Deadlock

L

“Yes you can and you will. If you want to save Emily, you will do as I say.” Rob told Jake firmly. Jake did not answer.

It doesn’t matter if I get saved or not, but no one’s supposed to be left in here. “Everyone’s going to be in that boat. I say nobody’s staying here.”

But Rob did not even glance at me. He kept talking to Jake as if I wasn't even there. “Jake they’re coming. Move it now!”

Jake was thinking twice. He didn’t know exactly what to do. But I do and they refuse to listen to me. Jake has spoken to Rob. “DAMNIT ROB! WHY THE HELL ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME!?”

Rob held me by his two hands and assisted me to get in the boat, more like pushed me to get into the boat. Jake helped me from there. I didn’t want to get in the boat and sail away without Rob, it’s just not going to be right. Jake and I were already in the boat. And I knew Jake felt the same way I did. We both didn’t want to leave Rob. But I felt like Rob has just a strong influence at Jake.

“Jake start the engine NOW! Just trust me on this.” Rob directed with full authority.

I was whimpering; it’s not right. Rob is doing the wrong thing. He should come with us. “Jake, don’t. Let’s not leave him.”

And then from a distance, I vaguely saw more men coming for us. I saw Rob muttered to Jake something like, “I know you guys love each other. You can now save her.” Only he thought I did not see it.

I heard Jake say, “Don’t die or I’m gonna kill you Rob.” In between his words, I felt Jake’s voice cracking.

I only saw Rob smirked.

Jake started the engine and Rob started walking to face the men. He turned his back on us. He turned around where I couldn’t see his face. While Jake was hurriedly driving the motorboat, I was looking at the warring sea shore. Rob was doing well at first, from where I could see in the boat which was starting to get farther from the shore, but he started to weaken. There were just a lot of them, ganging up on him.

I turned to Jake because I want to go back. When Jake looked at me, I probably looked like shit because he was surprised to see me. I knew my tears were flooding from my eyes. “Let’s go back. Jake they’re gonna kill him.” I clutched Jake’s shirt so hard, or so hard I thought. I felt so weak now. Haven’t eaten and the sun shines so bright, the heat hit my skin directly. Plus my hand is still hurting, it’s kinda swelling already. I felt like I’m going to pass out anytime.

Jake was glancing on me once in a while but he has his focus on driving. “Emily…”

In the middle of the wide sea, a little farther from the shore, I started vomiting. It wasn’t a vomit like the whole of what I have in my stomach, because I don’t have any actually. I vomited liquid. And I felt like I’m really going to pass out in there. Jake stopped driving for a while and he came to check on me. Man, I knew I looked more than a shit in there. Sweat plus tears plus vomit plus that look on my face which was filled with so many emotions like worry, pain; I almost couldn’t even breathe.

Jake shifted me so I could inhale fresh air. But I was still struggling. Jake laid me on the motorboat surface floor and started standing up. “I got to get you to a hospital.”

I started losing conscious from there. I wanted to keep it but my breathing wasn’t doing any good and my body didn’t seem very strong anymore. But I could still hear a little of Jake building up hope saying, “Oh my god, Emily, they’re here! We’re saved!”

But everything around me wasn’t visible anymore. The only thought that kept running in my mind was that Rob is going to do what he said because he thinks Jake and I love each other. He was sacrificing himself because he thought we love each other. Isn’t he stupid?

♥♥♥

It was a wonderful place. In there, Rob was okay. He was smiling so beautifully. There were beautiful flowers, I couldn’t help but admire them. We’re on the forest; there's only the two of us. I was in an all white dress, and he was on an all white coat smiling to me from a distance. I wanted to run to him. To hug him. And apologize to him.

He walked slowly to me. When he stood in front of me, I only did the things I wanted to do. I didn’t care what Rob would think about me. I hugged him so tightly, smelled his wonderful scent. And then I reached his face to kiss him. He kissed me back so slowly. That was the first real kiss I had with Rob. The one which wasn’t forced on me, the one that I’ve always thought I've wanted.

He was first to pull away. And he left me, breathing heavily. Rob smiled at me. He seemed to be talking to me. I could see his lips moving as if he wanted to convey something to me. But I couldn’t make up of what it is. He looked as though he was speaking but the words were only inside him, but he wasn’t struggling. Is he playing with me?

And then everything started disappearing. From the distant tress to the beautiful flowers, everything started to vanish. I held Rob. What if he’s going to disappear too? And when I looked at his face, he kept on mouthing words, still no sound but I could see his beautiful face smiling at me. I thought he’d stay, I thought he wouldn't leave me, but he did. His feet were the first to slowly vanish. And so did his body until his face. I saw my closed fist, wanting to hold onto Rob. But he was not there anymore. He vanished with the world we were in. There was only a vacuum and me. Aside from me, there was nothing else.

I woke up, sweat dropping from my head and I was panting. I was trying to process everything I was seeing then. I was in bed, wearing a white hospital gown, so I did mention the hospital; it means I’m in a hospital room. I noticed my right arm was already taken care of. It was cemented or something, explains why it’s heavy. And from there, I saw my grandfather sleeping right next to me. And I thought I wouldn’t see him ever again. But there he was, so peaceful looking.

“Grandpa…” I whispered. Having to call my grandfather again, makes me feel so light headed. Well actually, after passing out for who knows how long, I still am light headed.

Grandpa woke up and I swear when he saw me I saw his eyes sparkle. His face changed into something really wonderful. “My darling granddaughter, you’re awake.” He whispered as he hugged me so tightly literally almost squeezing the air out of me. Did I mention that I’m still light headed?

“Grandpa, please.” I called. He looked at me and he put his two hands on my face. Almost covering it with his two lanky hands. He had that look on his face again that made my heart flutter. Oh how I’ve missed my grandfather.

And then it just hit me. I was kidnapped along with my bestfriend and my fiancé. Last thing I could remember, I was with Jake on a motorboat while Rob stayed in the island to help us escape.

Rob! Rob! He stayed in the island. I looked at my grandfather with terrified eyes. “Where is he, where’s Rob?” My tears started flowing again. When I think of Rob, my eyes just get watery.

My grandfather looked crestfallen at the mention of Rob’s name. He didn’t want to look at me. But I was just anxious to know what had happened to him. My grandfather, no matter how much I ask him, he refused to tell me. Suddenly, my inner self just drove in on me. I got up in the bed and run to I don’t know where. I sprinted to the hospital hallways and I wished I would end up at Rob’s arms. But I didn’t. I was hopeless, it seemed endless. Rob was nowhere. I couldn’t find him. And I wished I did. I wish I could just be with him.

Keeping myself from passing out again, I slowed down and breathed. I was panting. I leaned on the hallway wall and cried my eyes out. I lost him. He’s never coming back. He’s gone, forever gone. But from the corner of my flooded eyes, I saw a familiar face coming out of a room. It was Nate. For once, he was just astonished to see me sitting on the floor beside the hallway, but he did help me get up.

“Emily, you’re awake. What are you doing sitting in there, looking… sorry to say this… but you look like a mess.” Nate hesitated. Nobody wanted to cry and look pathethic, but I couldn’t help it. I cried on Nate's arms, mouthing the words that were on my mind.

“Rob’s gone.”

“What are you talking about?” Nate’s voice was really confused. I looked at Nate’s eyes, waiting for whatever it is that he wanted to say for I have nothing. Nate would know whatever that has happened to Rob. I wanted him to tell me he’s fine and that he’s alive. Nate wiped my tears away as he smiled, “Rob’s not dead.”

“R-r-really?” I faltered.

“In fact, he’s in the room just a few steps away from here.”

Nate led me to the room where he said Rob was staying. I was shaking while I walked through the steps. Rob’s alive. That’s all that matters. But honestly, I still feel scared. What if he wouldn't want to see me? The last time we saw each other, he was sacrificing himself so we could live. And I actually let him do it by himself. Would he want to see the person who abandoned him and let him sacrifice himself so she could go on with her life not trying to look back as if it was just some silly situation where it didn’t need so much attention? But I absolutely did not feel that way. God knows how I wanna get back to him and take him with us. But he did not know that.

My slow pacing made it even harder for me to breathe as if one wrong mistake and the world would capitulate. But I managed to walk myself to the inside of the room. As I walked farther inside, I could perceive a classical music playing and the smell of wonderful roses was in the air. The atmosphere was rather elegant and wonderful and it made my heart thump from earth to moon. Nate was behind me the whole time, and he was probably just trying to adjust with my slow walking.

I stopped right on track for I spotted him. For once I thought I saw Rob standing beside the hospital room window. It was as if nothing has happened. He was there as if he never actually been kidnapped. As though he wasn’t really abandoned by me in the horrible island. It was like he didn’t actually leave his mansion and that he’s been sipping his expensive champagne and eating his luxurious meal in a fancy way all along. But I snapped right when a woman whom I recognized as Anne Van Garrette moved to hug him, whimpering. The guy I thought was Rob turned out to be Henry Van Garrette, Rob’s father. Nate moved in front of me as he led me to the people inside. They suddenly stop dead as they saw me. Marie Van Garrette, Rob’s grandmother, was arranging the red roses on the table beside Rob’s bed. She was flabbergasted, just like the other Van Garrettes.

“Oh my Emily, you’re awake.” Grandma spoke. And then for the first time, I turned to look at Rob. He was on the bed sleeping so peaceful you’d think he was just lying there as if nothing’s wrong, except that there was a tube on his mouth that was connected to some sort of a machine which was probably interpreting his heartbeat.

I walked to Rob and held his hand. “Is he going to be okay?”

Nobody said anything. I looked at Nate, I thought he said Rob was fine. Oh wait, he did not say anything like it. I desperately need an answer so even if I was still faltering after the crying I did at the hallway, I managed to talk. “I-is he o-kay?”

It was Mr. Van Garrette’s turn to speak. “He’s been shot Emily. And he’s been badly beaten. He’s head was damaged…” From his words I could sense pain. Rob was shot?! He was shot?! Did he resent me from leaving Rob in there?! The whole Van Garrette family must be hating me right now. And I couldn’t blame them because I already hate myself too. “And my precious son is in coma and nobody knows when he’s bloody waking up!”

C-c-coma… like comatose. He will be unconscious for who knows until when. My god, why Rob? Why did it have to be Rob?