Love after Death (S1) [Completed]

Chapter 10: The Night the Lights Stayed Off

SEVEN YEARS AGO

In the seventeen years she had spent on this earth, for the third time, the young girl's chest tightened once more. She pressed her hand against it, bracing herself as she walked weakly toward the kitchen.

The surroundings were shrouded in darkness because it was deep into the night, and she couldn't even manage to turn on the light; it felt as though her heart was being slowly sliced apart by the intensity of the pain. This was the third time this had happened to her, yet her only remedy was a glass of water.

She reached the refrigerator and, with trembling hands, pulled it open. After grabbing a bottle of water, she drank it so rapidly that she soaked her clothes, yet she continued to gulp it down. She took a deep breath and finally collapsed onto the floor, still clutching her chest.

Her condition eased slightly, but the stinging pain flared up again when the young Liam suddenly appeared before her. She gripped her chest once more, gasping for air.

"What's wrong?" the young man asked in shock.

The girl could no longer find her voice to answer, so he immediately knelt in front of her. Liam was stunned when he realized how much Monique was struggling to breathe.

"Monique!! What's wrong?? What's happening to you, huh???" he asked again, filled with panic and not knowing what to do. "Look at me! Look at me, Monique, please... Look at me..." he added frantically, until the girl eventually lost consciousness.

He immediately positioned himself beside her and emotionally tapped her cheek. "Mom! Mom!! Help!!! Mom!!!!!!" he screamed with all his might, unable to let go of the woman he swore to protect.

"What's going on, Liam? It's so late at night, and you're shouting like that!!" the woman exclaimed. But upon seeing the girl's condition, she too began to panic. She rushed over and gently tapped Monique's cheek.

"Sweetie, what's wrong?? Wake up. Wake up, sweetie, please. Wake up..." she said emotionally, her voice trembling and tears flowing. "What are you waiting for? Get her to the car, Liam!" The young man stood up, looked at the girl one last time, and carried her. The sudden reddening of his eyes and nose was enough to show the depth of his worry. "What's the problem, my love? Please, just be okay, I'm begging you..."

When they reached the nearest hospital, they immediately rushed her to the ER. What was supposed to be an early morning check-up happened in the middle of the night instead. Unknown to the mother and son, they had no idea about the girl's true condition.

"Doc, what happened?"

"Follow me," the doctor replied, but the mother could not let go of her son's arm, which was also stiff with intense anxiety.

Shock and confusion clouded their minds as they reached the doctor's office.

"Please have a seat," the doctor instructed, while the mother and son were both drowning in the same feeling: an overwhelming fear for Monique's welfare.

A brief silence hung in the air before the doctor finally spoke.

"How many times has the patient lost consciousness?"

The mother and son looked at each other before Liam answered. "F-for several times, doc," he stammered, his eyes wet as he stared at the doctor, waiting for an answer.