THE PAIN

"Ellie! Maybe you want to at least get some fresh air outside, even for a minute." Rose says as they stand across me on the other side of Damian's bed.


Breathe some fresh air? What good will that do to my despondent soul? It's been more than twelve hours since we came to this hospital, and Damian hasn't woken up yet. If I am still able to breathe, it's because I am doing it for both of us. The bullet in his belly hit him really badly. Fortunately, no vital organs were damaged. But he lost lots of blood; that's why he is undergoing a transfusion right now. How can I crave a fresh breath of air when he is like this?

"I am okay, Rose. I don't have the energy to leave his side until he wakes up." I say, nuzzling his hand.

"But, Bestie, can we at least get you something? You need to at least eat something, please." Sherry pleads.


"Until he is up and able to eat, I am full." I respond.

"Come on, Ellie! You know Damian wouldn't want that." Rose says.


"I want him to tell me that himself. I want him to wake up and talk to me." I say this with tears in my eyes.

"And he will. He will wake up, Ellie! But you need to be strong for when he wakes up. You don't want him to see you like this when he wakes up."

I was about to respond, but then Mrs. Riccaforte's voice stopped me.

"Your friends are right, my dear. I am sure my son wouldn't want to see his beautiful wife this weak and drained when he opens his eyes. Please go eat something, for my son's sake. I promise, if he wakes up before you come back, I won't even talk to him before calling you. But do this for him, dear, please." Damian's mother pleads.

She is the only person I don't argue with and the only one I can't say no to. I respect her that much.

"Alright, mom. Call me asap in case of anything." I say.

"I will, my dear." She smiles at me, and unfortunately, I have none to give back.

My friends and I head out, but before we can turn in the direction of the cafeteria, I spot Nelly lost in thoughts on a bench alone. Her mind seems to be far away from this world, perhaps wandering around for answers as to why she had to be so unfortunate or how her life will be from now on.

I understand her predicament and worries. Her life was nothing but artifice. The person she thought was her mother all along turned out to be a hoax. Her life came crumbling down yesterday after learning the truth, and now she has no one else left in her life. To think that I once thought myself unfortunate! She is the worst.

"She hasn't talked to anyone ever since we left that house." Rose says this after noticing my gaze on Nelly. "By the way, I know this is too much, but have you decided what will become of that scary house?" She adds.

"It should be burnt into ashes by now, together with its memories." I respond.

"I think you made the right decision. It was hell there, I tell you. Those few days we were locked up, there are memories I would love to obliterate from my memory if given a chance." Sherry says.

"I am so sorry, guys, for what you went through. I am sorry that instead of protecting you, I pushed you into danger. I am sorry." I say.

"Come on now, bestie! No one wanted this. That psycho would have done this anyway. We are actually grateful that you risked your life to save us. Thank you, bestie." Rose says.

"Yes, Ellie. Please don't feel bad about what happened. Besides, the bad days are over now. We closed that chapter yesterday. All that is left now is for your husband to get well, and we can call it the horrible nightmare that it was and move on with our happy lives." Sherry adds.

Ooh! What sweet friends I have! I hugged them both tightly for a while.

"I love you guys so much." I mumble.

"And we love you more. Forever!" They chorus together as we pull away.

"And she? What becomes of her now? I kind of feel sorry for her." Rose says, and we all snap at Nelly, still lost in her world.

"I'll go talk to her." I say.

"Are you sure?" Sherry asks.

"Yes. You guys, go ahead. Bring us some snacks and drinks if you can." I say, and they nod their heads. They walk to the cafeteria, while I stroll to Nelly.

I perch beside her. She doesn't move, just staring at the bruises on her wrists, which they got from being tired up. Her face is still sore, just like Rose's and Sherry's.

"I know this sounds ridiculously rhetorical, but are you okay?" I ask, and she drags her eyes on me.

Her eyes are sore too, and the eye bags are so huge. She has been sobbing. Who wouldn't? Her life took a turn in a flicker. Nothing was ever real in her life, and now even the fake is gone. She has nothing to hold on to, nothing to keep her going.

"I am on the verge of exploding with anger and uncertainty. None of the millions of questions I have asked myself have I found answers to. Everything is just dark and blank." She states, drying away tears from her eyes before speaking again. "I wish I could turn back time and do things right. That way, at least the guilt of all my wrongs won't be an additional torture to my tormenting situation right now."

"You know, Nelly, we all do make mistakes. Some of us make them deliberately, and others unknowingly. You didn't know that you were just being manipulated, but the good thing is that you rewrote all your wrongs when you chose to do the right thing. You helped us greatly, and justice prevailed because of you." I say.

"I am glad; trust me, I don't regret doing that at all. But then, through that, I was slapped with the most bitter truth of my life. It was all a lie, and I wish I didn't learn about it, because a lot of things are coming to light now, and I wish I saw it sooner."

"Like what?" I ask.