𝐌𝐚𝐟𝐢𝐚 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 ( 𝐀 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬)

•18•

As I struggled to recognise my surroundings, small fragments of memories began to surface, blurry and disjointed. The last thing I remembered was nothing. It was as if a veil had been drawn over my thoughts, leaving me with a sense of confusion.

My heartbeat quickened, echoing in the sterile room of the hospital as I searched for answers that caused me haze of pain. The sterile scent of antiseptic lingered in the air, adding to the surreal atmosphere.

"Where am I? And... why?" The words escaped my lips, barely audible over the din of the machines.

As I tried to rise, my muscles protested with a dull ache, a panic gripped me as I realized my limbs were attached with tubes and wires, binding me to the sterile bed. With trembling hands, I reached for the intravenous drip, the plastic tubing pulling taut as I yanked it free though it hurted like hell.

Ignoring the pain, I ripped away the sensors plastered to my skin, each tug sending a jolt of discomfort and pain through my veins.

My heart raced, matching the frantic rhythm of my actions as I struggled to free myself from the medical apparatus.

As I finally tore away the last of the wires, my breaths coming in ragged gasps as I stumbled to my feet.

The pain clouded my vision, but I pushed forward, driven by an instinctual urge to escape the hospital room.

As I fumbled with the door handle, a voice pierced through the haze of my thoughts, its tone laced with urgency.

"Stop! What do you think you're doing?" The words cut through the air, halting my frantic escape attempt.

I turned, my gaze locking onto a figure standing in the doorway, she had expression a mixture of concern and alarm.

"I... I don't know," I stammered, my voice barely audible above the silence in the room. "I need to get out of here."

As the figure approached, I could see it was me, but in a strange form . Was it my other self?

"You can't just leave," she said gently, her voice a soothing balm. "You're not ready yet. You need to rest."

Rest? The word kept repeating in my mind, a foreign concept in the face of my overwhelming desire to run away from this unknown place.

"I... I don't remember anything," I admitted, my voice wavering with a vulnerability I couldn't conceal. "Where am I? Why am I here?"

Her expression softened, her hand reaching out in a gesture of reassurance.

"It's okay," she said softly. "We'll figure it out together. But for now, you need to trust yourself. Trust that everything is happening for your own benefit."

I couldn't help but see the figure slowly disappear into the thin air as I pushed it away in an certain urge to get away.

The door swung open with a metallic creak, revealing a dimly lit corridor bathed in an eerie silence. Fear prickled at the back of my neck as I hesitated, but the urgency of escape outweighed my feelings.

Suddenly, a distant sound shattered the silence, a chorus of footsteps echoing down the corridor towards me. Panic surged anew, adrenaline coursing through my veins as I scrambled for cover, seeking refuge in the shadows. Paralyzed with fear, I held my breath, praying that whoever approached would pass me by unnoticed.

I sprinted away from the corridor, desperate to escape. My feet kept dragging me out of the hospital, but my hospital attire only made me stand out, like a deer caught in headlights. All my emotions were numb, all I could do was walk and walk, my mind as barren as a desert under the scorching sun.

I've never felt so fortunate as when I finally left the hospital, slipping past the guards and staff unnoticed.

The streets seemed strangely empty, despite being filled with people.

••••••••••

3rd person pov

As I sat there, drowning my sorrows in beer, the bitter taste did little to numb the pain of loss. I felt the weight of failure pressing down on me, knowing I couldn't shield her from the harm and the danger that swallowed her . Each sip seemed to deepen the ache in my chest, a constant reminder of my inability to protect the one I cared about.

The bottle slipped from my fingers, crashing to the ground, as I lifted my gaze to the sky above. People's stares had no effect in me as I was drowned into the emptiness I felt inside, a void left by her absence. Was this my fate, to be consumed by this overwhelming sense of despair?

Suddenly, I noticed a group of men in uniforms searching the area with urgency. They seemed to be looking for something or someone important.

Amidst their focused search, I saw a woman in hospital clothes trying to hide. She looked out of place in the chaos around us.

My heart sank with longing , shock and regret at the sight of her. "Y/n?" I murmmered.

"Y/n," I repeated, disbelief washing over me as I stood frozen in place. Then, without thinking, I ran toward her and enveloped her in a tight hug, unable to bear the thought of being separated from my little sister any longer.

"You're... alive?" The words stumbled out of my mouth, a mixture of shock and relief flooding through me.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••