"1...
2...
3...
4...
5...
6...
7...
8..."
...
"Where am I? Why is it so dark in here?"
She examined her surroundings until she saw a glowing figure standing fifteen meters apart from her and lending out their hand towards her.
"Do you trust me?"
"I do..."
"Come and follow me..."
She became puzzled, but didn't want to ask questions. Her mind was empty as she lingered her gaze over the light that was radiating across from her. She took a few seconds to realize that their hand gesture was a sign of invitation.
Breathing in and taking the steps forward, everything else began to fade out in white. Then, she heard soft audible noises in the background while her eyes were still closed.
"Sir, it is best if you should wait until tomorrow," the female nurse advised politely.
"I don't care! I want to see her now!" A male voice demanded.
"We are still checking up on her condition, so please try to calm down," she said.
"When will she wake up?"
"It may take weeks, months, or so," the doctor answered.
"Alright..." he muttered with a sigh as he went to the waiting area and sat on one of the chairs.
"We'll inform you if Ms. Nown is fully conscious," the doctor noted, then he walked away with the female nurse.
"Good night, Mr. Cha," she bowed her head down a little and scurried along. As she glanced at her co-worker, she held the checkerboard list tightly on her arm before entering the C2 room.
They both closed the door behind them and spoke distinctly to each other.
"We were assigned by our boss and this procedure may take a while," she pointed out.
"I know. That's why we have to use the amount of sedation to insert the needles in her..." the doctor said nonchalantly.
"What... Sedation...?" Valerie repeated the word in her mind. Her eyelids were fluttering open, but it was still blurry. She moved her vision around till it landed on the two essential workers. "What do they want...?"
"Preparation will be done in 30 seconds," the female nurse was holding the syringe with the needle facing upwards as the vial is filling in. Then, she drew back the plunger and gently tap the side of the syringe to dislodge air bubbles.
"Are you ready?" The doctor asked quietly.
"Let's do it," she gave a reassuring nod and leaned in closer to insert the tip of the needle in the patient's right arm, whereas the other in her left one.
Slow, but in a steady pace, there was a quick grab on their wrists had startled them in shock. They both gasped when she bolted upright and pushed them off into the wall, causing the medical equipment to stumble.
The female nurse became a little nervous when the doctor narrowed his eyes heatedly at the girl, who shoved the tray of prescription bottles and stood up to shield herself from his first strike of his knife towards her abdomen.
He held the injection and tried to aim at her arm, but he got kicked by her heel against his chest. Thus, he staggered back as he pushed the flower vase on the floor, crashing it into pieces.
"Argh!" The female nurse attempted to fight back, yet she yelped when she got slammed again and groaned in dizziness.
Valerie saw the window and ran up to unlock the handles in a haste.
"Ugh! Get back here, you stupid bitch!" The doctor sneered with an angry growl and touched the blood on the right side of his temples.
She whipped her head to see him standing up and picking the needle. She looked back at the front and smashed the glass as she was heaving her chest heavily.
The doctor started to charge forward and was once again jabbed, along with his leg being tripped. He cried out in pain when the needle was placed in his upper thigh. He laid down in discomfort and hissed. "Fuck!"
Valerie hopped onto the edge of the frame and landed on the balcony. She then heard the emergency fire alarm resonating inside.
"Help! Help! A patient is going to escape from the C2 room here on the eighth floor!" The female nurse blurted out through the microphone on her ear.
Valerie felt a deep rush panic as soon as she was looking for a way out. She stopped by the railing and viewed the ground. Her gaze hovered at the huge sheet of white cloth, hanging by the ropes that were attached to the outdoor wall. She stepped back a little to contemplate for a while.
The siren was whirring noisily throughout the hallways, making the other workers rush swiftly with their footsteps stomping.
On the other hand, the visitors were puzzled in their own seats, whereas Eunwoo glanced up at the announcer and heard the main entrance door open.
"Sir Cha!" His assistant called out and panted breathlessly.
"Dong-hoon," he greeted.
"Thank goodness, I made it just in time," Dong-hoon sighed and wiped the sweat off his forehead. "Here are the flowers you've requested."
Eugene nodded and took the bouquet from his hand. "Thank you."
Dong-hoon responded with a hum and asked, "Do you know what's happening right now?"
Eugene didn't answer as he brushed past his shoulders against the others, who had to evacuate. He jogged beside them and followed their attention towards the balcony on the fifth floor.
They were gasping and chattering amongst each other when they saw a girl that was about to jump off from the railing.
"Is she going to do it?!"
"She's crazy!"
"Somebody, stop her!"
Eugene widened his eyes as he started to notice the familiar figure, so he sprinted quickly without hesitating.
All of a sudden, they all became struck in fear and awe when the girl took a leap in the air with the huge white cloth above her head, which is made out of a parachute.
He then began to run as fast as he could and Dong-hoon was trailing behind him. They both halted at the moment and were stunned to see her foot gently land on the ground.
"Valerie!" Eugene exclaimed.
She looked at him blankly, but she was a bit frightened. Her breathing became hefty and tears were swelling up in her eyes.
Eugene gaped his mouth open in shock at the sight of her and waited for her to approach him.
Instead, she threw the white cloth in the air and made a run.
"Valerie!" Eugene shouted desperately as he started to chase after her.
Though, she was getting further away and reached across the sidewalk, bumping into the other pedestrians, who looked at her crazy. They were perplexed as to how she was fuzzing all in trepidation.
Her tears were clouding her view and she immediately wiped them as she continued to scamper off to the streets.
The cars were slowing down to a halt and were honking at her with loud beeps. She backed a little and gestured her hands on them defensively.
"Sorry..." she muttered shakily and kept on going nonstop until she noticed a truck that is already set.
From there, she rapidly dashed forward and grabbed onto the door handles as soon as the engine was revving up before it took off.
She glanced behind her to see the Eugene and Dong-hoon, trying to catch up to her and they suddenly gave up for now.
"I don't know where I'm going...
I don't know them...
but I'll be going somewhere..."