1 Chapter 1: The Side Effect

"HAZEEEEELLL!!!"

I look back when I heard someone shouting my name from behind. Then, the second thing I know is that my body is covered in blood after the hit while surrounded by the crowd.

I heard the sound of ambulance. It goes straight towards me. I hardly open my eyes. I couldn't move my numbing body. It seems like I become deaf for a moment and noises of the crowd is everywhere.

I feel the touch of someone's hand on my neck. Maybe, he is checking my pulse. "Her pulse becomes weaker!" the man said to his crew. "Bring over the Traverse Titan Rescue Litter!" he commanded to them.

They carry me inside the ambulance. I could no longer bear the pain as I slowly lost my consciousness.

As I open my eyes, a wall painted in white caught my attention. I realized, I wake up in a room. Where am I?

"Hazel!" a woman shouted as she runs hurriedly towards me. "I am glad you are fine!" then, she bursts into tears.

"What happened?" I asked. Then, they look at each other and said something shocking.

"You are in coma for ten years because of hit-and-run." she answered.

Ten years? Ten years of bedridden caused by hit-and-run accident? So, I was sleeping for a very long time I heard

"Do you remember the hit-and-run accident?" she asked me. Then, I shake my head as a reply. She sighed.

Wait. Why I couldn't remember them? Should I ask?

A doctor comes in. He scans the medical charts. Maybe, it belongs to me. "She improves a lot. She just need rest and later we should do physical therapy. This will help her to move her muscles" he said.

"Can you move your hands?" he asked. I try to move my hands. "It seems like there's nothing wrong in her nerves. Then, I will prepare the therapy right away" he added.

"Can you remember us?" the doctor asked. I shake my head. "She lost her memories temporarily. But it will return in time. Don't worry" he said and left.

The woman cried in front of me. It seems like she's in tears of joy because finally, I wake up from long sleep. I smiled to her.

"Oh, my baby. I'm glad you are awake. Please don't leave mama again, okay?" as her tears runs down to her cheek. So, she is my mother. I wipe away her tears. "I will be fine. As the doctor said, my memories will come back in time" I said to her to make her not worry so much. She nods.

Someone opens the door. "Mam, these are the medicines she needs. Please get it in the pharmacy." the nurse said as she gives the lists to my mom and mom takes it.

"I have to go. Rest for awhile, baby" then, she kisses my forehead. I nodded.

I lay down on the hospital bed. I look at the ceiling. It is so white and relaxing.

My eyes slowly closed down. I feel sleepy even though I just get woke up since ten years.

The moment I closed my eyes then, opens up. I am inside in the same room. I look around it. But it seems like it is in different hospital.

I heard a doorstep outside. I see the doctor, as well as the nurses, runs hurriedly to the Emergency Room. I followed them.

When I arrived in Emergency Room, I heard of what the doctor says to the old lady "Sorry, I couldn't do anything" then he left. The line signal in the machine could tell us that the person died before the doctor came in.

Then, I see the soul of the dead man, who just died recently, standing up from inside his dead body. He looks around and sees me.

"I.. died?" he asked. I nodded. His eyes turn empty. "Then, are you alive? You look like you're not dead" he asked.

"Y.. Yeah. I... I am alive. But this is my dream" I replied.

"No.. this is not a dream but the reality" he said. Then, he walks towards me. "You're the only one who can see me right now. I can touch you and you can touch me" he said as he touched me.

A nurse walks by in me. "And it seems like your soul wanders around. You should go back" he added. He touched my forehead and says "Go back".

And I wake up in my room. Then, an ache strikes my head for a moment.

"Are you okay?" a man said the moment he comes in. I nodded. "I heard that you lost your memories so I bet you don't remember me." he added.

I stayed in silence. "I'm your dad. I immediately come here when I heard that you are awake now" he calmly said. His voice sounds familiar. I don't know if he tells the truth or not.

"I'm sorry if I don't remember you" I said. He smirked. "Sorry? I wished you never wake up again but I guess the world turns against me.

I am in shocked as his mouth said those words. Is he really my dad?

"What are you doing here?! Huh!" my mom said as the moment she opens the door and she sees him. "Get out of here! or else I will call the cops!" she shouted then hugs me.

He chuckles. "Why are you still alive? You shouldn't be. You should never be." he added and left.

"Hazel, don't listen to him okay?" Mom chins me up. "He's not your dad. I mean... He is but he's not" she said.

"What do... you mean?" I asked. "You will know once your memories will come back" she said.

But I feel upset to what he said. How I wish I never heard it.

One week have passed, I still don't remember anything except my name. I wander what kind of person I am.

I wear a simple shirt and pants then, ponytailed my hair. "It looks like you are going somewhere. Where is it?" mom asked. I look into her eyes. It is full of worries. I smile at her. "Don't worry, Mom. I will be alright. I just need to stroll around. Maybe, it helps me to remember." I replied.

"Don't push yourself too hard" she added. I kissed her cheek then left.

Even though I lost my memories, it doesn't mean I will be lost in this city.

I look around. This city is a crowded place. People likes to walk instead of using a car to drive.

A boutique caught my attention. I see a young lady standing in front of it. It seems like she is waiting for someone. I guess.

A young man came out. It passed through..her. "She's a ghost?" I asked to myself. But I guess, she is. She followed the man. And I secretly followed them.

"What is her relationship with that man?" I just wondered.

The man stops in a Coffee shop. He goes in and sits beside a young and beautiful lady.

I look at the lady who is waiting, the ghost. She seems furious...but hurts.

Unfortunately, she saw me when I tried to walk out. "You can see me?" she asked. I pretend that I don't heard her. "Hey!" she shouted as she waves her right hand in front of my eyes if ever I response to her or not. But still, I pretend.

"Aish! I thought someone could see me." she mumbled. I sighed.

"Alright! I could see you" as I revealed it. "Really?!" there's a sparks in her eyes when I confessed. I nodded.

"What do you want?" I asked. She looks on that guy. "Was he your boyfriend?" I asked again. She shook her head. "Then, who was he to you?" I asked.

Her facial expression changes the moment I ask for the last time. "He murdered me" she answered.

I look again to that man. "Are you sure he is the one who did it?" I clarified.

"We were scheduled to have our wedding. I was excited. But the night before the wedding, I heard him saying 'I love you,honey' to someone on his phone. He even wanted to cancel our wedding on the same day when I caught him after hearing it. He promised me. So, I confronted him and asked why. He said that he could no longer bear it of lbeing with me. That I was nothing to him. It hurts...." then she bursts into tears.

"I found out that he only wanted my wealth. I already gave him a bank account with a ten million deposits before the marriage. On that night he killed me, he stole my one hundred million deposits and put it on that lady's bank account." she added.

"So, you want him dead?" I asked. I hope not. "No... I just want him to pay for what he did to me by revealing everything" she said.

"I couldn't do anything without knowing when it happened and how it happened" I said. She looks at me. "I can show you where he buried my body. I can show you the past of how he did it. But I couldn't guarantee the safety of your body" she said.

I don't understand what she meant. "What do you..." I couldn't continue what I am trying to say when she says something "You could do it in your dream. A dream is like the reality. Have you experienced out-of-body experience of your soul?" she said.

"You mean.. getting up of your soul out from the body?" I asked to clarify. She nodded. "It is an impossible task for first timers. But I heard that a person who could see a ghost or soul could do the out-of-the-body experience. Being in this state means that you have already died once before but come back again" she explained.

I remembered what happened in the hospital. That time when I saw the man died, it feels like I was in different place.

"Let's go!" as she grabbed my hand to go somewhere. "Where are we going?" I asked. "To your house" she replied. What?!

"Your house is the safest place to do the out-of-the-body experience" she added.

When we arrived home, my mom cooks for lunch. Hmmmm.. the food smells delicious. Then, my stomach starts to sound like a growl.

"I have to eat first" I said as we walk to the kitchen. "Hazel, you're here. Let's begin to eat" mom said.

I packed some food for her to eat after I finished eating.

I offered the food so that she can eat it.

"Wow! So good!" she said. "What's your name? " I asked. "Kath Montalvo, for short" she answered.

After eating, we are going to stay in my room. "Lay down for a moment" she said as I lie down. "Then, closed your eyes and do a deep breathing exercise three times" she added. "Finally, focus on your mind" as I eventually begin to feel like everything is silent.