Adrian got Nichole to her house and watched her every step with concern written all over him until she was safely inside her house, a sense of discomfort still gnawing at him as he drove away, wishing he had stayed with her, but he knew she would decline his offer again. She had looked so pale and weak when she declined his offer to take her to the clinic, insisting she was too weak and just wanted to go home first, assuring him she would be better if she rested. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong, but Nichole had insisted, so he respected her wishes.
Nichole got in, shut the door and leaned against it for a moment. She'd suddenly started feeling a strange sensation in her chest. She slided slowly, her breath coming in shallow, labored gasps, and she felt an intense heaviness in her chest. It wasn't just fatigue or the trauma from earlier—no, this was something else, something strange that she couldn't just name or understand. She crawled slowly to her bedroom, climbing upon the bed with a sigh of discomfort. The mattress was cool against her steamed-up skin, but even that slight relief wasn't enough to calm her distress.
She rolled from side to side, curling into a ball as the sensation intensified. It started as a subtle tingling, like a string was attached to her chest pulling onto her heartstrings. She yanked at her chest, her fingers trembling as she tried to calm herself, but the pain only grew stronger. Inside her, the bead seemed to be stirring, emitting an unexplainable heat which kept her rolling. It felt as though something was trying to burn its way out of her, and she couldn't help but roll back and forth on the bed, searching for a position that might lessen the pain, but it all felt the same. The sensation was similar to the tingling vibration of something struggling to come out of her but nothing did. The bead stayed still in her, rotating at a speed. Its movements were spasmodic, suddenly spinning faster and faster, sending waves of nausea rushing through her and then suddenly stopping. It sent waves to her body, making her body habitable for it. She retched, her body convulsing with the effort, but nothing came up. It felt as though whatever was inside her was stuck, lodged deep in her throat, refusing to release its hold.
"Please, stop," Nichole lamented, her voice trembling in agony. Warm tear drops prickled at the corners of her eyes, cooling at the pillow she laid as the pain intensified. She retched again, harder this time, but the result was the same—nothing. It was as if her body was betraying her, unable to expel whatever it was that had taken hold of her inner body. The more she struggled, the tighter the sensation in her chest became, like a clip clamping down on her chest.
The room seemed to rotate around her as the pressure continued to build. She gasped for breath, clutching the sheets so tightly that the blood in her knuckles faded. The bead was no longer a foreign presence; it was an entity within her, one that tried to be a part of her It pulsed with a rhythm that wasn't hers, a frenetic beat that made her head pound and rotate within her. The heat was becoming unbearable now, her skin sticky with sweat as she fought against the sensation.
"Please," she sobbed, her voice cracking in pain. "Please, just…"
The door to her apartment creaked open, but she was too far gone to notice. Bella stepped inside, her eyes wide with worry and concern as she beheld the sight of her Nichole curled up on the bed, painfully sobbing. She rushed to the bed, her heart pounding at the sight of Nichole in such obvious pain.
"Nicky?" Bella's voice was soft, but filled with worry. She placed a hand on Nichole's head, feeling her temperature, but even that light touch made Nichole flinch. "What's wrong? You look worse than you did at work."
Nichole couldn't answer, her mouth too heavy and weak to speak as pain surged through her. She wished to tell Bella what was going on but they couldn't be explained with words. All she could do was gasp for breath and sob. Bella had never seen her friend like this before—so helpless and vulnerable. This didn't seem like exhaustion or stress; it was something much more serious, and she could tell. Her mind raced as she tried to think of what to do. Should she call an ambulance? Take Nichole to the hospital? She had to do something—anything—to help Nichole
"Nicky, we need to go to the hospital," Bella said stably, trying to sound brave. "This doesn't look good. You're in so much pain…"
"No…no…" Nichole managed to spill out sobs, shaking her head weakly. "It'll… it'll pass…"
But Bella wasn't convinced. The sight of Nichole in such pain made her ache, and she couldn't just watch and do nothing. She knew Nichole was stubborn—had always been—but this wasn't something she could just tough out.
"I don't think this is going to pass, Nicky," Bella insisted, her voice shaking slightly as she tried to sound bold. "We need to get you some help, okay? I'm scared for you…"
Nichole didn't respond, her eyes squeezed shut as she continued to sob. Bella picked up her phone from her pocket and quickly dialled for a cab. As she waited for the call to connect, she kept her other hand on Nichole's head, patting her hair lightly, trying to offer some semblance of comfort.
"you'll be fine, Nicky," Bella whispered, more to herself than to Nichole. "We're going to get you help. Just hang on, okay?"
The cab arrived and with the help of the driver, Bella carried Nichole into the car. The ride to the hospital was quiet, a long ride of discomfort and sadness. She had never seen Nichole this sick and it broke her. Nichole always framed strong even when her face and body said otherwise, but this was different and it made her scared. hHeldNichole closed as she continued to sob, her body wracked with pain. She could feel Nichole trembling against her, and it broke her heart to see her friend in such distress. Every bump in the road seemed to send another wave of pain through Nichole, and by the time they arrived at the hospital, Bella was nearly in tears herself.
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