“So
her name is Reina?”
“No, Ma. Reeya, not Reina.”
Oh, her name is very pretty. I wonder
how she came by to the place. She’s so young, didn’t you say? That’s such a
waste…”
As Tristan’s mother launched on her
daily monologue, he pursed his lips at the scatted papers on his desk. He
wasn’t exactly the spitting image of a neat person, but he didn’t like mess,
either.
“I mean, a girl like her shouldn’t be
in a place like that. Dear Lord…”
He couldn’t agree more. That’s why
he’s entirely bent on helping her – albeit the first encounter. But he couldn’t
exactly focus his mindset on his new assignment when his mother’s badgering him
to spend the –
“Don’t you just love to spend the weekend on our beach house? You haven’t had much time
since you started your training, Tristan dear.”
“Mom, you know how I am with work.”
The gist of the matter was that Tristan really wanted to get his license
already. Having training was necessary if wanted that to happen, but it’s
obvious that it’s wearing his parents out. Especially his mother. The people
back at the hospital only call him the “doctor” because they know about his
wanting of a license, and probably though it would make him feel better to have
the title already. This made Tristan smile.
“Yes, we know. We’ll just call you
some other time, then.”
“Thank you, Ma.”
“Bye, love you!”
“Love you, too.”
As the brief conversation on the phone
ended, he took in the sight of his pitiful desk.
He couldn’t even see the wood.
Of course he’ll fix it later. He took
note of that as he stood up and stretched his aching limbs.
He rarely had any company in his
Victorian-style home, but he preferred it that way. The silence and peace of
the empty house provides him a comfort that vanishes the thin air when he’s off
to work. To the screams and nonsensical murmurs. Also, everyone needs some
alone time, it’s just that he needs it more than others on occasion.
His conversation just seconds ago got
him thinking of things he’d rather not dwell on at the moment. Like Reeya.
What
horrors could turn a girl into someone so unrecognizable?
He managed to black out the incessant
thoughts earlier in the day, when he’d been attending to his duties, but they
came rushing to him now, as if angry on being sidelined. All the files he’d
scavenged earlier regarding his new friend loomed on every corner of his mind
and claimed his whole attention.
There were lots of instances wherein
he read unbearable things; things done to her in the past, which made Tristan
rip some papers to pieces. He didn’t even regret doing that and searched for
more information in the archives, which painted a not-so-bright picture.
Tristan swore under his breath after
the seventh file. No wonder she tried to choke him. She probably thinks that
any man who approaches her would only have one thing in his mind.
You’re
going to change that, he reminded himself for the hundredth time.
He’d also tried to find out some of
her normal interests before she was taken captive, but he didn’t find a single
one. Not one. How was he supposed to know what she loved to do? Does she like
to draw? Paint?
But before he healed her shattered
mind, he should first fix her, physically. A clear image of her gaunt face was
vivid in his mind’s eye and there was no doubt of her poor intake of food. He
wouldn’t be surprised if she only ate once a day, maybe not at all.
He tore off a piece of stationary from
his table and started laying out his schedule for tomorrow in illegible
handwriting. Only he can understand what’s written on it – cancelled
appointments, cancelled attendance to some dinners. He would spend most of his
time tomorrow in room 572, and he’ll try to gain more of Reeya’s trust.
Macquarie
Hospital, secure ward, same time.
Violent, never ceasing screams echoed
all throughout the hallway, drowning out the other noises. It came from only
one room, where small, but strong fists were pounding on the door.
“Let
me out!” The pounding became more and more frantic by the passing second. “Out! Let me out!”
“We’ll have to use the tranq.” said Doctor Gabriel
to his small group of nurses, “Hold her very still. You all know her strength.”
They nodded and on cue, the doctor opened the door and out came patient 572,
looking nothing more than a savage animal trying to get free of a cage.
Immediately, trained hands resisted
her further steps out of from the room and forced her back, ignoring pains of
kicks, scratches and shoves from Reeya Hamilton.
“No – no! He’s going to kill me! I don’t – no, no! Get him away from me! Stop choking me! Don’t – ”
But there was no one choking her. The
nurses only did their best not to be injured, as the poor girl was a danger to
others, as well as to herself. They restrained her hands as Gabriel stepped
forward and used the syringe on her middle.
Five seconds passed wherein where
struggles became more futile with every passing moment before she finally
collapsed. A pair of nurses heaved her limp body to the bed, drawing the covers
higher up to her chin. They slowly drifted away after giving the patient a
sympathetic glance and the doctor said, “Kate, can you fix the mess before you
leave?” Fatigue was written all over his face and the nurse nodded, giving him
a gentle pat on the shoulder before she was left alone.
Kate had been doing this job for ten
years now, but she never thought of quitting for one moment. She purposefully walked
about the room, picking up useless trashes and trying to tidy the room up as best
as she can. As she was carefully picking the remains of a tray, she happened to
glance at the occupant of the room, sleeping heavily.
She wished her friend Tristan more
luck than possible.
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