a fortiori

...Chapter 11...

  I woke up and Cole had disappeared.

There was no note in the bedroom which he would usually write explaining why he was gone.
There was no trace of him actually ever living here.
His bed side was made with no sign of a breathing creature ever to have lied there. His drawers were empty and his shoes, jacket, and guitar were all gone.
I started to become sad and then started to become angry, like I had been betrayed. He lured me in and threw me back out to sea like I was some fish that wasn't good enough. My eyes welled up with tears and I started to hyperventilate. My heart was going a million beats per second.
I paced the room, looking for anything that could have explained why he left with zero warning.
Then I realized someone that could know. Maybe they would know where he went as well.
"Excuse me? My name is Olivia Zee, I came here with Cole Timber, do you know where he went? Or perhaps why he left?" I asked the woman at the front desk as I tripped on my words.
"I'm sorry, who?" She asked
"Cole Timber. He was a resident here for about 3 years." I explained as she checked her computer.
She shook her head and the computer mouse clicked, and clicked.
Five minutes later the woman looked up at me with a worried expression.
"Um, I cannot say that we've had a Cole Timber here. The only Cole we've assisted is Cole Jankens on the fourth floor, is that any help to you miss?" She asked.
"No.. uh... I.. uh..." As I drew back from the desk I realized that not only had she been concerned, the whole lobby was looking at me.
I felt my head getting dizzy. Where was Cole? Why was there no record of him?
I lifted one hand to my forehead as I leaned on the front desk with the other.
"Miss, do we need to call someone for you? Miss?" Her voice faded out until I only heard my body hit the ground.
I had passed out. I could hear the faint sounds of an ambulance pulling up to the front doors until I only heard my thoughts.
It was more of a dream the way my thoughts were portrayed.
"I don't know if you realize Olivia, but I am different. I am not like the others. I don't go out with my friends and I disappear from existence. What does that tell you?" Coles voice was faint, but it seemed so real.
"Cole I don't care. I just want you. No matter how different our lives are." I responded sounding desperate and foolish.
"I'm sorry Zee, but I can't stay like this, we can't stay like this." Cole said patting my shoulder as he walked away.

"Why is she crying?" I heard someone say.
"I don't know? It looks like she's waking up though" another person said.
I opened my eyes to find that those two voices were doctors.
"Hello Olivia, my name is Doctor Calley and this is Doctor Kamid. How are you feeling?"
"Um... okay I guess. Why am I here?" I asked still recovering from that insane dream.
"You passed out sweetie, we are concerned that it may be related to your illness." Doctor Kamid said. He was checking the bag of clear liquid hooked up to my arm through an IV.
"We will be doing an MRI on you later today to see if everything is still stable." Doctor Calley said. She squeezed my hand as if telling me not to worry, but I was still worried. More about Cole than anything else. I had no idea how I was going to find him.

Despite that, I felt like he was near.