I was paralyzed until the woman was heard again on the other side of the line. "I regret the time we are calling you, but it is necessary that you immediately report to the premises," she said with concern in her voice. Report that I would arrive in 10 minutes and hung up. I call for a taxi and went outside trying to keep calm. I got in the car as soon as I saw it and spent the whole trip biting my nails while thinking about what might be the reason for them to call me.
Once I paid for the cab, it left, and I stood in front of that building. The cold air ran through my body and all I could think about was that fateful day. The night had fallen, the air was frozen, my head was dazed and my vision blurred. The body weighed me as if I had been hit with a car, little by little I am getting on my feet, feeling in each movement pangs of immense pain. Once I stand around looking for her, I try to shout her name, but my voice gets stuck in my throat. "Mr. Sosa" screams a nurse from the entrance of the building cutting my thoughts.
"Excuse me again for calling you this late, let me take you to the doctor in charge to explain the situation," she said and I nodded slightly. The nurse turned on her heels and began to walk through the empty corridors of that place. I walked after her feeling the anxiety grow inside me, until we reached an office at the end of the second-floor hallway. The nurse knocked on the door and before letting me in she left. I took a deep breath and turned the doorknob.
"Young Raul, nice to meet you despite the circumstances, I am Dr. White, I am the doctor in charge of your mother," said a tall and robust man with a warm smile as he extended his hand to me. I forced myself to smile as I shook his hand and prepared to take a seat. "Could you tell me why I was asked to come at this time of night," I said in a sharp and somewhat rude tone.
The doctor began to take out a large pile of documents that he began to spread all over his desk and calmly explained each of the things he put before me. Every word that came out of his mouth felt like another part of my life was falling apart. At times I stopped following the thread of what he told me, he noticed it, stopped talking, gave me some water and once he made sure I paid attention to it again, he continued. At the end of the speech, he led me to my mother’s room and handed me a folder with all the necessary indications with a slight smile. "You can take 5 minutes with her before you leave," he said as he slapped me on the shoulder and calmly walked down the aisle.
I entered the room with my eyes on the floor trying to get the courage to see my mother. The sound of the machines echoed in the room, causing me chills. Look up slowly, noticing every little detail before me, until I reach her face, covered by a mask that helped her breathe. My breath stopped the moment I saw how thin her face was, I walked carefully to the foot of her bed and stood watching her, withered and changed.
I kept trying to get my voice out, but it was useless; I started walking using my hands to guide me around the place as my sight returned. I tried to sharpen my ear as best as I could to see if I could be able to listen to my mother, but the only thing that came to my ears was the drop of water on the floor. After a while my sight begins to return and allows me to see more clearly where I am. I look carefully at that dark and lonely building, trying to find my mother hiding in one of those shadows. After a while I see a shadow moving in the distance. I start walking slowly towards the point where I saw the movement. A slight aroma begins to reach me with every step I take, at first it is mild, almost imperceptible; but gradually it intensifies until my nose hurts when I breathe. The shadow grows to look human and then I hear it, an almost sinister laugh that pierces my ears. Then the light begins to break through in the dark allowing me to see the person clearly in front of me.
"Mr Sosa, it’s time for you to leave," said the same nurse who came to see me when I arrived. I nodded and started walking out of the building. I feel the cold air hitting my face, I take the cell phone out of my pocket and I see it go out in my hand due to the lack of battery; I release a long sigh and get ready to walk.
The walk helps me clear my mind and go over the doctor’s words calmly to make sure I understood everything he said. I start to feel tired legs when I see my building near me. I hear the rustling of the leaves on the ground and begin to look around slightly holding my breath, I dedicate a couple of minutes to my search when I see a cat come out of bushes; I let out the air that I was holding and enter the building.
After I make sure to lock the door, I head to my apartment and lock the door behind me. I leave my stuff at the kitchen counter on the way to my room. Once inside I start to take off my clothes until I’m alone with my boxers. I open the window leaving only the mosquito net on so that the night air enters. I sit at the edge of the bed and stare out the window until I fall between my pillows. Once I lay down, the image of my mother in bed reappears in my mind, making my tears begin to fall down my cheeks like waterfalls until I fall asleep.
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