The next when Lucy opened her eyes she was inside her hospital room. For along time, she merely wandered around to check if she was dreaming. Did she dream of running away from here? The marble barrier she encountered, was it all an imagination? And then her heart started beating rapidly, she was sure she felt someone close to her that moment, very very close to her.
That person was holding her too tight, she memorized the embrace all too properly. Was it again a dream? How could she dream of such outwardly scenarios?
"Good afternoon, Lucy. I hope you had a good night; you slept more than I anticipated you to." Dr. Horan was by her side, checking the vitals. "Your heart is beating too fast, did you see a nightmare?"
Somewhat like that... a sweet nightmare.
"Hey, Lucy?" He called for her as she didn't respond.
"Uh, sorry. I was having a nightmare." She replied shrugging. Clearly, the girl appeared unsure of what she was saying but he had to ignore that part.
"Okay, I have prescribed the medicines to my assistant, she will make sure to meet your every need." He smiled at her in farewell.
"Doctor!" Horan wanted nothing other than to leave, especially since the girl was an interest for that cunning man.
"You need anything?" He was polite, nonetheless.
"Where am I? What is this place? And... why is there a wall...?" She stopped midway. If she felt she didn't dream last night then would he understand or treat her as a mental patient? As curious as she was, she was against staying more than necessary here.
"You are in ASK Town. The place is not very well-known but we all live peacefully here. And this is a hospital where I treat you." Lucy noticed how the doctor deliberately ignored the last question she left incomplete. With that astounding information, she suspected if he had evil intentions with her and her body.
"Thank you for letting me know." She smiled adding her gratefulness. Horan smiled back before getting to his next task. On the way of leaving the room, he warned Genevieve to be careful.
Whereas, for the girl, she was hell bent on getting out of here the sooner the better. Something told her, she was not dreaming last night and she had actually gone out of this room. She sat up on the bed, her head paining furiously, undeterred she checked her hands, legs.
They appeared clean like someone bathed her when she was not awake. The thought caused a slight panic in her chest. Could it be that person? Never before had she felt her body so close to anyone, thus it could actually be her imagination for sensing something or someone last night.
The girl was convinced it was a dream until she felt the jolting pain in her left ankle. Strange, because she didn't remember being hurt there.
Testing her senses, she reached the door letting herself out of the room. Passing through the corridor, she was immediately blocked by some ward boys, "Please get back to your room Mam." They began assisting her back, before she could formulate a reply.
There was another patient who got out of her room. "Alright, I'm going. But check on that one. She is quite old and need your help." Trying to distract the guys was not an easy task but as Lucy grasped the doorknob of her room, pretending to enter inside; they left her alone.
It was the perfect chance for her to put all her strength in getting out. She successfully crossed the corridor and was on her way downstairs, all the time checking behind her back.
"Wait!" The sound and the timing when she was stopped which was right next to the main doors of the hospital. It seemed like a deja-vu which shouldn't be since this should not have happened before.
Turning to face the interceptor, she felt like almost everything was same except her hands were empty. The same guy who had interrupted her last night was standing right across from her.
"You, again? Another fresh air walk, huh? Oh, see, your health is much better now. The prayers must have worked." The thin man kept on babbling while Lucy was registering the events one by one which she obviously mistook for a dream.
"What else... did I say yesterday?" This was the only chance to find if last night was real or a dream.
"Well, you were going out exactly this way and I tried stopping you but you fled to God knows where and-"
"George! No. 42 needs your attention now." Genevieve was quick to interrupt the idiot.
The thin fellow snapped to the command as he ran from there. Lucy fiddled in her position wondering if she should make a run again. The assistant of Doctor Horan was blind, that gave her a motive to try being invisible.
"Do not attempt to run from here. The day you are ready to walk properly, you will be discharged like every other patient." The assistant's statement embarrassed Lucy, she was caught. That too by a woman who couldn't see.
"I-I am perfectly fine. That's why I'm leaving."
"Did Dr. Horan permit you as capable and on your good footing?"
"Not yet."
"Then you know the way back to your room."
Lucy did know it but she didn't move from her place.
Genevieve said few moments later, "I know you are standing in the same place. You will walk on your own or should I get a wheelchair?"
Lucy retorted on impact, "Because you're blind it is impossible to see the slightest movements. So let's keep it that way." To prove her point, she took two steps very slowly, not making a sound. After she passed the lady entering her room, Lucy realized her mistake.
The patient was treated by the assistant who was being clumsier than usual. Genevieve stumbled across the tray table, surely spring her little toe. Lucy's words affected Genevieve clearly.
"I am sorry, I shouldn't have said that." Lucy apologized.
"I don't want your pity. I want you gone as much as you want it. So let's keep it that way."