THE STORYBOOK

H3: PART 2 (ENGLISH)

A WEEK LATER...

Singto opened his eyes to look at the young man who, sleeping peacefully in the hospital bed, was still attached to all those machines that were taking care of his vital signs.

- "Krist ..."

The young man could not understand.

It seemed impossible ... a cruel nightmare.

Yes, it was exactly that... a nightmare from which he needed to wake up.

- "Singto, stop blaming yourself" - Pin mumbled from the other side of the room - "the experts said that it was an accident. Nobody could have foreseen that a collapse would occur, or that the cave would be flooded".

The young man, however, shook his head.

"Of course it is!" he thought as he leaned over and took one of Krist's hands in his, "It is my fault... and only mine. After all it was me who told him to leave with the other group... me and no one else!"

FLASHBACK ...

- "Krist, please, do me this favor..." - Singto muttered as he smiled and took in his, the hands of the person that was in front of him - "I promise I'll never ask you anything again"

Pim had just told him that she wanted to go with him to the cave tour, so the young man had approached his old friend who, sitting in one of the armchairs, was waiting for the first of the groups to leave.

In a few seconds he had told him about the problem and had begged Krist to change places with the girl.

- "But ..." - Krist had mused after taking a look at the girl who, wearing a branded tracksuit, was smiling from the other side of the room - "this is also my first time here..."

Singto sighed tiredly.

- "I know..." - he said as a response - "but... Pim has a very weak body. She won't be able to follow the rhythm of the others".

Krist sighed and, after a last look at Singto's pleading eyes, nodded.

END OF FLASHBACK ...

"It's my fault ... even if everyone says otherwise".

After all Singto knew.

He knew it from the moment he saw the light disappear from the eyes of the young man who, for several years already, was one of the people most important to him.

- He did not want to go with the advanced group ... in fact, he shouldn't had gone with them from the start "- the young man mused without taking his eyes off Krist's face -" I should never had asked him that"

Pim sighed and, shaking her head, put a hand of perfectly arranged nails on Singto's shoulder.

- "Sing ..."

"I'm sorry, Krist ..." Singto thought as he lightly squeezed the hand of the boy asleep.

- "Singto!"

The young man turned to the girl with a frown on his face.

- "What do you want?" - Asked as he looked at the pale face of the girl, and especially at her tired expression - "You should go to the hotel, you seem exhausted".

- "I was waiting for you" - Pim replied as she began to slide her hand over the shoulder of the young man in a caress - "I think it would be better if we go together, tomorrow we can return if his parents have still not arrived" .

Singto brusquely pulled the young woman's hand away and turned towards her with a surprised and disillusioned expression.

"I can not believe it ...", the young man thought as he recalled his trips with the girl to animal shelters and hospitals, "where is the young woman who cared for others and, especially, for those who were lonely and helpless? "

- "I will not go anywhere" - answered Singto in a cold voice - "I will stay by his side".

- "But ..." - the girl began to say, clearly in an attempt to make him change his mind.

Singto simply turned, once again, towards Krist.

- "You can ask for a taxi ... I think they are parked in front of the hospital door".