163 Hallucination, Nightmare and Protection (1/2)

Miya staggered out of the hospital, breathless as the drug began to take effect. Her head hurt savagely, and even though she had bandaged the scratch, she sweated profusely as a sharp pain went through her arm, and directly hurt her brain.

She had managed to send Chenric to Raven High to check up urgently on Ben. She had also asked him to get her another drive. Though the young man wasn't able to tell that she had been injured, he followed orders, guilty that he had gone behind her back by informing Jim. Miya of course, couldn't have risked seeing Ben when she knew exactly how Kaali's darts worked. She didn't want to freak out the child.

She would be losing consciousness soon.

Once Chenric had left, she waited for the car to arrive, the atmosphere of the hospital suffocating her in the meantime. Barely catching her breath, she struggled out, hoping the fresh air would clear her mind. The pain in her head intensified though, and she almost collapsed at the bottom of the staircase.

Beads of sweat covered her forehead and dripped down her chin. She clutched at the railing, looked around for the car, her eyes turning bloodshot. The vision of the road in front blurred, then danced before her eyes. The image of a young girl flashed before her. And then, she saw a lot of blood.

Hallu – Hallucination…

The conscious part of her tried to remind herself that it was just a hallucination, that she had just been attacked by t-that man…

Suddenly, her phone buzzed.

The distraction was enough to drive Miya to momentary consciousness, as she saw it was Chenric's call. She picked up, and he reported that Ben was alright.

Alright…

”Mmm. Hmm.” Miya could barely breathe while answering the phone, and images of Kasu, Ben, his mother danced before her. She gasped, then finally let go.

She did try to mutter ”Help” before she fell to the floor.

Jimmy's hands were shivering.

As the young master made his final call for the day, he couldn't imagine what had been going down back at his house. Miya…

She –

He had just received news of her falling unconscious, and that she had been injected with some strange substance. Only a half hour ago he had received Chenric's call – and the guard had informed him of an attack that had been made on her. Jim had been quick to jump to his feet and make a call to her. But Chenric had insisted she was fine, and that Jim not contact her since she had requested him to not inform Jim of the matter.

Jim had complied then, waiting for her to get back home safe, before he reached back too and gave her a piece of his mind face to face.

Thirty minutes later, he had received another call.

She had lost consciousness on the street, and was being carried back home.

Only, his flight was delayed due to bad weather. And as lightning crashed against the sky and rain began to pour, Jim could barely breathe. It was as if it was all a premonition, especially how fast night fell and how black and mooring it was. It was midnight before he could get home.

All this while, Hunter manor was in turmoil.

Simon Hunter sat by Miya's bedside, his face grim as he seemed to have aged fifty more years. Beside him, a doctor was carefully monitoring the girl, as she lay, sweating on the bed. She was unconscious, but only minutes before she had been awake it seemed. Only, she couldn't see anybody around herself. No one knew what she was hallucinating about, or what she saw for she screamed her gut out, rocking up from the bed. The doctor had settled her down with the help of a nurse, and given her another shot of the antidote.

It was in her unconscious moment that Jim entered the room.

His face was haggard, his eyes dull. He looked like a haunted ghost.

”Miya – ” he panted, rushing inside.

Simon was inside, as were Mr. Park, Charlie and Ben.

Before Jim could reach the girl, however, someone took his name. Jim froze mid-way once he heard the voice.

As soon as Ben saw Jimmy enter the room, the little guy couldn't help himself. He didn't know what had happened to mommy, nobody would tell him. Aunty Charlie would keep taking him out, but Ben could hear screams from the room whenever he left. When he was allowed to see mommy, mommy was asleep. But she looked weak and pale.

Ben had tried not to cry, and he wanted Jimmy to come back.

He could take care of his mommy! Ben knew that.

So when the child saw Jimmy enter the room and call out his mother's name, Ben couldn't help himself.

He launched himself at the man's feet, hugging his knees as he called out, ”Jimmy, mommy…”

Jim immediately held the boy, then picked him up. Despite the desperate, low threatening drum of his heart, he said, ”Champ… you're here.”

Ben clung to Jim's chest, wrapping his small hands around his neck as he buried his face into the crook between Jim's shoulder and neck. Jim supported the child awkwardly, putting one hand around his shoulders, and the other beneath him.

”Quiet, my boy,” he soothed, glancing over at Miya.

She was deathly pale, her face seeming like it had been drained of blood. Her lips looked charred, and she was trembling. Her eyes were closed, but she was definitely not asleep.

Jim wanted to rush to her side, but he calmed Ben down, looking at his father in appeal. Simon was watching Ben and Jim when his son raised his brows at him.

Senior Hunter nodded slightly, indicating that she was alright.

Jim nodded back, then took Ben outside. Mr. Park followed behind him. While the butler indicated Jim to hand over Ben, Jim agreed, but let the boy go only when he had calmed him down.

”Ben,” he then told him seriously, ”I need you to stay with uncle Park for tonight. Have dinner and go to sleep. Do you trust me?”

Very slowly, the boy nodded.

Jim landed a quick peck on his forehead.

”Good. Remember, I've told you before, haven't I? I'll protect mommy for the both of us.”