Found Obsession

Chapter 145: The Antenna and Internal Affairs

April 3, 2007

Rose's ears burned, an unsettling sensation creeping over her. Someone must have been talking about her. She dismissed the thought, shifting slightly in bed.

She was still recovering.

The antibiotics had worked, flushing out whatever sickness had been weakening her. The implant was gone. And though her body felt drained, she felt...

Better.

Her hunger had returned.

She had been eating properly, drinking water, and following Rebecca's prescription as closely as she could. Raising her arm, she inspected her skin.

The black bruise was gone.

The streaks—the ones that had spread across her arm like **dark veins—**were now fading.

Her scars from the war had disappeared. It was as if her marks had forced her into auto-healing, and on there way had found the implant like something foreign—something unnatural and had done their best to get it out.

Rose didn't fully understand it. But she didn't care to question it too much. She was just grateful to feel healthier.

She still felt weak, but it was manageable.

Her cough was gone. Her chest no longer ached. And her marks—the ones that had been acting erratic—had finally calmed.

They had retreated, back to the way they were before. Rose exhaled, sinking deeper into the mattress. She knew she needed to move soon. But for today—just one more day—she would rest.

So she did, also allowing her some time for herself. She cut her hair, trimming it back to below her breasts, fixing the uneven ends.

She cleaned and cut her nails. And then—she made herself a proper meal. As she sat at the table, eating slowly, her mind drifted.

I want a burger from Eddie's. The thought came suddenly. A real burger, with a side of French fries.

Her stomach agreed immediately. But she sighed, leaning back in her chair, she couldn't not now.

As Rose ate slowly, she let her thoughts wander.

Elijah. She had told Rebecca... Now, in hindsight, something inside her whispered that it had been a mistake.

But at the time, she had been so sick, so weak, that she hadn't thought it through. She swallowed, pushing away the guilt creeping into her chest.

Her fingers reached toward her bag, pulling it closer. She rummaged inside, and there—at the bottom—was Elijah's ring. The red stone glowed dimly under the light.

She had thought, at first, that it could have been a tracker. But after inspecting it thoroughly, she had found nothing.

It was just a ring. 

And yet, it felt heavier than it should.

Rose hesitated before slipping it onto her finger. She had found herself picking it up from where she had tossed it.

She had to return it... It didn't belong to her. But the moment she thought about seeing Elijah again, she shifted uncomfortably, her stomach twisting in knots.

She exhaled, rubbing her temple.

She turned to her computer, opening it with tired fingers. Music played softly in the room, filling the silence. Rose pulled the blanket over her head, sinking into the warmth. For now, she let herself disappear beneath it.

April 4, 2007

Rose let the music continue playing, letting the loud music fill the space as she headed for a bath.