Rays of Hope

Feelings Reqruited

I was enveloped in darkness, my body heavy and unresponsive. I couldn't move, couldn't open my eyes, but I could hear. The world around me was a blur of sounds, muffled and distant at first, but gradually becoming clearer.

A voice cut through the fog in my mind, kind and soft. "Stay strong, princess. You're not alone. I'm here, and I won't leave your side." I could decipher that nickname anywhere, it was Silas, blue eyes.

After some minutes, I again heard his voice. "Wake up please." I wanted to tell him that I could hear him and I was trying but my damned body refused to listen to me. I felt a kiss on my forehead and I knew I had to wake up soon just to see blue eyes.

Soon hurried footsteps echoed in the hallway, growing louder as they approached. "Who are you?" I heard Silas's voice.

"Ria's aunt and uncle," came the reply, filled with a mix of urgency and worry. I ruined their trip, who called them?

A collision of voices echoed around me, greetings overlapping in a jumble of emotions. Then, a voice near my ear, soft and tender, penetrated the haze. "Ria, darling, stay strong."

I wanted to respond, to let them know I could hear them, but my body refused to obey. Whispers and sobs filled the room, a symphony of concern and despair. The voices were familiar, comforting in their familiarity, yet I was trapped in this dark void, unable to reach out to them.

Silas's voice filled the room, "Everyone, please step outside, if you wish to talk. The patient needs a calm environment."

Footsteps shuffled reluctantly, the chorus of voices fading as they moved away. But one presence remained by my side. I felt a gentle pressure on my hand, a touch that was both comforting and desperate. Lips brushed the top of my hand, over and over again, each kiss a silent plea for me to wake up, to respond.

I wanted to squeeze the hand that held mine, to show that I was still here, still fighting, but my body remained unresponsive. The frustration and helplessness threatened to overwhelm me, but that touch, that unwavering presence, anchored me in the darkness.

The door creaked open, and multiple footsteps filled the room again. The murmurs of conversation grew louder.

"We got the CCTV footage from the lighthouse," a new voice said, authoritative and determined. "But the faces are unrecognizable."

Even in my state, a flicker of hope ignited within me. They were trying to find out who did this.

"Regardless of whose fault it was," the voice continued, "we'll make sure the ones who hurt her pay."

"Fault? How could this possibly be her fault?" another voice retorted sharply. I recognized it immediately. My aunt's voice, filled with concern and anger. She always had a protective instinct over me, and hearing her defend me warmed my heart even in my weakened state.

"I don't know, Marie," a different voice replied, softer, more uncertain. "But we need to consider all possibilities."

Marie. My aunt's name. Her presence was a comfort, a beacon of hope in the darkness. I longed to open my eyes, to reassure her that I was okay, but couldn't.

The voices continued, a mix of worry, frustration, and determination. They discussed plans, strategies, and next steps. I strained to catch every word, to piece together what had happened to me.

But amidst the chaos of voices, one thing remained clear: I wasn't alone. My family and friends were here, fighting for me, and for that, I was grateful.

Silas's POV

I stayed by Ria's side every day and night, trading shifts with her aunt and uncle when needed. My parents were home that night, and I called them to inform them that I'd be at the hospital. They didn't question anything, just allowed me to stay, with the condition that I took care of myself too.

The doctors noted that every time we spoke to her or held her hand, her heart rate showed a difference. They told us that she could feel and hear us, and we were advised to do that a lot more.

It had been a week, and there was still no change in her state. Every day felt like an eternity, waiting for some sign of improvement, some flicker of hope. But Ria remained unconscious, her condition unchanged. We could only pray and hope for her recovery, clinging to the belief that she would wake up soon.

On the 11th day, I found myself alone with Ria in the quiet of the hospital room. The soft hum of machines filled the air, punctuating the silence that surrounded us.

 I began to speak, my words a whispered confession to the silent figure before me. "I love you, princess," I say, pressing a small kiss to her lips.

"And about the girlfriend you oh so worried about, I have none," I confessed, my voice barely above a whisper. "The only girls I hang out with are my bandmates, one of whom is my sister, and the other is a close friend who happens to be a lesbian. You've been worrying about nothing."

I chuckle lightly, "You could have just asked me if I had a girlfriend. Whenever you wake up I want to know which girl exactly you were jealous about, I'd never let you live it out."

I took a shaky breath, steeling myself for what I saying next. "Ria, losing you would break me," my voice filled with a vulnerability I had never shown anyone before. "Just like losing Caleb did."

"Caleb... he was more than just a friend. He was like a brother to me. We met him in college, we were paired together for a project. He was just like you, snarky and had a sharp tongue. At first, I found him very annoying but soon we were inseparable. He was the one who introduced me to music, to the joy of playing guitar. We had these dreams of starting a band, making it big. We even found people with the same interests as us, finally made our band, we had played a total of five gigs together until... We all lost him to cancer." My body was shivering, I never said all this out to anyone but it felt good like a weight was lifted from my shoulders.

Tears fell from my eyes, "Princess, please wake up. I love you. I can't lose you. Please, princess..." As I begged her to wake up, I felt her hand tighten around mine.

"Princess do that again," I begged looking at her hand as if that'd make her move again. "Please Ria," I felt her hand tighten again. Hope surged through me.

I shifted my gaze to her face and found her already looking at me. "Princess..." my voice wavering. "Keep your eyes open, I'll call a nurse." I let go of her hand and ran to call a nurse. The nurse checked her vitals, there were no doctors on board as it was midnight.

I looked at her as the nurse continued checking, she mouths- "I love you too." My heart leaps with joy, those 3 words mean so much to me.

I decided to drop messages to her family, my family, and friends that she had woken up. The nurse tells me that Ria's vitals are good and the doctor will check up on her in the morning. With my nod, the nurse leaves.

"Well princess, a little birdie told me that you loved me too." a small smile graces her lips.

"Oh! I guess you were dreaming." her smirk evident.

"I love you princess."

"I love you too blue eyes."