Four days. I’ve been stuck in this hospital for four days. Lying here, staring at the white ceiling, I can't stop my mind from spiraling. Where are they?

Rafa, my uncle, my family. The thought of not knowing keeps me awake, eating me alive. I should have called them sooner, should have found out if they’re okay, but now it’s too late.

My phone’s back at the PG, lying forgotten in my room, and I’ve been cut off from everything.

I sit up, the stiffness in my leg making me wince, but I don’t care. The pain is nothing compared to the panic growing inside me. What if something happened to them?

What if... I push the thought away before it can take root. No. I need to go and find out for myself. Lying here is doing nothing but making me lose my mind.


---

The sun feels strange on my skin as I step out of the hospital. Four days inside has made everything outside feel... unfamiliar.

I try to push through the dull ache in my legs as I walk toward the village. My head’s a mess—too many questions, no answers.

When I finally reach the village, I stop. My heart drops. The house—our house—it’s gone.

The place where I grew up, where all my memories are, it’s nothing but ruins. My chest tightens, my breath catches.

'What... happened?'

I stand there, frozen, staring at the rubble. My mind runs in every direction, trying to make sense of it.

'Where did they go? Did something happen to them? Did they leave without telling me?'

Panic is clawing at my chest, and I’m barely holding it together. I start pacing, searching for something—anything—that could give me a clue.

'What if Rafa’s hurt? Or my uncle?'

"Oi! Azer!"

A familiar voice, I turn around sharply. Swapan is there, sitting on his bike, looking at me like I’m crazy.

“What are you doing standing there?” he asks, eyebrows raised.

I swallow, my voice barely steady.

'What happened? Where’s... where’s the house?'

He laughs, like it’s no big deal.

“Oh, that. They moved to the new house. Didn’t they tell you? It’s about five kilometers away. They built it near the main road.”

I stare at him, dumbfounded.

'No... I didn’t know.'

Swapan gives me a casual shrug.

“Well, you’ve been away for a while. They shifted while you were gone.”

I let out a long breath I didn’t know I was holding. So... they’re safe. They just moved. Relief hits me like a wave, but it’s followed by an odd emptiness. I should have known.

“Come on,”

Swapan says, revving his bike.

“I’ll take you there. Hop on.”

As I sit behind Swapan, I can feel the tension slowly easing from my body. It’s not completely gone, but at least I know they’re safe.

That’s something. The wind brushes against my face as we ride, and I let it calm me down a little.

“By the way,”

Swapan says as we start riding,

“What’s with the bandages? You look like you’ve been through hell.”

'It’s nothing,'

I say, keeping my voice steady.

'Just a minor accident.'

“Minor? You look like you fought a bear!”

He laughs, but I can tell he’s worried.

“You sure you’re okay?”

'Yeah, I’ll be fine,'

I assure him, though my body still aches.

'I’ll recover soon enough.'

The wind brushes past us as we ride through the village. Swapan cracks a few jokes along the way, and though I don’t laugh much.

I manage a smile. It feels good to be outside, to have someone with me after all the isolation.

“You know, you’ve changed, Azer,” Swapan says out of nowhere.

“You’re quieter now. What happened to the loud, crazy kid?”

I shrug. 'Just... growing up, I guess.'

“Growing up, huh? So, did you get yourself a girlfriend in the process? You’re always so serious these days.”

I roll my eyes.

'No, Swapan. And I probably won’t.'

“What? The great Azer, single forever? Hard to believe,” he says, grinning.

“What about Rafa? She’s grown up too. Got any idea if she’s seeing someone?”

I feel a small twist in my stomach at the mention of her name, but I keep my face neutral.

'I don’t know. Haven’t asked.'

“Hmm,”  he says, like he’s thinking hard about it. Then, with a smirk, he adds,

“Well, I got a girlfriend now. She’s from the next village. Real cute. You should meet her sometime.”

I raise an eyebrow.

'Oh yeah? Guess we’ll have to check if she’s as great as you say.'

Swapan laughs, and it’s easy, lighthearted. I smile, but it’s softer now, more restrained. The weight I’ve been carrying feels lighter, but it’s not completely gone.

I’m still figuring things out.
When we finally reach the new house, I hesitate for a moment. It’s bigger than the old one, newer, but it doesn’t feel the same.

It’s like a stranger’s house. I swallow hard. This is where they are now. This is home... I guess.

Swapan pats my shoulder as I step off the bike.

“Go on. They’ll be happy to see you.”

I nod, but my heart is pounding. There’s a knot in my stomach, but I push it aside.

I walk toward the door, trying to keep my breathing steady. I need to see them. I need to know everything’s okay.