Chapter 25: Lost in Translation
Third Person's POV
After encountering Nyx, Astra was rescued by Armann. Because of exhaustion and despite being in Astral Projection, Armann couldn't teleport to a distant place with Astra. They ended up on the side of the road, far from their home but still within view.
From there, Astra could see how the fire engulfed their house. The surroundings became noisy with the wail of sirens as firefighters hurried to the scene of the fire. Panic filled the air as neighbors gathered, watching helplessly as the flames devoured the familiar structure.
Astra felt a pang of sadness and fear, realizing the gravity of the situation. The once peaceful neighborhood was now a scene of chaos and destruction, with the orange glow of the flames illuminating the night sky.
"No!" Astra cried out, tears streaming down her cheeks as she attempted to rush towards their house, but Armann restrained her, though he couldn't grasp her. Instead, it was the barrier on the road that stopped her.
Armann also wanted to save Morph, but it was too dangerous. They didn't know if Nyx was still inside or not. Furthermore, Armann's ability to save someone was limited. Astra's heart sank as she felt helpless, torn between feeling a sense of loss and despair. The flames licked hungrily at the structure, casting eerie shadows against the night sky. With a heavy heart, Astra found herself sitting on the floor, feeling utterly helpless as she watched their house being consumed by flames.
Armann allowed her to cry, staying by her side without saying a word. Astra's tears were the only sound that filled the air, wrapping Armann in a cocoon of concern. Despite her swollen eyes, she couldn't stop the tears from flowing.
Exhausted from the events and her tears, Astra suddenly fainted. She would have fallen face-first, but Armann caught her just in time. However, due to his Astral Projection, he couldn't physically hold her, and she slipped through his grasp, collapsing onto the ground. Panic surged through Armann as he knelt beside her, wishing he could do more to help. He gently brushed the hair from her face, his heart heavy with worry for their uncertain future.
Fortunately, a passing car noticed Astra lying on the ground. The driver quickly pulled over and rushed to her side, immediately dialing the emergency hotline.
"Hello? There's a woman who has fainted here," the man reported urgently. "Please hurry!" he added, his voice tinged with concern.
The operator on the other end responded promptly, asking, ["Did you hit her?"]
"What? No, I didn't hit her!" the man replied defensively. "I just saw her lying alone by the roadside, unconscious," he explained further.
The operator reassured the man, "Help is on the way. Please stay with her until the emergency services arrive."
The man nodded, relieved to hear that assistance was coming. He carefully knelt beside Astra, gently cradling her head in his hands, his eyes scanning the surroundings for any signs of danger or further trouble.
Armann stood by, his presence unnoticed by the man. He remained silent, his concern evident in the furrow of his brow and the tense set of his shoulders.
After a few tense minutes, the ambulance arrived, its flashing lights illuminating the night as paramedics rushed to Astra's side. Armann followed closely behind as they transported her to the nearby hospital, his heart heavy with worry.
Upon arrival at the hospital, Astra was swiftly examined and given preliminary treatment to stabilize her condition. She was then settled into one of the beds in the emergency room, where she could rest and recover under the watchful eye of the medical staff.
Armann lingered near the entrance of the emergency room, his gaze fixed on the green curtain that separated him from Astra. Concern etched lines on his face as he watched her, relieved to see that she appeared to be in better condition than before, despite the lingering pallor of her complexion and the weariness evident in her eyes.
The good Samaritan who found Astra was escorted by the police for questioning. They want to know the details for their report.
As Astra was being attended to, two nurses entered the cubicle, carrying clipboards. Armann stepped aside, even though he remained unseen, to make way for them.
"What should we do with her? She was brought in by a man, but he claim not to know her," the male nurse asked the other nurses.
"Let's coordinate with police so we can find out if they are looking for a missing woman," suggested one of the nurses.
Armann listened intently, his worry growing as he realized the potential complications Astra's situation could bring. He silently hoped that they would find a way to help her without causing her any further distress.
"Okay. But what name should we get her for her medical record?" the nurse asked again.
"How about 'A'?" he replied.
"'A'? Just A? That's kind of weird," one of them commented.
"Not really. We don't have anyone named 'A' here in our hospital, right? At least we can easily find her. It's just the first letter of the alphabet," he reasoned.
"Yeah, you're right," chuckled another nurse as she wrote the letter 'A' on Astra's medical record.
They laughed as they left the place, leaving Astra and Armann behind once again.
Armann realized that he couldn't just leave Astra there. Since it was already morning, Armann decided to return to his own body.
"I'll come back for you," Armann said before suddenly disappearing.
In a second, Armann's body woke up, his soul finally returned. He got up from his bed, feeling incredibly exhausted, but not his physical body.
He straightened himself up and dressed neatly to go see Astra. Getting into his car, he headed to the hospital where Astra was taken.
He walked into the hospital as if he knew the ins and outs of the place. Upon reaching the emergency room, he quickly made his way to Astra's cubicle, but he was promptly stopped by a duty nurse.
"Sir, you can't be here!" the nurse exclaimed.
"Excuse me, are you looking for someone?" asked a newly arrived nurse.
"I am Astra's guardian," he said. The two nurses were confused because they didn't recognize who he was referring to, so Armann spoke again. "I am the guardian of A. The patient who was found unconscious by the roadside."
With that, it was as if a light bulb went off in the nurses' heads.
"Oh, I see. This way, please, sir," said the nurse with a smile, leading Armann to Astra's cubicle.
The nurse left after chatting with Armann, leaving a look of confusion on his face.
"Why?" asked his colleague, noticing his puzzled expression.
"That guy was just weird. Didn't you notice?" she replied.
"Noticed what?" another nurse chimed in.
"What the guy said. He claimed earlier that he was the guardian of the patient brought in, but we never told anyone that we referred to her as 'A'," she explained.
The nurses exchanged curious glances, wondering about the mysterious guardian and the patient known only as 'A'.
As a result, the two of them froze in their tracks, exchanging uneasy glances. The man seemed like a ghost they had been accompanying all along.
Upon arrival, Armann found Astra still asleep. He only caught a glimpse of her before he was called again by the nurse.
He momentarily left Astra's side to take care of her medical paperwork. He filled out forms and settled bills for her medicines.
Afterwards, he was approached by the police and taken to the station for updates on Astra and to inquire about the man's involvement in the incident.
Armann clearly explained everything to the police.
"Astra tends to forget quickly, so she doesn't know where she ended up. As the doctor said, she fainted due to exhaustion," Armann explained.
"I told you, I didn't run her over!" exclaimed the man who found Astra on the road.
"Alright, that's enough! You can go now," the annoyed police replied, tired of the man's repeated assertions.
After leaving the police station, Armann thanked the man. Then, he decided to stop for a while at the corner near Astra's house.
Their house was completely consumed by the fire. Barrier tape surrounded the area, with a few police officers and investigators present.
Armann observed the scene and learned that a body, identified as a woman, was found inside. Her identity remained unknown. Sensing that his presence was drawing too much attention from the police, Armann decided it was best to leave the area.
After his observation, he headed to the hospital. Upon arrival, he found Astra just waking up.
"Don't try to move yet," Armann ran over, advising with concern. He helped her sit up on the bed.
"Who are you? Where am I?" Astra asked, her voice tinged with confusion.
"You're in the hospital. You fainted on the street earlier, so they brought you here," Armann replied gently.
Astra's gaze wandered as she struggled to piece together her memories from the night before, but her mind felt foggy, clouded by her dissociation. The only clear thought was of her aunt.
"Aunt Morph," she murmured, attempting to rise, but her strength failed her, causing her to stumble. Quick to react, Armann reached out to steady her.
"What happened? Where's my aunt?" Astra asked, her voice serious, searching for answers from Armann.
"I'm sorry, but it's best for you to rest for now," Armann replied gently, avoiding Astra's direct question.
Feeling frustrated, Astra tried to push for more information, but without cooperation from Armann, she was left with no choice but to wait.
After spending several more hours at the hospital, Astra was finally discharged. Armann suggested they grab a bite to eat together before heading home.
As night fell after their meal, Astra stayed quiet, gazing out the car window, observing the cars passing by.
Armann felt sorry seeing Astra lost in her thoughts, so he decided to take her to their old house.
Astra was taken aback by the sudden turn of events. Soon enough, she noticed the familiar surroundings. She adjusted herself in her seat and looked ahead, her eyes widening as she spotted their house not far away.
~ To be Continued ~