"Gabriella come tu comida"
"I do not want to eat this food though," Gabriella whines.
"It is just a snack after your surgeries. It's only pudding, you rat"
"You love calling me that don't you?" Gabriella squints her eyes like she needs glasses.
"It is what you are," I roll my eyes, "Plus it's been just a few minutes since your last and final surgery, why are you already annoying me?"
"Not my fault"
"What is not your fault?"
"It is not my fault Mom, Dad, and Stefan got into the accident," Tears fall down her face. My eyes start to water. I haven't seen her for almost 10 years. It pains me that after all this time I have to see her frowning instead of smiling.
"I know it is not. I am sorry," I slightly grab her only hand that is not completely broken. I look at the uncompleted letter my mom wrote. I can't believe she's gone, my dad and my little brother, gone. The only one left is my sister. Seeing her in this position wounds my heart. She has broken both her legs and arms. Her left arm, not as much. More than when I came to the hospital. I don't think she has gotten a chance to cry it out to really let out her pain. She didn't have the time either with all these back-to-back surgeries. During all of this, I attended the funeral for my parents and my brother along with other family members. My sister couldn't make it because of the surgeries and that was for the best. It would hurt her. My family members said they wanted to see Gabriella but if they saw her it would remind her of Mom, Dad, and Stefan.
That's something I don't want her to be reminded of.
I don't want her to forget them, of course, but now is not a good time.
I have been through the pain of losing something close and this is the best way.
Gabriella is young so she should recover fast. When I was her age we didn't have medicine this advanced. I look over at Gabriella. She already fell asleep. That quick? I take a look at the food menu on the table to think of what to order for Gabriella when she wakes up. Chicken and fries. There, done. Her favorite. I sit in my chair exhausted. I couldn't fall asleep.
A while later, A nurse comes in along with a doctor.
"Hello, Miss Rio!" I never met the doctor. "My name is Jane Depriese"
"Nice to meet you"
"I'm here with good news and bad news. Which one do you want to hear first?"
"Good news"
"Well, then good news is Gabriella is recovering quicker than you thought," I smile, "But the bad news is that we are out of the pain medicine for her condition," She says causing me to frown.
"She only has broken bones"
"Yeah, but she broke her bones into pieces. Even we are surprised she survived. Right now she has no pain because of the last dose. Soon she will be in strong pain"
"Why didn't you get more supply of the medium?" I become frustrated knowing my sister could be in pain soon.
"We found out a few minutes ago. We are trying to let all over patients taking this medicine know. The medicine is only in stock and available in Korea and Japan. Our hospitals are all booked and so far we can't get anyone to go"
"I can go"
"That would be against our policy, Miss. Rio"
"Does policy come before my sister's life? She is the only real family I have left," Doctor Depreise's eye began to water.
"You are right patient first," She takes her phone out, "Ok, I just contacted them," She looks at her phone, "They accepted. So it won't be against our policy if you pick it up with authorization. If you could leave right now, you could arrive just in time before this last dose wears out"
"What if it wears out before," It seems she didn't think of this.
"We can track her vitals but if they worsen we will find a way to fly her to South Korea. I will keep you update." We exchange numbers. I look at the planes to South Korea. It's 3 p.m. There is a plane for 4 p.m. That is enough time. I grab my passport, phone, and wallet. I leave the hospital right away. I arrive at the airport right on time. I board the plane. When I sit down, I begin to close my eyes.
I arrive in Seoul, South Korea. I guess you can really sleep all through a plane ride. My stomach growls and my mouth, dry. I haven't eaten for 2 days. I check my phone. I should've checked it when I woke up. I have the address of the hospital. But my sister...she is starting to feel the pain of the pain medicine withdrawal. She said it can keep her without pain until I come back. The doctor says that Gabriella is already being prepared to come to South Korea. Thank goodness. I look at the hospital's name as a taxi drives in. Ichun Taek hospital. I give the name to the taxi driver.
We arrive at the Ichun Taek Hospital. I check the time. It's 9:30 p.m. I pay the taxi driver and walk to the entrance. I look at the huge hospital. I look through the glass door and there is no one inside except for the light. I look at the open hours.
9 a.m-5 p.m.
It's too late. Then I see someone pass by. I knock on the door to get the woman's attention. She ignores me. I knock again and she looks my way.
"Yes, I'm a foreigner. Now open the door please," She runs away quickly. I knock harder on the door until I can't feel my hands. I have to keep knocking for my sister. Instead of knocking with my knuckles, I use my fists. The knocking turned into punching and the punching turns into bruises. I throw my back against the door and slide down. I needed to get that medicine. I wondered how my sister is. Could she be...no...no don't think that? I can't help myself but think if she was. I cry, cry nonstop. I let everything out. I wish I had him with me, my little star, L.S. He is always someone who made me feel better.
Why does my life have to be like this?
I rise up to the sun greeting me. I see a woman walk my way. I can't tell if she's a doctor because of the sun in my eyes.
"Hello," She says with an iced vanilla latte in her hand. I can tell by the color.
"Are you okay?" I take some seconds to respond. My throat felt parched and sore.
"Yes"
"Why are you laying there?"
"I needed to get medicine for my little sister," She puts a hand over her mouth.
"Are you Miss Rio?"
"Yes!"
"I received a call from Doctor Depriese," I smile brightly, "Did Doctor Depriese tell you the flight has been delayed a few hours?"
"Uh, I don't think so," I pull out my phone and she did. I didn't see that text last time. "She did." I worry. It's postponed for 4 hours.
"Do you want to come in?"
"Ok," She unlocks the door and we head to the elevator. We wait for the elevator to open. Once I door opens, we go inside. She presses the button for the highest floor.
"I'm Doctor Jung Bo-Young, Bo-Young," I automatically think of my favorite actress from the K-drama called Strong Woman Do Bong Soon.
"I am Gwen. You already know my last name"
"Right," We laugh. The elevator reaches the highest floor. "This is where the medicine is," She leads me to a room with many cabinets.
"I saw your opening hours..."
"The hospital will stay open for your sister"
"Thank you," I bow down.
"Do you need anything to drink or eat?"
"No, thank you, Doctor Jung"
"You sure? You look pale," I nod my head yes. I can't eat. I'm too worried to think of eating right now. Neither do I have the appetite. She takes me to a hospital room letting me know this is where Gabriella will be brought. She hands me the medicine. I lay on the couch that turns into a bed. I quickly make the couch to a bed. I watch the day pass quickly through the window.
It's 8:00 p.m now.
Doctor Jung comes in and tells me that the helicopter with Gabriella is 5 minutes away. As we make our way to the roof, I can already hear the helicopter. I follow her to the roof. I'm excited but scared to see how Gabriella was. The helicopter begins to touch the cement floor. However, it's so dark the only thing you can see is the lights on the tip of the helicopter's wings. Me and Doctor Jung's hair fly all over the place as the helicopter stops. Gabriella is taken out on a stretcher with two tall men carrying the stretcher. Her screams of agony fill the air as they take her inside the hospital. I wish I could take her place. She is taken to the room that I was in.
"You can give her the medicine now," Doctor Jung's focus turned only to Gabriella as she hands me water for Gabriella. I take the medicine out of my pocket and give her 2 as designated by Doctor Jung. I help her put the pills in her hand and drink water. Her screams turn into grunts. Two nurses come in. They plug her into the machines. I sit down.
I can't do anything else.
"Maybe you should get something to eat as we watch her," Doctor Jung says as she checks on Gabriella, "You keep getting paler when I see you. You haven't eaten all day. How do you think your sister will feel if you don't take care of yourself? How will you take care of her?" She's right. I grab my phone for places to eat. Korean beef sounds good. I could bring some for Gabriella. I find a place. I put an order for pick up so I can eat here in the hospital. I hail a cab through an app. On my way, I think about the future and Alejandro. I decided to check on the future. I wanted to know if anything changed in the future. I needed to check if Alejandro's future changed. I get in the closest subway. I will go to 2029 and come back as if I never left. That's the trick of time traveling. Wink. The subway starts and I think of the year 2029. I close my eyes. When I open them. I am in the exact place I was last time I was here. I go to the futuristic newspaper like last time. However, when I do it says 2028. I must have traveled to the wrong time...this has never happened before. I read what I can from the newspaper. Rosaline still goes international with her makeup company. Park Group's stock goes up. Nothing about Alejandro. I see something about me. It mentions that I disappeared without any sign of me for 2 years now. The future changed. The future is against me. I hear cars crash in the exact place we died last time. It's only 2028. Why is this happening in this time? I see a guy under a car. I run to see if it's Alejandro. 'Please don't be him' I think. I bend down and look under the car. It is, he's there. I put my fingers on his neck to check his pulse. There is no pulse. I'm shocked that I can't shed any tears. I see a paper on the street. I reach for a paper and open it up.
Dear Gwen:
This note has been in my pocket since you told me to wait for you. So I am. I'm continuing to love you from wherever you are. I was reading Japanese quotes online and found out why the moon is beautiful. I guess I want to finally tell you. The moon is beautiful. I love you, Gwen.
Sincerely,
L.S.
I told him to wait for me? Why? I would never tell someone to wait for me. He found the quote. He said it before me.
Someone suddenly grabs my leg. I scream.
"Get out of here," I look down and it's me. The future me. It's like I am looking at a mirror. "Don't travel to the future anymore"
"Why?" I ask the future me. I laugh to myself because I am talking to myself.
"Why are you laughing?" She yells, "You're killing Alejandro!" She cried, "Get out of here!" She yells again. I back up. Her head slowly hits the ground.
"Gwen?" I poke her. She doesn't move. She isn't breathing. I listen to what she said. I rush to the subway to leave this time. I close my eyes.
I am back in my time
That pain ringing in my ear starts as I walk down the street. I see lightning followed by thunder. It is raining now. I glance across the street and see a tall person that looks like Alejandro. My head hurts more. I can't put the pain in words. This pain is indescribable. I collapse on the ground.
A flashback happens. No...this is a memory. I begin to cry. Why am I remembering all of this? What is all of this? This is real. I- That little boy from my dreams is Alejandro. This is my memory. Alejandro...this is our lost memory.
Summer of 1993
I am inside the care with my parents. I see that huge tree that is over 200 years old. All of a sudden, a truck crosses in front of us. Dad tries to turn the wheel so we don't crash but he can't seem to. I close my eyes afraid of what is going to happen next. We crash into a street pole light. I open my eyes and the first thing I think is how my parents are. I unbuckle myself and see if they are okay. They are unconscious. I start crying a lot. I need to get help. I open the door slowly. My arms are too short to open it up all the way. I continue to try. I look down to see a puddle of water from all the rain the poured last night. Not just that but wires. I can't go this way, I could get hurt. As I try to close the door, I slip and fall in the water. I get electrocuted. A pulse of energy surges through my body. I look down at the puddle. My eyes are glowing. They look like electricity. I scream at the sight of my eyes. I shut them quickly as tears escape my eyes. Then when I don't feel the energy anymore I open them.
Spring of 2008
I am at a playground. I look around me. I see a house next to the playground. Where am I? Where are my parents? This isn't home. I hear footsteps. A boy appears. He walks towards me.
"Are you okay? He asks but I wasn't sure what that meant. I mostly knew Spanish. He reaches out to hug me and I stop crying. His hug felt warm. He lets go of me. I grab onto his sleeve as we walk to the swings. I get on the swing seat and the boy goes behind me. He pushes the seat. I am happy now. I see a woman walk our way. She looks like his mom.
"Are you Ari Silva's daughter?" The boy's mom asks. That I can understand. I nod my head yes. Then when I say that she pulls me roughly by my arm. She looks mad. She starts to take me away. The boy comes and grabs my hand, putting it away from his mom.
"Mi amiga," She looks at us.
"Your eyes are glowing," The boy's mom says but again I don't understand. I turn to look at the boy and his eyes are glowing just like mine were in the puddle."Your connected!" The boy and I exchange confused faces. Instead, she grabs our hands and takes us to the car in the driveway. The boy gets in and I am pushed inside by his mom. I bump my leg against the side of the seat. I check my leg and it is already bruised. She starts to drive. I don't know where we are going or where I am. These thoughts make me scared. The boy reaches for my hand. I become calm. We arrive at a dark abandoned parking lot.
"Stay here, Alejandro," The boy's mom says in Spanish. His name is Alejandro. His eyes look shiny. He is afraid. Is he afraid of being alone? Or the dark? She signals me to get out of the care. Once I do, I follow her walking down the parking lot. We go downstairs. It's so dark. I can't see anything. I rely on touch so I don't fall. She puts her hand on my shoulder. A door appears in front of me. She presses her hand on the door. A flash-like red laser passed by her hand. The door opens. A lab appears. It's not like one I have ever seen before. It's futuristic. She points at a chair for me to sit in. She turns her back to me. She is doing something in front of her. Then she stops and looks at me. I notice she has a needle in her hand, I start to cry. She tells me to shush. She sticks the needle in my arm. I shriek in pain. She is taking my blood. My blood isn't red. It's electricity-like just as my eyes were before. She stops after one small tube is filled. She presses on her wall and a computer appears. She inserts a tube in a hole.
"What year is it honey?" She asks in Spanish. I continue to cry, "Don't cry. Just tell me the year"
"1993," Her eyes open wide.
"How old?" I hold up 5 fingers. I think of Alejandro alone in the car. I tremble. "Why are you trembling?" I don't say anything "Is it because of Alejandro?"
"Yes"
"Well," She grabs my face, "I'm sorry" She doesn't look like she means it "You know, I don't like your mom, I hate her. So if I hate her, I hate you. Don't think I will let you out of my sight" She's a scary woman. A needle comes from behind her. She quickly shoves the needle into my other arm. This one hurts me. It's as if she is doing it on purpose. I scream.
"What are you doing?" Alejandro's mom cuts me off.
"You are something unique," She says showing my blood on the screen. I wipe my eyes so I can see the details clearly. "You have electricity instead of blood" I'm surprised. She stares at the screen, scanning everything. "So, to the car to go somewhere" I feel relieved that I am leaving this place. We make our way back to the car. When we do, I jump up to the window to see Alejandro, he is sleeping. When I open the door and get in, I notice dried tears on his cheeks. I lay my head on Alejandro's shoulder and start to fall asleep. All that crying made me tired.
"Gwen, wake up," Alejandro says. I open my eyes and we are parked next to a house. We leave the car. I hold onto Alejandro's sleeves as we follow his mom. We reach the front door. She pulls out keys, unlocks the door and we walk inside. The house is scary. She leads us upstairs.
"Go up faster," Alejandro's mom walks down the stairs to where I am. She pushes me forward. I fall by how strong her push is. I get a cut on my leg. What I see isn't blood but the electricity. I wipe the electricity before anyone sees it. I get up and walk up the stairs aster. We reach a dark attic with little light on the ceiling along with different old furniture and boxes scattered everywhere. Alejandro and I sit on the floor.
"Mom, why are we here?" She ignores his question.
"In that box are toys. Plus a little bear that you," She points at me with her eyes, "left in my hand when you were a baby" She takes a bear out of the box. I remember that bear. Where did she get it? I reach for it and hug it. Alejandro takes a robot, plane, and pieces of chalk out.
"Alejandro, don't take her out of this attic okay? I will take her out myself when I'm done with what I am doing"
"I don't understand. Why are you doi-" She leaves the room before he could finish, shutting the door. Alejandro flies the plane over me. I giggle. I continue hugging my bear.
"Her name is Gwen," I say remembering I gave her the same name as me.
"You mean your name?" I smile without knowing what he said. "Do you know what this is?" He points at the robot. I can't understand.
"Robot," I say pointing at it.
"That's right," He jumps up. I jump up with him. He turns a handle on the side of the robot and it starts to walk by itself. I back up in fear grabbing Alejandro's sleeve. "Don't worry it won't bit," He laughs. I poke the robot. I lose interest quickly and take the chalk, drawing on the wooden floor. I draw what comes to my mind first. The lab
"What are you drawing?" I understand that because I love to draw.
"I am drawing lab"
"A lab why?"
"This is where I get into trouble," I try to speak English.
"Trouble?"
"Yeah in subway," I remember seeing a sign that showed a subway on the way to the lab.
"Why is the lab in the subway?"
"That is where she is"
"Who is there? What does she look like? Do you know her name?" He asks too many questions.
"What?" The door swings open. It's her.
"Alejandro can you wait downstairs. I need to talk to Gwen"
"She can barely understand"
"Go downstairs," She grits her teeth. I slide my back against the wall. Alejandro listens and leaves the attic. She closes the door "We meet again"
"Hurt no please," Tears slip out of my eyes.
"I need one more dose for research. You see I love science but once you came to frame. Perfect revenge," She puts the needle on my shoulder this time. It doesn't hurt as much until she digs the needle in. I wince. "Done," She shows me another small tube, "See how easy that way, Honey?" She leaves the room. I get up, holding my throbbing shoulder, and peek through the cracked door. The lights downstairs are on.
"Alejandro, never talk to Gwen unless I tell you to," She pulls Alejandro by the arm violently. I see the mom's long fake nails pierce through Alejandro's arm. Not deep but enough to hurt.
"Ow," Alejandro applies pressure to his arm.
"I'm sorry my baby boy. I didn't mean to do that. Let me get you a bandaid" That needs more than a bandage. "This is going to scar," His mom says as she puts the bandage over the cut. He pulls his arm away from his mom.
"Mom I want to see her now," Alejandro runs up the stairs. I move back to the wall. He opens the door and runs to my side. He holds me tight with his arms.
"That connection again..." His mom follows after him. I suddenly feel an energy surge through me. Alejandro's eyes are glowing again lighting up the attic. Does that mean mine are too? I see the reflection off of his mom's eyes and they are. "Ok, I saw what I had to see. Now I have to key to travel through time. You are coming with me," She reaches for me. I don't want her to take me. I cry out loud. I take her hands away from me but she reaches for my leg and pulls me. I try to shake away from her grip but I can't. I try to push her with my legs but I can't reach her. I have no strength in this situation I have no chance.
"Let her go, Mom. Please. You're hurting her"
"I don't care," She yells. I look at Alejandro and he takes a jug from behind an old piece of furniture. What is inside? He is dragging the jug. It's heavy. He dumps it on the floor. A liquid substance comes out. The wooden floor is all covered with this now. I put my hands on the floor to touch it. When I smell it, it's gasoline. He takes matches from inside of a drawer. How did he get that? He takes out a match, turning it on by scratching it on the side of the box.
"Let her go," She ignores him. He throws the match in the gasoline. She sees the fire and picks me up quickly taking me out of the house. She sets me down next to the car. I notice a man. The man walks up to her.
"Alejandro, what are you doing here?" That man is also called Alejandro?
"None of that matters. Where is my grandson?" Then an explosion comes from the attic. The fire is spreading. Alejandro is still up there. The man runs into the house and a few seconds later he returns with Alejandro in his hands. They are both filled will soot. Alejandro even more so.
"Where is the girl?"
"Insi- Wait how do you know her?" He runs back into the house. Alejandro is coughing violently. I run to him. She picks him up and holds me by the hand leading us to the car. She places Alejandro in the car and I get in too. His mom speeds onto the street sliding me closer to him. I look at him. He doesn't look well. I hold his hand.
"Don't leave. Please," I whisper squeezing his hand tighter. His eyes budge open.
"I won't...I am right here" He hugs me. I feel safe. He is like that story my mom reads to me about the little star. I see the sun start to rise. The car begins to tremble. It moves sideways. Alejandro and I look up to see what is happened. A truck is coming toward us. This is what happened to Mom and Dad. The truck is almost about to hit us. Alejandro and I look at each other. Our eyes begin to glow while look at each other. Is this goodbye, my friend? Is this the last time I will see his eyes? The tears come down our faces as we shut our eyes. I slowly open my eyes again.
Summer of 1993
I hear a ringing in my ears along with a headache. It suddenly goes away. I see the big tree that is 200 years old.
"Mom, Dad, can you turn up the music? Please?" I ask hearing my favorite song on the radio. We arrive at the grocery store.
And that's when my memory of that day left me.
I wake up with a shock. I see Alejandro and his grandpa. His grandpa's eyes turn away. I look at Alejandro and his eyes are glowing, this time is different. His eyes tell me he's hurt. He remembered the memory like me, didn't he? He turns his face to his grandpa. I squeeze Alejandro's hand. He then turns his head to me. All he does is stare. What is he thinking? His eyes become so bright that I cover my eyes with my hand. Alejandro removes my hand and touches my cheek. In his hand was a liquid substance. Am I crying? I touch my face and there is. This isn't normal. I peak at Alejandro's arm and there is a scare. I never noticed it before. That's the scar his mom gave him. Did he ever notice it? I tug at his arm.
"Let me explain," I say.
"You know about the mem-" He stops "...it didn't you?" He remembers.
"It's a long story." I try to find words to explain but I can't even explain to myself.
"It's a long story?" He scoffs. He seems angry. "Grandpa, couldn't you tell me about this? You knew Gwen? That she is a Time Traveler? You were the one who saved me from that fire I caused. That we were in this traumatic experience when we were younger. My father knows, doesn't he? Say something...anything" His grandpa stay silent. Alejandro starts to leave.
"Alejandro, don't leave...please." I am reminded of that time I thought he was going to die when we were in the car as kids. He must remember this. You said you won't. He gives me a look that tells me he knows and he remembers as he leaves. The room is silent. Only me and his grandpa.
"How do you know me? And that I am a Time Traveler?"
"It started when I became a Time Traveler. I was struck by lightning. I went home and I caused my wife to have a serious disease. With medicine, she could live more time. Then when I traveled which I have the ability to travel from anywhere..."
"That's an ability that I don't have"
"Each of us is different. In this time, You and I are the only travelers"
"Well, when I traveled to the future. That's when I saw you on the plane"
"No wonder you looked at me in a way that told me you knew me. I only tried to save her. I am sorry for causing your wife's death and Alejandro's mom" I see the scar on my shoulder that I couldn't see before. Now that I remembered the memory is probably why I can see it.
"You didn't kill my wife...I did...when I became a Time Tra-" He tears up. "Alejandro's mom's death that was..." Me.
"But how?"