Chapter Five
1206 Words
The bright light hit her eyes as she opened them, almost blinding her. She looked around trying to decipher where she was.
She couldn't quite explain it but she felt a sense of warmth surrounding her, like everything was right in the world.
"Why are you standing all alone my little swan?".
Sandie's head whipped around so fast that it could have snapped off. Her mother stood in front of her witha beautiful smile and her eyes sparkling with mischief.
"Mum"
Sandie's legs moved before her brain could catch up and she was throwing herself into her mother's open arms. "Mum", she said again crying into her
mother's chest.
She finally recovered herself, "How are you here?. Am I dead?. Where's Dad?. What is this place?"
Vivian laughed softly, the sound floating into the air. "You don't have to worry my little swan. Everything will be fine. Come I want to show you something".
Her mother led her through a passage. They walked for a while, coming to a stop eventually.
Sandie gasped.
The little garden where she went to escape her reality was beautiful but it was nothing compared to this.
"What is this place?".
"Welcome to Lemoria. The land of dreams", her mother said.
"So I'm dreaming? And you are not real?".
"My little swan, anything is as real as you believe it to be".
"Why am I here?"
"Your subconsciousness brought you meaning you are battling the events of your reality. What is wrong Sandie?"
"Everything Mum", Johnny signed off the company, then he signed ne off to a man I do not know and I'm scared Mum.
My life is falling apart and I don't know what to do".
Vivian sighed sadly, Things don't always go as planned. If they did, I would still be with you and your brother protecting you both from the evil of the world. In life we just have to make the best out of everything. Johnny made a choice, and now you have to make yours. He chose the comparny over you.
He chose the legacy. You have to do what's best for you. I can't tell you everything is going to be fine unfortunately. You are a fighter crystal, never stop fighting".
Vivian's voice began to fade. The plants withered away at her feet. The bright lights dimmed turning everywhere black.
Suddenly she was not in Lemoria anymore but standing in the middle of the road surrounded by darkness.
A car drives past her swirling so fast heading straight forabridge.
The car looked so familiar, then she remembered. It was the same one her father drove on the night of the accident.
The car was almost at the edge.
Sandie screamed, yielding it to stop. It never did. It drove off the bridge.
"Mum!!!!!!!", Sandie screamed, her eyes snapping open.
She looked around frantically. The smell of drugs and chemicals hit her nose. In the distance she heard the beeping sound of a machine.
Slowly taking in her surroundings, she realized she was in the hospital.
"You're are awake", came her brother's voice from the door.
Sandie kept mute ignoring him.
Johnny continued, "Linah went to get you a change of clothes an hour ago. She should be back any moment from now".
On cue, Linah burst into the room rushing past Johnny towards her.
"Oh my poor Sandie, are you alright?".
Still Sandie kept mute.
Sensing his presence was not wanted, Johnny left.
Sandie sat up folding her arms, "No I'm not okay Lin. Johnny signed me off like I'm some property".
"I know. But he didn't have a choice. He was going to lose the company. Your family has had it in their name for generations".
Sandie flew off the bed. "How can you say that Lin. So my life isn't worth anything?. What happens to me doesn't matter?"
"Sandie, you know that's not what I meant. Okay let's take a pause. What would you have done if your signature was what was needed on that paper?. If you were given the option to choose. What would it have been?".
Sandie went silent.
"My point exactly. I heard Don Etern gets bored easily. He might even notice you and if he does, he will get tired of you and seeing your face everyday, he will eventually let you go".
"Jesus Christ Lin, Can you even hear yourself?. You are saying it's okay for him to use mne however he likes until he getsbored and decides to move on to another. What would happen to me then?. How
would I pick the pieces after he ruins huh".
Linah tried to reach for her.
"No!!", Sandie backed away from her.
Everything felt so wrong.
Linah was supposed to be her best friend yet here she was siding with Johnny.
Sandie would have wondered why Linah was so concerned with affairs of the company if she didn't have bigger things to worry about. Her life was being taken away, her freedom, her future and they
expected her to just be okay with it?.
Silence followed as the tension in the room grew. Finally Sandie broke it.
"I want to be left alone, Lin".
"Sandie -", Lin tried.
"No, I don't want to hear anymore and I just want to be alone".
"Okay", Linah whispered as left the hospital room.
She turned when she was at the door. "I will be here when you are ready to talk",closing the door behind her.
Sandie stared out the window counting the minutes till she had to say goodbye to life as she knew it.
*************
Don stared the papers in front of him trying to get some work done but he just couldn't focus.
He had someone keeping tabs on Sandie. The last thing the person reported was that she was rushed to the hospital.
"Sir?"
Don's head snapped up.
How long had Natasha been here?
"Cancel all my meetings for the rest of the day", he said standing while packing his things.
Natasha simply nodded.
The sky rumbled as he stepped out of the building, raindrops already starting to fall from it.
Caleb was already outside waiting with an umbrella, "Home Sir?"
"No, we are going to a hospital",
"Is anything the problem Sir?".
Don glared at the older man. Caleb had been jia driver for the past ten years. With that amount of time, he should have known how much Don hated unnecessary questions.
Realizing his mistake, Caleb apologized quickly. "It wasn't my intention to offend you. The car is this way".
All through the drive Don kept wondering what was happening to him. No one had affected him the way she did. Not his drug addicted mother and definitely his good for nothing father.
The car stopped, “We are here Sir".
He got down.
The smell of drugs was nauseating.
Walking to the front desk Don smiled slightly at the nurse behind it. Red stained her cheeks.
Typical
"What can I do for you today Sir?".
"I'm here to see a patient. She was brought in a couple of hours ago".
"I'm really sorry Sir, but only family members are allowed to visit.
Don smiled broadly now. "That won't be a problerm. She's mny wife".
- Writer
