Cracked Sources – B03E04
It
was 08:10 a.m.; the doctor pulled the plug on Andrew’s life support, and for
the last ten minutes, Beatrice had to watch, devastatingly, as he drifted
further away from life. Time was passing, and he wasn’t waking up. Akin just
stood there, at a corner beside the door and watched his son’s lifeless body;
he silently prayed for a miracle, but none was forth coming.
was 08:10 a.m.; the doctor pulled the plug on Andrew’s life support, and for
the last ten minutes, Beatrice had to watch, devastatingly, as he drifted
further away from life. Time was passing, and he wasn’t waking up. Akin just
stood there, at a corner beside the door and watched his son’s lifeless body;
he silently prayed for a miracle, but none was forth coming.
‘What God gives you children only for him
to take them back?’
to take them back?’
Akin asked himself. He hoped for an answer from a God he didn’t really
believe in. This was a chance for the supernatural entity to prove himself.
believe in. This was a chance for the supernatural entity to prove himself.
The
ward’s door opened; it was the mortuary attendants – human versions of Reapers – they were there to take away Andrew’s
body – Beatrice’s wails doubled as she struggled with them to keep his body. A
nurse passing by stopped because of the intensity of the noise emanating from
that ward; she recognized Beatrice, and sympathized with her. She walked in and
held Beatrice back, whispering in her ears that it was time to let go. It soon
dawned on Beatrice that Andrew wasn’t going to wake up; she fell to the ground.
ward’s door opened; it was the mortuary attendants – human versions of Reapers – they were there to take away Andrew’s
body – Beatrice’s wails doubled as she struggled with them to keep his body. A
nurse passing by stopped because of the intensity of the noise emanating from
that ward; she recognized Beatrice, and sympathized with her. She walked in and
held Beatrice back, whispering in her ears that it was time to let go. It soon
dawned on Beatrice that Andrew wasn’t going to wake up; she fell to the ground.
The attendants carried Andrew’s body onto the stretcher and wheeled him
away. Akin walked over to Beatrice’s position, and wrapped her in his embrace.
Beatrice sobbed uncontrollably; her sweaty face soiled Akin’s shirt. “Why did
he have to go?” She asked.
away. Akin walked over to Beatrice’s position, and wrapped her in his embrace.
Beatrice sobbed uncontrollably; her sweaty face soiled Akin’s shirt. “Why did
he have to go?” She asked.
“I don’t know,” Akin said. His voice was heavy laden, “I have no
idea.”
idea.”
Few steps away from where they stood, few feet
outside the door, Andrew coughed. The attendants instantly took their hands off
the stretcher’s handles. He coughed again, used his right hand to support
himself as he stood up; they took to their heels.
outside the door, Andrew coughed. The attendants instantly took their hands off
the stretcher’s handles. He coughed again, used his right hand to support
himself as he stood up; they took to their heels.
Anna paid Mother a visit at the police
station. It was a bad morning, one caused by the new emptiness in her life; she
wanted something familiar, something that reminded her of the life she used to
have before the explosion.
station. It was a bad morning, one caused by the new emptiness in her life; she
wanted something familiar, something that reminded her of the life she used to
have before the explosion.
“How’s my son, Anna?” Mother asked. Her question was synonymous with a
good morning salutation.
good morning salutation.
Anna
freaked. The question mother asked interrupted Anna’s suppressing of Andrew’s
memories; it was a coping mechanism she devised during her short stay at the
hospital, after the explosion.
freaked. The question mother asked interrupted Anna’s suppressing of Andrew’s
memories; it was a coping mechanism she devised during her short stay at the
hospital, after the explosion.
The
room was getting unusually hot for Anna, and it was because Mother’s presence
was becoming unbearable.
room was getting unusually hot for Anna, and it was because Mother’s presence
was becoming unbearable.
“Andrew’s dead,” she lashed out, “He’s
dead!” She stressed.
dead!” She stressed.
Mother’s
eyes shone. She was intrigued; she wondered why Anna seemed so distraught.
Hands stretched out, Mother attempted to take her hand; Anna refused.
eyes shone. She was intrigued; she wondered why Anna seemed so distraught.
Hands stretched out, Mother attempted to take her hand; Anna refused.
“Do you think I would do him any form of harm?” She asked. “Where is
my son?” Mother thundered; her voice bore anger like never before.
my son?” Mother thundered; her voice bore anger like never before.
Anna
fussed. Before her was a woman who had limited interest in how Andrew fared. Growing
up, his interests had always been aligned to serve hers. Anna wasn’t falling
for the deceit that Mother truly cared. Yet, she confessed, saying, “I do not
know.”
fussed. Before her was a woman who had limited interest in how Andrew fared. Growing
up, his interests had always been aligned to serve hers. Anna wasn’t falling
for the deceit that Mother truly cared. Yet, she confessed, saying, “I do not
know.”
“He loves you, you know?” Mother
started, “After everything you’ve done to him, he still loves you. And, you’re
still taking him for granted.”
started, “After everything you’ve done to him, he still loves you. And, you’re
still taking him for granted.”
“I don’t have to explain myself to
you,” Anna fired back.
you,” Anna fired back.
“Yes, you do. You should tell me how
my son is,” Mother screamed, “How is my son, Anna?”
my son is,” Mother screamed, “How is my son, Anna?”
“I don’t know, okay. I don’t know.”
Anna
hit the table, and stood. She was done playing Mother’s games, and was ready to
take her leave. “I love Andrew, but that’s not something you’ll ever understand,”
she said, and clutched onto her purse, “I really hope you spend the remainder
of your miserable life here.”
hit the table, and stood. She was done playing Mother’s games, and was ready to
take her leave. “I love Andrew, but that’s not something you’ll ever understand,”
she said, and clutched onto her purse, “I really hope you spend the remainder
of your miserable life here.”
“Don’t say that,” Mother sounded
apologetic.
apologetic.
Anna walked away without saying anything else.
The scream from Mother caused her to feel a guilty sense of pleasure. As she
stepped out of the station, her cell-phone beeped. On examination, she saw it
was a text from Beatrice, saying, Andrew’s
alive.
The scream from Mother caused her to feel a guilty sense of pleasure. As she
stepped out of the station, her cell-phone beeped. On examination, she saw it
was a text from Beatrice, saying, Andrew’s
alive.
Beatrice couldn’t understand what the Doctor meant by his last
statement. She turned her head towards Andrew, to get a better view of him,
restrained, and battling endlessly to get out of the straps. He was more of a
pitiable specimen, than an item of curiosity, for someone who just returned
from the grasp of death.
statement. She turned her head towards Andrew, to get a better view of him,
restrained, and battling endlessly to get out of the straps. He was more of a
pitiable specimen, than an item of curiosity, for someone who just returned
from the grasp of death.
The Doctor pulled Beatrice and Akin aside, to talk. Andrew was
diagnosed with amnesia, caused by the shortage of oxygen to his brain the
period he was thought dead. “We can’t tell the extent of the damage returning
from death caused,” Dr. Gusanu said.
diagnosed with amnesia, caused by the shortage of oxygen to his brain the
period he was thought dead. “We can’t tell the extent of the damage returning
from death caused,” Dr. Gusanu said.
“What do you mean, doctor?” Akin interrupted rudely, “You’re a
doctor, you shouldn’t be believing in such.”
doctor, you shouldn’t be believing in such.”
“Well, I’m a Christian first, and a doctor second. Believe me
when I tell you your son was dead for three hours…”
when I tell you your son was dead for three hours…”
“You killed him. You took away his
life support, and now, you’re saying this rubbish,” Beatrice cut him. “We’ll
sue you. We’ll close this entire hospital for destroying his life.” She
shouted. Akin tried without much success to calm her down.
life support, and now, you’re saying this rubbish,” Beatrice cut him. “We’ll
sue you. We’ll close this entire hospital for destroying his life.” She
shouted. Akin tried without much success to calm her down.
The Doctor left. He hoped his absence would make Beatrice calm down.
He promised to be back shortly with a better proposal on how they’d all proceed
from there.
He promised to be back shortly with a better proposal on how they’d all proceed
from there.
Every time Akin made eye contact with Andrew, he felt his spine
shiver. From the look in Andrew’s eyes, one could tell he recognized his
father; animosity, anger, and confusion hatred filled them.
shiver. From the look in Andrew’s eyes, one could tell he recognized his
father; animosity, anger, and confusion hatred filled them.
“Where is Ramon?”
Akin
and Beatrice looked at each other with surprise. Even though Ramon was dead, the
mention of her name meant Andrew’s amnesia wasn’t a total one.
and Beatrice looked at each other with surprise. Even though Ramon was dead, the
mention of her name meant Andrew’s amnesia wasn’t a total one.
Beatrice
was less excited than Akin; she was still shaken with fears of her own. She
wanted Andrew to recognize her; she wanted to hear him call her name with the
same mixture of vigor and delicacy he always used to. But none of that
happened.
was less excited than Akin; she was still shaken with fears of her own. She
wanted Andrew to recognize her; she wanted to hear him call her name with the
same mixture of vigor and delicacy he always used to. But none of that
happened.
“Why are you
doing this to us, Andrew; to me?
doing this to us, Andrew; to me?
Andrew
calmed down for a moment; it was as though hearing his name juggled his memory.
calmed down for a moment; it was as though hearing his name juggled his memory.
“Why?” Beatrice asked again.
“Take me to the church” Andrew said.
His
statement made no sense to her. She wondered how a church came into their
discussion.
statement made no sense to her. She wondered how a church came into their
discussion.
“Take me to the church,” Andrew said
again.
again.
“What church?” Beatrice naturally
asked.
asked.
“The
church in the dark,” he said.
church in the dark,” he said.
