ROTBFTD : Broken & Beautiful

22

Elsa pov 

The first thing I saw when I opened my eyes was a blur of smiling faces. I was bathed in a warm light, and it felt like I was underwater, everything fuzzy and slow. Then, I saw him, Jack. He was standing next to the bed, his eyes red and swollen, a tear tracing its way down his cheek. His usually boisterous grin was replaced by a worried frown. He hadn't left my side for months.

'Guys,' I croaked, my voice thin and scratchy.

The others, Rapunzel, Eugene, and even my old friend, Lucy, all crowded around, their smiles turning into choked sobs. I felt their warmth, their embrace, and a wave of pure joy washed over me. I had been in a coma for so long, lost in a dark void, and now I was back.

'We missed you so much, Elsa,' Lucy said, her voice trembling, her eyes shining with tears. She looked so different, her hair now a bright, almost electric blue, and her face, once round and chubby, now leaner and more mature. My heart ached with a bittersweet joy, a recognition of how much time had passed.

Then Rapunzel, her bright smile just a touch dimmed, spoke up. 'Guys, Monday, we're having a funeral at school.'

Her words were like an icy blast. 'What? Funeral at school?' I choked out, confusion swirling in my head. 'What's going on?'

Jack, his gaze fixed on me, ran a hand through his hair. 'It's a long story, Elsa,' he said softly.

The next hour was a blur. Doctors came and went, and eventually, I was moved to a private room. Jack sat next to me, his hand clasped in mine. He told me everything, the news that had been swirling like a dark storm in the background of my coma.

The news was devastating. The school, the one I had been running from, the one that was the source of my pain, had been engulfed in flames. The fire had claimed the lives of many, including... I couldn't bring myself to say it out loud, not yet. The pain of it all was too much to bear.

Yet, as Jack spoke, I felt a strange peace settle over me. The depression that had been my constant companion for so long, the darkness that had haunted me, seemed to melt away. A new sense of clarity bloomed in its place. I was free. It was terrifying, the weight of it all, but also exhilarating. I had been through hell and come out the other side.

But there was a hole in my heart, an ache that wouldn't go away. My mother. The last time I saw her was when I escaped my dad's house and moved in with Jack. My heart skipped a beat as I turned to him, 'When I get discharged from the hospital, I want to go home to see my mom.'

Jack nodded, his eyes filled with a mix of sadness and understanding. 'You're right, Elsa. Maybe she's been missing you.'

The uncertainty gnawed at me. My mother, my only anchor in the storm, the one who had always been there for me. I had to find her. I had to know she was safe. The journey ahead was uncertain, but for the first time in a long time, I felt hope. I felt like I was finally coming home.