CHAPTER 9
874 Words
# Chapter 9: The Hospital Witness
The morning sky was overcast as Elena and Adrian arrived at St. Gabriel's Hospital. Detective Noah Reyes had called before sunrise with one simple message:
**"Margaret Ellis is awake."**
Neither of them had spoken much during the drive.
After everything they had discovered—the hidden locker, the missing pages, the mysterious raven symbol—they knew Miss Maggie might be the only person who could answer the questions that had haunted them for years.
Noah met them outside Room 312.
"You can only stay for a few minutes," he said quietly. "The doctors don't want her to become exhausted."
"Is she safe?" Adrian asked.
Noah glanced toward the hallway.
"I've assigned two officers outside her room."
He lowered his voice.
"But I still don't know who we're really dealing with."
---
Miss Maggie looked much weaker than before.
Her silver hair rested against the pillow, and a bandage wrapped around one of her wrists. Despite her condition, she smiled when Elena and Adrian entered.
"You came," she whispered.
Elena gently took her hand.
"We're here."
Miss Maggie looked at them with tearful eyes.
"You've grown so much."
Adrian pulled a chair closer.
"We found the locker."
A small smile appeared on her face.
"I hoped you would."
"You knew us," Elena said softly.
"You knew us before we were adopted."
Miss Maggie nodded.
"I remember every child."
She looked at Elena.
"You always shared your food with the younger children."
Then she turned to Adrian.
"And you followed Elena everywhere."
Adrian smiled faintly.
"I don't remember much."
"You will."
Miss Maggie reached toward the bedside table.
Hidden beneath a book was a worn envelope.
"I've been saving this."
Inside were two faded drawings.
The first showed a little girl holding a little boy's hand beneath a large oak tree.
The second showed a house with the words:
**Our Future Home**
Elena's eyes filled with tears.
"I drew this..."
"You did," Miss Maggie replied.
"You told Adrian that one day both of you would have a real home where no child would ever be afraid."
Adrian stared silently at the drawing.
Fragments of forgotten memories flickered through his mind.
A sunny afternoon.
Children laughing.
Elena handing him a blue crayon.
"You draw the roof," she had said.
"I'll draw the garden."
The memory disappeared as quickly as it came.
---
"Miss Maggie," Adrian asked gently, "who was responsible for all this?"
Her smile faded.
"There wasn't just one person."
She looked toward the window before continuing.
"Sister Miriam answered to a board of trustees."
"We found a photograph."
"The one with the scratched-out face?"
Adrian and Elena exchanged surprised glances.
"You know about it?"
"I scratched it myself."
"Why?"
"Because I thought if no one recognised him..."
She closed her eyes for a moment.
"...he would stop looking for the children."
"Who was he?"
Before Miss Maggie could answer, voices echoed outside the room.
Noah immediately stood.
"What is it?"
One of the officers opened the door.
"Detective..."
"There's been a power failure on the second floor."
The hospital lights flickered.
For a brief moment, the corridor went dark.
Emergency lights switched on seconds later.
Noah's instincts immediately sharpened.
"Stay inside," he ordered.
He stepped into the hallway.
---
Inside the room, Miss Maggie suddenly looked frightened.
"They're here."
Elena held her hand.
"Who?"
"The people from St. Mercy."
A shadow moved beneath the frosted glass window in the door.
Someone was standing outside.
Adrian quietly picked up a chair, ready to defend the room if necessary.
The doorknob slowly turned.
Everyone held their breath.
Then the door opened.
It was Noah.
"The hallway's clear," he said.
"But one visitor disappeared before security could identify him."
Miss Maggie exhaled with relief.
"They're watching."
---
As the afternoon wore on, Miss Maggie gathered enough strength to tell them one final secret.
"There was another child."
Elena frowned.
"What do you mean?"
"A third survivor."
Adrian leaned forward.
"You mean someone else escaped?"
Miss Maggie nodded.
"Yes."
"They were separated from both of you before the adoption."
"Do you know who they are?" Elena asked.
"I only know their nickname."
She paused.
"They called the child..."
**Raven.**
The room fell silent.
Adrian slowly looked at the photograph with the mysterious raven symbol.
"It wasn't just a symbol," he whispered.
"It was someone's name."
Miss Maggie nodded weakly.
"I believe Raven knows the truth."
"Where can we find them?" Elena asked.
Miss Maggie tried to answer—
But her monitor suddenly began beeping rapidly.
Doctors rushed into the room.
"You need to step outside!"
Elena and Adrian were gently guided into the hallway as the medical team surrounded Miss Maggie.
Noah closed the door behind them.
They waited in silence.
Minutes felt like hours.
Finally, a doctor emerged.
"She's stable," he said.
"But she needs complete rest."
Relieved, Elena leaned against the wall.
Adrian looked down at the drawing still clutched in his hand.
Three words echoed in his mind.
**Find Raven first.**
He didn't know why.
But deep inside, he was certain their next clue—and perhaps the key to the entire mystery—lay with the mysterious third survivor whose name had remained hidden for nearly twenty years.
- Writer
