I had no idea how long I was unconscious for. It felt like a century had passed, but at the same time, I felt as if I was still in touch with the ticking time. I had not exactly passed out, but rather, I was unable to open my eyes or give any response despite being aware of what was happening around me. It felt as if my soul was trapped in an immobile shell.
I could feel someone breathing and sobbing beside me, and I wondered if they were sad.
Although I regained consciousness after some time, I continued keeping my eyes shut since I was unable to see anything anyway. I could hear Julia and Gordon talking.
“The doctor did a medical checkup. It’s really brain cancer. She will feel dizzy on the onset of the disease, but she will eventually fall unconscious for days. She won’t be able to eat as well because she will throw up if she does,” Julia said.
“But everything was fine with her when I came yesterday. She even called me Dad when I talked to her. How is this even possible?” Nathan questioned.
“She’s lost too much blood, and she’s contracted the disease. Some viruses are highly potent — they show symptoms very quickly. The doctor said this is a rare disease. There’s no cure so far.”
Julia’s voice started breaking as she talked to Gordon. “What am I supposed to tell Chris? You know how much he loves her. He won’t be able to accept this.”
“Should we let her know? She saved Chris, after all.”
“I don’t know… I might not agree with their relationship, but I can tell she’s kind and loyal. What should I do…”
“Don’t cry. Everything will be okay. I’ll go talk to the doctor now. Ask Darius to get the best doctor when he comes over. I want all the experts to look into this matter.” Gordon coaxed his wife as if she was a child, trying to calm her down. “Don’t worry. I’ll tell her about it when she wakes up.”
I finally understood what was happening. This explained why I had been feeling dizzy the past two days.
It turned out what I heard earlier on was right.
I was really going to die because of cancer.
I could feel my body quivering underneath the blanket. I had no idea how things ended up resulting in this. Just when I was thinking about how I should continue life with Christopher, life dealt me a fatal blow.
The event that happened on the cruise had taught me that life was fragile. I was grateful to get a second chance at life after I was saved. Although I had many questions about why all this happened to us, and even when I was facing tremendous pressure from Christopher’s family, I felt genuinely happy that Christopher and I were still alive. However, my joy was fleeting.
Overwhelming grief suffocated me. I felt like running to the window for some fresh air. I also felt like running into Christopher’s arms to cry my heart out, but I did not. I lay without moving an inch on the bed. It was not until Julia and Gordon left that I gave in to tears.
No one could be calm and accepting in the face of death—neither could I. I was human like everyone else. I had my fears.
Sabrina said I was a courageous person because I would risk my life to save Christopher. That was true, but I could not accept the fact that death had pursued me relentlessly and cornered me once again. This time, I was ensnared by death without being able to do anything. I knew I would have no choice but to leave Christopher soon enough.
People always said there would be rainbows after a storm, but clearly, my rainbow never came. God was so unfair. He usually closed all the doors and left one window open, but he did not this time.
I cried myself into another slumber. I had no command over my body as I slipped into unconsciousness. When I woke up again, it was already time for me to take my evening medication. The nurse passed me some tablets and a glass of water.
No one came to tell me about my sickness, which made me wonder if I had been dreaming just now.
With this futile hope, I looked at the nurse and asked timidly, “Did anyone alter my medical record?”
