Tale From The Unknown

Broken Promises

I woke up because of the light. Upon opening my eyes, all I could see was white.

White ceiling, white walls, white door, and the white bed I was lying on. The surroundings appeared somewhat blurry, but I could still make out the details.

"Wincess," I turned to the voice's owner.

I couldn't speak due to difficulty breathing, feeling as though a single word would express my struggle to breathe. There was oxygen in my mouth, providing just enough for proper breathing.

"Wincess, wait. I'll call the doctor," it spoke again.
"You stay here and watch over her," it instructed the person beside me. I felt the grasp on my arm.

I slowly turned to look at the person, but my vision was blurred, and my chest felt tight, making it hard to breathe.

"Wincess... Can you see me? Can you hear me? I'm here... Look at me. How are you? Are you in pain?" It bombarded me with questions, almost like a machine, each answerable in succession based on the rapid-fire inquiries.

I squinted as a sudden headache hit me.

"Wincess," a woman's voice called out.

"Good to see you awake, ija," a man's voice said.

I opened my eyes.
My vision was still blurry, seeing only white.

"Ija, can you hear me?" the man asked.
"If you can hear me, blink twice." I followed his instruction. I blinked twice. "If that's the case, can you see me?" he asked again.

I couldn't reply; I was feeling weak.
"Blink once if you can't."

I followed his command.

"Is your vision just blurry, or is it really dark around you?" the man asked, persisting with the questions.

"Do you think she can answer your questions?" the woman retorted sharply.

"Based on the test results, we didn't find any signs of potential blindness. So, I can assure you that her vision is just blurry due to her prolonged sleep."

"Is that so, Doc?"

"Let's discuss this outside, Mrs."

"Alright."

I just closed my eyes.

"Olive and Badden, you take care of Wincess for now."

"Sure, Aunt."

THE DAYS passed, and my situation became even more challenging.

My chest ached more, and now I struggled to breathe compared to when I first woke up from my long slumber.

I heard the opening and closing of the door, but I remained with my eyes shut.

"Ija, we're going to transfer you to a stretcher. Let us know if you feel any pain," I remained silent and kept my eyes closed.

"Where are you taking her?"

"To the O.R., ma'am. She's scheduled for surgery."

"But we don't have enough money to pay."

"Don't worry. Everything's already taken care of, and there's more than enough. The person who covered Ms. Wincess' expenses is willing to pay for any additional needs."

"Really? Who covered the expenses?"

The Doctor mentioned that the payer preferred to introduce themselves personally.

"Alright, thank you."

"Your daughter needs surgery." It informed and transferred me to a bed. I could feel the movement of the bed.

They took me to a room and transferred me to another bed.
After a while, the Doctor spoke to me. They informed me that I would receive anesthesia.

I REGAINED consciousness hearing people conversing around me. I kept my eyes closed, trying to calm my system.

"Why isn't Wincess waking up yet?"

"The Doctor said she should get more rest now that the surgery is done."

"Ahh."

Breathing was less of a struggle, and the chest pain decreased each time my heart beat.

I slowly opened my eyes. Simultaneously, the door opened and closed.

"How is she doing?" a familiar voice inquired.

"She's doing well."

"Dad." Despite the difficulty, I tried to call out. "Daddy," I started to cry.
"Dad, is that you?"

"Sweetie... Yes, sweetie, it's me," he responded, approaching me.

"Dad... I miss you," I uttered through tears, followed by his gentle hug.

"Don't worry, sweetie. Daddy is here. I will never leave you again," he reassured me.

"I know you're struggling, baby. But don't forget that we're always here for you," my brother chimed in, appearing behind my father.

My brother entertained me with stories and actions, making me laugh despite my struggle. They diverted the conversation away from earlier topics as I kept sobbing, but it was alright with him.

I was also surprised by my brother's behavior. He was usually reserved and not one to share stories. But I let it be.

"I know you won't stay long and you'll leave again." Suddenly came out of my mouth unexpectedly.

"Baby... That won't happen again. I promise. You'll always be with us," said my brother as he approached me.

"You always have us, sweetie. We're always watching over you," said Daddy as he hugged me. My brother followed suit and hugged me too.

"I love you, baby," said my brother.

"I'm always loving you, sweetie," Daddy said as he kissed me on the forehead.

"I love you too, Dad, brother."

"Wincess is really crying, aunt."

"Anak, wake up... Anak, wake up."

I woke up to a gentle shake on my shoulder.

When I opened my eyes, I was immediately struck by the white ceiling. I didn't take my eyes off the ceiling and cried silently.

I ignored the noise around me.

'Fuck promises.'