Eps. 5 – For The Next Step

(Davendra)

          Flash back,

          When I was running to escape from the thugs, I opened the emergency door and accidentally found a woman sitting on the emergency stairs—blocking my steps from running. I had time to think, how bad luck I found this woman sitting limply on the stairs with a pale face. That means I can easily be caught in the pursuit of thugs. I wish I could ignore it. However, my legs were stuck for a moment.

          My eyes fell on the knife she was holding. Her face was down. I thought this woman must be committing suicide. I saw blood rushing around her wrist. I decided that I stop and fixate on her. I was intended for the woman's condition. However, the voice behind me is getting closer. The woman looked at me. Her face turned to me slowly. Pale. At that time, I panicked when I saw it. I squatted down in front of her, holding her injured wrist where the blood has come out very profusely from the wound. I immediately took the knife she was still holding because I was afraid he would hurt himself.

          "Go..." she said quietly.

          "What?" I almost put my ear to her moving lips. I can't hear her voice.

          Then, I remember that the scene happened so fast. The thugs came in groups. They were forced to meet the emergency stairs. One of them shot me at point-blank range.

          Yes, after that, I woke up in a room in the hospital. Suddenly, I immediately remembered the scene on the emergency stairs and the woman. Suddenly I got up from where I was lying.

          AWWW!!

          It hurts.

          I held my chest to the left, almost close to the shoulder. I was grimacing in pain.

          "Daven!" A middle-aged woman, her eyes drooping, suddenly appeared beside me. She's the first most beautiful woman, whom I like.

          "Mama?" I furrowed my brow. Still wincing in pain. At the end of the room, there is a sofa. There, my Papa, who was sleeping, suddenly woke up and sat up straight. His hair was almost gray, almost all of his hair.

          "Daven is awake?!" he asked in surprise, hearing Mama's half-screaming voice. He immediately came up to me and swiftly pressed the emergency call button right behind the head of the ward.

          Not long after, two nurses came who swiftly checked my condition.

          "The tension is normal, sir. There are no restrictions with food. You're not allergic to drugs either. So, you can just learn to move, sir. Because the stitches are usually a bit sore." said a nurse while looking at her notes about me.

          "Thank you, Mrs." I said to the nurse.

          "You are welcome, sir. By the afternoon, Doctor Hadi will come to visit." she continued.

          "Thank you, Nurse." This time it was my Papa who thanked her. Then the Sister disappeared from behind the bedroom door.

          "Where's the girl who is with me, Mam." I asked finally. Mama took a deep breath, and then she glanced at Papa.

          "What's your problem, Dave? You always think about women. So this is the result!" Mom started nagging.

          "Sari..." Papa called Mama's name, intending to calm her down. Papa doesn't usually call her name. Usually, Papa calls Mama's name when things are serious.

          Mom looks sullen.

          "That woman who got shot with you right?" Papa made sure.

          "Shot?!" I am shocked. "Didn't she just kill himself? She was also taken to the hospital right?"

          "Yes. She looked like she was going to kill herself and did get shot. Looks like your bullet went right through it too." Papa explained. I swallowed.

          Seriously!

          "Then?"

          "Yes, the doctor said during the operation she lost a lot of blood. There was no blood stock at the time at the hospital. So, the doctor took the initiative to take your blood because your blood did not come out much and was treated quickly. Because that woman originally cut her own vein." obviously, Papa again continued.

          Oh.

          I'm calm. Not long after, Mama and Papa left me. I told them to hurry home. Meanwhile, I contacted someone to take care of my problem.

On the second day in the hospital,

          I saw it for quite a while today. Usually, I stand staring at that woman for about a minute. But this time, it was long enough. So, the Caucasian woman was uncomfortable and asked me when I would return to my room because the woman I was staring at had not yet woken up. It's already the second day.

          "Citra hasn't woken up yet. How long have you been here? You checked her five times a day. Are you okay?" she asked. I'm just silent. In the end, I was the one who asked back.

          "She's okay right?"

          "Yes. Maybe it was the shock or Citra was too tired." she got the analysis.

          My feet were too heavy to leave the room. It was as if I wanted to be 24 hours by her side. Monitor her progress until she wakes up. Instantly I grabbed my chest—a little down. My heart is beating fast. What is this feeling? I furrowed my brows as if rejecting the feelings that arise every time I saw her and decided to exit quietly—thinking of something along the hospital hallway to my room. My chest suddenly tightened, and I remember. I've seen it. I do not know where.

          When I got to my room, I found two well-built men standing in front of my room. It turned out that these two men were police officers who were going to interview me regarding my problem yesterday. I opened the bedroom door, and Teguh appeared with a worried face calling someone.

          "Boss!!! I called you. Why didn't you pick it up?" he asked frantically when he saw me enter.

          "I didn't bring my cell phone." I pointed at my phone, which was under the pillow.

          "Boss, there are police who want to ask for information." he said.

          Teguh was my last driver. I've changed drivers a lot, maybe because the work is too heavy and troublesome, unlike this young man, Teguh. Even though he was only five years younger than me, he was always eager to learn a lot. He also handles many of my documents, problems, and other things outside of dropping and picking me up.

          "Yeah, just tell him to come in." I said casually.

Now,

In the office,

          Teguh rushed into my room. I was reading some documents that I had left three days ago. My work piles up. Maybe I'm planning to work overtime.

          "What's the matter, Teguh?" I am shocked. I tossed my pen over the open document.

          "Boss, you got it!" he said breathlessly.

          "Got what?"

          "Information."

          "Speak clearly. What kind of information?"

          "About Citra. Kayshila Citra Keswari." he said. He walked over to my desk.

          I leaned back against the chair. Be relaxed.

          "Explain in full. Don't falter."

          I'm ready to listen. Teguh took a breath. He pulled out a chair next to the desk and sat across from me. He explained in detail. I don't know where he got that info; for sure, Teguh is the person I look out for the most working for me. He's too precious to me. He helped me a lot. I faced many problems, but he was always ready to find a solution without telling me before proposing a solution.

          After telling the story, Teguh looked satisfied. He leaned his chin in front of me.

          "How's Boss?"

          I just mumbled.

          It looks like I canceled for overtime. I'm going home. After Teguh left my room, I could only smile to myself. I am thinking about the next step.

          The next step.

***