GRAVE MISTAKE

20. IT'S HIM

Blood sputtered out of his lips as he sat upright and held his chest in pain.

He began to cough and his face contorted as he tried to overcome the pain.

His eyes were heavy and sunlight disturbed him, causing him to feel a sharp headache in his head.

As he tried to get up on his feet, he fell to the ground.

       "Urgh," a groan left his lips and he tried to lift himself up again but he fell to the ground again.

He kept coughing nonstop and the more he coughed, the more his chest tightened and it was painful.

With determination, he forced himself up and stood on his feet before staggering forward. He staggered to a door which he assumed to be the entrance.

However, a lady came into view and at that moment, his legs wobbled, causing him to fall on her but she quickly supported herself so both of them wouldn't fall.

       "Oh my goodness, you're coughing blood! Aunty!"

The lady exclaimed in fright as she called out to her aunty. She supported him and led him back to the bed so he could lie down and he didn't resist.

        "Aunt Jenna!"

"Yes Clara." Lady Jenna hurried into the room and came to help Clara. Her eyes were wide when she saw that the man was finally awake.

        "He's awake…quick, let's lay him down," she ordered Clara and they both helped him lay back down on the bed.

"Mmm," he hummed as his face contorted in pain but the blood had stopped coming out of his mouth and he wasn't coughing anymore.

        "What happened Clara?" 

"I don't know Aunty, I came when I heard a noise," she said briefly and their attention shifted back to the man whose eyes were shut tightly due to the pain he felt.

        "Quick, go get the herbs." Lady Jenna ordered Clara and she didn't waste time, she rushed out of the room.

        "Jecinta," he whispered and it made Lady Jenna stare at him in shock.

        "What?"

"Jecinta!" He repeated the name again and tried to sit up but the woman stopped him. He was restless.

When he opened his eyes and stared at her, she gasped loudly and took a quick step away from him.

        "Urgh…my head." He complained and shut his eyes again.

        "Oh my God!" The woman clasped her right palm over her lips in shock.

She was sure she saw his eyes well or was she hallucinating?

No! That couldn't be. How was it that he had golden eyes?

Clara returned with Mr Fleur and he quickly went to examine the man who kept turning on the bed while holding his head.

Coming to stand by the bedside, Mr Fleur felt his temperature and noticed that it was very high.

         "Is he going to be alright uncle…?"

Clara inquired as she felt his temperature too. Her eyebrows scrunched together in worry as she looked at Mr Fleur for answers but his eyes were glued to the disturbed man.

        "This isn't supposed to happen." He murmured as if deep in thought.

After a while of restlessness, he began to calm down and his breathing lessened to a normal level.

Lady Jenna stood at a good distance with her hand still covering her mouth. She was trying to digest what she saw.

Clara's eyes watched him with relief when he began to breathe fine.

        "Hand me the medicine Clara," Mr Fleur stretched his hand towards her and she handed the small bowl of liquid medicine to him.

Holding it carefully, Mr Fleur brought it close to the man's lips and Clara helped by lifting his head up gently before pushing the pillow to support his head.

The moment the tip of the bowl touched his lips, his eyes snapped wide open revealing his bright golden eyes and he slapped the bowl away swiftly, surprising them.

Clara's entire body froze when her eyes met his golden ones while Mr Fleur frowned at the man for throwing away the medicine.

His gaze was intense and Clara couldn't even blink because of how mesmerized she was by his eyes.

Slowly, he supported himself with his elbow and sat upright with his eyes still watching Clara.

No one spoke and his eyes moved to stare at the woman who stood away from them with her hand clasped over her mouth and her eyes wide in fright.

His eyes lingered on her and she lowered her hand from her lips.

Clara followed his line of sight and noticed that he was staring at Lady Jenna with apt attention.

        "You…you look just like her."

Those words left his lips and she blinked. Mr Fleur frowned deeply in curiosity and questioned the man.

        "Who do you speak of young man?"

Three seconds of silence followed his question before the man gave a reply with his eyes still glued to the woman.

        "Jecinta."

Clara blinked several times as her eyes enlarged. His answer baffled them.

Jecinta's mother,  Jenna, who stood away from them decided to come closer to examine him properly, especially his eyes. When she approached him, his breath shuddered.

        "You have golden eyes."

"And you have similar features to Jecinta." He pointed out the obvious as he admired her face.

Clara's memory jolted as she gazed into his eyes and she shrieked in fright before distancing herself away from him.

        "It's him! It's him."

Her lips quavered and tears filled her eyes and rolled down her cheek. Her sudden outburst made all of them shift their attention to her in confusion.

        "What Clara?" Jecinta's mother asked with a deep frown and was about to go to Clara when the man suddenly held her by the hand, stopping her from going anywhere.

His action made her look back at him with a frown but he didn't let go.

         "Please…don't leave my side."