Saved by Monster

Chapter 1

Realization patted me gently. The blinding light up there was really distracting. After winning against the lights, my eyes scanned around. There were a lot of wires here and I realized later that some were attached to my body. One answer, I was in the hospital.

The clinking sound of a spoon startled me, and I found a man struggling with a tablet after putting down his drink. My view of his head is obscured by the bed divider, and when I try to look at his face, he's already turned to me.

“Presley?” He hurriedly got up and came over to me. “Oh, thank goodness. You're finally awake.”

There were streaks of relief and happiness on his tired face. He looked 23 years old. The man had wavy brunette hair that was slightly tufted in the front.

He immediately called someone and said that I had regained consciousness. The man was a stranger, but he acted as if he had known me for a very long time.

The last thing I remember was that my family and I had an accident on the road. I wasn't sure where we were going, but I knew that our car skidded on the snowy road and collided with a truck.

Something terrible dawned on me, where were my dad, mom, and June? I wanted to ask, but I couldn't find my voice. My throat was so parched that I ended up crying because of all the negative thoughts.

“Hey ....” The man rubbed my cheek, wiping away the tears running down its surface. “Don't think too much, Presley.”

Right after the door opened, a very elegant woman appeared, especially when she smiled like that. I estimated her to be over thirty years old.

“Hello, Sweety,” she greeted kindly. She removed the breathing apparatus from my face. “How are you feeling?”

I tried with all my might to nod and smile, but all that happened was a weak blink. She took out a small flashlight from her bag, which she used to check my pupils. He also checked my heart rate and breathing rhythm.

“Do me a favor, look at this, okay?” The woman with wavy blonde hair held her index finger in front of my face, moving it slowly to the right and left. “Very good.”

“Everything okay?” The man interrupted. The woman told him to wait a little longer.

“Can you say something?” the elegant woman asked me. I tried my hardest to make a sound, or at least a murmur. But I couldn't, it felt choked and tight.

“That's enough, thank you.”

The woman did something I didn't understand, then turned to the man. “'She is not able to speak yet. You don't have to worry, it's just a few moments. Don't put too much pressure on her, okay?”

“Thank you, Sierra.”

The woman whose name turned out to be Sierra nodded slowly with a smile. She then cleaned up some tools and took them away from this room. By the way, this place did not seem to be a hospital. Just an ordinary room with medical equipment.

“You're probably wondering who I am,” he began. I paid attention to his every word which was made with careful intonation. “My name is Easton. You might be surprised if I told you that we have the same last name. Easton Brie. It makes things a lot easier.

“ The woman from earlier is Sierra. She's my sister. It's Sierra who has been taking care of you for almost two months in a coma, or 54 days to be exact.”

I wet my throat and tried to speak. Yet again, the door opened and Sierra appeared with a glass of water. Easton sat me down, while Sierra carefully drank the water to me. It tasted like normal water, just a little strange. I didn't know what kind of water it was, but I couldn't deny that it really helped my body settle in.

“Feeling better?” she asked. I nodded in response. The woman smiled again before taking a seat next to Easton.

My throat felt better after the liquid, like it could already speak. I cleared my throat softly before saying, “I'm very confused.”

“We understand.” Easton gave Sierra a quick glance. She gave him a look that seemed to say that it wasn't time for me to be told anything yet - whatever that was about.

I stare intently at the man, taking in his mesmerizing gray bead. I spent a few seconds trying to find something hidden behind them.

“I remember you,” I said softly. My eyes couldn't stop looking at those two gray dots. They seemed to radiate something quite strange, not to mention a little mysterious. “You're the man from my dream.”

And, in the same second, she smiled.

*

Tonight, Easton asked me out. He had promised to tell me everything. Before we left, Sierra told Easton to put a warm coat and beanie on me. She couldn't come with us because she had practice hours at the hospital. Yes, that woman is a doctor.

Easton pushed my wheelchair out of the house. It was still difficult for me to walk.

This is the first time I've breathed outside air. The neighborhood is neither crowded nor quiet. It's a quiet, cozy neighborhood. We stop first for a hot drink before settling on a park bench near a small fountain.

After making sure I was comfortable and ready, the man began his story with a question, “Do you remember if you ever had an accident?”

I nodded. Although it wasn't very clear, I was able to recall that at that time-the day before the New Year-I, June, my dad, and my mom were planning to go to a musical performance. Then, because the road was snowy, we slipped and the frightening incident happened.

“I'm sorry that none of your family survived.” Easton soothed my tears. I had actually thought of the possibility that he would say that. However, it was undeniable that my heart still broke when I heard it as a reality.

The man asked if he should continue his story. I wiped away the tears and nodded slowly. “I'm fine.”

“You only have two relatives. Your mother's half-sister who now lives in Hong Kong and your father's younger brother. But ....”

“I know,” I said when Easton didn't continue. “Aunt Darla won't take care of me.” She was the kind of woman who didn't want to have commitments. In fact, if I remember correctly, she had miscarried three times.

“Yeah, something like that.”

“And then?”

“They decided to take you to an orphanage when you recovered. However, Sierra decided to adopt you instead. Sierra said her daughter would be the same age as you if she was still alive today.”

I frowned? “Sierra is married? Got married young?”

“No,” Easton replied with a faint laugh, ”her boyfriend left her when he found out she was pregnant. Sierra intended to raise her, but since she was a teenager at the time, the baby was born prematurely and couldn't be saved. Luckily Sierra survived.”

I grimaced softly, not expecting that death would always loom wherever you are. No matter what great plans you have made, death will not hesitate to destroy them.

“Then, where is my family's grave?”

Suddenly, Easton's expression changed. “Oh, I'm sorry. Due to work, we had to move.”

“So, I'm not currently in Nashville?”

Easton shook his head after taking a sip of his drink. “Not even in Tennessee. You're in Montana, and are now officially a member of our family.

“Isn't this so easy? Sierra Brie, Easton Brie, and Presley Brie. We're The Bries.”

I was silent for a moment. The fact that my entire family had died made my heart ache. Plus, none of our relatives cared about me.

“Has anyone been visiting me here?”

The man's eyes closed, then exhaled heavily. “I left an address and phone number, but...”

“I see,” I interrupted. Easton didn't seem to want to hurt me with this reality. “No one even asked me how I was doing.”

“Maybe she accidentally lost my business card back then.”

He tried to comfort me, which I answered with a wry smile. Even if Aunt Darla was missing information about my whereabouts, she could find out at the hospital where Sierra used to work. That is, if she cares. Not even her flesh and blood would be allowed to live, let alone me, the daughter of a relative she hadn't spoken to in almost a year?

“I want to go to my family's grave.”

There was a short silence. Easton looked at me who was biting my lip. “After you recover, okay?”

I nodded weakly. Easton took me home as soon as I started sneezing. It was undeniably too cold for the temperature in late February. I dodge a bit when Easton is about to adjust the buttons on my coat. If it was Sierra doing it, I could put up with it. However, for a grown man like Easton (even though he thought we were now siblings), I would prefer to do it myself. The guy looks a little embarrassed, but he tries to cover it up by adjusting my beanie.

I couldn't sleep all night. This reality hit me too hard. However, despite all that, I still knew how to be grateful for Sierra and Easton's kindness. If they hadn't slapped me around, I'd probably be looking miserable at the orphanage right now.

I wanted to ask about Easton's parents, but I managed to hold back several times for some unknown reason. During my time here, I didn't see any pictures of their family, just a few pictures of Easton and Sierra that-I don't know how-I found mesmerizing.

They really do have an aura that is so alluring, authoritative and graceful in one look. For now, I assume that they are two angels sent by God to take care of me. The possibility that they would grow horns, I didn't want to think about in the near future.