Chapter 44 The Collapse Again
1033 Words
"Selene, please...I plead that you consider coming outside for just a bit. To receive fresh air, and you go back again."
Mira stood by the door, endlessly pleading, her voice now sober from begging her daughter to not get drown in depression. It has been days, and Selene hasn't stepped her feet outside, and she can't take it any longer.
"Fresh air will definitely help out," she added gently hoping she would reason with her. For her, she was able to manage hers, but Selene's own was shooting over the roof.
Then, just when she was about going out again, the door suddenly creaked open and Selene stepped out after many days.
Her eyes were dull, tired, more like she hadn't slept a wink for days. Mira's heart almost ripped out at the sight of her daughter looking like a ghost of herself, but somehow, she was relieved that she finally came outside, this way she would be helped.
"There you are my baby girl..." She said with excitement, but Selene didn't even as much as smile.
"I told you I will come out," she muttered weakly. Mira nodded, agreeing to anything she said. "Yes...yes..yes..that's great effort. And that's enough for me."
Selene walked past her, moving toward the direction of sunlight. It was too bright for her, as she fought to adjust her vision, making her squint her eyes. For the first time, her eyes felt unfamiliar. It was more like she had been gone for too long. She could now hear voices from afar, coming from pack members, their neighbors, and sone of them saw her.
And just at the sight of her, the murmuring started. "That's Selene..."
"She finally came outside after everything that happened..."
Selene became stiff, just hearing them talk about her, without knowing what she passed through. But she decided to ignore them, to just breathe in fresh air, and keep walking.
But suddenly, while she was taking a slow stroll, her vision suddenly became blurred.
"Selene?" Mira tried inquiring her wellbeing while watching her just in front of their house.
Selene blinked, but the ground had started feeling unstable, her head spinning.
"Selene, are you okay?" Mira asked again. Selene tried answering, but was already getting too weak.
"I'm fine..." But her words weren't strong enough to convince Mira. She knew instantly that something was wrong.
Instead of those around to help, they started murmuring, as they were always on the move, seeking out gossip all day.
"Why does she look pale than usual?"
"Is she sick?" Another asked.
Selene's ears were already filled with their words, not going close to help her, but finding faults. Not long, her heartbeat increased, way too fast, and even very loud. She pressed her hand on her chest, trying to get hold of herself.
"Breathe .." she whispered to herself, but her body seemed to obey, to listen to her.
"Selene!" That was Mira's voice again, as she panicked, the moment she observed she wasn't stable again.
Selene's knees buckled weakly, and the next thing, she collapsed like a log of wood.
Gasps filled everywhere, as they everyone started panicking, though not all were in genuine concern.
"Oh my God!"
"She fainted!"
"Someone should come forward and help her out!"
There was no response, and Selene lay still there. Mira immediately dropped beside, trying everything possible to revive her.
"Selene! Selene, wake up!"
Still, there was no response. By now, a crowd had started gathering, some to sympathize with the mother, while others to see what to gossip with.
"Move away! Give her space to breath!"
But even in that critical condition, someone still had the mind to push forward to ask questions, and stir up gossip.
"Is she still breathing!"
"Yes...but it's just barely!"
The whispers continued, moving faster, darker and with bad intentions.
"Wait a minute..."
"I've witnessed something like this before.."
Another deadly voice began. "Isn't this the same manner Elara collapsed too?"
That kind of got the attention of those trying to help.
"Before she was declared pregnant at the hospital?"
The words spread like wildfire round the pack, even without confirmation.
"She's pregnant?"
"No way...birds of the same feathers. I'm not surprised."
"Selene? Do she has been pretending to be angry all this while when she's even worse."
Mira's head snapped up, tired of the rubbish they were spilling from their mouth.
"What nonsense are you people saying?!" She snapped in fury. But they didn't care to stop, or check the impact it could cause Mira's mental state.
"She's her friend....and they're of the same age..."
"After the ceremony, she've been in hiding in her room..m"
"Maybe, that's the reason she couldn't come out..."
"Enough of this rubbish!" Mira screamed at the top of her voice. She couldn't help but wonder when the pack became that cruel to only care about spreading rumors, than actually helping someone in need of their help.
While she was still trying to get her stabilized, one of the workers rushed forward to help out.
"Call the healer now!"
"She needs all the help she could get!" Another alerted.
Two men rushed forward to lift her carefully. Mira followed them closely, as they made their way to the healer's house, her heart pounding endlessly.
"Stay with me... please, Selene, stay with me..."
The crowd parted, still moving with them.
"First, it was Elara, now, it is Selene..."
"What is really going on with our young girls today?"
"Something is definitely wrong with that family... because, tell me why all this misfortune..."
"Or maybe...she could be hiding something too like her friend did..."
Mira clenched her fists, but there was nothing she could do. All she wanted was for her daughter to get better, that's the only time she can have strength and face anyone. Her daughter's body was too fragile for her to leave her, and start attending to those that wishes her bad.
When the healer's house was just in view, someone screamed from afar.
"Open the door immediately!"
And in response, the door opened, because the news of her collapse had travelled ahead of them to the healer's house, and he awaited their arrival.
"Lay her here!"
- Writer
