Divided Shadows_2

Part 4

9 months ago

The sterile atmosphere of the institution felt suffocating, the walls pressing in on Lotta as she wandered the hallways aimlessly. Each step echoed her isolation, and the oppressive silence magnified her loneliness. On this particular day, as she moved through the dimly lit corridors, something strange caught her eye.

A flicker of movement through the glass wall sent Lotta’s heart racing. There, on the other side, stood a figure she recognized instantly. Angela. She looked just as Lotta remembered—radiant, her eyes sparkling with that familiar angelic aura. Hope surged through Lotta as her heart leaped. She’s back! Finally, we’re going to be together again!

“Angela!” Lotta cried, her voice filled with joy, pressing her palms against the cool glass, her breath fogging up the surface. “I knew you’d come! I knew you would! We’re finally going to be together once more!”

Angela smiled wider, her face lit with warmth. Lotta could see her lips moving, but the words were lost to the barrier between them. The sight was so vivid, so real, that it felt as if they were standing in the same room. This was it!

In a surge of joy and urgency, Lotta began running down the corridor, determination driving her forward. Each step resonated with her belief that Angela was waiting for her, ready to take her away from this place. The glass wall loomed ahead, shimmering with the hope of reunion.

“I’m coming, Angela!” she cried, adrenaline surging through her veins.

But as she sprinted toward the wall, reality twisted around her. The floor beneath her feet felt like it was shifting, and suddenly, she stumbled.

“No!”  Lotta screamed panic gripped her as she lost her balance.

With a sickening thud, she collided with the glass wall, the impact jolting through her body. The force knocked the wind out of her, and she slid down, breathless and disoriented. Her heart sank as she looked up, expecting Angela to still be there. But instead, Angela's figure flickered, her smile fading as the distance between them seemed to stretch impossibly.

“Lotta?” Angela’s voice echoed, distorted yet filled with love.

“Angela!” Lotta screamed, tears filling her eyes. “I’m here! I’m right here!”

The pain in her ankle flared up, and she glanced down to see it swelling. Bruises bloomed on her arms and knees, reminders of her futile attempt to break the barrier. But none of that mattered. Angela was there, and she had come for her.

“Lotta, come on! We can be together again!” Angela beckoned, her arms outstretched.

With newfound determination, Lotta scrambled to her feet, ignoring the pain. “I’m coming!” she yelled, the desperation in her voice pushing her forward.

But before she could take another step, Nurse Bailey rushed into the scene, her expression shifting from concern to shock at the sight of Lotta on the floor.

“Lotta!” Nurse Bailey exclaimed, moving quickly to her side. “What happened?”

“It's Angela! She’s here, she came to get me!” Lotta insisted pointing outside, her heart pounding with conviction. “We can be together again!”

Nurse Bailey knelt beside her, examining her injured ankle. “Lotta, you need to calm down. We’ve talked about this. You’re safe here. This isn’t real.”

“No!” Lotta shook her head, her voice rising in urgency. “I know what I'm seeing! She is here! She is reaching out for me!”

With gentle hands, Nurse Bailey helped her to her feet. “Let’s get you checked out, alright? You might be seeing things because of the medication, but it’s going to be okay.”

As they walked slowly down the hallway, Lotta's mind raced. The glass wall haunted her, a cruel reminder of the boundaries that separated them.

In the depths of her heart, a flicker of hope ignited within Lotta. Maybe all she needed—everything she had ever longed for—was to be reunited with Angela. Perhaps the only way to achieve that was to let go of this life and embrace the unknown beyond. The thought settled in her mind like a warm blanket, offering a sense of comfort she hadn’t felt in months.

As she gazed at Angela’s familiar figure through the glass, a yearning consumed her. If she could just reach her, if she could just step through this barrier, everything would be right again. A sense of calm washed over Lotta as she imagined the embrace that awaited her—one filled with the warmth of friendship and love, free from pain and isolation. The idea blossomed, a seductive whisper that promised solace in the eternal beyond.

All she had to do was die. The words lingered in her mind, echoing like a siren’s call, assuring her that they would be together again, that their bond would transcend the boundaries of life and death.