Meet Me in the Middle

Chapter 18

A dream.

It had all felt like a dream. She had been floating along the clouds for a while now, the airy, plump figures slowly moving past, over and under her. For the first time in a while Cassie had felt weightless, not burdened by the thoughts that kept plaguing her mind every second.

Her arms spread out, her hair going in all sorts of directions and being fanned out, her feet merely dangling being held by an invisible string.

Honey, looking too comfortable there aren't you?

It was her Dad's voice, coming from somewhere. But she didn't dare open her eyes, not yet anyways.

"I could stay like this forever, Dad" she could only reply with a whisper as light as a feather.

Come on, your mom's looking for you

She shook her head "no". Still well-distracted by the bliss she had yet to have felt before. Her dad laughed aloud in amusement, his voice was like a melody that flowed through the air into her eardrums.

Take your time, my sweet angel

His voice slowly faded away. The fading sound of his footsteps with it. She felt a sudden pressure in her chest, everything started blurring back to reality again.

-

Luke practically ran to the hospital, his hair disheveled and phone clenched in his hand.

He immediately came as soon as he received the call, too concerned by whatever accident caused Cassie to be admitted to a psychiatric hospital.

"Name?" the clerk at the front desk asked.

"Cassandra Yuan" he answered, the clerk typed on a device, nodding.

"Room 055" she gestured toward the elevator as Luke quickly rushed in; nervousness setting in his veins as he impatiently waited to get to his floor.

The elevator slowly descended up, once the ding for his floor came he sprinted out; eyeing each door to search for Cassie's room.

Heavy heart beating ever so abruptly, he turned the knob of Room 055; seeing Cassie laying down in a hospital gown, Kate sitting by her side as she held her friend's hand.

He slowly walked towards them, a lump forming in his throat as he did so.

"Cass-" he spoke out.

All of a sudden, Cassie burst into tears. Sobs wracking her body and the cables that were stuck to her hand.

"She knows" Kate whispered to him, her eyes watering as gently caressed Cassie's hair; pulling her into a comforting side hug.

A heavy sigh left his lips as he went to sit down on a nearby plump seat.

Her mom had already broken the news to her beforehand, her dad had suffered organ failure that night Cassie dreamt of him.

-

The hospital released Cassie recommending minimal strenuous activity and adequate rest, warning her that too much stress can cause mentally demanding panic attacks thereafter.Luke had promised to keep a close eye on her as per the doctor's recommendation.

The group left Oregon early, too shaken by the sudden freakout that happened and the old couple forcedly kicked them out without any other word. Matt had picked up a newspaper page prior to their trip to the building, stating investigations regarding mass graves found within the foster home's grounds. The final nail in the coffin to fully stop halt their research and head back.