Look Behind You

Chapter 5: Reality

"Reno.. I'll always be there for you.."

"No, no please don't die."

"I love you brother.."

"No Mia you can't. Miaaa!"

"Reno.." He can feel a strong vibration around him.

"RENO WAKE UP!"

Reno jolted up. It took five seconds to register that he was looking currently at Tracey's face. Tears were welling in her eyes as she held his hand. It strongly smelled of alcohol and cotton. As he scanned his surroundings, he figured out he was in the hospital. A blue curtain separated his bed from his neighbor. He took off the breathing mask he had on his face and spoke.

"What happened Trace? Why am I here? All i remember was that I passed out and.. and.." A sharp buzz stung his head and he almost cried out loud because of the pain.

"It's okay.. shh." Tracey said, still holding his hand.

"I had that dream again about Mia."

"I know, you were shouting her name again."

"How long was I out?"

"About a day now."

"What?!" Reno exclaimed, unable to believe that he was knocked out for that long. Fear racked his mind immediately, surprised that he may had an unknown sickness that he had  yet to discover.

"Calm down. You're already okay. I talked to your doctor and he said that the cause may have been too much stress." She stood up and poured water into a glass and gave it to Reno. "Drink."

The sun was already rising as can be seen on the window to his right. The rays illuminating Tracey's concerned face. The dream, or rather the flashback, was still buggin him. It seemed so vivid, so real. He was willing to go back again just to see his sister once more. The temperature in the room was too cold. Tracey noticed he seemed shaky so she locked him in an embrace. A few minutes passed in silence.

"Shh, take it easy. By the way someone's on the way to visit you." Tracey said, letting go of Reno and turned to the fruits on the table beside him and peeled some oranges.

"Who?" He asked, pondering who it might be.

"Who else?" Tracey gave him a knowing smile.

"Okay. Might as well know what he wants to talk to me about back in the office."

"Eat."

"What? Oh thanks." half-heartedly accepting a piece of an orange that Tracey peeled for him. He popped it into his mouth and let the sweety sourness of the orange linger in his tongue. He slumped back to bed.

A nurse suddenly went in and proceeded to Reno's bed and beckoned for Tracey to come. She stood up and tapped him that she'll be back. They went out of earshot. After they left, he stared at the ceiling and tried to remember the flashbacks the night that Mia died. He was snapped out of his reverie when Tracey's face loomed over him.

"He's already here. Please don't make a fuss in here, okay?" She said uneasily.

As if on cue, Lecter came in with a black suitcase in hand and grabbed a chair near Reno. The air seemed to drop to freezing point when the two locked sight with each other. Tracey excused herself to go the restroom but Reno knew better. She really wanted to know what Lecter has to say about Mia. Or if that's not the case, she just wanted them to talk to each other. Lecter dropped the suitcase at the foor of Reno's bed.

"This time, you can't decline anymore."