《A Stranger's Touch》Him

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"How are you feeling today?" Dr. Jung asked.

"The usual." I paused before adding.

"Stuffy."

"Would you like to take a walk? Perhaps to the beach?"

"No."

"Would you like to talk?"

"Isn't that what we do every session? I talk, you listen."

"Remember?"

The therapist, Mrs. Jung sighed before making an attempt to speak again.

"Are you-"

"Today I'll like to talk about him."

"About who?"

Silence fell into the room.

"Who Miss Lee?"

I shut my eyes tightly as if running from something, something important yet accompanied with the feel of sadness..

Only it wasn't something but someone.

"Him."

Apparently Cici forgot to lock the door. I didn't waste a second, I ran.

It was so dark that I could barely see. I hit my head multiple times on the wall but it didn't stop me.

Pain, darkness, the two things I hated the most apart from my life. I almost gave up. I almost lost hope but I couldn't because I knew I had to see him again.

Dante.

Even if just for a second, I wanted to see him.

I needed to see him.

So I ran and ran. I tried finding the exit to wherever it was Cici had locked me up for months.

And as if luck was on my side I saw it.

A door.

"Oh I better be right this time." I gritted out before rushing to the door.

Almost there, I thought. Almost.

I stood in front of the door, praying constantly with my eyes closed. I knew all my efforts would be such a waste if the door was locked.

"I can't stay here."

"Not anymore."

My voice shook, uncontrollable tears pouring down my eyes like heavy rainfall.

Better you die fighting than die a coward Ria.

"Okay shut up Ria. Just shut the fuck up." I gritted out, grabbing the door knob with trembling hands.

A huge amount of relief washed over me immediately the door opened.

Rather than gaping like a fool, waiting, standing there to die, I chose to run for my life instead.

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I ran as far as I could. Far more than my legs normally would.

Several minutes of running nonstop, all I came across were trees. Nothing but trees and more trees in the forest but that didn't stop me. I desperately needed to find a way out so I kept running.

They can't take me back now. I can't go back.

"Where the fuck did that bitch bring me?" I breathed out heavily.

Still I didn't give up. I kept running and running and running until..

"Fuck."

"What happened next? Did you get help? Were you able to escape?" Mrs. Jung asked, curiosity obvious in her wide brown eyes.

"Oh how I wish." I laughed hysterically before adding.

"Well I mean you are here with me right now which means somehow, something did happen."

"Exactly! So what happened? What did you see?" Mrs. Jung requested answers.

"A car? Did someone drive you away from that horrible place?"

"I wish I had found a car Mrs. Jung."

"Are you kidding me right now?" I laughed hysterically, staring at the cliff I almost fell from.

"Your life is such a joke Ria."

I screamed in total frustration not giving a care in the world if anyone heard.

For all I care they can come take me right now.

"What on earth am I thinking?"

Come on Ria, you don't mean that. You know you don't ever want to go back there.

"Ugh! So it took all of my strength to get here just for me to fall off a cliff?

"For goodness sake why?"

I pulled the tangled mess on my head forcefully.

That's my hair of course.

I didn't care that my nails were digging painfully into my scalp.

Wait.

"I think this is a sign." I concluded, staring up at the gloomy sky.

"Maybe I should just take the coward's back door. This could be my destiny." I scoffed.

"Who knows?"

But Dante-

"He'll be just fine without me."

"Probably be broken for a month or two? Maybe a year if I'm worth it but in the end he'll move on with his life."

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I just hope you don't end up with Cici when I'm gone.

"That will be too sad to watch even from above." I laughed hysterically.

I guess it's the end for me now. Goodbye Dante-

"But you didn't die?" Mrs. Jung narrowed her eyes. Her words sounded more like a question rather than an observation.

I couldn't control the laughter that rumbled from my chest immediately the words flew out of her mouth.

"You think I'm a ghost?"

"No."

"I mean-"

"Oh I'm not sure anymore."

"But no-"

"Or are you?"

I laughed when I saw the expression on her face. The fear was quite evident in her eyes.

Oh dear!

She seemed to be in her early 40s.

Now we don't want Mrs. Jung to die of sudden heart attack do we?

"I'm not a ghost."

"Obviously." I added.

Waving dismissively, I rolled my eyes.

"I know. I know. Thank goodness but come to think of it, it's quite sad. You almost killed yourself!" She exclaimed.

"So what happened after that?"

The timer ran out and that was my cue to get off the chair.

"I think I need to get back to my room Mrs. Jung." I winked.

"But why?"

"The timer Mrs. Jung."

"But who cares about the timer?"

"Fortunately Mrs. Jung, I do."

"So you are leaving me in suspense?"

"Maybe, maybe not, I don't know." I shrugged, getting out of her office.

"But who exactly is he? You told me you wanted to talk about him but you haven't mentioned him yet."

I held the door, watching the confused woman in her seat.

By the look of things she will be doing a lot of thinking till our next session.

"Don't think too much." I smiled before closing the door.

I was walking back to my room then paused for a while to take a closer look at the painting that's been oblivious to me for about three to four months now.

"It's beautiful isn't it?"

"I don't think I know the definition of the word beautiful anymore." I scoffed.

"So this have always been here?"

"What? The painting?"

"Yes the painting."

"This painting has been here, right in this same spot since the very first day this rehab was opened. "

"How have I not noticed before?"

I narrowed my eyes before looking at the person who's been answering my questions.

"Oh!"

"My God I thought I was talking to myself again." I almost bit my tongue, mumbling the last part quietly.

"Actually you tend to do that a lot but I'm glad to inform you that you weren't speaking alone to yourself this time." She smiled.

My lips formed into a tight smile.

"Let me walk you back to your room?"

"Uhm sure."

"Thank you." I smiled when we got to the door.

"You are welcome Miss Lee."

"Miss Lee?" I rolled my eyes.

"Just call me Ria."

"Okay Ria. By the way my name is Ha na. Park Ha na."

"I know. I mean it's on your identification tag. Is that what you guys call it?" I scratched the back of my neck.

I almost said dog tag!

The whole conversation was getting awkward.

Since I got to the rehabilitation centre months ago, I barely talked to any of the nurses or any other staff.

All I did was attend my sessions when it was time to do so, read books, eat, sleep, you know? I did the normal stuffs apart from talking to people.

Besides not everyone here speaks English anyway.

"Oh right. Well I better get going now. It was nice finally talking to you." She smiled.

I waved and smiled, watching her retreating steps.

That image of her walking away reminded me of something, not something but someone-

Me.

Is this how walking away from him looked like?

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