Chapter 7

The snow flakes fell beautifully from the clouds, creating an intriguing scene outside the hospital windows.

Boredom was overtaking Kevin and he had no one to talk with.

Eden had gone back to her house because her mother was not feeling too strong.

He was lonely.

The thoughts of Maya, the very same thoughts he has tried so hard to suppress kept manifesting in the silence of his heart.

So, he was caught up on gazing out of the windows, admiring the beautiful snow flakes that seemed to light up in resonance with the hospital's lights.

The door pushed open and doctor Taylor walked in with her tab and a diary.

“Hi Kevin,” she had her usual smile and demeanour.

“Hello…” Kevin replied with a smirk. He was grumpy and could not wait to get discharged.

“I see someone isn't in his element today. What could be wrong?”

Kevin let out a sigh of exasperation.

“I guess I am bored as hell for lying on my back all day and all night. I just need to step out for a bit.”

Doctor Taylor nodded with a gentle smile.

“I understand how you feel. This happens to a lot patients  with this level of debilitating accidents that you encountered. However, we cannot let you go atleast till the results of our scan for your spine condition returns.”

“What are my chances?” Kevin asked, looking at her intently.

“Well, I really cannot say till we see the results. I would like to stay positive.”

Kevin shook his head.

He had not been able to move his back for almost two weeks. His spine hurt anytime he tried to and was also numb.

He often felt like he was going to be paralysed but doctor Taylor and some of the nurses who had bonded with him did not want him feeling that way.

“Look, I understand you worry. But I am hopeful that whatever the challenges are, we would be able to solve it with a simple physiotherapy sessions.”

“I hope so,” Kevin murmured and said nothing else. “Have you heard from Mr. Jack Smith?”

Doctor Taylor looked at him and caught a glimpse of the eagerness that was evident in his eyes when he asked.

“I haven't heard from him. I am sure he is probably trying to gather enough proof for the certification of the fact that we suspect.”

“But why does he need proof? Who does he have to prove anything to, my mother is already dead.”

Taylor was taken aback and shook her head gently. She knew he was heavily curious but was not sure she wanted to dabble into family affairs.

“I don't think it is in my place to tell you anything. It would be better if we wait for Jack to show up. He knows best.”

Kevin nodded. She was right. Only Jack could answer those questions that bugged his mind.

He felt like he was living in a dreadful season of his life, clamped down by an accident, having a false identity hanging over his head and then a failed relationship.

Could it get any worse than it already was.

“Well, I have checked your body and vitals, you are doing great. We will just wait for the results which takes a few days to be out and once it is, we can decide what to do next.”

“Thank you Doc,” Kevin muttered and turned back to his window view.

His view was all he had now.

*****

Darkness hung over the clouds like a ln aroma that lingers in a room.

The streets were growing quieter and quieter and only a few soils were still roaming the streets.

The night life of this part of Newark was blunt, not as lively as the rest of the city.

Pete was submerged in his binoculars view of the house he was watching. He was waiting for some gentlemen who had walked in there to step out before he could go in.

He was seated in his car, waiting for the coast to be clear.

Then he saw the men walking away from the house and to a car parked on the other end of the street.

He waited for them to drive off before getting down and walking towards the house.

It was unusually quiet, unlike how it was the first time he came.

“Is anyone home?” Pete called out, peeping through the windows to see if he would slot anyone roaming around the house.

Yet again, it was quiet.

The door bell was not being answered neither were his consistent knocks on the door.

At this point, Pete knew that something was definitely wrong with them.

He went around the house and broke at the back of the house.

Once he entered, he began to tiptoe around the house, holding his gun ready to fire if he saw any strange being.

“Hello?” He called out with an almost faint voice. “Anyone here?”

Pete had barely walked halfway through the house when he noticed something streaming down towards him.

The house was somewhat dark and he was unable to decipher what the liquid was.

He pulled out his phone and flashed the torchlight on the floor and saw it was blood.

“Damn! What the hell?”

He was terrified by the sight of blood and all his years as a detective, he still was not used to it.

“Shit!” He groaned and followed the blood trail. It led up to the kitchen and he found the very woman he was coming to see, dangling from a chair.

She was dead.

****

Back at the hospital, night had overtaken the whole place.

Loneliness had overtaken Kevin and he was almost slipping away into deep slumber.

He had gotten bored of viewing the snow flakes and the whole hospital was now extremely quiet.

His eyes were shut and he thought he had a dream when someone was running his hand over his palm.

Then the dream became him being suffocated with a pillow and he could not breathe.

“Stop! help!” he cried out but his  voice was fizzling out.

But Kevin managed to break free in the dream and his eyes flung open and his face was filled with sweat.

“Hello Kevin.”

Kevin's eyes widened with shock.