions as to why.
My conversation with the police had been the most difficult of my life. Replaying every moment like a horror film I couldn't escape. I'd begged the officer to end the conversation, but she'd insisted the best way to help my parents was to explain everything while it was fresh in my mind.
Ofcourse much of what I had explained had been half truths, leaving out the details of the attackers true identity and that Elijah had fought them off. It was better they chase a man who didn't exist than to speak a truth she couldn't accept.
When it was finally over, the detective requested I contact her if I remembered anything further, and she would do the same if there was new information regarding the investigation.
With my head against the wall beside me, I tried to get some sleep, but the prospect of giving me another update on my father's surgery kept me awake. Elijah, who had gone to retrieve something to drink, took the seat beside me. "Here, I brought you some tea. I thought it might be soothing for you."
I breathed in the scent of sweet tangerine. I'd meant to smile, but couldn't convey an ounce of joy. I took a sip. "My favorite. How did you know?"
Looking quite amused, Elijah spoke. "I didn't. I asked one of the caregivers if there was anything I could get you to drink, and she brought me tea."
A silence developed between the two of us, leaving me to my unwanted thoughts, but this time my reaction was different. The residual sting in my chest had temporarily subsided, leaving me with an emptiness that was somehow worse. I'd grown numb to it all; my body and mind unwilling to endure another ounce of heartache for the time being.
With a long sigh, I stared out the window; a red Nissan coming into focus and reminding me of Staci's similar car.
"Oh, my gosh!" I gasped. "I completely forgot about Staci and Jake! They probably think I'm stuck in a ditch somewhere. Did you say anything to them when you came to me? How did you manage to get there so fast?
""It is all right, Addisyn. I left without being noticed. I came to you by wind travel. It was easy to find you; I merely had to listen, although at first while you were on the move, I found it difficult to connect with you." He raised a finger in correction. "Something I must work on, but I came as swiftly as I was able. Now I am certain both Staci and Jake are perfectly well. Worried perhaps, but unharmed. Why not use that device of yours to contact them? Let them know you are all right."
I reached in my back pocket, the screen swiftly illuminating, informing me that I had twelve missed calls from Jake alone, eighteen from Staci, and some unpleasant texts in call caps. I didn't even bother reading them, and instead called Staci straight away.
"Addisyn Cleary!" Staci fumed."I could kill you! Why did you take so long to get back to me? Do you have any idea how sick to death I've been? Why would you leave like that?"
I'd never heard Staci sound so concerned. She didn't allow people to see even an ounce of vulnerability, not even me.
"I'm sorry— I didn't mean to upset you. It's just—" I stopped, the words practically unspeakable.
"It—it was my mom. She—she called me, and before she could say anything, I heard her scream. Then all this noise like someone was throwing stuff around in the background started, and before I knew it, the phone died. I was so worried and scared out of my mind that I lost all rationality and just drove to her place. When I got there, my parents—they were on the floor. Somebody had attacked them. Staci, my mother—she's—Staci, my mom's—"
YOU ARE READING
The Light of Roria
Fantasía-Find the light. Save the world- Addisyn is a dreamer, captivated by stories of fantasy, with the hopes to write one of her own someday. Her life told the story of simplicity (a job at the local mall, best friends with her roommate Staci, and decent...