the visitor(on hold)

part 6

I felt a warm hand touching my forehead but only for a brief moment. I tried to reach for that hand as it gave me the comfort I so deeply need. I don't care whose hand it is but I feel so cold inside that I will take all the warmth that I could get. The hand touched me again but this time it was pressing my wrist. Why am I so cold? I reached for the blankets and covered my self some more. And why am I so tired? Even imagining on lifting my eyelids seemed tiring. I wish I was dreaming. The hand finally left me alone and the room became quiet again.

Then the memories came flooding in. One time I was in the elevator fleeing from an unseen intruder and the next time I was in an ambulance with my brother telling me unbelievable things that were supposed to be what happened to me. He said I was missing for a few days and had been found accidentally inside an abandoned theater. I find these news ludricrous. The whole time he said I was missing, I knew where I was and what I had been doing. I was busy at work that I never even had the time to get some sleep. And the last two days had been hell. A stalker that I never seemed to take notice of in the beginning came barging into my life and now I am in big trouble. I don't know what joke my brother was pulling, but I think he had gone too far this time. 

I will settle this confusion once I get out of this hospital. I will prove to him that what he told me were just impossible. As for my stalker, a restraining order might do the job. I have to talk to the landlord, too. Their security service was not at all satisfactory these past days. And I have to tell my boss about my plan to take a long and well-deserved vacation. I can't wait to be away from all these stress-causing episodes even for a short time only. One of my fantasies is to travel all the tourist spots of Asia. This might be the right time to do it. I have saved enough money to cover my awaited travel, and add that to the accumulated travel benefits my company gives once a year to their executives which I never got to use in my 5 years of working there. If want to, I could even bring along 3 or 4 extra persons to this trip but I won't be doing that. Eversince, I was the lone ranger, the hermit, the anti-social bitch, as others had nicknamed me. Come to think of it, I had forgotten how it was to have a very special and close friend. Except for my brother and his family, I don't have anyone in my life like that for a long time. I ave a few "friends" along the way but never that one true "bossom-friend" as what Anne of Green Gables had in Diana. I had been so caught up in my carreer that forgot to have a life outside work. My brother was right one time when he told me that I need to relax and enjoy life while I'm still able to. And look at me now, so high-strung and over-stressed that one more unlikely event and I will really break into pieces. What have I been doing these years? Ever since Mom and Dad lost their lives in a flood 10 years ago, I just forgot how to live mine. Well, that is all going to change now. I don't want to die from work-exhaustion or some stress-related illness like cancer. By tomorrow, I will turn a new leaf and what I need now is a clear head and actually, getting some sleep. Lack of sleep really makes you vulnerable to crazy things.

Sleeping was easier said than done when your mind is off somewhere. I would gladly have the chance to just toss around this small hospital bed to find a comfortable spot but cannot do it with all these restraints. If it weren't for these IV's and other machines hooked up on me, I would be out of here and be on my own bed in my favorite pj's then sleep would have been quicker to come.

Getting out of this situation is out of the question so I just laid still hoping for sleep to finally take me away. Muffled voices in the hallway came from time to time but the silence was way too deafening. I would have loved for my brother to stay with me, but this hospital must be very strict with their no-visitors after 7pm-regulation, and no tv either, since it's the doctor's orders for me to relax and rest. 

I slowly opened my eyes and was glad that they finally cooperated. My body was out of sync with my brain since I arrived here. It was a good thing that it was semi-dark in this room or I would have a problem turning the lights down. I hate to always call for help when I can do things myself. This is a big room, must be the penthouse suite for this hospital. My brother was very particular with a lot of things and hospital care is right there at the top of his lis. After Mom and Dad's deaths, my brother was way too careful and stern in raising a teenager me. He was 23 that time, trying to divide his time running things in the house and the small furniture business our parents left us. I saw how my brother slowly and tirelessly put all things in place after the chaos of our parents' sudden demise brought to us. I remember seeing him crying alone in the den sorting all of the paperworks for the company that the board of directors were itching to sell a week after the funeral. He fought tooth and nails to save the business my father put up with his sweat and blood most of his life. I am so proud of my brother for standing up to the people who doubted his ability to hold the company, and so happy to see him expand it a number of times. His only regret was me not working with him. I chose to stay away from all that reminded me of my parents. I guess I'm still not done grieving, which is ridiculous to think, but sad to say it's true. My heart still aches whenever I think of them so I bury myself in my work to at least lessen the dull pain I always feel within. 

My pale reflection stared back at me as I gazed into the night sky from the big glass window. Even the weather was sympathizing with me. Heavy rain is pouring outside but its sound was faint. I once loved playing in the rain, but after the storm that killed my parents, I wanted to live in the desert. I dreaded the times when it rained hard until after my 18th birthday when I saw no reason to hate the rain. 

Still looking at the steady pour of rain outside my window, I barely noticed a shadowy figure in my far right, somewhere between the wall-divider and the receiving area of this room, moving ever so slightly that you will think it was not there. I quickly turned my eyes to where it was standing, peering into the darkened area of the room, and this time, it stood still, as if waiting for me to ignore it like it wasn't there. But I can see it clearly, smoke-like and frightening, and my senses finally kicked-in. I was about to cry for help when the shadowy-figure unhurriedly took form and my voice never got to find its way out of me. It slowly moved towards me and a hint of a face is showing. It looked familiar but I can't quite figure out the face coz my brain is busy processing what's going on. I can't move... as if I'm glued to the bed that even the slightest movement of my finger is impossible. 

HEEEEELLLLLLPPPPP!

But no voice came out.

I saw it at the foot of my bed. It was not fully-formed yet but I think its eyes were locked on me. I tried wiggling my toes, hoping that the Kill Bill moves of Uma Thurman will do the same trick for me, but it was not helping at all. The figure moved again. It went slowly to my left side near the windows and it was looking outside at the rain, its back facing me.

Are you kidding me?

An eerie shadowy figure is scaring me to hell and it's staring at the rain? What is wrong with this picture?

I tried moving my body again but still no change.

The figure must have sopken or something coz I heard  a sound coming from it.

It was very faint and low.

I didn't want to listen but I had no choice being paralyzed-like in my state. 

It kind of stooped a bit and its hands, if they were its hands, were covering its face and the unimaginable happened. I heard it sobbing softly with its incomplete form quivering like a person does when its crying. 

What? Is this even possible?

It was crying hard now, its form is kind of rocking itself.

"Please.... come back...." it spoke in between sobs.

It's still looking at the window.

"Lani.... come back..." the figure turned and I saw its crying face looking straight at me.