Prologue
'You can't keep me caged, Romero. I am free.'
The words rang in my ears again through murk followed by a masculine scream. The scream made my otherwise stiff body jerk. The outcry wasn't ear piercing or traumatizing but laced with despair and longing. A scream enveloped in covers of obscurity echoes from afar. A scream, begging for one last chance.
A lover beckoning his love to come back.
Suddenly, an intense pain exploded in my skull when I tried to focus on those last words, tried to hold them in order to jump out of this shadowy abyss.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
What is that?
A shaky breath escaped my mouth while I tried to move. But as if a mountain was resting over my body, I failed to even shiver. The limbs felt jammed and stiff. Another wave of pain shot right above my eyebrows, making me wince. I tried to open my eyes earning failure. They were glued to budge.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
The same annoying sound reached my ears once again and this time, I was able to tilt my head a little. I can hear my heart beats clearly now as well as every ragged breath leaving my lungs. A bitter taste touches my dry tongue. My parched throat constricted under the feeling of piercing needles.
Water.
I need water.
Mustering whatever power the numb body had, I opened my eyes only to be blinded by magnificent white lights. The beams of Thor attacked my sclera in tons. Immediately, the eyes fluttered closed and the throbbing pain increased.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
Both the sound and pace of that vexatious sound increased making me jolt up from the bed breathing hard with eyes opened wide. Bile mounted my chest and I looked around in bewilderment. My shaky hand reached for the oxygen mask which was cupping my acidic mouth. Removing it, I took a large drag of air. The stiff body heaved with deep breaths and lost eyes wandered in the area.
I was in a room, it was unfamiliar.
This room was considerably big with grey walls and white ceiling. A medium sized chandelier was lightened at the middle. A giant dressing table was resting at the far corner and a mega-sized LCD covered the wall, in front of the bed. I was lying on a king-sized bed with various machines and medical equipment surrounding me. Needles were piercing my pale and bony arms. Slowly, I removed them one by one and tried to scurry away from the bed feeling sick and weak. My hands clutch the white cotton gown covering my body as I kept my feet on the soft carpet. Rubbing the eyes slowly to get rid of blurry vision, I tried to stand by transmitting the pressure on wobbly legs. They shook hard under the weight of a thin body, refusing to support my frame making me collapse in the next second. Thanks to the thick carpet, my body didn't gain any serious injury.
Crawling slowly, I held the bed and tried to stand again earning success this time. My body was still weak and shaking badly. It took all the power to step firmly on the cold floor without losing balance. Dark dots started to appear in my vision and I blinked the eyes several times. Slowly, dragging my sleepy body to the large doors, I clutch the metallic golden knob and turn it. With a click, the doors opened escorting me out. Crimson jute carpet clashed with my pale feet as I stumble forward and looked around in confusion. My breath hitched and eyes gawked at surroundings that rivaled some castle. Every corner was glowing.
Suddenly, a loud clatter reverberated in the silent hallways making me jump in shock. My head whipped in the direction of the noise and in the swift process, I lost my balance and fell on my rump. A short woman, who was wearing black frock under a white apron, stared at me wide-eyed. Her mouth was open ajar and expression mirrored that of hysteria. The contents of the tray, she must be holding a few moments ago were splattered all around the carpet, despoiling it. I gulped in anxiety, feeling lightheaded. Then she screamed bloody murder while backing away in a pillar. I flinched at her shrill voice. It struck hard on my numb ears.
The doors beside the room from where I escaped earlier, opens with a loud thud.
Three alarmed men wearing elegant suites and powerful aura step out to access the situation of the shaking woman, but they all froze the moment their eyes landed on me. The sharp intake of breaths was heard before a navy-blue clothed man, standing in the middle of two, saunters forward, seeming shocked. I stared at his angelic features in turmoil as his dark eyes scan my appearance. He kneels in front of me and cups my face in his warm palms, looking worried. Something dark flashes his features before he glared at the other man and yells.
"Call the doctor, now."
I frowned hearing his voice and compared it with the haunting scream from my dream. They were similar. Within no time, he scooped me up in his arms bridal style like I weigh nothing and marched towards the same room from where I departed.
"Crystal, baby. Are you okay? Talk to me." He mumbles while laying me on the bed gently and darkness starts to consume my mind once again. His words faded with surroundings and I closed my eyes thinking,
'Who is Crystal?'