The Girl He Promised To Protect

Someone is dead - 2

A ruckus filled with the shattering voice of cries coveted my eardrums as the dead body splays by their eyes to witness.

I couldn't move.

It was our school security man, MR. BONG.

Am I still in one of my continuous nightmares? Please, I wanted to wake up!

His pale face indirectly faced me, empty eyes staring back at me, sending churn to the pit of my stomach. Implement a lucid image of his death into the back of my mind.

I put my hand over my mouth to muffle a scream while the paramedic roughly snatched the linen, giving me an annoyed glance as he put it back in its place.

Did I accidentally injure him? Does he bleed heavily to his death? A shiver ran through my spine, thinking, should I look back yesterday, just to make sure he had not hurt anywhere? Will he survive?

So, now...

I'm a murderer.

How about my future?

The thoughts gave me another pang of headache, I swayed a little but Samuel managed to hold me back in place.

"Lana..." He muttered my name.

I ignored him bringing my feet to the classroom because of the urge to confirm the incident for myself.

Nevertheless, there are yellow tapes across our classroom door, preventing us from coming any nearer while the police were investigating the crime scene. I dived into the group of students to get clear of the view, and all I saw was crimson red from the wall to the floor.

God... is this my doing? Have I sent him thrown to the wall and blood splattering everywhere?

It's messy and smelly...

What happened yesterday replays from the spot where Mr. Bong had cornered me.

I see myself pulling the table to stop him from getting any closer to me. I heard him gasp in pain yet I didn't make any effort to turn. It was the loud thud I heard the sound of his head. How able am I to cause this scenery?

I selfishly dashed to my escape. And I see myself heading toward the exits that I'm standing in front of now.

I see myself gaping in terror, about to run over me. I try to avoid...

Somehow, I realized the noises in my vicinity were suppressed.

I couldn't feel a thing...

The last thing I knew, I faced the ceiling, and then Samuel came into my view.

His lips pronounced my name but I was unable to respond to him.

I tried and tried until I was consumed by a murky black space...

-----------------------------

The scene pushes forward to where I have been from yesterday, once more, standing alone in the middle of the room with Mr. Bong. His broken lips twitched, forcing his rasping voice to howl at me, "MURDERER!"

My feet betrayed me, constrained me to where I was standing as he approached me in his awkward posture. His lips in a dark shade of purple reflected the vivid hues of death in his complexion.

He is dead, and it's all my fault.

The intense building up is painful from thudding and tightening in my chest, torturing me to the brink of insanity.

"Laanna Kangg..."

He is reaching me with his trembling bloody hand.

"No!" I gasped for air, eyes fluttered at a sight of the familiar plain white ceiling, then the smell of sharp disinfectant welcomed my nostrils. Unsure of how I had been here, I exhaled in relief that it was, after all, another one of my nightmares.

"Lana Kang," This time a soft voice startled me.

Ms. Oh, our school infirmary medical officer was there all along, beside the bed, studying me. "You alright? You are still burning with the flush of fever but you will be fine if you go home and rest," She explained while checking on the IV drips. "You are exhausted, that's why you fainted this morning. I put you on IV drips, and it's almost done." She continued, marking on my medical chart file.

"Thank you, Ms. Oh."

"You are welcome. Samuel, your cousin said, will be taking you home. He is. He settled the paperwork in the administration office. You can rest while waiting." She said, smiling.

Cousin?

We are cousins...? Ah, one of his tactics again. I noticed Samuel had been persistent towards me, the more I distanced myself from him the closer he got. Ugh, my head. "Ooh, cousin. Yes, he is. Thank you for letting me know."

"No problem, get some rest. I will be back to remove the IV. See you."

"It's alright, I will ask my cousin to help me remove the IV. Don't worry Ms. Oh," I uttered in distress. I need to know what happened in the investigation.

Did they find out about me? So will there be a group of SWAT awaiting to capture me just in time? I am probably the most dangerous criminal for them at this moment.

Ugh, there goes my wild imagination again...

"Sure, just let me know if you need help. I will be in my office," She replied, considering it for a second before approving my request.

"Thanks."

As soon as Ms. Oh exited the room, inspecting the drips. I couldn't wait any longer. While I was working on removing the IV from me, again I was surprised by Samuel entering the room without an alarm.

Glaring at me, he was displeased with my intention. "What are you trying to do?"

Our gaze locked. Somehow, I wonder, would he look at me like that anymore? The sour taste at the back of my throat is threatening to burst any moment from now.

Sam, I'm a criminal...

"Mr. Bong... I,... I'm the one who killed him," I mumbled, looking for solace from him.

I watched the color of his face drain, the tenses in the air. Panic, he advanced to me, stifled me from talking further. "Shh!"