Differences

Chapter 55 - Alaina

New Chapter!!!

Warning: This chapter like the previous chapters explores illness and passing. Please read what is most comfortable for you.

I know, I know, I can hear yall rejoicing with Alaina's POV back in business. We all have an attachment to her (because same). ☺️😌

The next chapter will be uploaded shortly so if you want to stick around for a bit, I will do my best to upload in a couple of minutes.🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻

But anyways, I do hope you enjoy reading this chapter. 💘💝💘

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I miss you.

Was what I heard. Repeated over and over and over. It played on like looped audio, that never ceased. And I didn't want it to. I fought so hard in my mind to reach over to hear that voice a little more clearly.

But it had disappeared.

The thought was replaced by discomfort. Something was choking me. My body felt like a dead weight. And I felt encaged. Tied down or something.

Well, I guess there was nothing new there.

My eyes twitch. It was then I realize my eyes were closed.

I must've slept for God awful lot of time.

What would that say about me to everyone around me? Something my uh, uncle would come up with. A lazy bitch. That's what I would have been seen as. And this time, there wasn't much of an excuse to refute that. Not that I ever have, there was no point in doing so anyway.

And then I remember.

Luke.

I needed to know. Was he ok? Was he out of surgery?

Was he alive?

I try to peel my eyes open, squinting and then closing my eyes as something bright pierces through them. Why was the brightness of these lights so high? I don't remember my room lights being that bright. And I'm almost 100% certain my room was not this white.

"Alaina? Alaina? can you hear me?", a voice calls. A deep, throaty voice. His voice. Could it be that I was hallucinating?

Or did we both die?

I try to open my eyes once again, the light still blinding, but now being more bearable.

And then, he was there.

Those contrasting deep blue and green eyes, only focused on mine. He still wore clothes in all black, and yet they weren't the usual. It wasn't pristine and well pressed. It was shrivelled up and crinkly, as though he was in a rush to get into them. His face was etched with pure exhaustion, the bags of his eyes were so dark. He needed to sleep.

But he was alive.

He was alive, breathing, and was still by my side. He kept his promise with me.

I felt the stinging sensation I was accustomed to build up in my eyes. I let the tears fall, I didn't have it in me suppress or contain them.

"Alaina, can you hear me?" He asks, concern and instability seeping out through his usually steady voice. I wanted to reply yes. I wanted to touch him. Hold him. Kiss him. But it was only now did I realise; I couldn't raise any part of my body. It all felt foreign, it felt like it didn't belong to me.

I opted to wrap my fingers around his in a terribly weak attempt to squeeze them. To reassure him or myself, I didn't know.

And I couldn't speak even if I wanted to.

"I'll go get Mathew, okay?" He says, kissing me on my forehead before leaving the room.

I didn't want him to leave. But it wasn't like I could say that. And I had to be seen either way. It was best if I was seen sooner rather than later.

I take in the room I was in. Infront of me was just a plain wall, while on either side of me were large windows. On my left displayed the outside world, with a familiar scenery of mountains and unending forests. On my right displayed a corridor and a plain black bench, looking out of place in the blinding white backdrop.

Multiple machines and monitors surround me, beeping in synch with my body's rhythm and displayed its graphs. Tubes were tied on to me, delivering whatever fluids, nutrients, or medication it was and one in my mouth, supporting my lungs. I hope I can get that off right now. It was uncomfortable to say the least.

Moments later, Luke comes into view once again, followed by Mathew.

And Juliet?

And Mr Taylor, and Charlotte, Noah, and . . . Ash?

Oh god.

Now the horror of the mission comes back to me. My fath –, I mean my uncle. I needed to explain. I needed to explain the real situation. Who was actually behind this. Who he actually was. And that I am in no way shape or form involved. That I have never and would never betray them.

They wouldn't believe you.

"It's okay. You're alright. They'll leave if you need them to. They were just worried for you." He soothes, stroking his fingers through my hair, the act settling my nerves a little.

They were worried? Why?

One by one, they leave the area only leaving Luke and the doctor. Oh, and Mia. I didn't realise she was even there. I've only met her once. She made herself scarce, blend in the background. But those eyes always held mine.

Mathew begins to examine, asking me a range of yes and no questions which I replied with a nod or a shake of the head, before examining me physically.

I was deemed good enough to get rid of the breathing tube and he and Mia, got to work. I gag at the tube coming out and was attacked by a coughing fit. When was breathing so hard?

Mia quickly placed an oxygen mask, making breathing less of a workout.

"I know it's hard to swallow and your throat feels dry, but we need to monitor you for at least an hour to make sure it's safe for you alright." Mia explains while giving me a comforting smile. I try to reply yes but my voice was non-existent, it came out as a hoarse whisper.

"It'll take a little while for you to get your voice back. For now, just relax." She says before pulling Mathew and herself out of the room.

Leaving him and I alone.

Tears well again in my eyes, falling, and falling.

He was alive.