Chapter 34: PANIC ATTACK

Alda was sitting across from me as I drove her home. She hasn't said anything to me since we left the hospital. She just stared out the window blankly. I kept sighing over and over again, and that wasn't enough to draw her attention.

She just rested her head against her seat and kept staring at the window. I saw an ambulance drive past us and couldn't help wondering if there was an accident around this area.

But as we got closer to Alda’s house, I began to notice the police cars parked outside her building, and there were also two ambulances parked outside the building.

“Alda, what's happening?”

“Huh?” 

“I think there has been an accident at your house.” In saying that, Alda quickly rushed out of the car to know what was happening. I parked my car and rushed after her. 

Just like I thought, something must have happened, and looking at how the police were parked in here, it's something serious. Alda approached one of them to question the situation.

“What is going on? Where are my parents?” She asked as she began to panic. I went closer to her and tried calming her down.

“Alda, you need to calm down.”

“No, I want to see my parents. What on earth is going on here, and what happened?”

“Miss, you need to calm down. We are still investigating, so we can't give you any clear details,” the officer responded.

“I don't need your details; I want to see my parents.” Just then, I saw them carrying out Alda's parents in a stretcher as they headed towards the ambulance.

They were both covered in blood. What on earth happened here? I turned towards Alda, trying to distract her from seeing the scene in front of me, but it was too late; she had already seen it and was walking towards the ambulance.

“Alda”

“Alda!!”

Alda’s POV

I walked towards the ambulance as I felt my heart beating so fast that I bet someone on the other side of the compound could hear it.

I heard Xender calling out my name, but it sounded distant. My legs got weaker with each step I took closer to the ambulance.

“We are losing her!!! Get the oxygen going.”

“How is he holding up!!!?”

“Press down on the wound until we are able to stop the bleeding; we are losing them!!!”

Those were the sounds that surrounded me, but they all sounded distant. Even the siren was sounding distant. I walked towards the ambulance, nearly dragging my legs.

There, I found my mum lying lifeless on a stretcher, her clothes stained with blood. Turning to the other ambulance was my dad; he had people surrounding him as they all ran back and forth. A defibrillator was being used on him; I could hear the people surrounding him screaming, “Clear!” Over and over again.

This has to be a dream. I'm just having a nightmare. I just need to close my eyes, and I will wake up from this bad dream.

I closed my eyes tightly and took a deep breath, trying to steady my breath. I stood there with my eyes closed as I waited for someone to wake me up. I prayed and pleaded for this nightmare to be over.

“Alda,” I heard Xender’s voice. But I'm not going to answer him; I want my mum to wake me up. I want to hear her voice calling me to come have my breakfast.

"Alda,” but I kept hearing Xender's voice, and he even touched me.

“Go away!! Leave me alone!!. This is a nightmare; none of this is real. It's just a dream; I will wake up soon. It's just a dream!” 

I said as I kept telling myself it was a dream. I just need to get away from the sound, and I will wake up, and my parents will be just in front of me.

“Alda, please open your eyes.” He wasn't going away. Why is Xender part of my nightmare? Maybe if I opened my eyes, they would all be gone, so I did. I opened my eyes only to see the same scene in front of me.

I pinched myself hard on the arm, and it was only then that it hit me; I wasn't dreaming. Everything was really happening around me. I looked from my mum to my dad and began to panic.

I started breathing so heavy and fast. I felt suffocated; it was like someone was choking me as I struggled to breathe.

“Alda!!” I was looking at Xender's face; he said something to me, but I just couldn't hear him. Everything started blurring out before my eyes. I went down to my knees as I continued to struggle to breathe.

“Help! She is having a panic attack!!” I heard someone screaming besides me. The last thing I remembered was seeing people running towards me before everything went blank.

Xender's POV

I was sitting in the waiting room in the hospital where Alda was admitted as I waited for the doctor to give me an answer. I paced around the room, trying to calm myself down. I have been trying to reach Mike, but his number isn't going through.

The ringing of my phone called out my attention as I saw Mike as the caller ID. Finally, I have been waiting for his call like my life depended on it.

“Xender, I saw your missed calls and decided to call back. Is everything okay?”

“Nothing is fine at the moment; Alda had a panic attack and passed out. She was brought to a particular hospital down town, but I don't feel comfortable leaving her here. I want her transferred to your hospital immediately.”

“What happened? I thought I told you to stay near her or she might harm herself.” 

“Let's talk when I get to the hospital; now is not the right time to scold me.”

“I will go set up a ward for her.”

“Thank you, Mike.” I ended the call and demanded to see the doctor immediately. Whoever attacked Alda’s parents must be after her too, and I'm not ready to take the risk of making it so easy for the person to find her.

The doctor went ahead and declined to transfer Alda to Mike's hospital, the reason being that Alda’s condition has not yet been confirmed. I insist on taking her with me. After many arguments, he gave in and let me take her.

She was transferred to Mike’s hospital, where she began receiving treatment immediately. Once Mike started attending to her, I left the room, giving him some privacy.

Going over to the waiting room, I sat down with my head on my hand. I just couldn't recall the events of today or how they went. At that moment, I was half alive and half dead. My brain practically shut itself down. I had no idea how long I sat in that same position, trying to see if I could understand the events of today.

"Xender.” On hearing Mike's voice besides me, I looked up to find him standing in front of me. He looked at me with worry in his eyes.

“You don't look too good. Here, have some water." He said. He gave me a bottle of water, which I took from him and thanked him for.

“Thank you, Mike. How are she and the baby?” I asked when Mike sat besides me.

“She is fine, and so is the baby, but you don't look fine to me. You need to get some rest, or you are going to be collapsing soon enough.”

“I'm fine, really, I'm fine.” I replied to him as I ran my hands through my messy hair.

“You can go stay besides Alda; I think there is another bed in her ward waiting to be used. I will see you in the next four hours,” Mike said, ignoring my words. He patted my shoulder gently before he got up and left.