I am Sky Fallen (old version)

IV- Blue

“Honey, are you awake now?”

Jia opened her eyes to an unfamiliar sight. She was lying on a small bed covered with white linen sheets. She could feel the soft fabric of the pillow under her head as she turned to look out the window. The sky was dark blue, cloud-covered and dreary.

She looked up and found an old woman in a white nurse’s dress holding a cup that probably contained water. Jia propped herself up on one elbow and pushed upward with the other arm so that she was sitting face to face with the Nurse.

“Where am I?” Jia asked rubbing her head. She took the cup of water from the Nurse.

“You’re in the infirmary, darling. Thad brought you in after you passed out.” The nurse replied with much patience. She took Jia’s hand. “I will first sign your release papers and the excuse slip. You need to get back to your classes. I’ll be back.”

The nurse gathered her things and left the infirmary. Before that, she took some papers from the desk situated beside the door and waved back at the girl lying on the hospital bed.

Jia shook her head. What had happened? Then, she remembered. The slight sway that lulled her to sleep as Thaddeus carried her to the infirmary after… after… she lost control and did something she never knew she could do. The events replayed in her head in slow motion. The more she thought about it, the more she couldn’t believe it. Paranoia swept across her and she found herself embracing her legs lightly banging her head on the wall behind her.

“No, this stuff doesn’t exist! I- I What am I?”

Ripples of pain spread across her body. She didn’t know where it came from but she started to panic. No, not again! Tears welled up in her eyes. She needed answers. She needed to understand. Everything seemed like a lie to her now.

So that was what the blue pill prevented me to do. Jia thought. Does it mean Mom knew all along?

Jia took her bag from the table beside her. She emptied it on the bed spilling a few of her books that she didn’t put in her locker, a few gel pens, her hygiene kit, a wallet and her phone. Lastly, the green paper bag containing the blue pills tumbled off her bag and spilled what is left of her life support. There were only three blue pills left. Reluctantly, Jia took one pill, put it in her mouth and downed it with the cup of water.

Soon, she felt the familiar calming sensation that the blue pill always gives her. Then, it crossed her mind. The sensation she was feeling… it was the same feeling Thaddeus gave her when he calmed her. When he wrapped his arms around her, the same kind of feeling flooded Jia’s body. The only difference was it was more intense than the feeling that the blue pill gave here. Jia rocked back and forth in her bed, confusion filling her head, before she decided to call her mom.

She searched for Anita’s number in her contacts and dialled.

“Darling! Why did you call?”

“Tell me the truth, Mom. What am I?”

There was a long unnerving silence at the other end of the line.

“What am I Mom?! What am I?” she screamed, feeling hysteria take over.

“You’re my daughter,” her mother whispered.

“I’m more than that, Mom. You know it. The blue pill? You told me its asthma. If things start to magically float around you by your own will, you think that’s asthma?!”

“Calm down, Jia! U-uhm, e-everything will be okay.”

“I can’t, I won’t! Everything is not okay mom! There’s something wrong with me, Mom! I’m not normal! When you took me at the orphanage,  I know , there was some other reason that you did that besides the glint in my eyes. Tell me mom, what am I? Please, answer me!”