CHAPTER 83
LILY’S POV
I woke up feeling all groggy like I was hit by a high-speed train. Every part of my body ached and cramped, and my head hurt really bad as I cradled it, a breathy wince escaping my lips.
The flimsy hospital gown I was putting on, the steady beeping of the heart monitor and various medical monitors that displayed vital signs nearby and the sterile smell of antiseptic and drugs made it known to me I was in a hospital. But I couldn’t remember how I got here or why my head was hurting so badly. Every memory I had of yesterday was vague. Was I involved in some kind of accident? But I couldn’t see any injuries on my body or feel any broken bones.
I managed to push through the pain and propped myself up from the bed, carefully removing the wires attached to my body. I got out of the bed. My steps were unsteady but I was determined as I walked toward the door, glancing around the room with hopes of seeing Noah. But he was nowhere in sight. I could’ve sworn we were together throughout yesterday or was my mind playing tricks on me?
I couldn’t find any doctor or nurse either. Looking out the hallway through the door, I could see it was deserted and the length on both sides seemed endless like something straight out of a horror movie. My brows knitted together as I wondered what was happening. Was this a dream or what because it seemed like I was in another dimension altogether?
I drew out a deep breath to get a grip and keep myself from panicking as I cautiously walked down the hallway towards the right.
“Noah…!” I shouted as I made my way down, glancing around and taking in every bit of my surroundings. “Where are you? Are you here? If you can hear me, please come out let’s start going. I’m having a really bad feeling about this place.”
But there was no answer. The whole place was so quiet it could be likened to a graveyard. Having walked down a considerable distance from the room I came out from, I expected to at least find a patient or nurse passing by so I could ask a few questions, but there was no one.
What struck me even more was the numbering above the room doors. They started counting from 100, 000 which was weird because hospitals and even hotels aren’t supposed to have room numbers that high. This was enough reason for me to believe something was definitely wrong.
“This isn’t real,” I said to myself. “It’s probably a dream, a figment of my imagination due to stress. I just need to wake up. Everything will get back to normal once I wake up.”
I started pinching myself. Though it seemed silly, I have seen people in deep slumber wake up after doing it in movies. And it wasn’t like I had any other options or knew another way to force myself awake. But as I pinched my arms, I realized nothing was happening. Everything still seemed the same, as real as reality could be.
I tried opening one of the room doors. Though it didn’t appear to be locked it won’t even budge at the slightest push. I thought of slamming my weight against it but erased the idea of realizing it was useless. I’ll only end up hurting myself. That was when I heard my kids’ voices, crying and calling out to me for help.
My eyes widened on hearing them, and like a vision, it dawned on me that I was looking for them before I found myself in this hospital. If they were calling out to me, that meant they were here and must have seen me walk by. I have to find them. When I do, I’m not going to let them out of sight again. And as for the one who dared take them from me, I’ll make sure they regret the very moment they took their first breath.
“My babies! I’m coming!!” I screamed at the top of my voice, hoping they could hear them.
Like one who had lost her sanity, I started racing along the endless hallway, trying to make out where their voices were coming but it seemed impossible.
“Liam! Lila!! Where are you?” I shouted while panting in between. My body was weak and barely holding up. It was a miracle I got up from bed and made it this far. But I still couldn’t remember what led me to be in this hospital and why I was feeling so tired after that little run. But one thing was for sure. I wouldn’t give up on my children. I had come this far, endured too much. No matter the cost, I would find them-even if it took my last breath.
“Mummy, where are you? Please come get us. I’m scared. I don’t like it here,” Lila sobbed bitterly.
“Mummy, please hurry. He’ll take us away and he’ll hurt us,” came Liam’s voice as he whimpered in terror.
Tears streamed down my cheeks as I continued running, trying to make out where their voice was coming from. But it was difficult because it kept bouncing across every corner of the hallway as if coming from every room at the same time.
I threw the weight of my right shoulder against a particular door. I knew it was futile but I couldn’t just stay back and do nothing while my kids were crying and in pain. However, I stopped and crumpled to the floor when I heard the bones of my upper arm and shoulder snap from being dislocated due to all the slamming.
A sea of tears came flooding down my eyes as I floundered in a storm of anguish. I felt so helpless and at the same time angry that my kids were in the same place as me, calling out to me for help yet I couldn’t even find them. I felt so embarrassed of myself. It was the worst feeling of all to know that I couldn’t offer them the safety and protection I promised. I’m a failed mother. I don’t deserve to be called a mother at all.
I didn’t know for how long I stayed crumpled on the floor like a lifeless doll, sobbing and drowning in despair when suddenly the door directly facing me opened as though someone opened it from inside. Looking inside, I could see it was dark and empty. But on hearing Lila’s voice echo from within it, I quickly gathered myself up, salvaged what was remaining on my broken arm and shoulder and entered.
Upon entering, the lights automatically switched on. Though dim, it was enough for me to see whatever was inside the room.
“Liam…Lila?… Are you guys here?” I looked around the room which was unusually large to be called a room and empty like a dessert with no furniture or hospital equipment.
The light flickered as I took another step forward. My heart nearly flew out of my chest on seeing Liam and Lila. They had this terrified look on their faces and judging from their red swollen eyes, I could tell they had been crying for long. They still had on the same clothes I picked out for them yesterday before going to the park.
But they weren’t alone. Behind them, holding them very closely to himself was none other than Robert. He was dressed in his CEO attire as if going to the office and had this dangerous scowl on his face like one possessed.
I couldn’t believe he had kidnapped them from the park and kept them from me all this time. Their father, of all people. He should be ashamed of himself. They were terrified of him. This was their first time meeting him, and he’d already made them afraid. What kind of father makes his children terrified of him the very first time they meet?
Anger boiled like lava inside me. I wasn’t the same Lily he knew nine years back who he controlled and walked over on. I’ll gladly kill him without a second thought to take back my kids.
“What are you doing with my kids?” I glared at him with murderous intent. “Give them back to me right this instant.”
He smirked devilishly, looking at me with a coldly condescending sneer. “You lost the right to call them your kids the moment you lost them at the park. I found them so they’re mine now!”
“You bastard!…” I bared my teeth at him but his expression remained the same.
“Mummy…what’s happening?” Lila cried. “Who is this man and why is he keeping us here, away from you? I’m hungry and I want to go home.”
“We will go home together and I’ll make your favourite homemade pizza. I promise,” I reassured them with everything in me and they nodded.
“Give them back to me Robert,” I turned my attention back to him.
“No way,” he shook his head. “For a solid nine years, you’ve kept them away from me. Now, it’s my turn to return the favour. I’ll make sure you never see them again, not until you grow old and die miserable, alone, and forgotten-with no one by your side to care for you.”
“No…” I voiced, shaking my head to stop his words from affecting me. Whether or not he likes it, I’m living with them. Neither he nor anyone will keep me away from them. They’ll forever be my babies. They’ll forever be an inseparable part of my life because I can’t imagine my world without them.
In the heat of the moment, Liam tried to break free from Robert’s grasp and run to me. But a thick, tightly knotted rope binding him and Lila to Robert which I hadn’t noticed until now stopped him in his tracks.
A type of rage I had never felt before consumed me as I clenched my fist. I wanted to dart forward to them but a line of fire from nowhere ignited in front of me, stopping me and demarcating us. It nearly got me.
I stared in shock, wondering how in the world something like that could have happened. I checked to see if there was any other way I could get across to them but there wasn’t. The fire started from one end of the room to the other end, forming a barricade and dividing the room into halves.
I heard Robert’s mocking laughter echoing in the room. Looking through the fire, I could see he was taking them away, their image fading into the shadows.
I ran my fingers through my hair. I couldn’t just stay and let that happen. I can’t be separated away from them again. I prepared myself for the worst. I wanted to jump over. If I cross quickly, I can get over and the burns I’ll sustain won’t be too severe.
Taking many steps back, I tried to gather momentum. Just as I made it halfway, the fire roared with renewed intensity, like a raging furnace. A torrent of broken ceiling debris came crashing down, piling up endlessly and forming an impenetrable wall that completely blocked my view.
“Mummy, please help us! Don’t let him take us away!” Liam’s voice pierced through the chaos, trembling with fear and desperation which made my mind race and my heart break in my chest.
I clawed at my face, gasping for air that was fast eluding my system as my heart and lungs burned from being unable to keep up with the pressure.
“No…no…no!!!!…” I screamed, falling to my knees.