That day came, faster than I could have imagined. The sky was filled with stormy winds and deafening thunder, roaring across the heavens. I still don't clearly remember why such a sudden storm appeared. My mother, as always, was the diligent homemaker, busy with household chores. I was helping her clean up when I suddenly noticed her gradually becoming uneasy.
She stood there, gripping the edge of the table, her face pale. Alarmed, I rushed to her side and asked worriedly:
"Mom, what's wrong?"
My mother let out a faint sigh, her voice weak and broken:
"I think... I'm just too tired... I need to lie down for a bit..."
I noticed her complexion growing paler, her breathing irregular. Fear welled up inside me, but I tried not to show it. Quickly, I supported her, helping her to the bed. But before we could take a few more steps, she suddenly collapsed, fainting right where she stood.
In that moment, I felt as if my heart had stopped. Tears threatened to spill, but I held them back, knowing I had to stay calm.
Outside, the rain poured harder. The wind howled through the cracks of our small house, shaking it violently. Helplessness and weakness consumed me as I struggled to lay her on the bed, my hands trembling, unsure of what to do next. My heart pounded in sync with the relentless rainstorm outside.
Once she was on the bed, I knew I couldn't handle this alone. Without hesitation, I dashed out of the house, running through the blinding rain, each drop stinging my face like icy blades. Completely soaked, I ran as fast as I could, desperate to find help.
I arrived at Aunt Nhi's house, our closest neighbor. I was so panicked I could barely speak, my whole body trembling—not from the cold, but from fear. Gasping for air, I banged on her door repeatedly, shouting over the storm:
"Auntie... Auntie! My mom... my mom has fainted!"
Hearing my cries, Aunt Nhi quickly opened the door. Seeing me drenched and frantic, she asked urgently:
"What happened, Giang? What's wrong with your mother?"
I broke into sobs, tears mingling with the rain, and choked out:
"My mom... she fainted, Auntie! Please help us!"
Without a moment's hesitation, Aunt Nhi grabbed a raincoat and rushed out with me into the storm. As we ran, she shouted for help from neighbors, knocking on doors, but she didn't linger long at any house. Within minutes, she arrived at ours.
She swiftly helped carry my mom onto her motorbike. I quickly climbed onto another bike to accompany them.
The road that day felt unbearably long. The narrow paths were slippery from the rain, but the moon, as if watching over us, silently illuminated the way ahead. The bike sped past rows of green trees, hills, and slopes, up and down. I couldn't even feel the jolts from potholes or rough patches. Everything around me seemed swallowed by the pitch-black night, visible only through faint beams of light. I kept scanning the surroundings, wishing for the journey to end soon.
We drove on and on until we finally reached the main road. But the hospital was still far away, about 200 houses away. Each passing minute only deepened my anxiety. Sitting at the back, my heart was filled with unease as I silently prayed for my mother's safety. The thunderous storm outside matched the rapid, heavy beats of my heart.
At last, we reached the hospital. As soon as the bike stopped, two or three men in white uniforms rushed out, shouting:
"Clear the way! Clear the way!"
My mother was immediately placed on a gurney with wheels. Aunt Nhi, visibly distressed, ran alongside, helping push my mom into the emergency room. Watching my mom being rushed away, my heart felt like it was being torn apart. I could only stand there, watching her figure fade into the white hallway until the hospital doors closed, leaving an eerie silence.
I staggered to the waiting area, my mind spinning with worry and exhaustion. My eyes fixated on the emergency room doors, waiting for news, but time seemed to crawl unbearably slowly. Weariness began to take over my body; my eyelids grew heavy, and eventually, I fell asleep on the cold hospital bench.
The next morning, the cheerful chirping of birds outside the window woke me up. I rubbed my eyes, looking around, feeling a wave of unfamiliarity. It took two or three minutes before I realized I was at the hospital. I must have fallen asleep last night without even noticing, and everything felt blurry in my mind. Panicked, I immediately got up and started searching for my mother.
I opened every door I came across, peeking into each room but couldn't find her anywhere. The hospital was vast, and people bustled everywhere. I could only run back and forth, anxiously looking around, hoping to find her.
While I was wandering, a nurse noticed me, suddenly recalling something, and hurried over:
"Are you the son of the woman who was admitted last night?"
Hearing her question, I nodded quickly, relieved. She continued:
"Your mother is in room 479, on the fourth floor."
I thanked her and dashed towards the stairs. But to my dismay, the stairs were being cleaned by janitors, with a "No Entry" sign blocking the way. I tried stepping on a few steps, but a loud voice shouted at me:
"Hey, kid! Can't you see it's being cleaned? Whose child is so rude?"
Startled, I hurried to a nearby automatic metal door, curiously glancing around. Numbers lit up on the door, and I slapped my forehead as I realized it was an elevator. Wow, I had never seen an elevator in real life before.
Just then, the elevator doors opened automatically, and I was amazed to see several people stepping out. I eagerly stepped inside, alone, and looked around, unsure of which button to press. Gathering all my courage, I pressed the most distinct button. As the doors closed in front of me, I felt a surge of excitement.
I tried pressing the button for the second floor, and the elevator began to move.
Shortly after, the doors opened on the second floor, and a stylish young man entered, engrossed in a mobile game. The sound effects of the game were unfamiliar and captivating, and I couldn't take my eyes off his screen.
Noticing me staring, he smiled and said:
"Hey, kid, press the button for the third floor for me!"
Startled, I fumbled to press the button for the third floor as he asked, but just then, I sneezed unexpectedly! My hand accidentally hit the button for the eighth floor. The elevator began to move again, taking us both to the eighth floor.
The young man didn't seem to notice, too absorbed in his game, his headphones now on, completely oblivious to everything around him.
When the elevator doors opened on the 8th floor, he walked out without hesitation, his eyes still glued to the screen. Panicked, I called after him:
"Hey! Hey, you're on the wrong floor!"
He was so focused that he didn't even look where he was going. Feeling helpless, I gave up and let it be, closing the door and pressing the button for the 4th floor to meet my mom. Finally, the elevator brought me to my destination.
4o