Heraiah

CHAPTER 4

I pushed my body down to the cement entrance of Adreene. I hitched my breath as my knees fell to the ground. The morning sun shining over me making me sweat and burn, my skin turning pinkish and body temperature rising. I feel my head dizzy and my vision blurry. My whole face was covered in a mixture of dirt, mud, and other things I don’t know of. I nibbled on my lips as it has been dryer than the Sahara Desert.

I held my stomach and felt my limbs breaking. My whole body was bruised and beat up.

I gazed around and saw people walking the other way. My hair was all frizzled and damaged, everything part of me was just wrong.

“Help,” I cried out. I don’t know how I managed but a few tears fell from my eyes. It must have been the tears I have been holding up, sucking up all night. I can’t cry, not right now.

A middle-aged woman gasped and ran up to me, another man who looks to be with her followed. “Oh god, what in the world happened to you?” The woman’s voice rang to my ears.

“Oh, Liz, you don’t have to “ The man spoke but got cut off by the woman.

“Nonsense, Kerk, now come on, help me,” She signals him in which he groans at but still followed what she said and helped me get up.

 She supports my body and her guy friend supporting me as well. They set aside my hair and looked at my dehydrated face. Both their eyes widened and gasped.

“You’re Heraiah Hyveins!” the woman yelled, I looked at her with a blank stare.

“I thought she was dead?” the man asked.

“What if she became a zombie!? Nah, I don’t want to die that tragically,” the man said again with the audacity to say it in front of me. He must think I am a real zombie to have the guts to say that in front of my face.

“Hush, Kerk, she is right in front of you! Be polite!” She scolded the man.

The man fell into silence. He scratched the back of his neck and sheepishly grinned. An annoying man, I can say. They carried me and walked until we were in the nearest populated cities in Adreene.

“Help! We need help!” The woman screamed for help from the others, most of them ran to us and help me walk. I glanced at the woman named “Lizzie”.

I smiled in admiration, even though this kingdom has been influenced by toxic minds. She has stayed pure-hearted. I somehow felt the happiness of humanity still lives. The people who experience poverty are usually the ones who have the nicest hearts. And there’s the privileged like me, taking everything for granted because they are very aware that they could always buy another one.

“What happened to her?- Oh my god! It’s Hera!” one of the people who ran to us blabbered. I looked at the guy with lazy eyes. I blinked a couple of times until he decided to do something.

“But wasn’t she announced dead years ago?” Someone whispers, thinking I don’t hear anything when in fact I hear ten times more than a normal human being.

“Yeah, she was.” Another whisper.

“Then how is she alive? She looks… not good.” They answered.

I rolled my eyes and glance back at the guy who was shocked upon seeing me. He was on the phone, probably calling an ambulance. They sat me in a comfortable position, minutes later I hear a sound of an ambulance coming towards us.

Most of the nurses who assisted me were shocked but still helped. They put me on a bed and strapped on it as they put me inside the ambulance. The woman, Lizzie, walks up to me and holds my hand.

“You’re going to be fine, you’re safe now.” She smiles.

I cleared my throat and tried to smile, “Thank you.”

She felt happy I spoke and smiled again until they had to put me in the ambulance and send me to the hospital. The car ride was peaceful, I was left with my thoughts. By now, rumors are spreading widely throughout the kingdom. Heraiah Hyveins lives, and now she has to face her parents.

When we arrived, the immediately sent me to the ER and ran some test. I had experience doctors looking all over my body to fine any other bruises to be patch up and anything else broken. It was the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to me but I had to suck it up knowing Bliss’ life and other Airens are counting on me.

I put into my own hospital bed, my body patched up with bandages and myself prescribed with different medications. I had to stay in bed all day until noon when the nurses finally left me for personal space.I got out of the bed and felt my whole body again, tremble. I really hope purposely hurting me for this plan is worth it. Yes, I was purposely hurt for this plan to be executed perfectly.

I had a fast healing process, one of my abilities. So, I had to learn to control it. The medication hospital gives you is the solution. I didn’t learn anything about stopping it myself. I learnt a pill can do it for me.I looked around the hospital room they gave me and as expected they gave me a quite lovely one. I walked to the bathroom and looked to myself on the mirror. I was looking, terrible…

I pressed the inside of my ear and spoke. “I’m in the hospital now,” I reported.

“Good, stay safe and good luck, Hera.”

I heard Kino’s voice on the earpiece. He kind of lied about the part where I’ll act vulnerable when I am by being purposely hurt. Knowing they will send me to the hospital as soon as the saw me, we had to provide proof that I was held in hostage by bruises and broken bones. With that, they beat me up, covered me with mud and blood.

I walked back to my bed holding the remote on the TV in the room and watched the news for any updates about the great Heraiah Hyveins found. Of course, my parents would come and pick me up for sure the next day. I got to be ready for what’s to come. I don’t like the fact that I have to face their lying faces. The news reporter’s voice echoes in the room.

“The supposedly dead Heraiah Hyveins is back? We just heard from the Deril city that they claimed to find Heraiah on the entrance of Adreene, all dirty and covered with bruises and broken bones.”

My comeback from the dead was a perfect plan. I smiled and turn off the TV. I needed rest, last night I couldn’t sleep thinking about how my day would go today and so far, I am following directly by the plan. I covered myself with a bed sheet and cuddled a pillow. I fell asleep and oblivious to the world.

A few hours later, I was awoken by my nurse with food and medicine brought for me. It was 6 in the evening, I saw the sky getting darker from my window. I look back at the food and the nurse, I smiled and nodded at her as she left.

I drank the water and let the warm liquid pass through my throat. While drinking, I heard people talking at the entrance of the hospital. 

“Please, we don’t want anyone of you to visit Ms. Hyveins, she needs rest. Maybe tomorrow, but not now. Give her a break.” My nurse told the paparazzi outside the hospital with her other colleagues helping her push them out judging of what I can hear.

I amusedly smiled. I do need rest before talking to people and get broadcasted live. My mind can’t still process the fact I’m here. I set the water down and start eating. The food was, delicious actually. I think they decided to cook me up something good because I’m some entitled b***h.

I thank them for that, I don’t think I can ever eat the bland hospital food.

Then I thought about my parents. As I have claimed I was held in hostage, they would never think I knew about my secret. They will probably think I am still oblivious and naïve. Talking to them soon and faking it would be a nightmare and a dream.

I finished eating, drank the medicine, and set aside the tray of food. I got out of bed and used the new tooth brush and toothpaste the nurse put here a while ago. I brushed my teeth and sat back at my bed. I turned on the TV and more articles and news reports about my reappearance.

Conspiracies are now spreading wild in Adreene. They saying I am a look alike and I am actually a fake. And others say I am a doppelganger. They still heard nothing from me nor my parents. They have no reason to believe I am really here true and alive. People in the Adreene do not believe anything unless it is showed right in front of them.

 Tomorrow will be a fun day, I just know it. I turned the channel and saw another article about me. I am some kind of zombie and this is the start of a zombie apocalypse. It made me laugh yet offended. It’s starts with me, they say. The only apocalypse I’m starting is the normalization of Airens and other power related beings.

It is unfair how differences were the main cause of their suffering. It didn’t set right to me, those faces and eyes. I will never let anyone feel like that again. Mission entering the kingdom without any suspicion: done, for now. I laid back on the bed and rested my body. I felt the urge to cry, Bliss could be tortured as far as I know how those filthy humans are. 

Everyone there could be tortured.

I gripped on the bed sheets and covered my body again with it. I glance at the clock and saw it was already 9PM, quite still early but my whole body is exhausted from the beating I got. Ah, the things I do for this mission to be successful. I took the remote controls for the lights that were beside my bed and turn them off. I wiped down the weird tear streaming from my eyes, how weird. I don’t feel sad but I’m crying. The world works in the most mysterious ways, doesn’t it?