Chapter5: What exactly happened?
1080 Words
I slowly regain consciousness, my senses scattered and muddled. The back of my head throbs greatly with a sharp, pulsing pain as I struggle to open my eyes.
“Elodie… Elodie?” Luke's voice echoes in my head faintly. I squint, my mind in a daze, my eyes trying to adjust to the bright light.
“What's going on?” I mutter, my voice barely above a whisper. Why does my head hurt so much?
“Elodie, can you hear me?” Luke calls out again and I force my gaze towards him, my vision blurry. Wait, am I in his arms? I can feel the cold tile against my legs, but in contrast, I feel the warmth coming from Luke.
Still dazy, my vision slowly clears and Luke's worried eyes lock onto mine. Disorientation sets in, and I think I might be hearing muffled grunts or whispers; I don't know, I can't tell.
My mind reels as I try to focus on the sound but my head throbs further. What exactly is happening? I ask inwardly, blinking repeatedly, trying to clear my impaired vision.
Suddenly, my daze disappears as the sound of a breaking vase cuts through the air. My frail body, still cradled in Luke's arms, flinches, and I feel his arm around me tighten.
I sit up immediately, my brows creasing at the origin of the sound. I glance at Luke before staring at what's before me.
My eyes widen as fear envelops me.
Across from Luke and me, Kendrick thrashes against the people in white coats. The white-coated figures overwhelm him, their collective strength pinning him down.
I watch, my breath caught in my throat. Kendrick, unmatched against them, resorts to shattering nearby objects as they try to restrict him in a straightjacket.
Sympathy washes over me as I watch him struggle vainly against them. His rage-filled vision immediately dissolves into desperation as his eyes lock onto mine. In that fleeting moment, I sense a silent, anguished plea.
I shift my gaze to Luke, confusion etched on my face. I want to ask why they were doing this to Kendrick but my voice is caught in my throat.
Luke's expression softens. “Don't worry, Elodie, I'm just glad I came in time to save you,” What? Save me? His response only heightens my confusion.
Luke's gaze shifts, his eyes narrowing at Kendrick, “I know he tried to harm you last night”
I turn back to Kendrick, my forehead puckering. I shake my head instinctively. No, that can't be. Kendrick wouldn't….. no, Kendrick couldn't have attacked me.
As I strain to recall, a sharp pain stabs through my head, making me wince.
With Kendrick now restrained in the straightjacket, Luke stands up. He extends his hand to me, and I take it, my gaze drifting to the bed.
Suddenly, my memories flood my mind.
I remember! I walked into the room last night, Kendrick was still lying peacefully on the bed when I came in. I was hit from behind so there's no way Kendrick could've attacked me.
“Master Luke, we’ll be taking him,” one of the men in white coat says to Luke.
Kendrick is innocent, “Where will you take him?” My thoughts escape my lips, my voice laced with worry.
The man's attention is drawn to me as he says, “Don't worry, ma'am, we'll just see to his regular checkup. For some reason, Mr Holland's health hasn't been improving; his violent behavior today proves he's getting worse.”
At the man's words, I look at Kendrick and notice a change. He's a lot calmer now after being restrained and given a sedative shot. His chest rises and falls with slow deep breaths; the desperation in his eyes still lingers
Poor guy, he's suffering so much. Exhaustion escapes my lips In a small, weary sigh.
“Don't worry,” the man notices my concern and offers a reassuring smile. He adjusts his glasses as he says “I can assure you we're doing everything in our power to help Mr. Holland”
I open my mouth to speak again but Luke's gentle grasp on my shoulder stops me. “Worry about yourself, Elodie, not him.” Luke's voice is low and tense. Still, I feel a bit of warmth from it.
I press my lips together, bottling up my thoughts. I should trust Luke better, after all, only he cares for my well-being in this house.
Kendrick is put on a stretcher and carried out of our room, Luke follows behind, leaving me with my swirling thoughts.
What exactly happened last night? I sink into the disheveled bed, lying back against the tattered sheets. I stare at the ceiling, lost in thought.
Someone must have gotten into our room… but who? With a sudden jolt of shock, I sit up, my eyes widening as realization dawns on my face. Camila and Rose, or rather Charlotte and Rose.
That's it! They must have known I was out last night and overheard their plans for Kendrick. I let out a whimper and fall back on the bed.
How can I tell Luke that the real culprit might be his mother and the red-haired woman Camila? He wouldn't believe me.
But what does matter? I don't belong here, whatever reason Rose has for being superficial, it's none of my business. They already see me as an outsider and golddigger; it'll be best if I don't pry into their family's matter.
I sit up again with a dull look on my face. My gaze sweeps the room lazily until it lands on my phone on the sofa. I get up groggily and check the time. My heart skips a beat. Only an hour left before work.
I gently rub the back of my head —I think I feel a bump— while looking around the room again. Everything is in disarray. I quickly shake off the pressing thoughts, centering my mind on the task at hand “Time to clean up and skedaddle”
As I approach Kendrick's bed, the sound of the shattered vase crunches beneath my feet. I notice an object sticking out from the bed, and I pick it up for scrutiny.
My forehead puckers and my gaze narrows on the syringe. I shake the empty vessel gently, but it's not empty. I peer into it, there's a liquid inside, a colorless, almost water-like liquid.
What is this?
- Writer
