Chapter 18: 18. Dream

“Since you’re awake. Dean, I’ll go back to my room,” Harlan said.

Dean nodded.

“Me too,” Jasfer said then.

Dean didn’t respond this time and let them leave from there, leaving Dean to wait for Alexa there.

“Alexa’s test is stable, but she needs to rest,” the snow robot said before finally leaving with Harlan and Jasfer, leaving Dean alone with Alexa.

What did Alexa experience in her dream? Dean approached where Alexa was lying, noticing the restless face in her closed eyes.

Was Alexa dreaming? But, what?

***

In a large, all-white room, a girl was lying on a bed with medical equipment attached to part of the girl’s body. Alexa was silent on the side of the bed with a blank gaze that she couldn’t believe that the faceon the bed would be the same as hers.

“Is that me?” Alexa asked stuttering, not believing what she saw.

One of Alexa’s hands reached out to touch the figure but unfortunately, she couldn’t. Her hand went through the object she touched.

"What is this? How is this possible?" Alexa was shocked. She couldn't believe what she had just witnessed.

Once again Alexa tried to touch herself while she was lying down. Penetrated. Once again Alexa couldn't touch it. Alexa's hands trembled seeing what had just happened. How was this possible?

"I..." Alexa nodded her sentence, looked at herself with both hands raised, and tried again to touch an object, but the girl couldn't reach it again.

Alexa was silent for a long time, her chest rumbling violently and feeling very painful. Her gaze was fixed on the figure lying down. Was that Alexa?

Making sure that it was her. Alexa read the nameplate on the side of the bed and was shocked when she read the name, the same as her name.

"Alexa Ivvona," said the girl when she read the name written there.

Alexa Ivvona, twenty-five years old had an accident and was in a coma.

Alexa's shock grew with what she saw. Was this a dream?

"This must be a dream," said Alexa refusing to believe it and shaking her head vigorously.

Alexa's surprise did not end when the door to the treatment room opened and several people appeared. A tall man entered first with an office suit that neatly adhered to his body. Alexa's tears spilt, she could no longer hold them back when she saw the figure whose face looked tired walking towards Alexa's body lying on the bed.

"Dad," Alexa whispered while looking at the figure who kissed the top of Alexa's head gently.

Alexa's attention was diverted to another figure who followed her father. The figure of a man who was not much different from her father put a paper bag on the table then approached Alexa's bed, and kissed the girl's forehead briefly which made Alexa reflexively touch her forehead.

"Brother Alendra," said Alexa in a sad tone. How much the girl missed her brother who was already busy with his work.

"Let's eat first, Dad," said Alendra calling his father who was sitting on a chair next to the bed where Alexa was fast asleep with medical equipment all over her body.

Alexa, Alexa's father approached his son and sat in front of him. Alendra took out food from the paper bag that he had put on the table and opened the food then gave a spoon to his father.

“Alexa will wake up, right, Al?” suddenly the father asked Alendra who stopped his hand movement.

Alendra looked at her sister who was lying motionless. The monitor screen showing Alexa’s heartbeat caught the girl’s attention.

“Of course. Dad knows that Alexa is strong. Much stronger than me as a man and also her brother. So this spoiled Alexa will wake up,” said Alendra to calm her father.

Alexa nodded.

“Now, Alexa must be waiting, looking for a way to come back. Dad also knows that Alexa likes to daydream, especially about the world of knights. Alexa will come back after defeating the evil one,” continued Alendra while laughing at the thought of her sister.

Her father laughed too.

“So, Dad doesn’t need to worry. Someone will definitely help Alexa to come back, no matter what happens, no matter what the outcome. Alexa will definitely come back to us,” Alendra was still calming her tired-looking father. “So, let’s eat first so we have energy, then take care of Alexa until she comes back.”

The man nodded, listening to what his eldest son said.

“You’re right, Al. If Alexa finds out Dad hasn’t eaten, she’ll nag like your mother,” Alexander continued with a chuckle.

Alexa chuckled seeing it and immediately the girl wanted to chime in and join the two men. Alexa knew that being a father and raising Alexa wasn’t easy. Her father was so protective and responsible for Alexa’s life even though he let the girl choose her own life.

Wiping her wet cheeks, Alexa turned her attention back to the open door showing an old woman walking slowly with two people behind her. The old woman who still looked graceful was her late mother’s grandmother.

Alexander got up from his seat to greet his mother-in-law but the woman raised her hand.

"Eat so you have the energy to continue taking care of her," said Alexa's grandmother who chose to walk towards Alexa's bed.

Two other people who followed the grandmother chose to join her father and Alendra. The two men who had just arrived with the grandmother were Alexa's late mother's nephew, and her mother's younger brother who was Alexa's youngest uncle.

The girl's tears flowed again seeing how the family was still together even after she decided to hide her true identity as a rich person's child, and chose an ordinary life out there. Alexa couldn't hold herself back now but she couldn't hold it in either.

Witnessing the laughter and chatter that happened in the room made Alexa unable to hold back her overflowing longing, wanting to go back immediately but she who was probably just a shadow, couldn't move at all, could only cry silently. Alexa just realized how lucky the girl was to be born into a family that was so loving and warm.

Suddenly nature changed making Alexa confused. What was previously in the treatment room, now the girl was in a place that was still quite foreign. Only this time it was like being in a very free nature with a stretch of wet green grass.

"Alexa."

Alexa turned to the source of the voice calling her name and immediately widened her eyes when she found the figure she had missed for a long time. The figure was beautiful, wearing a clean white dress. The two outstretched hands seemed to beckon Alexa to come closer and without waiting long the girl ran into the warm embrace that she had not felt for a long time.

"Mom," Alexa greeted, her tears breaking out again. The girl hid behind the embrace of her mother who she had not seen for a long time.

Alexa knew it was just a dream. A dream that Alexa could not even distinguish from reality.

The gentle caress on the girl's head made Alexa cry even harder, her tears flowing even faster.

"Is it done?" the woman asked softly when Alexa had calmed down and raised her face to look at her mother.

"Yes, it is done," Alexa answered softly in between her sobs which invited the woman's soft laughter.

"Come on, sit here," her mother invited and sat on the grass.

Alexa followed her without taking her eyes off her mother until the woman laughed again.

“Why?” the woman asked because Alexa did not look away at all.

“I miss you, Mom. Why didn’t you come to see me at all?” Alexa asked.

The woman smiled.

“It’s not that I don’t want to see you, honey. It’s just that we won’t be able to greet each other all the time even if it’s just a dream,” the woman said.

Alexa confirmed it and turned her gaze forward, to the vast space.

“So, if you appear like this, you must know where I am, right?” Alexa asked.

The woman nodded.

“Yes, I know,” the woman replied.

Alexa nodded her head.

“The problem is, I don’t know anything,” Alexa admitted frankly. “I’m confused about what to do because, in my mind, I just want to get out of there, even though there are some things that make me comfortable,” Alexa said without being asked.

The woman just listened to her.

“I don’t know why I’m suddenly here, in the ward with Dad, and my body is lying down. I’m confused about what that means?” Alexa continued. “If I’m still breathing in the world, then what am I? Why am I in a foreign world filled with robots?”

The tightness made Alexa suddenly cry again.

“I want to go back. But my job isn’t done yet,” Alexa said then sighed.

There was still no response from Alexa’s mother who decided to remain silent and let Alexa talk as if she knew that the girl just needed a listener.

“There are so many things I don’t understand. There are so many things that make me wonder. But still, no matter how hard I try to get used to it, I want to go back soon,” Alexa said with a little complaint. “What should I do?” Alexa asked finally and looked at her mother.

Not getting an answer right away, Alexa waited.

“You know, there are many things that I always want to do, one of which is to listen to you tell stories. However, no matter how much I regret it, it will be in vain. So, Alexa, I believe you can find a way out. Whatever the reason, I believe you will find it.”

Alexa fell silent. Hearing her mother’s words made Alexa have to think.

“So Alexa, you will be able to find it. Just hold on a little longer, you will soon be back and with your father again, and with someone you never even thought of,” the woman said.

Alexa looked at her mother, wanting to know what she meant but in vain because, in the blink of an eye, the place changed again to a foreign place. But this time another person appeared in front of Alexa.