Flame and Ember

Chapter 7

"How could you be so careless?" A voice pierced through the haze of my consciousness, jolting me awake.

"I swear! She was right behind me!"

"I don't care! Why did you even take her to the forest? You know how dangerous it is there, especially after dark."

"We were just at the boundary! We didn't even go inside!"

"Oh really? Okay then, Elisia, please pray tell, how did she end up in the middle of the freaking forest!"

"I DON'T KNOW!" Elisia's voice cracked with frustration.

Did they not know that when a person is sleeping, you are not supposed to talk loudly? I meant, at least use hushed voices. Wait a minute. Why am I sleeping?

"Listen, I am telling you Ryland, she was right behind me, I diverted my eyes for a second and then she was gone." Gone? What is happening? Why can't I remember anything? I decided to keep on listening. I know, eavesdropping is rude, but what can I say, I don't really have a knack for good manners. "I tried calling Alyssum, but she went off somewhere with her car, and you know how Alden is...you were the only option." That was Elisia's voice. "Also-"

"Shh."

I heard shuffling sound, then he spoke right into my ear. "Eavesdropping?"

Shit.

I continued to keep my eyes shut. "I know you're awake. No use pretending," he said. I cracked one of my eyes open. Two beautiful pairs of green emerald eyes looked down at me. "Mina! Thank God you're awake," Elisia rushed and sat beside me on the bed. I got up and scanned the room. The room had an elegant design to it. It didn't have any personal touch to it, so I'm guessing this is the guest room.

"What happened?" I asked them. Ryland was leaning over a desk in front of me, his arms crossed, wearing the same black shirt I saw him in that day at Wendy's, with an annoyed look on his face. "What happened? Mina, I should be asking you that. Where did you run off to?" Elisia asked me, her face scrunched up in concern. I racked my brain to remember something, anything, but I was blank. "Wait, where did you find me?" I asked her. "In the middle of the forest. Unconscious," she replied. "I... I... I don't remember," I whispered, touching my forehead. What the hell was happening to me? "Maybe you hit your head or something?" Elisia suggested. Maybe? That's the only sane reason. It's that or I'm going crazy. "Y-yeah. Or something... Maybe I had a panic attack?" I mumbled. Wait. "How long have I been unconscious?" I asked. Elisia glanced at the clock on the wall. "Uh... not long, about 2 hours."

Two hours!? Shit, shit, shit. Auntie Edelyne is going to kill me! I jumped out of the bed. "I gotta go home, my aunt is probably worried sick. Have you seen my phone?" I said quickly, stuffing my feet into my shoes. "Uhh... no, your phone was not really there near you," Elisia said. "What!" Yeah, I'm definitely dead now. "Your phone was not near you... and plus, we were kinda looking for you," she explained. I gotta go home. Auntie must be worried sick. I raced out of the room and downstairs. "Mina! Wait! You can't go home alone... it's nighttime and not safe!" Elisia shouted after me. I paused and looked at her. Ryland was nowhere to be seen. "Elisia, I am very, very grateful for you finding me, but I think I've troubled you enough. I'll book an Uber or get a taxi," I said. She let out a sigh. "There was no trouble. In fact, it was kind of my fault. I shouldn't have taken you out there," she said. I smiled and gave her a small hug. "I'm still not letting you go alone, though. You won't find any Uber or taxi around here," she said. "How do I go home, then?" I said. She smiled and pointed to herself. "Me, of course. I'll drop you-"

"No need," Ryland interrupted, coming down the stairs with a jacket in his hands.

"Excuse me?" Elisia said, her hand paused midway.