Me After Meeting You

Elly’s ward was a mess. A group of nurses had surrounded her on all sides. Meanwhile, she was hiding by the foot of the bed, spasming as she continually knocked her head against the wall. “No, no, I didn’t see anything. I saw nothing. Scram! Scram!”

She grasped the foot of the bed with both hands, and was using all her strength to try to flip it over, almost as if she were trying to shield her self against something.

Amber switched off the light.

“What’s going on?!” The nurses in the room were momentarily shocked, but Amber quickly shushed them. “Nobody talk.”

No one in the room moved. Amber motioned for everyone to get out under the dim moonlight. Perhaps the darkness gave Elly an additional sense of safety because after the light was shut off her moaning noises slowly weakened until she simply curled up in her corner, trembling.

Amber stood there for quite a while before realizing that she was scared. As she prepared herself to help Elly, she suddenly noticed that someone else was standing by her side. She couldn’t help but frown, and was about to remind them once again, but then she turned her head and realized that that person by her side was Ian.

She didn’t know when he had followed her into the hospital, but he was standing by the door side and looking deeply at Elly, who curled up in her corner. His tall, wide shadow was blocking the light rays from the out side.

Amber didn’t push him out; instead, she dragged him into the room and then closed the door.

The blinds on the window had been closed and the lamp light from outside couldn’t get in. The room became even darker.

Elly began sobbing, the fear in her voice evident.

Amber remembered that Ian smoked, so she got on her tiptoes and lightly whispered into his ear, “Do you have a lighter?”

She used her palms to cover up her mouth, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible, but a wisp of breath still escaped and lightly dissolved on Ian’s ear.

There was a slight itch, as if a soft wind had just blown by his ear, bringing with it a nice smelling scent.

Ian swallowed his saliva, silently pulled out a lighter from his pocket, and put it in her hand.

Amber took the lighter. In the deep autumn air which was cold as ice, she took off her shoes, walked over to Elly, and stopped about three paces away. “Hi,” she whispered softly as she leaned down. “Do you still remember me? I visited you yesterday.”

Elly didn’t make any noises, and even her sobs lowered in volume. However, Amber could still feel the fear and anxiety coursing through her body.

“Don’t worry, I’ll keep you company.”

She tried her best to keep her tone level, caring, and without a single hint of any negative emotion. “It’s so dark in here. Shall we light something?”

Elly didn’t responded. Amber hesitated for a moment, and then flicked the lighter on.

The stubby fire silently lit up a small area with its blue flame. Amber didn’t look at Elly, and instead used her other hand to shield the light. Then, with a dreamy voice, she whispered, “Look, it’s the light. Can you see it?”

“Inside the light is a little rabbit. It was snowing, and so the little rabbit stayed at home alone. She had on a very warm coat, avery pretty scarf, and in her hands was a cup of hot water. However, she still felt cold, as if something were missing.”

“What was she missing? She kept on thinking, until she finally understood. Perhaps what she was missing was a warm hug.”

After saying this, Amber knelt on the floor, leaned forward, and stretched her arms out to Elly. She moved slowly, probingly, trying to hug her.

Elly pushed her hands away, quickly scrambled up the bed, and covered herself up securely in her blankets.

It was already very late when Elly finally fell a sleep.

Amber told the nurse to give her some medicine, put on her shoes again, and finally stepped out of the ward.

Through out this entire process, Ian had stood there at the doorway without moving or speaking.

As she left, he too, left. After the door closed, she asked, “Are you tired?”

He didn’t answer.

The nurse on duty peeked her head out, and greeted Dr. Camille. She looked curiously at the man by her side.

Amber turned around, smiling. “The patient’s calm now. Nothing much should happen for the rest of the night. I’ll get here early tomorrow and devise a new plan of treatment for the patient.”© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

The nurse made an OK symbol with her hands, and then pointed at Ian and mouthed, “Boyfriend?”

Amber shook her head, not answering as she pulled on Ian’s sleeve and quickly left the hospital. Only when they got to the carpark did she finally let go of him. But upon seeing his dazed expression, she couldn’t help but wave a hand in front of him and ask, “Hi, are you scared?”

Ian looked at her.

“What is it?” She asked lightly.

“Can you tell me a story?”

“Now?”

“Yes.”

Amber didn’t know why Ian wanted to hear a story right now, but she didn’t refuse or find it strange. After thinking for a moment, she told Ian a story that was related to his illness: “One day, a little rabbit secretly fell in love with a fox. Every day, it would run into an unoccupied valley and yell, ‘Little fox, I like you!’ And from the valley would come an echo, ‘I like you.’ The little rabbit yelled like that for many days, and, just as it was about to giveup, it heard the valley’s echo for the last time. At this point, from it came back a light reply. ‘I also like you.'”

As he listened, Ian shook a bit. Actually, Amber’s story was somewhat boring, uneventful, and without any creativity. Perhaps it was because of the dark night and the silent surroundings, but her voice felt unusually warm in the chilly cold, making him unconsciously want to lean in and listen in closer.

His eyes drooped and he laughed. In the dim yellow lamplight, his smile looked a bit cold. “I like you too.” He mumbled this sentence repeatedly, until he finally lifted his eyes up again. “Can you kiss me?”

Amber, who was analyzing his response seriously, was at a loss for words.