The Unexpected

Chapter 8: Eyes of Destruction

Lily's POV…

I have been standing outside the hospital for what seems like hours in fear that my friends have gone on to another place without saying goodbye. I know that sounds extremely insensitive of me, but I can't help feeling cheated out of never seeing her beautiful face again. A single tear slid down my face jarring as I recalled living in a frightening place filled with nothing but pain and misery. A place that I've fought so hard to overcome and move past during these past few years.

Forcing myself to overcome this immense fear, I walked slowly to the registration counter. “Mandy Rodriguez's room.” I managed to say sounding more like a whisper of a scared little child than that of a fully grown-up woman. 

“She's in room 502.” The receptionist says not even bothering to spare a glance in my direction. I let out a sigh of relief when I realized she was still alive. I hear a loud thunderous voice on the other side of the door just as I worked up the nerves to finally come face to face with Mandy. The voice somewhat sounded like Mandy but then again it also sounded like someone else different. I stood there in utter shock because the Mandy that I knew would never raise her voice to anyone. It somehow sounded like a cry of pain and a cry for help at the same time. I know all too well those kinds of cries.

I've had my fair share of anger at the world and the surrounding people. That's how I could always see through that tough teen act that she always put up. The old saying, “misery loves company,” is indeed a fact. Mandy and I were drawn towards each other from the very moment that we met, just like magnets.

Not seeing her beautiful face was like pure torture to me. I've never been the kind of person to barge into someone else's house unannounced or being invited first. That was the whole reason why I haven't seen Mandy these past couple of weeks. If only I hadn't been so drawn into my own shell I could have forced myself to check up on my one true friend. “No need crying over spilled milk.” I chant as I stand outside the doors listening to the continued yelling that seems to escalate minute by minute.

I try to prepare myself mentally for the scene that I would witness on the other side of the door. Just when I thought I was prepared, a thin, frail lady rushed out the door past me. Tears were falling from her eyes as a look of hurt was plastered on her face. My heart went out to her; I always feel sympathetic for anyone that is in distress no matter whether they deserved my pity or not.

I could barely register what was happening as I hear a gut-wrenching scream coming from inside of Mandy's room, propelling my feet to move forward. Swinging the door wide open, I see a terrified Mandy staring up at the ceiling as tears pour from her eyes like a broken faucet.

My heart shattered into a million pieces when the memories of Mandy lying lifeless on the stretcher flooded into my eyes. It just kept replaying over and over again. 

The birthmark on the right side of my neck began aching immensely. My birthmark always gave off some kind of warning whenever my life was in immediate danger of myself or someone else. I just couldn't fathom why it was happening right now because I wasn't going to harm myself like all those other times that I have done so in the past.

I promptly began looking around the room, and that's when I stared into a cold reflection in Mandy's eyes. The face definitely belonged to Mandy but those eyes belonged to someone else. It was like she was staring directly through my very soul making an icy chill run through my entire body.

The smile that Mandy had on her face just didn't match up with the menacing look in her eyes. I didn't know if I should leave or stay. The voice in my head was advising me to run away as fast as I can but the one in my heart propelled me to stay. I knew I couldn't just abandon her here like this when she needed me the most.