Façade

Prologue

*Beep*
*Beep*
*Beep*

The beeping of the vital sign monitor and the smell of iodoform and antiseptic fills Sol's senses. He sits tensely on a chair at his dear older sister's bedside. The mid-afternoon light filters through the window with a soft breeze brushing past the white curtains. Sol's hand is softly grasping his sister's hand as she lays unconscious.

His foot begins to tap a 1-beat rhythm. *tap...tap...tap.* He slowly begins to increase the speed of his taps. *tap-tap-tap*. His anxiety and impatience begins to grow.
'Why don't the doctors know what's wrong with her?'
'What if she never wakes up again??'
'Was the last time I spoke to her the last time???'

Sol let go of his sister's hand and stands up abruptly, the chair pushed back from the force. He makes his way out of the room. In the doorway, he looks back at his sister and his irritated eyes soften."I'll be right back" He whispers loud enough for himself to hear. He then steps out into the hallway. He looks to his right. Down the hall, a middle-aged woman sits on a bench crying. Her sobs echoed through the hospital floor. A doctor places a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her. 'someone must have died' Sol thinks to himself as he looks on with sympathy. He turns around, making his way to the elevator. He presses the call button and looks outside as he waits. Two orioles are resting on a branch. One flies away leaving the other alone.

*Ding*

Sol looks to the elevator to see a nurse wheeling a cart of tools and syringes. They nod to each other in a polite greeting before going their separate ways. The elevator reaches ground level and Sol makes his way outside. Slipping his hand into his pocket, he pulls out a packet of cigarettes and his lighter. He hovers his hand behind the lit flame directing it to the cigarette in his mouth, lighting it. Taking in a breath of smoke a feeling the familiar sting of his lungs, he releases the smoke from his body with a satisfied sigh. He feels his nerves begin to dissipate.

"You kids never listen, do you?" A soft, but old and raspy voice calls out to Sol. Sol whisks his head around to the side to meet the eyes of the person who dared to interrupt his stress break. Sol's sun-colored orbs meet a pair of evergreen forest ones belonging to an old man in a wheelchair and hospital gown. His hair was so sparse and so white it looked like a thin layer of freshly fallen snow upon a bald head. His skin plastered with wrinkles. A frown plastered on his face. Noticing that he had caught the full attention of the teenager the old man continued his protest.

"Haven't your parents and teachers taught you that smoking is bad for you!" The old man explained with distress. "I don't want to see youngins like you fall prey to the addiction of those...those .. cancer sticks. The old man shudders.

Sol let out an amused noise at the old man's exaggerations. He then walks to the other side of the hospital entrance and turning away from the old man.

"Ay! What you doing o'er there!" The elderly man hollered.

Sol looked over his shoulder and responded. "You said you don't want to see youngins like me smoking right? So since my cigarette is no longer in your vision range, you shouldn't be so upset anymore!" Sol playfully teased.

"You Sly Fox!" The old man took the cane resting on his lap and threw it at Sol hitting him behind the knee.
"OW!" Sol cried in pain. He dropped his cigarette and quickly moved to gently rub his leg with a quiet whimper.'This crazy old man is assaulting me!' Sol thought to himself as he looked back up at the old man with a threatening glare.

The elderly man left out a triumphant laugh. "As much as I'd love to stay here and make fun of you, I don't have much time to warn you." Sol tilted his head to the side with a newfound interest in his words. "Go on..." Sol urges with curiosity.

"Your sun-colored eyes will come to see an eclipse soon that will overshadow your light. Be wary."

Sol frowned as the thought of his sister's deteriorating state entered his mind. 'She's not gonna be around much longer is she...' Sol worries to himself. "Are you trying to tell me that you overheard doctors talking about my sister-"

"No. It's something else that is a danger to not only you but everyone." The old man interrupts with a serious tone.

"What are trying to get me to join your cult so I can rid myself of the darkness and impurities that will plague me?" Sol replies with a mocking tone.

"Sol!"

Sol turns to see his mother and father walking in the distance,he jogs over to greet them.

"What are you doing out here all alone? You didn't need to wait for us! You should be beside your sister!" His mother scolded.

" I was-" Sol began as he turned to face the old man but stopped when the old man was nowhere to be seen. 'Must have gone back to his room.' "I was just getting some fresh air." Sol finishes with hesitance.

"Take these peonies and place them in a vase, in the room for Catherine while we check-in."

Sol nods taking the flowers. He makes his way towards the elevators deciding to go to the second one down the hall to help him walk his remaining stress. He reaches his sister's floor and starts walking down the hallway. This one room, two rooms before his sister's, has its door wide open. As he walks by Sol decides to take a quick peek inside the room. The woman from before is on her knees weeping beside the bed. Sol looked at the patient on the bed and nearly let out a high-pitched squeal in shock.

The person on the bed...

Had been the same old man he was talking to outside.
He rubbed his eyes with his free hand violently, thinking he was hallucinating. It didn't work.
It was no doubt the same old man he saw and spoke to just moments ago.

He tried to think of a logical explanation but it just didn't line up.

He was so confused.

He still felt the sting of the cane that hit his leg, so how could the old man be dead?

Sweat beaded down Sol's forehead as he forced himself to keep walking. He walked into his sister's room in pure disbelief. As he arranged the flowers in the vase he couldn't help but worry about the old man's words.

"Your sun-colored eyes will come to see an eclipse soon that will overshadow your light. Be wary."
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Authors' Note -
So uhhh... u likey??? 😂
This is my first story so if there are any mistakes or things that don't make sense comment and I'll try to reply.

Thanks for making it this far and for reading! Hope u have a great day! 👌