Refraction Of The Wings

“Just our luck to escape alive huh?” Ian muttered and winced as he tried to move. “Damn it.” He eased himself gently and lay down on his bed. He tried to reach for the remote control next to him but the effort had proven to be too great for him so he gave up.

“I don’t see others dead. If that’s what you’re trying to say.” Sean stroked his wrist gingerly and gave a sigh from the other side of the room.

“What I meant was, others were not hurt, they escape and we seemed to have become celebrities already!” Ian scrunched up his eyes and recited, “‘School collapsed in unknown earthquake and four kids injured.’ What a joke.”

“But, doesn’t it strike you odd that only our school was affected? I mean, the news didn’t mention any building that went through the earthquake. I think what they’re trying to say is, not even the nearby by houses felt the earthquake.” Eliza spoke up. “Sorry, I should rephrase that, not even the other block was affected.” She had escaped with nothing more than a sprain ankle due to her haste in diving under the table.

They were all in the hospital, in the same ward. After the paramedics had managed to shift away the rubbles and pulled out the four of them, they were sent straight to the hospital for treatment.

Ian had broken his rib when he was hurled straight to the wall during the freak accident. He escaped being crushed by diving under the table like others. Sean had some bruises and cuts like others along with a broken wrist. Sky, on the other hand…

“When is she going to wake up?” Sean gestured to the figure lying on a bed beside Eliza.

“I’m not sure actually. I overheard that she was knocked unconscious and might have suffered some concussion.” Despite himself, Ian started to grin.

Sean laughed and whooped. “Wow, you mean she might not go around biting people’s head off? Yay! Let’s celebrate…”

“I heard that.” Sean swiveled his head and gave a yelp of surprise. Sky was stirring and pulling herself upright. She glared at Sean. “You’re going to get it from me. Later.”

Ian gave a chuckle. “Oh Sean, you’d better start to write you will right now.” Sean gulped and hid under his blanket.

“How are you?” A small voice issued from beneath the covers.

“Fine. What did I miss?” Sky fingered the bandage around her head and winced.

“Not much. Just wondering how other buildings managed to survive while our school, sorry, our block collapsed.”

Sky froze and frowned, “You mean our school was the only thing that experienced the earthquake?”

“Our block, not the whole school.” Eliza corrected her. “Apparently, our teachers who were in the staff room didn’t even feel it or even know about it until they heard our screams.”

“Weird.”

“I know.”

Sky was about to say more when she noticed her surroundings. “Holy cow! How did I end up here?”

“Man, you really got a concussion didn’t you?” Sean muttered. Sky shot him a look and he got really interested at the jug of water beside him. She took a look around and saw that all of them were in hospital gowns. It’s been a while since she’s been in a hospital, and clearly this is certainly not what she expected. Yeah well, I was not the patient last time when I came in.

She caught a flash of pain across Ian’s face as he adjusted himself again. Ouch. Eliza however, was propped up against the bed post and absorbed in her book, with Sean glancing at her with envy. Sky was sure that he wished he could hold up a book too.

“Well, where are my parents? Or our classmates? Did anyone even care for the fact that we’re in a ward with injuries?” Sky demanded.

“Firstly, your parents just went home. They promised to visit tomorrow. Same goes for our classmates, you missed out the fun.” Sean teased.

That was the last straw. Sky got down from her bed and ignored the protest and pounding in her head. She was about to go over to Sean when the door suddenly opened. A doctor walked in briskly, flanked by a petty nurse. The doctor stopped in surprise when he saw Sky standing. He hesitated before smiling.

“Well I can see that our patient here is getting better. How’s your head?”

“Let’s just say that I could have been better.” Sky glanced and saw the doctor’s name tag, Dr. Lee. “Dr. Lee.” She added.

Dr. Lee raised his eyebrow and exchange worried looks with his nurse.

“Very well. Do you feel disoriented? Or perhaps experiencing some dizziness?”

Sky didn’t feel like talking to this stranger in white, but she noticed a note of profession in his sentence. So she replied reluctantly, “Not that I know of.”

Dr. Lee looked he was about to add something more but Sky just dashed back to her bed and turned her face so that she’s facing the window. She could sense the doctor’s gaze but she ignored him. Soon, she heard the doctor inquiring and asking questions with others.

“Okay, that’s about it I suppose. Sleep early and you’ll feel better tomorrow. You guys are pretty lucky.” He said, amused.

“I don’t think having your ribs broken is lucky at all.” Ian snapped. Good one! Sky thought triumphantly. Dr. Lee appeared not to hear anything as he stalked out from the room.

She pulled herself up and breathes a sigh of relief. “Gosh, he’s really a busybody.”

Eliza laughed. “What’s with you and him?”

“Can’t he see that I’m not in the mood for talking?” Sky said, she mimicked Dr. Lee’s voice. “How’s your head? Do you feel disoriented? Urgh.”

“Oh well, he’s gone now. Do you want to eat this?” Sean motioned to a tray of food on the table. Sky was about to say yes when she saw the contents.

“I was going to say yes, but I think I’ve changed my mind. Any other options?”

“Not that I know of. Unless you are willing to call your parents to send some food. But it’s nearly pass visitor’s time already…” Sean’s voice trailed off.

Sky was outraged. They expect her to eat this murky sloppy lump which passed off as food?

“Hell no! I want to eat proper food and so there.” She saw some of her clothing on a chair and went into the washroom for a change.

Fortunately her parents had left some money for her. She grabbed the money and started to walk out. Pausing for a moment, she turned back and asked whether any of them would care to join her for supper.

“Oh! I’ll go!” Sean changed his clothes quickly and chased after her. Eliza and Ian muttered something about them not feeling hungry but she knew that both of them didn’t want to, and couldn’t walk.

“I’ll pack some food up.” She promised and went out. She peered around the corridor, not one single soul was present, even the nurse in charge at the counter seemed to be gone.

“Where’s everyone?” Sean asked.

“Search me.” She was anxious to get out from the creepy place. It was so quiet and eerie. Other patients must have fallen asleep already.

“What’s the time now?”

“About 9 o’clock.”

“Okay.”

15 minutes later, they were seated across each other in the Starbucks Café; both were wearing identical guilty smiles. They took a moment to savor the smell of the food placed on the table.

Sky attacked the chicken sandwich in front of her. “Now, this is what I call real food.”

Sean couldn’t speak with his mouth full so he nodded. For some time none of them was talking until there was not a scrap of food left on the plate.

“Shall we pack some food back for them?”

“I’ll do it.” Sky went over to the counter and ordered some more food. While she was doing so, Sean happened to be glancing around when he saw something that made his heart skipped a beat.

A man was standing near the gift shop, staring intently at them. Sean looked around him before making sure that the man was staring at them. He took a closer look at the stranger.

What caught his eyes was a bulge at the man’s side. It looked as if he was trying to conceal something inside his jacket. And it looks like…

“Sean!” He jerked away and saw Sky standing there clicking her tongue in annoyance.

“Are you just going to sit there doing nothing? Come on! Others are waiting.” She tugged his sleeve.

Sean turned to take another look but the man had vanished. He quickly related what he saw to Sky.

Sky’s eyes grew wide and fearful. “You’re sure he’s looking at us?”

“Positive.”

“But, he wouldn’t dare to do anything, not here, would he?”

“You can never be too sure.” Sean replied mysteriously.

“Yes, but still, I’m sure you’re being a bit paranoid.” With that ended the conversation.

We’ll see, Sean thought grimly.

However, others agreed with Sky. He was being a little jumpy. Defeated, he buried his head in his pillow and refused to talk to them.

Few minutes later, others joined him and a still silence accompanied them while they drifted off to sleep.