387: SHADOWED THOUGHTS ARIEL’S POV I made my way to the waiting area to finally get some rest, and all of a sudden, I felt someone tapping my shoulder. I turned around quickly. It was Andre. “Oh, Andre. I never expected to see you here.” “Yeah,” he said, dipping his hands inside his pockets. “I just came to check up on you. “You know, since you’ve been going to the hospital all day.” I let out a deep sigh. “You know Luke is in a coma.” “Yeah, I do. But I’m also concerned about you, Ariel.” “Thanks. I really appreciate that.” “Have you eaten today?” He asked. “No, not really. I’m not hungry.” “Are you sure about that?” “Yes, Andre. There’s no need for you to be worried about me.” I placed both of my hands on his shoulders. “I know, but I just wanted to make sure you’re taking care of yourself,” he murmured, his eyes searching mine for reassurance. “I know, and I appreciate it more than I can say,” I replied, my voice soft with emotion. “But right now, I just need to be here for Luke.” His hand found mine, squeezing it gently. “You don’t have to go through this alone, Ariel. I’m here for you, whatever you need.” “Thank you, André. How’s everyone?” “They’re holding up as best as they can. Your mother is trying to stay strong for you and Luke, but I can tell she’s worried sick.” My heart clenched at the thought of my mother grappling with Luke’s condition; her pain mirrored in my own. “I wish there was more I could do for her.” “You’re already doing everything you can, Ariel,” Andre reassured me, tightening my hand. “She knows that, and so do L‘ “Thank you, André. You’ve really helped me a lot. Thank you so much.” His lips curled into a gentle smile. “You don’t have to thank me, Ariel. I’ll always be here for you, no matter what.” We both stood in silence, our hands still together, but I took mine off his. He glanc “I forgot to tell you what happened not too long ago.” Andre gave me a curious look. “What’s that?” “It’s Luke. He’s showing signs of waking up. The doctor said it’s a positive sign, but they need to run more tests to be sure.” I blurted out, unable to control my lips. I couldn’t help it; the joy was too much. Andre nodded, heeding my words. “That’s incredible news, Ariel. I’m so glad to hear it. How are you holding up?” I shrugged, feeling a mix of emotions swirling inside me. “I’m just… exhausted, I guess. But seeing him respond, even just a little bit, has given me hope. I know he’s going to make it through this.” “I believe that too. You’ve been through so much together and never given up on each other. Luke’s a fighter, just like you.” “Aww, thank you so much, Andre.” “I’ve told you this already, Ariel. You don’t have to thank me.” “I think I do.” I smiled at him. “You just have to pray that Luke regains consciousness.” “I can’t wait for that to happen Andre kept on with his warm smile. “Excuse me, please ” I nodded, and he walked away after that. After a while, this was great news; it was what I wanted, after all Minutes later, I found myself driving on the quiet road, heading back to the place where Luke and I had spent a wonderful time before all that terrific sh*t happened. I wanted to go get the necklace he had bought and displayed to me back then. It was recently that I realized it wasn’t with me–that it was still at that cabin in the sprawling forest. And since it was special, that was where I was heading. The news that Luke was showing signs of waking up lifted a weight off my shoulders, but the exhaustion from the long day at the hospital still lingered. I was still driving, and suddenly, something caught my eye–a figure in a hooded black robe standing not too far from my car. My heart skipped a beat, and I quickly slammed on the brakes, bringing the c halt. My breath caught in my throat as I stared at the mysterious figure. car to a With trembling hands, I reached for the door handle and stepped out of the car, my eyes scanning the surroundings frantically. But there was no one there. The road stretched out before me, empty and silent, with no sign of the hooded figure anywhere in sight. I rubbed my eyes, trying to shake off the feeling of unease that had settled over me. Was I just seeing 387:SHADOWED THOUGHTS things? Or was there really someone there? Shaking my head, I walked around the car, checking every corner and peering into the darkness, but there was no trace of anyone lurking nearby. My heartbeat gradually slowed as I persuaded myself that the light or my fatigued mind was deceiving me. Running a hand through my hair, I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart. Maybe it was just a figment of my imagination, I thought, trying to reassure myself. But deep down, a nagging feeling of unease lingered, making me wonder if there was more to it than meets the eye. With a sigh, I got back into the car and resumed driving, but the encounter weighed heavily on my mind, casting a shadow over the rest of the journey. As I drove on, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something strange was happening–something beyond my understanding. But for now, all I could do was keep moving forward and hope that everything would soon return to normal. I arrived at the forest, driving straight to the cabin. Of course, everywhere was dark, and I should have been terrified. I wasn’t sure what had possessed me, but that was the expected outcome. I just wanted to find this golden necklace and get ahold of it as soon as possible. I slowly got out of my car, still thinking about what I had just seen. The figure in the hooded robe reminded me of the man I had seen at the hotel. Something didn’t seem right; it was like that man was following us. It couldn’t actually be my imagination. I stepped foot inside the dark cabin. The familiar scent of pine and cedar enveloped me, a stark contrast to the sterile hospital air I had grown accustomed to. The dim light filtering through the windows cast eerie shadows on the wooden walls, and every creak of the floorboards echoed through the silent room, I hesitated for a moment, my hand hovering over the light switch. But something deep inside urged me to embrace the darkness and confront whatever awaited me in its depths. As I moved further, my footsteps echoed in the silence, my eyes scanning every corner in search of the golden necklace that held so much significance. The cabin seemed unchanged since the last time we were here, yet an undeniable sense of foreboding lingered in the air. Finally, I reached the bedroom where Luke had surprised me with the necklace, the memory still vivid in my mind. My heart skipped a beat as I approached the dresser, where he had laid out the delicate piece of jewelry. There it was, nestled among the trinkets and mementos. And as I reached out to take it, I heard some footsteps, causing me to cease my movements. With a silent gasp, I turned around and could hear the footsteps getting close.
