CHAPTER SIXTY:
No answer
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Tyler slammed the door shut in front of the man who was chasing after them. It feels like his butt was
on fire because his moves were very fast. He did not even care when he almost tripped on his way to a
couch inside the room.
In his hurry, Tyler almost threw Althea's body on the couch as soon as he got there and sprinted all the
way to the wardrobe and the bed to get enough clothes to press down on the wound and try stopping
the bleeding.
When he came back to the couch where he randomly tossed her, he saw her grunting and moving
while clutching her bleeding abdomen. Tyler's eyes shone and trembled at the same time. He wasted
no time and almost ran to get to her. Then, he kneeled next to the couch and stopped her from sitting.
"Don't," he said softly. He was trying his best to not anger and agitate her. "Don't waste your energy
sitting, I just need you to stay awake. Stay awake for me, okay?"
Gently, he guided her body to lay back down and immediately begun stacking the fabrics on top of her
body. He must stop the blood from flowing out, if she experiences shock because of losing too much
blood, she'll pass out again and Tyler will have no idea what to do.
Althea gasp in pain as she felt the pressure pressing on her. Her energy was still draining, and she felt
like this was nothing but a waste of effort, but she did not try prying his hand away, because maybe this
can still save her.
Althea sincerely hopes that it did not hit any vital organ. She gritted her teeth to surpass the moans of
pain that were threatening to come out again. Cold beads of sweats were sliding down from her
forehead to hers ears and chin.
With difficulty, she muttered out, “Who’ll stay awake just for you- stupid.”
The other did not take it in the heart and just lightly chuckled. “Then do it for Kai,” he stopped, pressing
the clothes harder on her since the blood was being absorbed in rapid pace and the clothe is slowly
becoming red. He took another piece of cloth and stack it on top. “Stay awake for your son.”
She snorted but did not say anything else. As what Tyler said, she focused on being awake by fighting
the invisible arms of sleep that is oddly related to death itself.
She can feel the time drag slowly and it was oddly fascinating how her senses were heightened to the
point that she can hear the gasp and their swallows of airs every time they take a breath, she can even
hear the erratic beat of her heart as it keeps on pumping for blood to keep her body alive, but ironically,
makes it easier to fall into the death’s arms.
Althea can feel how the blood from the wound flowed out freely, she can’t help but wonder; humans
have an average 5 liters of blood in their body, how many liters of blood do you think she lost? She
laughed internally. It is better not to think about it.
Tyler silently looked at her face that contort every now and then because of pain, his lips were tightly
closed, his eyes were staring at her intently. He looked away before she can even catch him staring
and looked at her feet. He stood up, still while applying pressure on the wound using his left hand, then
sat next to her. He used his right hand to lift her feet and put it on the arm rest of the couch.
But since her dress was disheveled, he accidentally touched the bare skin of her thigh. Upon the
contact of both warm skins, both flinched. Tyler awkwardly withdraws his hand, and Althea also moved
her thighs away then used her feet to try and pull down the dress.
Tyler watched her fail again and again, until he had enough. “Let me do it.”
“Don’t touch me!” She yelled behind him. Tyler was facing his back on her so he can’t see her
expression, but he can absolutely feel the glare she was giving him. “Don’t!”
“Sigh,” he sighed helplessly before turning to her and said, “I know you hate being touched by me- and
I know how my mere existence is something you can’t stand- but, please,” he pleaded, his eyes were
looking desperate. “I don’t know the reason- no, maybe I do- but can you forget about it for a second? I
have to elevate your feet.”
Althea looked at those desperate eyes. She searched for the reason why the hell he was doing
something like this to her. Was it guilt? Was it sympathy? Or was it a feeling that was buried a long time
ago but was forcefully dug out or voluntarily resurfaced just because they met again after a very long
time? It was a question she has no idea how to solve, or maybe it has no answer in the first place.
Althea felt suffocating in his stares. Biting the inside of her mouth, she looked away.
Tyler can finally breath in relief. He looked back at her legs and gently tried to put his hand on them.
She flinched on the contact, but she did not try and take her thigh away. Tyler lifted it up and let it rest
on the arm’s rest, then he did it to the other leg.
The contact only lasted for a mere second, but the burning sensation of his touch remained on her
thighs. She pursed her lips and fought something inside her that was threatening to wake up. It was
irrational, disgusting, and it was very inappropriate knowing what situation she is in.
They remained silent after that, Tyler gave her multiple layers of sheets to keep her warm, it was warm,
yes, but Althea can feel her strength gushing out from the wound. Earlier, she still has the energy to
fight against him albeit small and weak, now, she doubts that she can even lift a single finger. Her body
was slowly becoming cold as ice since the blood keeps on flowing out, it was even a miracle that she
was still keeping her consciousness.
She was staring at nowhere when her mother and father appeared in front of her. She can see them
smile at her and beckon her to go with them. Their smiles were warm and comforting, Althea can’t help
but want to succumb in her sleepiness and come with them, she can’t help but want to take their hands
that were extended towards her, but still, her rationally remained.
It must be an illusion. No, it was an illusion.
She wanted to laugh, if she had the energy, she wanted to laugh out laud and say, it was really true
that you’ll see the dead when your time is coming. Too bad though, she promised herself to not die, she
promised herself to not attempt and willingly give herself to death again, she has someone waiting for
her at home, she has her son.
“Kai…” She muttered against the wind.
Tyler, who was anxious as he stares at the clothes that were getting redder and redder heard her
mutter her son’s name. He looked up and he can feel his anxiety barging again when he saw Althea’s
super pale face. He used one of his hand to slap her face gently and say, “Althea, hey, stay awake.
Don’t sleep on me.”
“Shut up,” Althea said weakly. “I’m awake.”
“Really?” He sighed. “Then stay awake until help arrives, okay?”
To be honest, he doesn’t know when they are going to come. He knows nothing about the situation
outside, Sophia is not saying anything yet. Are those armed thieves still there? What if they still are
staffing in front of the door and waiting for them to come out. They probably know that they can’t afford
staying her or else…
Tyler pursed his lips, and his glare was sharp enough to penetrate anything.
Althea strangely knew what was going inside his head, and that was when she remembered about it.
She groaned because of her stupidity. “Tyler,” she called out, but he didn’t budge. She gritted her teeth
and increased her volume until she almost shouted. “Tyler, Tyler!”
Tyler snapped out of it and looked at her, startled. “Yes?”
“Can you call Sophia again?”?
Although confused, he answered truthfully. “Yes, yes of course.”
“Then call her, now.” She said weakly, she finally used up all her strength. “Tell her that they were
faking the bomb threats. They have no bombs.”
Her words made his heart skip a beat, and without any delay, he called her. He did not question her
words because there’s no way she’ll lie about it. It did not even ring for the second time when Sophia
answered it. Before he can even speak, she shouted.
“Tyler!” Sophia shouted; her voice was filled of joy. It was as if she was smiling at that time. “I was
about to call you too!”
Tyler furrowed his brow, “What?”
“I have good news! They withdraw- for some reason those men withdraw and now driving away from
the hotel! The other police are chasing after them- so hang in there! The help is coming! Is she still
alive?”
It was like an oasis after walking on the hot dessert without water.
Tyler’s heart was filled with joy, and he glanced at Althea- who was looking at him weakly- before
answering, “Yes. She’s breathing. Tell them to hurry up.”
“Okay, okay.” She paused. “So, what was it? The thing you want to say?”
He paused. “About that, I was about to tell you that the bomb threat was fake.”
“What?!” Sophia shouted. Tyler can’t help but pull the phone away from his ears for a second. “Those
motherfu- any ways, that’s good- but where did you hear that?”
“From Althea. I don’t know how she knew about it, but maybe those bastards blabbered about it in front
of her.”
“Then their stupid.” She chuckled. “Any way, tend to her until the paramedics arrives, okay? They’re
taking the elevator.”
“Yes,” with that, they hung up the call.
Tyler looked at her. “Althea, help is coming, hang in there.”
“That’s good,” she sighed. “Then I’ll take a short nap-“
“No,” he strongly refused.
“Stingy,” she laughed but still closed her eyes. “I’ll just close my eyes, okay?”
“No-“
“Tyler-“ Althea said. “I’m just closing my eyes. I’m tired.” Silence. “Just, just call out for me okay?”
“You’ll answer?” He asked reluctantly.
“Hmm…” she hummed. “Maybe?”
“Then don’t. Open your eyes, Althea.” There was anger in his voice and his hand become heavier as it
pressed down one her.
She laughed, “Okay, okay- I’ll answer.”
Then silence. Tyler watched her chest moving up and down, indicating that she was still breathing. He
counted one to five before opening his mouth, “Althea?”
“Hmm…”
He counted again, and every time he calls out her name, she answers with a hum. This set his heart at
ease even just a little bit. After a while, he changed his words and said, “I’m sorry.”
The other one did not answer for a sec, “About what?”
“… For everything.”
“… You’ve committed too many sins, Tyler. Do you want forgiveness to each of them?”
“… No.” He paused. “Its okay if you’ll left some of them unforgiven, it’s okay even if you won’t forgive
any of them… Just…”
“Just?”
He took a deep breath and removed his stares on her face and looked at the bloody cloth he was using
to try and stop her bleed. It took him too much courage to say these words, “Althea, I always regretted
about letting you go that day, when I succumb to lust and temptation. I was stupid when I thought that I
severed my ties with you after I denied you back then, I was stupid to think that maybe I can forget
about you when you didn’t come back for a long time…”
“I buried everything- I tried to forget them. I delude myself into thinking that you’ll never come back and
we’ll both have our own lives to live- without each other. But my stupid pride can’t accept the fact that
maybe some day you’ll be happy inside someone else’s embrace- so I embraced someone else rather
than trying to find you and ask for forgiveness. I thought that with that, you’ll come back to me
voluntarily, but you didn’t…”
“I will not ask you why- I am in no position to do so, just-“ he looked at her but before he finish his
sentence, he choked them back.
With trembling hand, he shook her, “Althea? Althea?”
No answer.
His heart turned cold, he shook her harder and called her name multiple times, but still, no response
was given. His heart begun to beat wildly inside his chest, his eyes can’t focus between her pale as ash
face or the up and down movement of her chest. He felt her pulse, and it was beating slower.
“Althea!”
The door burst open, before he can even process things, he was shoved aside and the men in white
lifted Althea in sync and put her on a stretcher. Tyler can’t help but follow them with gaze with a burning
question in his heart;
Will he lose her again? But now- forever?
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