The Last Hope

11

Selina

"Thank you, my dear Selina, your touch is so gentle!" madame Rossi tells me, gently tapping my cheek with her soft, wrinkled hand. "You're welcome, madame Rossi. If only all patients could be as calm as you when they see a needle," I say, smiling as I apply the bandage before packing up my tools.

"Come now, my child, you're just at the beginning of the journey. How long have you been a nurse? Six months? Seven months?" she asks, raising her eyebrows,"four," I reply in a small voice, lips pressed together.

"Well, my dear, you have a long way to go. You won't have difficulty anyway; you're young, and I can recognize a strong woman when I see one..." "oh, if you only knew," I smile, grabbing the tray,"I cry at the slightest thing—a movie, a kitten, a baby..." "we women have big hearts, beauty. God gave them to us to brighten this dark world with our feelings but also to fight the monsters it harbors."

She smiles at me and laughs as she sees my eyes gleaming, I wish her a good evening and leave, closing the door behind me. The hospital corridors are quiet as I make my way to the break room to catch a few hours of sleep, but that was before my phone starts making a sound indicating an emergency.

"Damn," I place my tray on one of the carts before rushing to the emergency department, I furrow my brows, seeing numerous men in black suits casting dark glances at everyone. "Selina!" Luca shouts, sticking his head out from behind a curtain, I join him under the suspicious gazes of the newcomers. Arriving at his side, I spot an unconscious man on a stretcher.

"I'll take care of him; he's bleeding. Go to the next cubicle; there are stitches to be done," my supervisor informs me, I quickly move to the indicated cubicle.

"I am okay, Alia. Stop crying. I'm fine; it's just a cut," says the man sitting on the bed, holding the hand of the young woman beside him. He looks up when I enter, and our eyes meet, blood flows from a cut on his cheek. He freezes as I approach, staring intensely at me, making me uneasy, I quickly turn away, disinfecting my hands.

"Good evening, I'm Selina. I'll take care of your wound, Mr...", "Rasili," he replies, smiling, extending his hand. I gaze at him for a moment, hesitating before reluctantly shaking his hand, feeling nothing but coldness.

I wake up with a start, grumbling at the pain shooting up my arm, I glance down at my son, peacefully sleeping against my side. A dream, just a dream, no, a memory the one that marked the beginning of my nightmare, after kissing Rafael's forehead, I push the covers away and get up shivering in the cool air, only now realizing that I'm soaked. Heading to the bathroom, I grab my painkillers and return to the bedroom to swallow them with a glass of water but another grunt escapes me at the empty bottle. Damn it. I sigh, don a light cardigan over my tank top, and head for the exit.

I crack the door open, peering into the silent hallway illuminated by LEDs along the walls, closing the door softly, I start walking towards the white stairs leading downstairs, clutching the pill bottle. I shiver again as my bare feet touch the cold marble as I descend as quietly as possible, glancing around.

Entering the kitchen with cautious steps, I place the medicine on the counter and open the fridge for a water bottle and grab a glass from the dishwasher. Gritting my teeth as the pain intensifies, I swallow two pills and lean against the counter, eyes shut, it'll be okay, it'll be okay. I grip the counter with my free hand, trying to forget the pain, the hairs on my neck stand on end, and I know I'm being watched, a sensation I've learned to feel over the past eight years when I was the prey of a monster.

I straighten up, turning slowly toward the second door leading to the living room, tensing when I see Nikolai Ivanov standing there, still dressed in his black shirt with rolled-up sleeves revealing his muscular forearms and dress pants.