MIND SHIFTER

Chapter 5: The Drain Theory

It would have been better if I was alone in a stark white hospital room rather than in the center of some wonderful faces. My head was pounding when I opened my eyes. My parents were sitting on chairs and there was a medic too.

"Hey, guys. What's up?"

"You come here half dead in the middle of the night and worry us to death and you say what's up? "Mother said exasperatedly.

I was going to die when I recovered from whatever that had happened to me.

"You had us worried sick. What were you thinking? Leaving without telling us, on Council business, without my permission? You do not know how much trouble you are in, young lady."

"Father, I did not think this would happen. Well, obviously I did not want to end up half dead. Next time I'll tell you if I am on any Council business."

"You aren't going anywhere on Council business or any other thing for that matter. Three months. That's your punishment. No buts and we are being lenient."

I was indignant now. I turned towards mom and she looked like she supported my house arrest.No help there.

Finally, she said, "Rest now. You have been through a lot. We will have a talk with Mr. Wallace about his son's punishment."

He was in more trouble now.

I woke up feeling pain everywhere. It would be worse when I had to work. Figuring, I could ask to reduce my punishment. I got up. I decided to talk about our punishments, so I went towards the meeting room where I decided my parents would be.
They were discussing something with Mr.Wallace.Preferably our punishment duties.

"Good morning Mother, Father, Mr.Wallace.I see you are discussing something."

"Sit down. We are discussing you "punishment" duties," my father answered.

"Chris should not be punished. I was the one who did not tell anyone. Chris was there at your request, Mr.Wallace."I turned towards him.

"Well, he did not tell me either. So he will also get punished. See you are a Princess, and we can never endanger you. If you were not a princess, even then he should have told."

"We did not get the time for that. With rain and transporting here, there was no way we could have informed you, sir."

"See Aria, You should have told us when you left. We do not want you to get hurt. Anyway, both of you are on cleaning and gardening duty."Father said.

"Well okay."

"We get it you went because there was no harm. It's just that sometimes situations turn out unexpectedly. And maybe you think you are ready to handle on your own, but you are not. You can't be ready even with your complete training."Mr.Wallace said in a serious way.

"Anyway, you are getting 2 days off. Rest well," Mother nodded.

"Thank you, "I said taking their leave and bowing.

Time to meet my accomplice in punishment. After thorough searching, I found him resting in his room. Turns out he was in worse condition than me.

"Hey. How are you?"

He smiled. He sat on the bed reading some book. He put it aside and turned towards me.

"Nice to see you conscious. How's your head?"

"Look at you, worrying about me when you are the one confined to bed."

He gave me a serious look. I raised my hands in mock surrender.