Chapter 1;They are in a better place
A slender girl in a light pink dress, drenched from the rain, pushed open the hospital door with trembling hands as she ran down the corridor. Her eyes darted wildly, panic etched across her face as she anxiously pushed open every door she passed, peeking inside .
A nurse carrying a tray noticed her frantic actions and walked towards her. "Excuse me, Miss, are you here for someone?" the short nurse asked, gently holding Adrielle's arm, forcing her to stop.
"Yes... yes... I'm Adrielle... Adrielle Aspen. My mum... dad... my parents were brought here," Adrielle blurted out, her voice shaking . Tears streamed down her porcelain-white face, mingling with the rainwater dripping from her soaked hair.
"Okay, Miss Aspen, wait here. I'll find out what room they are in." The nurse patted her on the back and gave her a reassuring smile before heading to the reception desk.
Minutes later, the nurse returned to find Adrielle sitting on a corridor seat, her foot tapping anxiously, her head bowed, cupped in her hands. She lightly tapped Adrielle's back, making her jolt to her feet.
"Room 482, last floor."
"Thank you!" Adrielle grabbed her hand in a desperate show of appreciation before dashing towards the elevator. Seeing it in use, she couldn’t afford to wait, her anxiety draining the little energy left in her. She turned and ran towards the stairs, her breath coming in short, sharp gasps.
By the time she reached the last floor, Adrielle paused to catch her breath , her chest heaving. Her dress clung to her small frame, her hair plastered to her face. She made her way to her parents' room, her legs feeling heavy.
Standing in front of the door, she reached for the handle when a group of doctors poured out.
Adrielle grabbed one of the doctors, a woman who seemed to be in charge. "...Doctor, my mum... dad... my parents, how are they?" Her voice cracked, her grip tightening on the doctor's arm.
Doctor Steph, startled by Adrielle's appearance, took in the sight of the girl before her: hair tangled, clothes soaked, eyes red from crying. "And you are?" she asked calmly.
"I'm Adrielle... Adrielle Aspen," Adrielle stammered, her words barely coherent through her sobs.
At the sound of her name, Dr. Steph's mood suddenly changed to a solemn one.
She stared at Adrielle with a look that screamed, "Oh, you poor child."
As a mother, she couldn't bear the thought of what this girl must be going through. She was at a loss for words.
Observing Dr. Steph's change in countenance, Adrielle already knew what she found so difficult to say, but she wasn't willing to accept it.
"No... no... it can't be. My parents are okay, right? They just need to recuperate, right? Answer me, please!" She couldn't control her tears anymore; they just rolled down her cheeks unrestrained.
"It's okay, child. Your parents are in a better place now," Dr. Steph said gently, pulling Adrielle into a comforting embrace despite the wetness of her clothes.
Adrielle couldn't bear it. Her first instinct was to pull away from the ever-so-comforting hug, but Dr. Steph knew better than to let her go. She tightened her hold on Adrielle, not letting her move, afraid she would harm herself if she let her go.
Adrielle's legs felt weak. She had no strength left, her body going limp in Dr. Steph's arms. She stood there, numb, tears flowing uncontrollably as memories of her parents flooded her mind. She clung to Dr. Steph, sobbing loudly, her tears and snot staining the doctor’s gown.
They stood together for what felt like an eternity until Dr. Steph felt Adrielle's sobs quiet and her body still. Thinking she had calmed down, Dr. Steph gently pulled away from the hug, but Adrielle collapsed to the floor.
She had fainted.《▪ ▪》
"Quickly, get the stretcher!" Dr. Steph shouted, kneeling down and gathering Adrielle in her arms.
