A BED,A STRANGER AND A ROUGH START
959 Words
The guest house was nothing like what Ella Morgan expected.
Actually… it was worse.
From the outside, it looked acceptable—small, slightly old, but manageable. But the moment she stepped inside, reality slowly peeled away her expectations.
The hallway smelled like a mix of strong cleaning detergent and something she couldn’t quite identify… something that had definitely existed longer than she had.
She tightened her grip on her suitcase handle.
“This is temporary,” she reminded herself.
The receptionist barely looked up.
“Name?” the woman asked flatly.
“Ella Morgan.”
“Room six. Upstairs. No noise after ten.”
Ella nodded quickly.
“Yes, okay. No problem.”
The woman still didn’t look at her.
Ella added quietly, “I don’t even have energy for noise.”
The stairs creaked as she climbed them.
Every step sounded like a warning.
When she finally reached Room 6, she paused before opening the door.
She exhaled once.
Then pushed it open.
Inside was small.
Very small.
A single bed stood against the wall, slightly tilted as though it had been through emotional trauma. A chair sat beside it. A tiny window let in weak light. The heater looked like it had survived multiple generations and was still confused about its purpose.
Ella stood in the middle of the room.
“…Okay,” she whispered slowly. “We can work with this.”
She dropped her suitcase and sat on the bed.
It creaked loudly.
She froze.
“…Please don’t break,” she said softly.
Silence.
The bed did not respond.
That was either good news… or a warning.
Her phone buzzed.
She picked it up immediately.
Orientation: St. Mary’s Nursing College – 8:00 AM sharp
Ella stared at the message.
Then slowly closed her eyes.
“Of course it’s 8:00 AM,” she muttered. “Because suffering must be scheduled here.”
That night, Ella lay on the bed staring at the ceiling.
Sleep was not coming.
Her mind kept replaying everything:
The airport
The cancelled accommodation
The driver’s smirk
The cold streets
She turned to her side.
“This is not how I imagined my life abroad,” she whispered.
A notification sound interrupted her thoughts.
Her mother again.
“Are you okay?”
Ella hesitated.
Then typed:
“I’m okay. Just tired.”
She stared at it for a second before sending.
Not entirely true… but not entirely false either.
Ella woke up late.
Very late.
Not slightly late.
Proper panic late.
She shot up from the bed like she had been electrocuted.
“What time is it?!”
Her phone lit up:
7:32 AM
Ella froze.
Then screamed internally.
“NO NO NO NO—FIRST DAY CANNOT BE LIKE THIS!”
She jumped out of bed, almost tripping over her suitcase.
She brushed her teeth in record time, water splashing everywhere. Her clothes went on in mismatched panic. Hair? Forgotten problem.
She looked at herself in the mirror.
“…This is a disaster.”
No time.
She ran out.
The cold air outside hit her instantly again.
“Why is London personally attacking me?” she gasped while running.
She reached the train station out of breath.
Everything moved too fast.
Signs everywhere.
People walking with confidence.
Machines beeping.
Ella stood still for two seconds.
Just two.
And immediately felt lost.
She walked to a woman nearby.
“Excuse me… which train goes to St. Mary’s Nursing College?”
The woman replied quickly.
Too quickly.
Ella caught only fragments.
“…left… line… interchange…”
She blinked.
“Okay… thank you… I think.”
She stood there confused.
Then whispered:
“I am going to fail life in this country.”
Somehow—miraculously—she got on the train.
She sat down heavily, breathing like she had just survived war.
Her hands were still shaking slightly.
A voice interrupted her thoughts.
“You look like you fought London… and lost.”
Ella turned sharply.
A man sat opposite her.
Calm. Relaxed. Slightly amused expression.
Ella narrowed her eyes.
“I did NOT lose,” she said quickly.
He smiled faintly.
“Are you sure? London usually wins.”
She rolled her eyes.
“Is that supposed to be funny?”
“It is to me,” he replied.
She sighed deeply.
“Great. Another comedian.”
Silence settled.
But not uncomfortable silence.
After a moment, he spoke again.
“You new here?”
“Yes,” she said. “Nursing student.”
That got his attention slightly.
“Oh. That explains the panic.”
She frowned.
“Is it that obvious?”
“Very.”
Ella groaned quietly.
“First day and I’m already a mess.”
He leaned back.
“Welcome to London.”
Ella froze.
“…Why does everyone keep saying that?”
He smiled slightly.
“Because it never gets easier".
She rushed out of the station again.
Checked her phone.
7:58 AM.
Her eyes widened.
“OH MY GOD!”
She ran.
Hard.
She arrived at the building as orientation began.
Students were already seated.
Neat. Calm. Organized.
Ella burst through the door.
Breathing heavily.
Hair messy.
Face flushed.
Silence.
Every head turned.
The lecturer raised an eyebrow.
“You must be… Ella Morgan?”
She froze.
“Yes… sorry… traffic… train… London hates me.”
A few students laughed softly.
She walked quickly to a seat and sat down, wanting to disappear.
Then she felt it.
Someone was looking at her.
She turned slightly.
The same guy from the train.
Two rows ahead.
Looking back.
Smiling faintly.
He mouthed silently:
“Still alive?”
Ella slowly covered her face with her hand.
“…Oh no,” she whispered.
“This place is going to destroy me.”
- Writer
