Chapter 41 ◈ Little Lotus

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The force of the portal pushed me out and into the open

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The force of the portal pushed me out and into the open. This time, I arrived at a pristine hospital room. Along with some medical equipment, a single bed stood across the room with a petite lady lying on it. As I looked closer, I recognized her bright face from the photo that Demetrius showed me before I entered his mind.

It was my mother.

I strode to her side. She had her eyes close and her palms placed on top of her chest, peacefully asleep. Strands of auburn hair were strewn across her face. I tried moving those strands but my hand only passed through her head.

Right. I can't touch anything.

She looked older when I last saw her in high school a while ago, but her features looked the same nonetheless. She still looked like me.

I heard the door open behind me. I turned around and saw an older Uncle Ben and Demetrius enter, the latter carrying something tucked in a blanket.

My legs wobbled as I saw Ben's face. I can't believe it. He's okay. . .

Shaking my head, I snapped myself out of my reverie. No, this is just a memory. That's not him. . . Well, he's him, but 18 years younger.

Both of them walked towards the other side of the bed, looking at her silently. As I stared at their faces, I noticed they somehow looked like when Demetrius and his brother Elias were looking at their sick father, Gregory.

I took a step back, my stomach churning with dread.

Oh no. No. This can't be right. Is this where my mom. . . dies? Why would Demetrius show me this memory?

Turning back to my mother, my eyes squinted at her figure. And then I saw it.

She wasn't sleeping. The heart monitor beside her bed displayed some figures and a flat line, and her chest wasn't even rising at all. She was already dead.

The faint sound of crying sounded in my ears. Demetrius began cradling the thing he was holding, which I later realized was a baby.

"Shh. . . It's okay," Demetrius cooed to the child. "It's okay. Your mother is here. . ."

He tucked away some of the blanket covering the baby, revealing its head. With its chubby cheeks and closed eyes, it looked like one of the cutest babies I've ever seen.

Uncle Ben smiled at the baby, who was still crying. "So, what's her name?"

Demetrius glanced at Ben, then turned to Gabriela. "Before she. . . she was gone, Gabriela and I tried to look up a name for her. But, for some reason, we never agreed on any name at all." He chuckled, but his smile faded as soon as it came. "I. . . should've told her, Benjamin. I should've told her the risks. I-I should've told her everything."

His voice broke. Staring at Demetrius with sad eyes, Ben patted him on the back.

"Here. Let me hold her for you," Ben offered.

Rise of the New Olympians (TNOS #1)Waar verhalen tot leven komen. Ontdek het nu