Calina
༺♔༻

What was that dreadful sound? I groaned and rolled over, pulling the covers over my head. Make it stop.

"Callie, make it stop," Debbie echoed my sentiment. I slapped at my phone blindly on the nightstand, burrowing my head further into the blankets.

My spontaneous trip to the Kingdom of Elysium had its drawbacks-I hadn't saved enough money for supersonic commercial flights. Consequently, my journey took a grueling seventeen hours and involved two different flights. Exhausted and jet-lagged, I finally arrived in the heart of Elysium, a place that had always been my dream destination.

I was captivated by the sight of flying vehicles that gleamed like starships, gracefully navigating the airspace. They weaved through the air currents with an effortless grace, leaving streams of light trailing behind them. These aerial pathways formed an ethereal tapestry, intertwining above a sophisticated network of elevated walkways and sky bridges that crisscrossed the cityscape. When I ventured further into the heart of Elysium, I was immersed in a world of seamless integration between nature and technology. Verdant gardens, seemingly suspended in mid-air, stretched across vast plazas and rooftop terraces, where holographic projections brought to life an array of vibrant flowers and cascading waterfalls. Nature and the marvels of human invention harmoniously coexisted, creating a sanctuary of tranquility amidst the bustling metropolis. I'd give anything to live there.

I could only stay for a few days because my parents texted me saying they wanted to pop by for a visit. Panic set in, and I had to talk them into pushing their visit a few days because I'd previously made plans with friends, and I didn't want to rudely cancel.

Obviously, it was a lie. I was in another country and needed time to get back to Freedom. I had just gotten back to my dorm a few hours ago.

My phone rang again. Ugh! "Yeah," I croaked out. Clearing my throat, I tried again. "Hello?"

"Am I speaking with Calina Matthias?" the voice on the other end asked.

I pulled the phone away from my ear to peek at it with one eye. "Yes. Who is this?" I inquired softly.

My groggy brain couldn't imagine why anyone would be calling at such an unholy hour. "I'm a nurse at Toledo Memorial. Your number is listed as an emergency contact for Leo and Ana Matthias." The woman sounded so dejected my heart instantly sank into my stomach. I sat straight up in bed.

"Is everything okay? Are my parents hurt?" I asked, scrambling out of bed.

"Unfortunately, I cannot discuss the extent of the emergency over the phone. Do you need the address for the hospital?"

My fingers started to tremble the harder I gripped the phone to my ear. "Umm... no, I know where it is," I whispered.

"Just remain calm and drive carefully," the nurse urged before ending the call.

I blindly stared at the phone in my hand. Something terrible had happened. I tried to steady my breathing, but panic threatened to consume me, clawing at my throat.

'It's an emergency can you take me to the hospital?' I texted Raine.

I knew it was dumb, but I tried calling my parents, twice, and both times it went straight to a voicemail that wasn't even set up. It felt like I was choking on air, tears streaming down my face. My feet felt like lead as I moved to the closet, cramming random clothes into my black bag. Everything had to be okay, right? It simply had to be.

Throughout the frantic packing, Debbie made a series of obnoxious sounds, as if I were the nuisance. The intensity of my fear had me physically going numb, and she had the audacity to be irritated with me? Her blanket was thrown over her head, and if I weren't feeling so overwhelmed by stress, I might have thrown something at her.

"It's my parents," I tried to explain as I turned on the light, and she angrily ripped the blanket off her head to glare at me.

"Shh... I'm sure they are fine! Can't you be more quiet with your packing?" Debbie was not a morning person or a people person. My insides churned relentlessly. I couldn't think of a single time my parents hadn't called me back within thirty minutes of missing my call.

I was desperately trying to keep it together, but receiving a call at five in the morning with my parents not answering the phone was more than enough reason to spiral into panic.

It had been thirty-five minutes exactly since I had called them. I threw my phone at the wall, causing the screen picture to light up. My mother and father's smiling faces stared back at me on the now cracked screen. Why hadn't they called me back?

Where was all the air? I couldn't breathe. Please, just let this be my first-ever self-inflicted dramatic panic attack.

But deep down, I knew the truth. I knew that once I got home, just a three-hour drive away, I would receive the worst news I had ever heard in my life.

»»----- ♔ -----««

It felt like everything was moving in slow motion. Time had slowed down, giving me a chance to commit everything to memory as if this were a moment I could ever forget. I couldn't possibly.

Raine pushed the stop button to turn off the ignition. With trembling fingers, I grabbed the keys out of the holder. I needed something, anything, to occupy my quivering hands. The cold metal bit into the soft flesh of my palm when I tightened my grip around them.

The car doors echoed into the foggy morning when we closed them behind us. A subtle breeze blew across my sweaty skin, causing stray hairs to adhere to my face while I stared up at the tall brown brick building.

Toledo Memorial Hospital.

There was a woman in scrubs standing in front of the glass sliding doors. It appeared as though her gaze was fixed directly on me. I was frozen in place, weighed down by the reality of the situation. I couldn't move.

She advanced toward me, sensing my paralysis in the parking lot. Dark circles underscored her eyes. Was she sad or merely overworked?

"I'm Nurse Lyla. We spoke on the phone. I hope it's alright that I waited for you. I recognized you from the screensaver on your mother's phone. I wasn't sure if you'd be arriving alone," she said, nodding towards Raine and then fixing her somber gaze back on me.

"There was a semi-truck that blew through a red light. Your parents car rolled down an embankment," Lyla whispered, her voice cracking every other word.

"Are my parents okay?"

There was only a brief shake of her head, and I squeezed my eyes shut. Maybe if I didn't see her do that, it didn't happen.

"I wish I had better news. I worked closely with your mother for many years. So kind and genuine. If you could follow me inside, please," Lyla said.

Raine's arms enveloped me, propelling me forward. I opened my eyes and fixed my gaze on my black boots as we made our way into the hospital. We entered the elevator, and I squeezed my eyes shut once more.

How serious were their injuries? Was one of them in a coma? Did one of them not make it? She spoke like my mother was gone.

I was jarred out of my thoughts when I realized the elevator was going down, not up.

"Hospital Mortuary" was in bold red letters when the frosted glass doors slid open.

Lyla and Raine stepped out of the elevator without me. I felt the tears stinging the back of my eyes.
How could Raine forget me? Rai's hand slid between the doors before they closed all the way.

Her eyes were red-rimmed, and fresh tears were falling down her cheeks.
Without a word, Raine extended her hand, palm up, for me to take.

Her fingers curled around mine when I placed my hand in hers, then she gently tugged me from the elevator.

All I could focus on was the whooshing sound in my ears and the painful throbbing of the pulse in my neck.

Raine squeezed my fingers a few times with a gentle but strong pressure. I looked up, and Nurse Lyla was introducing me to a man in a long white coat, his name forgotten the moment it left his mouth.

He pushed the solid white door open and stepped through, holding it open for me. Raine released my hand and immediately wrapped her fingers around my upper shoulders, guiding me through the door.

Two white sheets with bodies underneath.

Two, not one. There were two people lying on those metal tables.

I was only slightly aware of the Doctor in the white coat talking. His words all sounded garbled and indistinguishable as I stared at the table.

Stepping forward, I walked to the closest table, slowly moving the sheet down to reveal my mother's face. I heard a sob tear through Raine's throat, but all I could do was stare. There was some bruising, but my mother looked like she was sleeping. All she had to do was wake up. Or maybe all I needed to do was wake up; this couldn't be real.

I knew it had to be real though. My heart was beating so fiercely, I could hear it-feel it-resonating through me. With a shaking finger, I touched my mother's cheek. The keys dropped from my hand, clattering on the table beside her head.

I froze in terror. The loud noise was a startling realization that this was not a nightmare.

I shook my head and covered my ears, backing away from the table.

This was real.
"No."

They were both gone. Just gone.
"No, no."

Mom, wake up!
"No, no, no!"

A shrilling yelp escaped my lips when I felt hands touch my shoulders. Covering my mouth, I spun towards the person that startled me.

"It's just me, Callie," Raine said.

I collapsed into her. My parents were gone. It all happened so fast. Too fast. I had just spoken to them, hours before I got on the plane. Less than a week ago, I hugged my mother before returning to college. And now, in an instant, I was alone. So alone.

♔