Chapter 5: The Second Encounter

KAYLEEN

I’m once again all alone, walking the streets. I’m lost, I know that but I don’t care. 

“Are you satisfied? Escaping like this?” Shaira asked suddenly popping at my side. 

“I will find someone to help—“ I stopped walking realizing that Zeke could help me but I ran away from him. I’m such an idiot. Walking back to where I left, Shaira grabbed my arm. 

“What do you think you are doing?” she harassingly asked gripping tightly as possible. My eyes ran from her eyes to her hands. On the next blink, it’s just me holding myself. I continued walking while she is murmuring inside my head. It’s annoying but I’m trying to endure the pain that it’s giving me. 

A building of a private hospital took my attention. I stopped right there listening to my heartbeat. I stayed right there at the other side staring at the hospital until it gets dark and I’m starving again. Only few people are passing by and no one even dared to look at me.

The smell of the trash from few steps away made me walk towards it. There are lots of leftovers thrown inside when I checked. Because of too much hunger, I eat whatever I can eat inside the trash not minding people staring at me. I’m all smelly and everything and nobody wants to get nearer.

I went back to my position from outside the hospital and sleep there until the morning came. The security guard woke me up and forced me to get up and get lost. My eyes darkened but I controlled myself before I could do something. The place is now very clear to me. It’s like I’m in an infamous city with low population.

A familiar car came to the place which made my eyes follow it till it reached the parking lot. I’m not sure if it is owned by that guy I meet yesterday but I’m not checking on it. I started walking turning my back from the hospital to search for a place to stay.

“Hey!” A hand landed on my shoulder and I immediately smash the person with my bag. “Ouch!” 

He covered himself when I took my bag and started aiming it to him again.

“It’s you.” I uttered putting my bag on again.

He removed his hand that’s blocking his face and stand up straight looking at me. 

“Why are you here? Do you know me?” he asked furrowing his eyebrows. 

“You are Zeke White,” I answered straight. Before he speaks again he studied my face for a while and gave me a weird smile. The moment he is about to touch me, I stepped backwards for like two steps away. “Don’t touch me, I’m a smelly homeless person.”

“Who cares. By the way, I can adopt you if you want,” he uttered with a grin. What’s wrong with this guy? 

“You won’t like having me. That’s the worst decision you could ever make.” He doesn’t seem bothered or anything by what I just told him. He just crossed his arms on his chest making his biceps show some more muscles. He is wearing a white long sleeve paired with a black clacks and black shiny shoes.

“I actually have adopted a lot of homeless people. I build a shelter for them,” he said and it made me feel that he is like this to all homeless.

“I can’t be with them. I don’t need a shelter; I need a doctor who can help me.” I started walking away but he reached for my hand not allowing me to step further.

“I’m actually a doctor.” Hearing what he just said made my head turn back to him fast. He looks like he is telling a truth. “I know you need help,” he continued.

I don’t know what came into me. The next thing I know is that I am taken to the said shelter for the homeless people. Zeke took me to an isolated room as what I requested. 

“One more thing, never allow them to go near my place, get me far from people,” I told him before he could leave. He gave me a nod and it feels like a relief.

“You really think, you won’t be able to hurt them, hmm?” There goes Shaira again talking while sitting on the bed. I ignored her and check out the whole space instead. It’s not very spacious but it’s completely fine. There is a bed and a small place to cook with a small bathroom too. What’s important here is that I’m far from people.

“You will still crave blood, you know that,” she kept bothering me while I’m trying to arrange my clothes in the small cabinet available. My bag is water resistant that’s why they are fine though I’ve been soaked with the rain.

I stayed there receiving free food three times a day. Zeke offered me a work so I will be used with life in my very young age but I hesitated. I can’t be with people.

“Why are you so afraid of people but then you let me drive you in my car?” he once asked when he visited me.

“I’m not afraid of them. I’m afraid of myself. So please, you have to stay away from me too.” He only looked at me the same way. He is an expert to my field of sickness and it’s quite a fortunate coincidence for me but I didn’t open up yet. 

The next morning, he came to me again. His very serious face greeted me when I opened the door. I’m also wearing a blank expression on my face. I don’t know why he is here but I feel like it’s something important.

“So, you are afraid to be caught,” he started talking and it confused me. He stepped forward making me take my steps backwards until he is fully inside the room. On his right hand is a newspaper. He gave it to me. “You are all over the news. On television, newspapers and online. You are listed as a wanted criminal.” It’s my first time hearing him as serious as this and it’s creepy. I’m used with him wearing his positive face.

“Listen to me, I need help. It’s not me.” I can hear Shaira laughing at the background while I’m all nervous trying to explain everything to Zeke. He grabbed on my wrist with his eyes darkening telling me that he is not gonna believe whatever I say.

“Are you trying to tell me an alibi?” 

“I’m sick.” I started crying and it immediately changed his expression. “Help me, I’m sick. Please save me.”