The Unanswered Questions
Julie's eyes fluttered open, her mind groggy, as though she were waking from a deep, strange dream. Her body felt heavy, and the pain in her head was sharp, like someone had driven a wedge into her skull. The room around her was sterile and unfamiliar—white walls, the soft beep of machines, the scent of antiseptic. It took her a moment to realize where she was: a hospital room. The last thing she remembered was the sound of the wind, the sudden snap of the rope, and then… nothing.
A soft rustle from the corner of the room caught her attention. She turned her head, her eyes squinting at the dim light that filtered through the curtains. Her body stiffened, and she blinked again. A figure. It was just a shadow, but Julie could have sworn there was someone standing there, watching her.
But then, just as quickly, the shadow was gone. She rubbed her eyes, willing the strange feeling to fade. Her mind was still fuzzy, the memory of falling, of losing control, slipping from her grasp like water through her fingers. The sensation of *screaming* was there—loud in her ears—but it was all fragmented, incomplete. Had it even happened?
Suddenly, a voice broke through the fog.
"Julie? Julie, you're awake?"
Her gaze shot to the door, where Sam stood, his face pale with worry. His eyes locked onto hers, and for a moment, his features softened with relief. But then, as if remembering something painful, his expression turned to guilt. He stepped closer, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Thank God you're awake. We've been—" He stopped mid-sentence, running a hand through his hair in agitation. "We've been waiting… but you—" He shook his head, visibly frustrated with himself.
Julie's throat felt dry as she swallowed, her voice weak. "What happened?" she asked, her words coming out hoarse.
Misha, who had been sitting silently by the window, immediately stood up and rushed to her side. "You… you fell," she said, her voice cracking slightly. "We were there, but your rope snapped, and we couldn't—" She stopped, clearly trying to keep her composure, but Julie could see the cracks in her friend's facade.
The confusion in Julie's eyes deepened. "I don't remember. I don't remember falling."
Misha glanced at Sam, her gaze filled with an unspoken question. Sam avoided her stare and shifted his weight from one foot to the other, unable to meet Julie's eyes.
"I tried to hold onto you," Sam finally said, his voice low and pained. "I swear, I did. I thought if I could just hold on a little longer…" He trailed off, his words thick with regret. "But then the rope snapped. I couldn't keep you—" He broke off, pressing a hand to his forehead in frustration.
Julie's heart tightened at the raw pain in Sam's voice. She knew the accident had shaken him deeply, but she hadn't realized the weight he carried. Her mind tried to piece things together, but it was like trying to grasp a dream slipping away too quickly.
"I didn't know what to do," Sam continued, his voice a whisper now. "Misha, she… she begged you to come with us. I—I should have stopped you. If I had just been more careful—maybe if I hadn't let you—"
"No," Julie interrupted, her voice more firm than she expected. She forced herself to sit up, despite the dizziness that made her vision blur for a moment. "You didn't do anything wrong, Sam. Neither of you did." She turned to Misha, who was standing still, her eyes distant, her lips pressed into a thin line. "Misha, you didn't force me. I wanted to go. It's not your fault."
But Misha shook her head, her face contorted with guilt. "I should have known. I insisted you climb, even though you weren't sure. I knew you weren't feeling well, but I still pushed. If I hadn't been so... so stubborn, maybe this wouldn't have happened."
"Stop," Julie said sharply, her voice gaining strength. She looked at both of them, her heart aching for the pain they were causing themselves. "I'm fine. Really. I'm here, and I'm not blaming you."
Sam's hand clenched into a fist, the veins standing out in his arm as he struggled to keep his emotions in check. "I should have held on. Maybe if I hadn't hesitated for that second, I could have saved you." His voice broke at the end, and he took a step back, visibly ashamed.
Misha stepped forward, her brow furrowed. "Sam… stop. You tried your best. You *both* tried your best."
Julie's chest tightened at the sight of her friends so distraught. She couldn't bear it. "I'm alive, aren't I?" She smiled, though it felt weak on her lips. "I'm here. That's what matters."
But even as she spoke the words, doubts clouded her mind. She couldn't remember what happened after she fell. Was it possible someone else had helped her? Or had she somehow made it through on her own?
A shiver ran through her body as she asked herself the question she hadn't dared to voice yet: *How did I survive?*
As if sensing her thoughts, Misha glanced at Sam, her eyes filled with uncertainty. "Julie, when we found you… you were unconscious, lying in the woods. But we didn't see anyone else. We didn't see how you got there."
Sam nodded slowly, his face pale. "We couldn't understand it. It didn't make sense. The ground was steep, and there was no sign of anyone else. We just… we couldn't figure out what happened."
Julie turned her gaze to the window, as if expecting some kind of answer. She felt the weight of their words, but still, something tugged at her. Something she couldn't explain. It was as if there was a piece of the puzzle missing—something she couldn't quite remember.
Her eyes locked with Sam's. "So you didn't see anyone? No one helped me?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.
Sam shook his head. "No. It was just us. But we found you, Julie. That's all that matters."
Julie nodded, but the question lingered. *How did I survive?* The thought echoed in her mind, but she pushed it down for now, focusing on her friends instead.
"I don't know what happened either," she said softly, looking back at them. "But I'm here now. And that's enough."
Misha smiled through her own tears, but Sam's face remained troubled, his guilt still weighing heavily on him.
"We're just glad you're okay," Sam said, his voice quiet but full of emotion. "And we're not going anywhere. Not until you're fully recovered."
Julie smiled again, more genuinely this time. "I'm not going anywhere either," she reassured them. "We're in this together, okay?"
And even though Julie felt a nagging emptiness inside her, she couldn't let herself believe she had been alone in those woods, or that someone—or something—had been there when she fell. Not yet. Maybe not ever.
But for now, she had her friends. And that would have to be enough.