Love of a Thousand Colors

Chapter 13

"Help me! Help my daughter!" The father screamed. The guards pushed him back because he was too persistent. The secretary went to the first floor to settle my bills and get my clearance in a hurry. The father continued weeping outside the hospital room. The doctors and nurses can't seem to figure out what's wrong with her, it's just that she doesn't wake up.

I changed to fresh clothes brought for me and checked my phone. There are no messages from Israel yet and no updates from the police.

"Let's go," The secretary urged and all of us walked out of the room immediately. One of the guards holds the duffel bag while I'm wheeled outside towards the exit. They were marching in sync and the taps from their footwear can be heard echoing in the halls.

"I have to go to the restroom," I said meekly. We stopped abruptly and the secretary gave me an irate look. "Sorry, I was kinda in a hurry, I tried to hold it in but I can't anymore." It's damaging for one's bladder if I kept it any longer.

"Can you stand?" She asked, I don't think we're that close enough for me to ask her to help me relieve myself, and moreover it's not necessary. I rose from my wheelchair and went to the nearest restroom. It's ideally located near the staircase. This is going to be tough, but dashing to the elevator won't seem a good idea.

I nodded and asked them to wait for me a bit. I peeked from the edge of the wall and noticed they are somewhat preoccupied. When they were busy talking with each other, I took the chance to climb up to the upper floors again.

The girl's father is still outside. He's slumped on the floor, hopeless and destitute. He's very different from the proud man I've met before. He noticed my presence and looked up. He seems dazed and unable to speak. When he realized that I'm looking at him more intently than I should, he rubbed his face with his hands and stood up, shook off the dust from the back of his slacks.

"How is she?" I asked. I know the feeling of not being given help. Even if the whole world turned it's back on me, I'll not succumb to the coldness it wants to envelop me in. Eventually, people like Israel have come to my aid. The girl asked me not to interfere, but it's my choice. I'll do this because this man has humbled himself and he clearly wishes to have his daughter back.

The father took me inside and I saw that the girl has become thinner and paler. I'm very much shocked and horrified. It's only been hours and this is already what became of her. "She's a very intelligent child. She always succeeds in everything she does." He held her frail hand and pressed it on his forehead. "But our family business went downhill, and she decided to do something on her own to earn money. An automotive company accepted her as an intern and they were impressed by her inputs." Although the father's narrative makes it appear that this girl is impressive, I can't help but notice a disapproving gaze from his eyes. "But they are making her work like a horse without regard to her age and health. I asked her to postpone her internship until she is better, but she refuses and threatened to emancipate herself from us if I disapprove. She make light of my new job and the meager pay that I bring home. I was so furious and disappointed."

I'm blown away. Honestly, I haven't met an achiever like her. So, that's probably why she got that air and attitude. Now seeing her like this, I wonder what she thinks about her decisions now. And now that I'm here, I'm clueless about what I should do.

Her father tried his hardest not to cry again and apologized for his behavior, "You are a nice girl. I'm sorry I took out my frustrations on you because I felt she might be relying more on other people than her family. I'm a failure as a provider, but I'm trying to get back on my feet, got a sales job so she won't need to carry the burden all by herself. But the company is giving her way more than my monthly salary. She's also way too engrossed with their current project, she barely comes home. She still tries to go to school though, but that's out of compliance with the requirements needed for her internship." He showed me the marks on her daughter's arms, "She's smart, but she's too young, she's fragile..."

"She's young and, believe me, she wants to be as laidback and happy as any other girls out there." Remembering her words in Jacob's about not being able to hang out with her friends, "She's indeed lucky to have you as her dad. Being able to still look after her despite the awful things she said..." I didn't withhold the last part. The father smiled a bit... "We're both under counseling together. Sorry, I can't tell you more, but don't worry. Your daughter also wants to improve her wellbeing," She's just being rude about it.

"She's not just stressed, I'm sure of it," The father said, "But no one in this building knows what's wrong with her."

I was about to blurt out and say that I do. The only problem is, how do we solve this problem? I racked my brain with any clues to help this woman. 

'Then the cure lies in reality, once found, it'll be gone in a jiffy.'

"Reality..." I said, but she's asleep. How do we go about this? I waved my hands near her face, like what the masked man did, but it didn't work. 'Of course, I'm not the chosen one,' I thought as a private joke. Her father gave me a quizzical look. He could be thinking it might be a wrong idea to ask for my help. I was about to touch her when an impatient knock tapped on the door. It's Israel's secretary. 

"You..." She said, almost wanting to curse me. "We waited for you and you went up here!"

"Sorry, but I can't just leave her..." I said, but she didn't wait for me to finish. She grabbed me by the wrist and said we have to go... "No, wait!" I pulled my hand back but I lost my balance and landed on the patient, nearly crushing her side. The father got furious and asked the secretary to wait for a while. The two of them got into a verbal confrontation. As I turned around to check on the girl, the entire room changed. 

I saw my classmates, sitting on their chairs, answering what seems to be an exam. A facilitator stood in front watching the class seriously, waiting for someone to cheat or misbehave. I turned around once more, but I stayed in the same place. 'What sorcery is this?'

The teacher noticed me and dragged my ass down to a chair, "Answer immediately, you only have 10 minutes left!" She roared. Seriously? Then I noticed the girl beside me, it's her! The one from Jacob's Robe! The teacher slapped my hand with a stick, "Eyes on your paper!" Just what the... 

"Hey! Hey!" I tapped the girl beside me. The teacher kept shouting in my ears. "Are you alright? Why are you here?" I asked, then she looked at me, finally. 

"You?' She said, bewildered. She dropped her pen on the floor. The teacher harassed her instead and made her answer another exam. She bowed subserviently and continued answering. 

"Crazy girl!' I said, "It's not exams yet till tomorrow!" I reminded her. "And you're at the hospital with your father, did you forget?" She stopped writing and rested her hand on her chin. She stared at me again and her face contorted into fright. Now you remember, huh? For a genius like her, she could be slow.

"I am," She stood up, "What's going on?!" She demanded an answer and frowned.

"Relax! That's my question as well." Standing up with her and scanning the surroundings, "Is this real or are we in a different dimension?"

She shrugged her shoulders and said, "I don't know, but it feels very much like a dream."

I pinched myself. It hurts. I slapped myself way hard, and oh my cheeks burned. "This is real." She didn't do the same thing, but she's convinced we're on a dream. "Are we going to debate about this?"

She glared, "This is not real, I always arrive at school on time and I don't cram to finish answering a test." 

I slightly agree, I mean, we were at the hospital a few minutes ago and now we're at school. Having exams on a weekend.

"I have to wake up..." She said, now she replicated what I did earlier. But the room didn't change and we didn't go back to the hospital. "This is impossible..." She cried out in distress. As we stood there, more and more students leave the room, and our exam papers kept piling up. The teacher demanded us to sit or else we'll face detention. Her face becoming more and more monster-like. She doesn't seem human to me, her face distorts and her teeth are becoming pointed. 'Yeah, this is obviously a dream and it's a nightmare we can't wake up from.'

Until we hear a phone ring... It kept on ringing. She looked at me and at the pocket of my denim jeans. I took it out and it was the phone Israel gave to me. The caller ID showed it's him. I touched the answer button and placed the phone on my ear, "Hello?"

"Trina! Trina! Is that you?!" It's Israel and he sounds a bit anxious. "Where are you? My secretary said you suddenly disappeared with another patient from the hospital."

"What?" I asked, what is going on really?

"We're looking for you! Where are you right now? The guards are searching for you but you and this other girl disappeared without a trace!" He awaits my reply and I hear cars honking in the background.

I searched for something in the room and my eyes looked up at the time, "What time is it Israel?" I asked, with dread in my voice.

"You're asking for the time? You have your phone with you, Trina. Stop joking around!" He shouted.

"Just humor me," I said, but I know the answer.

"It's already 8 o'clock in the evening. Happy?" He said.

Me and the girl beside shared a terrified look, it's indeed 8 in the evening.