Second: The Queen's Lament

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TRIGGER WARNING: Mentions of suicide may upset some readers. Read at your own risk.

You have been warned.

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“Huh?”

The first thing I blurted out the moment I opened my eyes.

I opened my eyes...?

But I just died. How did this happened?

I looked around to see I am in a hospital and is lying in a bed. It’s night time—there is no light apart from having the moonlight. But why am I here?

May naamoy akong hindi maganda para sa sensitibo kong ilong. I knew deep inside I hated that antiseptic scent. But the faint floral aroma of lavender soothed me.

I idly rose from my bed only to find out my head is still intact and there is a small tube inserted on my right hand. I was flabbergasted when I saw it.

“Swero?”

That word slipped from my mouth. Anong ginagawa ng swero sa kamay ko?

I flinched when a light suddenly illuminated the entire room. Tinakpan ko ang aking mata gamit ang aking braso mula sa nakakasilaw na ilaw.

“You’re awake. How are you feeling?”

It took me a while before I had adjusted from the light. Then I noticed a figure of man approaching me after standing right through the door. He took the single couch and dragged it beside my bed and fished something from his pocket. It was his phone. I watched intently how his harsh fingers manipulated its screen before putting it on his ears.

“Hello. This is Damian Gomez. The patient from room 123 is awake. I need assistance. Thank you.”

He put his phone on the bedside table and fixed his gaze on me. His looks were intense when I met them. I hold our eye contact for a while before asking.

“Who are you—”

“The doctor will be here in a minute,”

Both of us said in unison. There was a momentarily silence between us before his brows furrowed and later cleared his throat.

“I’m Damian… hindi mo ba ako naaalala?” he asked, contemplating his questions.

“I’m not quite sure about that. I’m Louisiana Theodore…”

The words that escaped my mouth seemed default. It is as if I am used to introducing myself that way. But I am Travis, not Theodore. Strangely enough, I cannot bring myself to correct what I said. It never felt wrong.

I closed my eyes when I felt a slight throb in my head. Flashes of foggy memories are flowing into my mind.

“Why am I here?” I asked, caressing my temples.

Ang lalaki sa tabi ko ay tahimik kaya nilingon ko ito. He really has his thick but trimmed eyebrows furrowed. His eyes were squinting as well when he studied my whole expression.