The tale of the lost poet

CHAPTER 14

CHAPTER 14: FATE'S UNEXPECTED TURN

The city bustled around me as I walked down the familiar streets, my mind still grappling with the weight of recent weeks. Emrys's letter had been a balm to my soul, a reminder of the friendship and connection I had almost lost in my silence. Despite the lingering apprehension, I knew it was time to face him, to bridge the gap that had grown between us.

 Each morning brought with it a renewed sense of purpose as I delved deeper into my writing, but beneath the surface, uncertainty lingered. Would he understand? Would he still be there, waiting for me?

The bustling streets of the city seemed quieter than usual as I made my way towards our usual meeting spot. It had been weeks since I last saw Emrys, and despite the distance between us, his presence lingered in my thoughts like an unspoken promise.

As I approached the intersection where we were supposed to meet, I caught a glimpse of him across the street. His smile, the way his eyes lit up when he saw me—it was a familiar warmth that brought a rush of emotions to my heart. Without thinking, I stepped off the curb, my gaze locked on his.

But fate had other plans.

A screech of tires. A blur of motion. The world seemed to slow down as I realized what was happening. A car, speeding towards me, too close, too fast. I froze, unable to move as fear gripped my heart.

Time seemed to stretch into eternity as the car approached, its headlights blinding in the dimming twilight. Emrys's voice rang out, a desperate cry that reached through the chaos.

"No, Aurora!! Look out!"

Instinct kicked in, and I tried to leap back to safety, but it was too late. The impact knocked the breath from my lungs, sending me crashing to the hard pavement. Pain exploded through my body, a searing sensation that clouded my senses.

Voices clamored around me, a cacophony of concern and urgency. Sirens wailed in the distance, growing louder with each passing second. Through the haze of pain, I heard Emrys's voice, raw with panic and fear.

"Tumawag kayo ng ambulansya! Please!"

Hands gently cradled my head, voices offering reassurance that felt distant and surreal. I struggled to stay conscious, to make sense of the fragments of reality that swirled around me. Emrys's face came into view, his eyes wide with anguish and disbelief.

"Nandito lang ako, please, stay with me..." he pleaded, his voice cracking with emotion. "Please.."

Darkness threatened to pull me under, but I fought against it, clinging to the sound of Emrys's voice like a lifeline. Paramedics arrived, their presence a flurry of movement as they assessed my injuries and loaded me into the ambulance. Emrys stayed close, his hand gripping mine with a fierceness that spoke of his desperation.

*****


In the ambulance, I sat beside Aurora, my gaze fixed on her face as she drifted in and out of consciousness. Her hand remained clasped in mine, a lifeline that tethered me to the fragile thread of hope. I whispered words of encouragement, willing her to stay strong, to fight through the pain.

At the hospital, we were ushered into a whirlwind of medical procedures and examinations. Doctors and nurses bustled around us, their expressions grave as they tended to Aurora's injuries. I felt helpless, powerless to do anything but wait and pray for her recovery.

Time blurred into a haze of uncertainty. Hours stretched into eternity as I paced the sterile hospital corridors, my thoughts consumed by memories of our time together, of the moments we shared and the unspoken words between us. Guilt gnawed at me, a relentless reminder of the distance that had grown between us in recent weeks.