I stepped inside.
The cold air of the hospital hit me instantly, slipping through my clothes and into my bones. It felt wrong—too quiet, too clean… like a place where emotions were wiped away.
I didn't stop.
I ran.
Up the stairs, my footsteps echoing loudly against the walls. Each step felt heavier than the last, like something was trying to pull me back… like something didn't want me to reach her.
But I kept going.
I had to.
Finally, I reached her floor.
My legs slowed as I approached her room.
Room 307.
I stood in front of the door, my hand hovering just inches away from the handle. My heart pounded so loudly it felt like the whole hallway could hear it.
Instead of going in, I pressed my ear against the door.
Silence.
Then faint voices… machines beeping… breathing—weak, uneven.
My chest tightened.
And suddenly—
The door flung open.
I stumbled back.
"Ahh—you must be Kyoren!" a nurse said, stepping out. Her face carried a strange mix of urgency and relief. "Your mother was just asking about you. Go on… she's waiting."
Waiting.
That word stabbed deeper than anything else.
I nodded silently and stepped inside.
The room felt smaller than I imagined.
Or maybe it was just the weight in my chest making it hard to breathe.
There she was.
My mom.
Lying on the hospital bed, surrounded by wires and machines. The steady beep… beep… beep… filled the room, each sound reminding me that she was still here… but barely.
I walked slowly toward her, afraid that if I moved too fast, she might disappear.
I pulled the chair closer and sat down beside her.
Her face looked thinner… weaker…
But it was still her.
"How are you feeling…?" I asked, my voice trembling.
A tear slipped down my cheek before I could stop it.
This was it.
Our last conversation.
She slowly turned her head toward me.
"Kyoren…" she whispered.
For a moment… I thought she'd say something meaningful. Something warm.
Something I could hold on to.
But instead—
"Did you bring me a bottle of wine?"
I froze.
"Umm… yeah," I muttered, confused.
My hands moved automatically as I reached into my bag and pulled out a fresh bottle.
I placed it in her hand.
For a second, she just stared at it.
Then suddenly—
It slipped.
The bottle crashed to the floor, shattering into sharp pieces.
The sound echoed loudly in the small room.
Her expression twisted.
"Oh, you son of a—" she started, her voice suddenly harsh.
I flinched.
Silently, I bent down and started picking up the broken glass, my fingers trembling.
Something felt… wrong.
This didn't feel like her.
Not even a little.
I gathered the pieces quickly, my chest tightening, and rushed out of the room to throw them away.
But just as I stepped into the hallway—
BOOM.
The entire building shook.
The explosion came from behind me.
I turned slowly.
And what I saw…
didn't make sense.
The wall of my mother's room was gone.
Torn apart like paper.
Dust and debris filled the air.
And standing there—
was a monster*!
*if you don't know what a monster is, then read my 'creature' series, which will be out soon.