Zelus (Perseus Reimagined) (BXB)

Chapter 59

"When you wake up, look at the window, a phoenix with feathers blue as ice and a tail ignited with the flames will be waiting for you. Only your eyes could withhold it."

2024

"JON?"

Who's there?

"Oh my god, Jon!"

Show yourself!

Voices shot out of the darkness, a female. She's calling my name, but I can't see her. All I perceive is darkness. I glance down to feel my hands lifting up, but I can't see. I'm wriggling my toes and sticking my tongue out, but I'm not actually doing those things.

I began running, or at least, I think I'm running. I don't know where I'm heading. There was no path, no signs, no sky, no light, nothing. For all I know, I could be running towards a cliff and fall to my death.

"Where are you!" I scream, running on the endless ground.

The voice didn't respond.

Suddenly the surface beneath my feet rumbles as though it's an earthquake. I stop and lift my chin but nothing. There is absolutely nothing but darkness. I reach for my face, but I can't feel it.

"What the hell is happening?"

"Jon!" The voice returns. "I'm here!"

"Who's here?!" I demand. "Where are you? Or where am I?! I can't see anything!"

"It's Victoria," I'm crying, realizing someone I know is within my reach. "Jon, snap out of it!"

"Snap out of what?!"

"I'm right here, Jon! Wake up!"

Suddenly, stars dance in the distance. One by one, they emerge from a white dot growing larger every second. The stars twinkled like the ones we'd see in cartoons. Behind the white dot, the darkness fled as a red landscape took over. It's shining brighter by the second, and my ears sense I'm not alone. I'm hearing the blades of a spinning fan, a beeping sound, mutterings I couldn't make out of, polyester fabrics rubbing against each other, and someone's breathing in my left ear.

I smell daisies, and stale broccoli?

The red landscape is now making an opening where my vision blinds to bright light. Little did I know, I was opening my eyes, blinking to get used to the brightness. My blurry sight returns slowly, and I see I'm in a room, lying on a bed with an oxygen mask over my face.

"Jon!" Victoria is standing to my left. She's really there. Her cheeks are wet, and her eyes are shining. "Doctor! I need a doctor! Someone! He's awake!"

...

"Jon," a warm palm rests on my forehead.

My eyes flutter open to see the person I never thought I'd see again.

"Mom," I heard my voice, hoarse and dry like I just ate sand.

"You're up," she's crying, but with a smile. Her head lands on my chest gently, sobbing.

I gaze up to see Max standing behind her, also teary-eyed. He seemed fatigued with those dark circles. A smile stretches on his face, taking my hand in his as though we're going to do our classic fist bump we'd always do back in the days.

"Welcome back," he mouthed.

Standing on my right was a female doctor. Dark braided hair tied in a bun, brown skin with the same shade of eyes. She wore a tag with the name, Susan Millers, a Neurologist at Seattle Hospital.