Loud, strong, compelling and powerful;- an order, a command from a highly displeased giver. It's strong aura compelling all heads to turn in its direction, more so than just the slight irritation of the interruption. Causing the heads to turn. Even in spite of the slight youngness that could be de-tected in it, it didn't change it's power.The source that followed, although young, added to the ear - lier strong force;
Standing at the entry with slightly reddening and fierce eyes that glared at the two nurses firmly holding Stella down as she struggled and objec-ted while the doctor prepared an injection. His glare moved to the doctor who seemed surprised and a bit irritated at the interruption, then settled on Stella whose face was wet with tears and her struggles seeming to go down. She was going weak, even without the sedative.
His gaze softening, he moved towards her quick-ly, ignoring the Doctor and the nurses trying to stop him ;
" Young man....you can't interrupt us with the patient." The Doctor upsettingly said, his eye -brows furrowed.
" Mister, please...."
The nurses objections trailed off his hearing. He completely ignored them and his own earlier decision to wait for a right time to see her.Things turning out this way had forced him to show up. Eventhough he might end up receiving what he had been fearing, he couldn't look on and watch her go through what she didn't want and feared.
He knew the hospital staff were just doing their works and trying to save her life from get- ting worse, he hated the scene he was witness- ing, similar to that of a phychiatric patient being restrained. Stella was sick, yes, but the fear he had seen in her eyes in his car outside with the others in the parking space on the tablet was too much for him. Maybe he was being unreasonable but he just felt the strong pull to help her. He cou- ld feel her agony and as Philip would sometimes put it - it seemed like a calling for a soul to ano - ther ; beyound the Physical.
Chris, Richmond and Raymond had him to calm down and let Stella be Stabilised, but Philip had seemed to understand exactly what he was going through and had told him to go to her.Even- though he would have done what he wanted any-way, that support from Philip had touched in a lot and deeper than he had felt in his entire life.
At that moment, he got a brief insight into his strange personality, thoughts and spiritual world. And currently, he seemed to believe a little more of his mysteries as he neared Stella.
" Let him be."
Philip's calm strong words filled with the room as the rest of the footsteps filled the room be - hind him. He just focused his attention on Stella, seeing her pull back her hands and trying to sit up weakly.
" Little Master Philip....this girl needs to be seda-ted." The Doctor told him after a second of sur- prise.
" Don't worry..... Doctor Morris. Just leave for a while. She's okay." Philip said calmly, standing a little feet away from the door with Chris, Rich - mond and Raymond.
"Are you sure? She's having a fever." Doctor Morris asked doubtfuly.
" It's more emotional than physical. Trust me. I'll take responsibility. " Philip reassured him with a calm seriousness that was hard to take lightly.
"Alright." Doctor Morris said through a sigh. Then he signaled to the nurses and they left together.
" Hey Philip." Raymond called in a low voice, look-ing at the spot William, Arnold Barrett and the lit-til girls were not long ago. " The men and the kids are gone. Should we go get them? They look very suspicious."
" They might be at the Corridor." Richmond ans-wered, glancing at the now empty spot.
" I just checked, they're not there." Chris said with a worried look on his face. " They very likely left."
" Let them go. They're Stella's friends. " Philip told them, turning to look at the spot, then out the door.
" They seem very suspicious. They're hiding." Ray-mond said observantly.
" They won't harm Stella. They're like her family. And.... " Saying this, Philip looked back at them with a knowing look and a little smile. " Trust me, you touch them now, you'll really regret it later."
" You know something you're not saying... Phil." Chris stated, his curiosity picking up. A bright smile fighting up his handsome and and almost feminine face. " Come on....spill the beans.... "
" It's for more useful purposes after cooking." Phi-lip replied without looking back at him and mo-ved forward towards Michael who was helping Stella sit up. A few snickers sounded behind him.
" What's cooking? What's he talking about? " Chris asked in confusion, turning to his two friends behind him.
" Ask yourself, you curious cat." Richmond repli-ed teasingly and moved forward too. Leaving a still confused and an amused Raymond behind.
" Hey Ray... " Chris asked with a sudden warm smile whilst walking closer to Raymond and lo-cked his right hand around his neck." What was he talking about being cooked?"
Chuckling, Raymond Slowly removed Chris' hands from around his neck and subtly moved half a step away before replying ;
" The beans you were telling him to spill."
The very next second, he was fleeing towards the bed, feeling Chris' glare directed at him-pierc-ing his back. Not really focusing on his surroun-dings, he almost fell on Philip, who seemed very gentle - sitting behind Michael who was sitting back from helping Stella sit up and arranging her messy hair. Causing Philip to lean onto Michael, who in turn surged forward but he quickly pres-sed his hands firmly on both sides Stella and he- ld himself off her.
" Raymond!!" Philip and Richmond snapped, glaring at him.
" Have you lost your damn mind?" Michael gritted out in a barely controlled low voice,glaring at Ray-mond from over his shoulder. Looking like he wanted to give him a strong kick.
" Sorry....." Raymond whispered guitily, looking at Stella who seemed shaken out of her deep unple-sant thoughts.
" Get out!" Michael ordered through his teeth, his eyes scarily fierce and deep.
" I'm really sorry....guys...." Raymond apologised, a little scared and rushed to his brother who pushed him aside with a glare.
" Mi... Michael?" A slow, weak and unsure voice broke through the tensed atmosphere.
Everyone turned stiff for a long moment, not knowing how to react. Then slowly turned to look at the girl on the bed, now holding her head with her eyes clo-sed and a pained expression on her face.
" Speak to her. Don't hide. It's not healthy for her to force herself to remember." Philip whispered to Michael, gently giving him a little push on his ba- ck. The rest remained silent, not wanting to dis-turb. Taking a deep breath, Michael whispered;
" Stella. "
" Michael? Is it really you? "Stella asked again, opening her slightly reddish and teary eyes to look at him in doubt.
"It's me Stella, sorry for being late." Michael whis-pered gently, his gaze and tone soft as he looked at her. His eyes holding a little fear. Fear of rejec-tion. " I'm so....sorry."
" Michael.....it's really you." Stella stated tearfully, reaching out a hand to his face and touching bri-efly before quickly withdrawing her hand to join the other in her lap. " You didn't come back." She said sadly, her eyes revealing deep hurt and dis-appointment with fresh new tears rushing thru-gh the old tear-ways on her face.
" I'm so....sorry Stella. I just found out where you were very recently. I would have come sooner if I knew where to find you. You and your family mo-ved from the mountains and there was no way to find you. " Michael explained gently. But seeing the doubt in her teary eyes, he began to panic, feeling his fears coming true. His explanation tur- ned urgent. Reaching for her hands, he held them gently but firmly in his. " I've been looking for you all these past years. Please believe me"
" C-c-can you please stop saying that Michael?" You refused to talk to me after you left. You never answered my calls too. I haven't completely lost my memories..... Michael. " Stella's eyes closed tightly as she spoke, pulling at her hands in his.
" What?! When?!" Michael asked in disbelief. " I never received your calls and no one told me you called. Maybe you dialed the wrong number or you don't really... " A loud throat clearing from Philip cut him off. Then a firm and almost painful grub on shoulder further silenced him - it was a signal.
" Hi Stella! " Philip said with a warm and friendly smile, squatting on his toes toes beside Michael and extending his right hand in greeting. " I'm Phi-lip, one of Michael's best friends. It's so great to finally meet you."
Wide-eyed, Stella stared at the friendly older boy beside her, having a vague sense of familia-rity with him. It felt like she's seen him a couple of times but couldn't remember where. What was even so unsettling was the feeling that he looked more familiar when he smiled. It strongly felt like she had met him only a couple of hour ago.
Confused, she turned to look at Michael who was looking between her and him helplessly and with a slightly guarded expression.
" Please?" Philip asked with a slightly pained and pleading tone. It was then that Stella realised his hand was still extended in greeting.
" Oh...s - sorry." She quickly pulled her right hand from Michael's grin and held his. Her wide - beau- tiful -now-misty bright brown eyes looking at him curiously.
Chuckling lightheartedly as he gently shook her hand, Philip asked; " I look familiar, don't I? "
" Have we met before?" Stella asked when he let go of her hand.
"Freaky mother-resembling demon...."Chris mut- tered and Richmond and Raymond chuckled sile-ntly.
" Not really. But you you did meet my mother yes-ternight, I think. " Philip clarified with an amused and knowing look.
" Doctor Millicent? " She asked in recognition.
" Yes, the one and only....baby girl." The just spo-ken of woman's voice sounded at the door.Warm, carefree and comfortable.
" Mom? " Philip asked, a little surprised.
" Aunt?" Michael, Chris, Richmond and Raymond asked in just as much surprise as Philip-looking at the lovely fourth - eight years woman profes-sionally dressed with her hands tucked into the pockets of her light green green coat. Her thick-shinny - curly black long hair held in a high pony-tail. Her low comfortable designer heels adding up to her great looks.
" What? Don't want me here? Then you'll have to get your body out of my hospital." The woman asked with a fake disdainful look at the boys loo-king at her in a little surprise - quiet straightfor - wardly. Then focused her attention on Stella. Her face returning to its warm and lively one as she walked closer, flicking Michael and Philip's ears as she stopped.
" Mom!"
" Aunt!"
They both whined, rubbing their now hurting earlobes.
" Keep quiet." The woman scolded, glaring at them and the rest. " You boys deserve it."
" What did we do?" Michael asked, a little confu-sed.
" For making my Stella Cry." They woman replied then gently kicked Philip on the shin and pushed his shoulder." Now move! "
" Mom!" Philip complained, feeling a bit wronged, his brows furrowing but he shifted to the side nonetheless. Four chuckles filled the room ; Rich-mond, Raymond, Chris and Stella's.
Hearing the unexpected laughter, Michael and Philip immediately turned to look at her and couldn't help but smile at her slightly happy ex-pression.Thinking it was worth it to get ear-flicked and shin-kicked if it would make her a little happy.
" Young man... Move." Millicent told Michael in mock rudeness. Her personality perfectly mat - ched her full name - Millicent Farrel Baron, lovely, lively and courageous, if not brave.
Shaking his head lightly with a little fond smile, Michael got up from his position, allowing Millicent Baron to get seated beside Stella. Stay-ing back, he watched as the two on the bed cha-tted like old friends. Though Stella seemed a bit held back and cautious. Whether it came natura-lly and automatically, a response to all she's been through - her unconscious defence mechanism. Or she just being cautious and drawn back when- ever she remembers to, it was just there.
A firm hand held his and pulled him away from the two females. He just allowed it, know-ing it was Philip and was important. They both stopped by the others and Philip gave him a look;
" You almost messed up there Mike."