The Sanguine Water

"I'll head over there."

The call ended and officer Stanley looked at me and my mom with apologetic eyes. He then spoke, "I would like to ask for your pardon, I am being asked to go to the crime scene. If we assume correctly, these might be the bodies of Mason's friends."

"I will report back here immediately once things are already settled. I'll leave you two for now. Take care, Ms. Liliens and Mrs. Liliens.", the officer weaved a goodbye and slowly shut the door as he left.

My mom heaved out a deep sigh and looked at me as if she's looking at something fragile or something that would disappear soon. She stared at me like that for a consecutive minute before pulling me in another tight embrace.

"I'm fine, mom. Please don't worry too much.", I told her in a cooing voice.

"Well how can I not worry, Clara? You're the only one I have.", she said in a sad tone. "Promise me you'll always take care of yourself and keep out of danger, okay?"

"Yes, mom. I promise I will never worry you like that again.", I responded as I hugged her tightly.

As we're spending time in each others' embrace, my stomach growled a little. It's been a couple of hours since the last time I've eaten. My mom looked at me smiling and asked me what I would love to have for lunch. I gave it a thought and a craving popped in my head.

"Mom, if there's a Japanese restaurant nearby, please get me some tempuras.", I told her cheekily.

"You used to hate it when you were younger. How time truly flies.", mom chuckled as she prepares her bag. "Anything else you want? What about drinks?

"An iced latte will do. Or anything milky and cold.", I replied.

"Alright, tempuras and iced latte or whatever milky and cold for Clara", mom chirped. "I'll be heading out now, if you need anything just ask for the nurse through the phone here."

"I got it, thank you mom. Be careful too!", I told her as she went out.

My gaze was focused on the door where my mom headed out just now. For once, I feel at ease and I feel safe. I wonder what happened to officer Stanley. He did promise us an update, I wonder how things went.

I slowly stood up and tried to balance myself. It's been a while since I've gotten out of this hospital bed and walking on both my legs feels foreign to me now. I gripped onto the railings of the hospital bed and I let my feet get used to my weight. After a few seconds, I reached out to the IV stand and started moving bit by bit to the drawer across the bed.

I reached out to one of the styrofoam cups in one of the drawer's racks. I then went to the water dispenser that my mom has brought in yesterday. I placed my cup under the cold water option. I left it on fixed mode where the water will automatically pour unto the cup. I decided to look outside the window and saw a small park beside the town's hospital. There weren't much people in it, only a few. I saw two cats lying on the grass, stretching and yawning.

I got preoccupied with the scene in front of me that I forgot the cup I placed on the dispenser. I quickly turned off pour option and removed the cup that was almost overflowing. I placed the cup on my lips and took sips of the water.

In the middle of drinking my water, I suddenly felt a weird sensation in my mouth. The cold water doesn't feel cold anymore and is gradually getting warmer. I can also taste a change in flavor and suddenly it tasted iron-like that I had to go to the bathroom sink and spit it out.

I washed my mouth hoping to get rid of the awful taste and residues of the water that I've drank. I kept rinsing my mouth when I realized that another thing was off. The water turned blood red in color. I took a step back until I bumped into someone standing behind me.

"I'm very sorry, it was just the water is weird and --"

I looked at the person I bumped into and saw a very familiar face that I wish I would never see anymore.

"You enjoyed the water, Clara?", Mason asked me in an amused voice.

I pushed him away yet my hands just went through him like he's a transparent illusion. I panicked because of the fact that he can touch me yet I cannot do the same thing to him. My body is starting to get cold and nervousness wrecked my body once more.

"What do you want from me, Mason?", I stepped back a little bit and glared at him from the distance I created. "You're already dead, can't you just rot in hell?"

Mason laughed at my antics and said, "My dear Clara, I just want to see you. Is that a bad thing?"

"Yes, it is. Tell me what your objectives are, you psycho!", I replied angrily. I cannot stay weak and be pushed around by people especially dead ones!

"My, my, look who's an angry little tigress. Why are you so mad to see me, Clara?", Mason stepped closer to me and in return, I stepped back.

"STAY THE F*CK AWAY FROM ME, MASON!", I shouted fiercely as I grabbed a bread knife that was on the sink. I am definitely aware that that choice of a weapon is not really the best but I have to protect myself from this monster somehow.

I pointed the bread knife steadier to Mason yet he showed no fear and continued to approach me. He came closer and closer 'til the knife's tip was pointing on his neck. "Can you actually do it, Clara?"

"You are already dead, but if you keep on ruining my life like this, I would gladly kill you all over again.", I uttered those words as if every fear I have in my body disappeared.

"You know what they say, Clara. Fear the living, but the dead will keep you up at night."

With a massive force, Mason pushed me to the wall. My back hit it with a heavy impact and I tasted blood because of the collision.

The bread knife fell to the side and I attempted to grab it only to feel my hand getting stepped on. Mason picked up the bread knife and looked at me as I try to get his foot off my hand. My strength has not really came back and so I keep on trying to push away his leg.

When all of a sudden, something spluttered all over the white bathroom walls and some even sprayed on my hands and face.

It was blood.

I looked up and saw that Mason stabbed his neck with the bread knife. I covered my mouth and fought the urge to throw up. Blood kept on gushing from his neck and it's very traumatizing to look at.

Mason's eyes looked straight to mine, "That's how you should do it next time, Clara."

"However..."

Mason removed the knife from his neck as if nothing happened. You can't kill a dead anymore and that's what he's trying to show me.

Mason started laughing and laughing. His laughters grew louder and even crazier as if he's turned into some demonic being. He stabbed himself again on the neck and more blood gushed out and sprayed.

"STOP!", I yelled at him. It was both a plea and a command.

"STOP! STOP IT! GET AWAY FROM ME!", I kept on shouting at him.

The helpless situation made me cover my ears and shut my eyes off. I kept screaming the word "stop" and I can feel tears streaming down my face along with the blood that had splattered on my skin.

A hand grabbed me by force and I screamed on top of my lungs because I am too afraid of what Mason will do next.

"CLARA!", A voice yelled at me and then I felt a sharp sting on my cheek.

I snapped out of my trance and looked at the person who is now in front of me. It was the medic that helped me, Meyer.

"Clara? Clara, please snap out of it!", he started shaking me to get my attention. "Clara, please respond. Do you hear me? It's alright, we're here and we're not gonna hurt you."

I wiped my tears away and I saw Meyer clearly now. Behind him were nurses and a doctor on stand-by. Just in time, I saw my mom enter the room quickly with a panicked look on her face.

"Clara! Goodness, what happened?", my mom went quickly to my side and pulled me into a hug.

"Patient's in state of shock. Meyer, help her get back to the bed.", the doctor said with authority.

The nurses, along with Meyer, assisted me back to the bed. My mom was called by the doctor and they were having a serious conversation. After a few seconds, my mom went to me and held my hand. She is telling me something yet my ears are not functioning well and I feel as though I'm deafened. I tried to read her lips and understand what she's saying.

I saw a nurse insert a fluid on the IV tube. After a few minutes I started feeling sleepy and my heartbeat is starting to calm down. I'd assume it's a sedative that they gave me and the doctor asked my mother for permission about it.

I didn't even bother fighting back the slumber's gentle approach and let my body give in.

"We'll have to refer her to a psychiatrist, Mrs. Liliens."

"Will she be alright?"

.

Those were the last words I heard before being fully consumed by darkness. I guess I'm really going crazy. Psychiatrist, huh? I guess I really got it bad.

But the real question is....will I really be alright?