Yesterday (End of Part Three - Chapter 61)

CHAPTER 61

Aminarti could not restrain himself. The desire to end it all and finally escape with Jonah from that mess was greater than his caution.

As soon as the improvised meeting with the doctor was over, he slipped out of Laura's room. The tension that arose between Oscar and his daughters when the doctor left was the perfect excuse to discreetly get out of the way.

He had another plan, and for that he had to get back to Jonah's room as soon as possible.

He retraced his steps, went down the elevator, walked through the reception area and back into the brightly lit gallery.

He remembered that the room was halfway down. He took a chance.

He was right.

Jonah was still lying unconscious in his bed and the room remained half-lit.

He silently approached the headboard of the bed, stood still, and realized that, not knowing how, he already had the device in the palm of his hand.

He looked at his hand in surprise and tried to meditate on what he was about to do, but the desire he felt was irresistible, he needed to press that button.

And before he knew it, he did.

At that same moment and one floor above Laura fainted and fell to the floor before the frightened eyes of Eva and Oscar.

Alarms sounded and flickered nervously in the nursing stations on the two floors, and several nurses ran through the corridors causing a small commotion in their wake.

Away from there, Spencer Kelt received a prompt on his console and after reading the brief report closed it with satisfaction.

And Walter W. Hebert’s plane began its descent to Madrid.

Jonah opened his eyes feeling completely conscious, strong, fresh and at the same time strangely liberated. He looked to his side and found Aminarti, who was looking at him astonished with wide eyes. Jonah grinned at him from ear to ear.

—Hello Pater.

—Hello son, are you all right?

—Give me that, Pater.

—What, son? —Aminarti said disoriented.

—That thing you're holding in your hand.

Aminarti looked at his hand in surprise and handed the small artifact to Jonah.

—It would be better if I kept this for you from now on.

At that moment a male nurse came into the room and hurried over to the bed.

—How do you feel? —he asked, surprised to find the priest in there with him.

—Awake, at last, —answered Jonah, smiling at him, —I’d say I’m perfectly fine. Better than ever.

—But that’s… —stammered the nurse.

—Wonderful? —completed Jonah.

—Wonderful! —exclaimed the nurse, —I’ll get your things.

The nurse left the room hurriedly in front of a stupefied Aminarti.

—But you… —he tried to say.

—Don’t worry, Pater, —Jonah told him, getting out of bed and approaching the bathroom.

—Are you not cured? —Aminarti managed to ask.

—Absolutely, can’t you see me? —Jonah answered from the bathroom with his toothbrush in his hand.

—But then…

Aminarti could not get out of his stupor, something inside him was screaming that it wasn’t normal to feel this way. He tried to resist.

—Don’t bother, Pater, —Jonah patiently dismissed with a glass of water in his hand, —it’s better if you don’t intervene, I need my sister right now.

One floor up Laura was lying curled up on the couch next to Eva. She regained consciousness shortly after passing out but was still feeling disoriented. A nurse was there with them.

—Relax and breathe calmly, —she was telling her.

—What’s the matter Laura? —Eva asked her again with sorrow while caressing her hair, but Laura shook her head.

—No, don’t worry, —she murmured in a whisper.

—What can we do? —asked Oscar, still alarmed by the incident.

—Nothing for now, let her recover, but don’t give her any liquids to drink until the doctor comes, please.

—May I go to the bathroom? —Laura asked in a whisper.

—Yes, but have your sister go with you, please. I’ll leave you alone, I’ll be back in a few minutes.

The nurse left the room and Eva led Laura by the arm to the bathroom.

—Do you want me to come in with you? —asked Eva.

—No, thank you, sis, I can do it myself.

Laura entered and closed the door behind her. Eva looked at her father worried.

—What’s going on here?

Oscar shook his head in bewilderment, and was about to answer when they heard a loud bang and a terrible scream behind the door.

Eva tried to open the door and Oscar shouted his daughter’s name, but they got no answer. Eva knocked on the door several times with her knuckles, and Oscar tried to push her away to break it down but then a nervous rattling shook the door handle and the door ended up opening before them.

Laura rushed desperately at Eva and began to babble nonsensical words. Eva pulled back a little and tried to get her to react by comforting her but to no avail. Laura was out of her mind and began to cry in anguish.

She pulled out of Eva’s arms and, although Oscar tried to hold her, she also slipped out of his grasp, and to their surprise she left the room panting and stumbling.

They went after her and saw her running away down the corridor. She turned the corner and they lost sight of her for a few moments.

When they got there they saw her silently hugging another boy in a hospital gown surrounded by several bewildered onlookers. Upon turning around they discovered it was Jonah.

End of Part Three