Hidden Paradise

This wasn't suppossed to happen

I woke up to pain and agony as I slightly moved my head. My vision was a bit blurry and all I could see was white light while I tried to move my body.

"I probably should have finished my drink earlier" I sighed internally. It was the only thing I could think of at the moment. I slowly pushed my body into a sitting position. A soft fabric touched my hands, they seemed to be white. Half of my body was covered by it. "Obviously a blanket"

The smell of lavender and a bit of maybe, peppermint was in the air. I couldn't quite see the room. There were slight lines and shadows for me, which must have been furniture.

"I'm in the hospital...? Yeah" I slightly nodded my head still; it seemed a bit heavy and I felt a bit dizzy. "Probably not so used to this feeling yet..." I reminded myself while slowly removing the blanket. What was I supposed to do? Of course, try to ask for help.

Slowly, I waved my hand around and positioned my legs to the side. Something hard hit my hand while I moved it around and the sound of something falling to the ground followed. The sound was a bit sharp and... hollow? Probably glass anyway.

"Ow" I slightly yelled in pain as I touched my forehead. It felt like knives and arrows were directly hit towards my head as I tried to move an inch. "Augh...it hurts" tears were slowly starting to fall from physical pain. Never in my entire 16 years of existence, have I felt this much pain. I could feel the nerves of my brain of every move I made. "Please, make it stop" I whispered as I touched my forehead once more. I wanted to rip it out of my head.

Wait...my whole body froze except for my hands. Slowly, I touched my head. It was wrapped with something cold, and metallic. The thing is, the metal ring is a few inches far away from my head. My hands slowly trace my head. I could feel my fingers following thin lines that connected the metal ring towards my head. To my horror, I screamed.

There were many thin metal lines injected to my head and I could for sure feel that there was something above my head to. I could just feel it.

But what did I do? Instead of asking for help, I slowly tucked myself in with the blanket and carefully lowered myself to be comfortable enough to sleep, hoping this was just a dream.

Cause if it was? It's a horrible dream! What in the alternate universe happened?

I slowly rubbed my forehead and lied comfortably into the bed, trying to ease the throbbing pain.

"I think we should stop and finish our drink cause it's clearly dangerous going down like this." Alex said, he was clearly panting. Jason was the very first in lead while Oliver was at the back. We all stayed at least a feet or two away from each other in case something dangerous happens. "I think we should stop by the Manzesaz boulders" Jason said, pointing at the huge boulders that sat far from the cliff.

I stared on it with confusion "How come I didn't see that earlier?" then reality hits me that we literally went up from other side then came down on this side.

Half of the mountain looked so breathtaking, diving, or beautiful. Cause whenever the sunsets, it would always be beside the mountain. When the morning comes, the clear sky would compliment its shape. And in the lonely nights, the brightest star would always shine above it. Pretty right?

On the other side, it was different. Half of the mountain was well, cut off. Like, theres a literal part of it that got hit by a small planet back in the war. And that planet left the mountain a great scar. Although it seemed imperfect, it was the best part. Where sunsets would be the best; where the mornings seem peaceful and where nights are never lonely.

We slowly got down to the flat area. The road was a bit steep so it was hard not to spill my drink, but I managed anyways. "Ahhh...that was so tiring. We should have taken the same route where we started" Alex complains while stretching his arms out. "Last one's a rotten egg" Jason yelled as he ran as fast as he could, followed by the competitive Oliver.

"Seriously, you guys?!" was the last thing I heard from Alex before running off along with the others. "Come on and catch up" Amaris yelled back while we laugh together.

"Been...so long..since I've AHHH exercised" Alex was panting loudly, his hands were holding support from his knees as he tries to catch up on his breath. We all laugh at his tired figure and watched as he sat unto one of the rocks.

I let out a small sigh before taking a sip. The sun was slowly setting, painting the sky with colors of pink and blue, mixing together as they create something imperfectly beautiful. It wasn't too hot nor was it cold. The weather was windy, everyone was in silence as they looked at the sunset with awe. For once, it felt nice being with them.

Time seemed to pass by quick as we all lied down unto the rocks. Its surface was smooth and it was large enough to fit 4 of us...well, both Oliver and Jason decided to just sit anyways. "Doesn't this feel nice?" Amaris lets out a breathy sigh as she turned to look at me. "It is" she smiles. "It reminded me of 2019's Summer. I think it was when the year-long break was announced, right?"

We all hummed in response of Diana's question and she lets out a sigh. "We're definitely getting older, huh?" Oliver asked, sighing too.

"Yup..." a clink was then heard from the two. "Athena" I slowly turn to Amaris "Yeah?" a smile was on my face.

"Athena" she repeats again

"Yeah?" I answered, slightly laughing

"Athena~"

"What...?"

"Does it hurt?" confusion struck me as I looked at her. She was still smiling but she didn't look at me anymore.

"Athena" I could feel a hand on my arm, slightly shaking me "Does it hurt?" the voice didn't seem familiar. It seemed ...old and fragile. My friends weren't there anymore as I could feel the slight throbbing in my head. "Ms. Fallons" still, I couldn't recognize the voice.

Slowly, I opened my eyes and blinked a few times. "Are you alright?" the voice repeated, it was stern and slow. The room looked a bit familiar as I turned my head to the left "You're awake now" the old man said. Blinking a few more times, the guy didn't look too old. He wore a lab coat and wore white round glasses. A doctor, yes

"Ms. Fallons?" so it was his voice. I raised my eyebrows to reply- which was probably a bad idea cause my head hurts once again.

"Ahh" I held my forehead in pain. "No, no. Don't touch it" he says, slowly removing my hands and placing it down unto the bed. "Where am I?" I finally had the courage to ask. My voice felt weak and coarse while I slowly pushed myself to sit up. The doctor tried to help me sit up comfortably before grabbing one of those small seats with round cushions on them and sat next to my bed.

"You're in the hospital room. You are severely injured but you're alright now" he says slowly like word per word. My arms and legs felt numb as I sat on the bed.

"So, how do you feel at this moment?" the man asks, taking out his clip board and a pen. "Well...I can't feel my limbs and my head slightly hurts and-"

Panic rises in me as I remembered earlier. If I was in the hospital room, then...

Slowly, I touch my head, expecting the cold metal around it. The doctor seemed to notice as he brings both of my hands down again. "I told you not to touch your head. You must have woken up earlier cause we heard a something that sounded like something broke in here." He chuckles before distancing himself a bit.

"And you must have noticed that there was something attached to your head, right?" I slowly nod my head. It felt like every time I move, it hurts. "Well, that was something that's used for patients who are severely injured in the head. And those tiny injections were to preserve your knowledge and memories also to try and restore your brain since it's well..." he pauses and looks at me

"You might have some slight amnesia and might not be able to remember some memories, but don't worry you'll be totally fine." I quietly stared at him, unable to move.

"Anyways, I'll be explaining everything with your friends. They've been waiting for you" he brings out a wheel chair and motions me to get on it. "Here" he guides me as I got out fo the bed and unto the chair.

"Your head will hurt if you do too much physical activities so try to rest a bit for a while" the doors open as he pushes me around. Where did he say we were going? Ahh...right. To my friends room.

As soon as I got in, everyone stopped to look at me. Amaris and Diana were both watching the skies outside. Amaris was on a wheelchair too. Alex stopped reading, both Oliver and Jason also stopped talking.

For a moment, the room was silent as they looked at me "ATHENA" they all said in unison and slowly started to approach me. "Give her a bit space, she just woke up" the doctor said as he heled me get on top one of bed. There were 6 beds together all in one room. "Athena" Amaris slowly gets up to sit next to me as she clings her arms around mine.

"So, since you guys are here together, I will be explaining everything as promised." The doctor grabs a chair and sits in front of us. "Now, you guys said you don't remember anything before, right?" we simply shook our head.

A sigh came from him and that's when I knew...we weren't up to no good news. "DO you guys remember climbing Mt. Brobdingnagian?" we stayed silent

"Well, it seemed like another earthquake happened and you guys happen to be there. The path was recorded to be steep that day and you guys pressed help around 10 minutes after the earthquake ended. You guys were then found all in the ground with spilled drinks around y'all and barely alive" he finished with a sigh

Totally should have finished my drink before climbing down

Amaris lets go of my arm as she sat properly , head looking down. Everyone was silent, lost in their own thoughts. I, on the other hand, wasn't particularly surprised. I mean, there was like 70% chance this would happened. If you think about it, the island is near a fault and earthquakes are prone to happen. It just so happened we were in the wrong place.

"So..." I broke the silence as they slowly looked at me. "What happens next?"

"Well, the thing is, the incident happened 2 days ago and-..."

"TWO DAYS!?" we all asked in unison as he hushed us.

"Yes, for two days. Now, the thing is. For both Amaris and Alex" he looks at them with that sad look like he's about to cry for them.. Maybe it was because they're top students and like the school is dissappinted at their behavior....because they climed a mountain...the same day the earthquake occured-

"Some TOP students were sent out yesterday" Silence filled the room. It was honestly more like silent scream and that thick tension between all of us- including the doctor himself.

"W-what?" I could feel Amaris' heavy breathing "I mean, we can still catch up, right?" she looked with hopeful eyes at the

"Unfortunately, not for you. Mr. Alex Cash is physically able to catch up for another trip tomorrow and also you Ms. King. You're body isn't able to do much at this moment and it might take you 3 more months to fully heal." I turned to look at Amaris. Her expression was unreadable. Diana's lips turned into a line, Jason looked down, and Oliver kept rubbing his brother's arm. Everyone knew how hard they worked for this trip. "Well, I'll be leaving first since I also have more appointment" the doctor slamned the door shup which scared everyone "Sorry" he yelled from the outside.

Everyone fell into silence, waiting for what was about to happen next. Another earthquake? The whole building falling down? Or wishing it was just a nightmare. Yet, one thing broke the silence between everyone and it was Amaris sobbing.

And It sounds like the worst nightmare I've ever had.