Musketeers

36

"Thank you, Sir Edwin, Ma'am Casayuran..."

"You're welcome, Adelaide. The other kids will come tomorrow morning, they said they wanted to visit Rose."

"That's sweet! She needs to see her friends."

"Well, we're going. Bye."

"Bye. Thank you."

I heard the door closed so I opened my eyes.

Mom looked at me through narrowed eyes. "So you're just pretending to be asleep?"

I didn't answer. I stared at the leaves of the tree right outside the window. I felt Mom tuck in the covers pf my bed.

"When will I go home?" I asked.

"Dr. Ferdinand said you have to stay for atleast another week."

I looked at my mother. "But mom--"

"No buts, Roseanna." She sat on the chair beside my bed, eyes on me, "You heard your teacher, your classmates are coming tomorrow. Be sure not to pretend again. Okay?"

I sighed, then looked outside again.

"Rose. If you want to talk to me, please do. You're being really quiet. That is... That's not the Rose I know." Mom moved nearer. "And you aren't eating well either. Look, you might lose so much weight..."

"I want to go home. I've been here for a week already," I said not looking at her.

Mom sighed. "Alright. I'm going to talk to the doctor and ask if we can continue your medication at home."

"Okay." I pulled my blanket up to my chin. "I'm going to sleep."

"If you want anything, just tell me."

I did not answer. I just closed my eyes and lay still.

I recently discovered that I have a talent in pretending to be asleep. For the past seven days I was staying here in the hospital, and having my left arms, right rib, and some wounds mended, I closed my eyes the whole time. I only "wake up" whenever I need to, like forcing myself to eat or talking to the doctor.

Seven days since the incident, I never really had talked to anyone about what happened. I found it a good thing that Mara is in a much better condition than I am, because she did all the talking. Once, a police officer asked me a few questions, but Mom got mad and ordered them to get out and come back a month after. The teachers also come and visit me, though as you have heard, I always pretended to be asleep. It's because I don't want them to ask me questions. I just heard from their chats with my mom that Lance and the others involved have been taken to the juvenile prison. Zeus, who have been of legal age, was convicted for human trafficking, illegal detention, and murder. It turned out that there are much more victims than I thought about. 

I really do not want to remember anything. If only there is a medicine to make yourself forget, I would have gladly taken a large dose.

I felt Mom stand, "Rose, I will just go to the cafeteria. Dad said he's on the way here, so you wait for him."

I heard the door opened and closed, then I got up. I felt a short pain on my side, but I might have been used to pain that I did not care a bit. Actually, I was surprised when I learned I have several broken bones and wounds, because I have been crawling and running without feeling any pain. The doctor said that maybe because I had stress-induced analgesia or the inability to feel pain under a stressful or fearful situation.

Bzzzt.. Bzzzt..

I reached for the phone on the bedside table.

Janeth had texted me. I did not bother opening her message. Well, I did not open anyone's messages since I was brought here. I don't know. I just feel that I can't... take the pain.