Hana walked down the hallway, juggling a basket of supplies as she headed to the wards. Her phone buzzed in her pocket, surprising her. She fumbled to grab it, nearly dropping the basket.
A weird number flashed on the screen. Hana stared at it, her head leaning with the question to the side. Strange number? Something felt off. After a few seconds, she answered with a shaky, "Hello?"
A voice she didn't know asked, "Is this Hana Shizumi?"
"Yes?" Hana replied, her voice small and uncertain.
The stranger said something that made Hana's blood run cold. Then the line went dead. Hana froze in the middle of the hallway. The basket in her hand shook, the noise clinking audibly. But she didn't even notice.
She stood there, phone still pressed to her ear, eyes wide and unfocused. She couldn't breathe right. The stranger's words kept playing in her head, over and over.
As the shock started to wear off, a sick feeling settled in her stomach. Her arm dropped to her side, the phone falling to the floor with a clatter. She gripped the wall, the one thing stopping her from crashing to the floor.
People bustled around her, some looking at her funny. She stood there, motionless but shaky, as hospital staff bustled around her, some shooting concerned glances her way. But Hana didn't see them. She was lost in her world, trying to make sense of what just happened.
What just happened? What should she do? Her thoughts raced, but nothing made sense.
She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to calm down. Breathe, just breathe, she told herself.
"Nurse Shizumi, are you okay?"
Hana's eyes flew open, her heart leaping into her throat. She found herself staring into Dr. Lia's concerned face, now at eye level with her own.
"I... I..." Hana stammered, her voice barely a whisper. She realized she must've slid down the wall without noticing.
Dr. Lia's worried frown deepened. "You're as white as a sheet. What happened?"
Hana opened her mouth, but no words came out. How could she explain when she barely understood it herself? Her eyes darted around, taking in the basket in her lap, her fallen phone.
"I... got a call," she managed, her voice shaky. "They said..."
Dr. Lia placed a gentle hand on Hana's shoulder. "Maybe we should get you somewhere quieter?" Her eyes noticed the whispering nurses that passed them.
Hana nodded weakly, grateful for the doctor's calm presence. As Dr. Lia helped her to her feet, Hana's mind raced. She should tell Dr. Jenkins about this. But... she has been unable to even catch a glimpse of him these past few days. No. She can't tell him. She could just ignore the call.
They reached an empty resting room, and Lia gently guided Hana to sit on the bed. "You don't have to tell me what happened, okay?" Lia asked, her voice soft and reassuring.
Hana took a deep breath, trying to gather her thoughts.
Lia noticed Hana's distress and reached into her pocket, pulling out the phone. "Just a few scratches but it should work just fine," she said, her voice gentle but firm.
The device, now scratched and slightly damaged, was a physical reminder of the unsettling event. Hana took the phone, her eyes filled with a mixture of fear and relief.
"Thank you, Dr. Lia" For a moment, she saw the strong woman that she could never be.
"It's no problem. I'll leave you to yourself now. It seems you need it." Lia's face was etched with concern, her eyes filled with understanding.
YOU ARE READING
Eternally Yours
Romantik"...Even if our love takes a century to reignite, this wanting heart will wait two..." Haunted by a childhood trauma, Hana, a gifted but introverted intern, walks the halls of the hospital with a secret burden. Kidnapped on her fifth birthday, the e...
