Mirage (ON HOLD for revision)

Chapter 16: By Chance (aka Fate)

Seven Years Ago

"This is one of the oldest hospitals in the city, and the governor wants it renovated. There's been talk of extending the building to the back to include a medical welfare center, and a center for children."

Art listened absentmindedly, already taken in by the old fashioned build of the building, a building that was built to last. He could almost imagine all the workers, the plan, and how the building went up. It would be a shame to tear it down, Art thought, which was all the more reason why he was grateful that his father somehow managed to get the governor's attention and have the hospital renovated.

He was so absorbed by the details that he didn't notice how the company people were shooting him daggers for getting in their way. After all, to the eyes of many, himself included, he was just another rich kid chasing after his father's coattails. Their displeasure when he got an internship with the company despite only being in his first year simply made matters worse. Architecture is the love of his life after all. He couldn't care less how as long as he sees and feels more of it.

"This is the south wing. We're planning to tear it down for the extension. We'll leave it to you to come up with the plans."

It was more a punishment and an attempt shame him than an actual trust in his abilities, but Art was already brimming with excitement. Leaving the company people behind, he walked on alone, discovering every nook and cranny of the old hospital. In his preoccupation with the building, he hardly noticed the people around him. Which is how he managed to carelessly walk into the women's ward, blushing at the sight of a young mother with a baby suckling on her left breast. Unfortunately, a quick escape was out of the question, since he was already at the end of the room when the cry of the baby brought attention to the people in the room.

"I'm so sorry," Art stammered out, turning around abruptly to avert his eyes.

Those eyes fell on more naked skin, but this time, instead of blushing in embarrassment, he was frozen in disbelief.

It was a girl, no more than fifteen years old despite the underdeveloped body, sitting on the edge of the bed as a nurse changed her clothes. Her body was covered in scars and dark purple bruises. He expected to see pain in her face, but when he did look, it was as if there was no one living in that body at all.

"Please leave," the nurse said, suddenly realizing that Art has been staring at the patient.

Art's feet refused to move, his eyes glued to the patient's face. It was only until the nurse pulled the curtain close with a click of her tongue that Art was able to break away.

"Such a pity, isn't it?" the young mother behind him said. "She's been like that since she came in a couple of weeks ago. I heard she is never going to have children of her own."

Without another word, Art left the room with heavy feet, the image of the girl stuck in his head.

"That girl," he found himself saying when he reached the nurse's station, "What's her name?"

The nurse recognized him immediately, having seen him with the governor and his father when they came for a visit the day the decision to renovate the hospital was made.

"They call her Mari."