Epilogue: Move on
I feel exhausted… I can't move my arms… I can't feel my body… All I see is darkness… It's so scary… What has happened...? Oh, I think I remember… This morning I was not feeling good… My head hurt and my throat was sore… I didn't know what could have caused it… I went downstairs and met with Mast-… with David… w-with… Papa…
He seemed tired… Didn't he sleep last night…? That must be my fault… After we came back from our trip I immediately fell down to sleep, and he had to tidy everything up on his own… I'm such a selfish person, if only I wasn't so weak I could have helped him…
And yet… he looked so concerned when he saw the condition I was in… Of course he'd be, he has proven me that he truly cares about me… that people are not as cruel as I believed months ago… He showed me the kindness no one ever gave me… I just can't find ways to repay everything he has done for me…
Aura came home soon after… She is such a nice woman, even if she behaves so strangely at times she is really gentle with me… As soon as she saw me sitting on the couch she came to give me a big hug… I like her… But then my tummy began to burn… I knew this feeling… I had to puke… I tried to warn Aura, but I failed to do so… and ended up puking on the floor… And now David had to clean it up… I'm so stupid…
I think Aura brought me hurriedly to the bathroom, David came seconds later… and told me that it would be okay… I trust him… He is the doctor of this town…
But then it got worse… I couldn't stand on my feet, my vision was blurred and I could barely hear anything… I got scared… What was happening…? Why does everything hurt…? Sometimes… I would see my former Master's devious smile… and my blood would run cold… I didn't want him to come back… But this pain… it could only be him… Why…? Why did David leave me…? Was I really going to die…? B-But… I don't want to d-die… I don't want to die… I don't want to die…! IdontwanttodieIdontwanttodieIdontwantto-
I felt hands wrapping mines… A pair of big, strong and warm hands… It could only be him…
I'm sorry Sylvie…
He didn't leave me… He was still here with me… He promised me he would save me… he pinkie promised… I know he will… He is the humble doctor of this town…
But then… why am I feeling so… 'absent'…? Like I can't feel my body… floating in the middle of nothing… Darkness has surrounded me… It's like I am sleeping… but I-I'm afraid this is not a simple dream… Am I… r-really dead…? N-No… That can't be, he wouldn't let me die… He wouldn't fail…!
After he told me we could be like family… After he allowed me to stop being a slave forever… he can't just fail…! I don't want to leave…! I want to stay…! I want to be with him…! I want to enjoy the world he showed me…! Please…! This has to be a mistake…!
But no matter how much I mutedly screamed to the void, no reply ever came… So is this the end…? Was I always destined to suffer…? I once told myself not to trust in David… because once you start to feel hope, the moment it gets crushed would be the moment everything will start to fall apart…
At first I thought it would be him who would try to make me suffer that way, so I tried to stay focused and avoid him… But now I see, that my punisher… was the world itself… I was right after all… this world hates me… After I began to think my life has changed… I lost everything… I knew it… this world truly is cruel after all…
I suddenly felt something… A heat on my cheek, and a light through my eyelids… It was only then that I could feel my legs… and my arms… I dared to open up my eyes, irrationally afraid of what might I find…
It was morning. I recognize this ceiling, this is my room… Why am I here? Is this the afterlife?
I tried to sit up, my body felt sore… but my head didn't hurt anymore…! I tried to take a deep breath, my throat no longer itched…! I looked at my hands unknowingly… I dared to pinch myself, to find that it hurt… Was this not a dream then…? I looked around, this was certainly my room, that big window showing a breathtaking sunrise… I always loved this sight…
Once I was aware of all my senses and limbs, I felt that my bed was unbalanced… Why could it be…? I directed my gaze at the corner of my bed and there he was… Master was… David was passed out on the bed, his face buried into the blanket while sitting on the floor… Has he slept here…? Wait-! Does that mean… that he has been trying to cure me all night…?! That must be, otherwise I wouldn't be here, awake and looking at him sleeping on the side of my bed, right?!
This is not just be a dream… this can't be a dream…! It can't be…! I already pinched myself, that should be proof enough…! And yet, w-why do I feel so afraid…?
I timidly approached him with uncertain… Part of me wants to wake him up, confirm that he actually made it… Another part of me didn't want to even touch him… fearing he might just disappear if I do so…
Working up the little courage I could muster, I tried to put a hand on his head… I closed my eyes in fear… Please, stay here… Please stay here…
I felt his hair under my touch… The feeling never left, I opened my eyes to find that he was still here… He was still here…!
I could feel myself smiling playfully… I was so overjoyed that this was real…! He did it! I knew he would! I couldn't help but to giggle while I started to shake him up gently. I just wanted to hug him, be close to him, thank him that he saved my life twice…
"Hey! Wake up!" I said with a childish excitement that I never thought could come from my lips… But I didn't expect him to just jolt awake and recoil from me getting almost by the wall… What has happened…? Did he have a nightmare…?
His eyes were wide awake in fear… yet they looked so tired… he looked like a mess… His eyes finally adjusted and looked at me… Is he mad…? Did I make him angry…? No, his eyes do not show anger… he looks… relieved…
"Sylvie…?" His voice was broken… but soft… I couldn't resist to smile… He was not angry…
"Good morning…" He was just speechless, like he has seen a ghost… I was beginning to fear if there was something actually wrong that I haven't been aware of… "M-Master…? Is somethi-" He just jumped to my side and pressed me tightly to his chest... which was shaking lightly… Was he crying…?!
"I thought… I-I thought I lost you…" He told me while gently petting me head… his grip was so tight I could barely move… And yet I felt so at ease… I was so stupid… He must have been worried sick about me… he must have feared I could never wake up… But of course he would, he loves me… I know he does… as I love him too… "A-And I already told you… Drop the 'master' thing… You are not my slave, you are my family…"
Oh… Right, I was still too groggy to notice… "I'm sorry…" I said with guilt… I know how much he hates when I call him that, but it's a habit I still must overcome…
"It's okay my baby…" He said sincerely as he caressed my head… I missed his touch… how they made them feel safe and protected… "I love you, Sylvie…"
My heart skipped a beat… Those words carried so many emotions this time… I felt overwhelmed… I began to cry too… "I love you too, Papa…"
5 years later…
Ugh… That freaking alarm again… Why do I always have to bear with this shit so early in the morning…? Can't I just skip class today…? No, of course I can't… Dad would be mad if I do… Ugh, okay here we go…
I stretched my arm to turn the damn thing off, finally some peace and quiet. I stood up lazily while grabbing a comb and sitting in front of the mirror. My hair is a mess as always…
I carried on with my daily preparations after fixing my hair. Backpack ready, uniform is on and bed is done. Good, now I have to make sure he gets ready as well.
I approached his room, soon enough finding him sprawled over his bed, making me giggle at the silly image… Do I wake him up gently or do I get some little fun with this…? Hmm, what to do… If I wake him up gently he will take foreeeever to get ready… Sorry Dad, guess I'll get a little fun today!
I silently approached the window, attempting to find the rope for the blinds. Once I caught them, I suddenly turned them up while shouting at the top of my lungs "GOOOOD MORNING, SLEEPYHEAD!"
Dad kicked the mattress and blankets for a few seconds in panic before stopping and sighing annoyed. It was slightly amusing… "My god Sylvie, let this old man have his rest…"
"No can do, you already know how cranky people around here gets if you open up the clinic late" I stated while poking him to stand up.
"Sylvie… it's not even time to open up…" He mumbled under the blankets.
"True, but you take your sweet time to do so, so the later you wake up the later the clinic opens up!" Sometimes he is like this, and I hate to admit that sometimes I am this way as well.
"Just five more minutes… I promise…" His weak mumble made me chuckle.
"Now now, you know what happens if I let you just '5 more minutes'. Come on! Wake up!" I declared joyfully as I threw away the blankets and revealed his tired fetal position. "Fine, if you want to play this way you leave me no choice!" I started to poke him all over his body, making him jerk away every touch and laugh away his sleepiness.
"Okay! Okay! You win, just stop already!" He blurted between laughs, I always loved to do that, he can't fight back or pretend to be tired. Sometimes he would get back at me and then we'll have tickle wars, but those are even more fun… In my daydream I failed to notice he was smiling deeply at me.
"What is it?" I asked curious, the way he was looking at me was endearing, like I was making him think about something nice.
"It's nothing. I was just thinking about how much you've grown…" He said abstentminded… I looked down at my uniform, and I had to agree… A few years ago anyone could notice how famished I was, I was short for my age, anyone could mistake me for a kid… I didn't realize it when I was growing up but… looking back now, it surprises me how much I've changed…
To put it simply, I look like any other girl of my age, I'm much taller now, almost reaching Dad's height… Maybe half foot shorter… My hair looks more clean and silky now, it was so soft on the touch that I love to play with it from time to time. I no longer look like I have a minor case of anorexia and I have modest curves on the right places… A girl has to love herself too, right?
The only thing that still reminded me of my old life was my skin… I still wore the scars and burn marks from those times… and I know they will not go away. But I do not look at them with hatred or fear… but with pride… because this marks are symbols. Symbols proving that I lived, that I survived… Dad still looks at them with sorrow, perhaps feeling pity for me… But, in a way, I appreciate I have these symbols… Because if I didn't had them, I would have never met the most wonderful person in my life…
I smiled, sharing the thoughts I'm sure he is having "You look beautiful Sylvie" Oh gosh, now he is making me blush… Look at me, fidgeting in the place, fixing some locks behind my ear in embarrassment.
"T-Thanks Dad".
"You are not planning on bringing up a boyfriend with you, right?" Did…! D-Did he just ask that?! And so boldly too!
"W-What?! N-No! What are you saying all of a sudden Dad?! Stop embarrassing me!" He has some nerve! I am not looking for a boyfriend! And I am certainly not looking at those guys in my class with interest… especially not Dylan!
"It's just a joke! You sure got worked up there!" Oh, so you think you can laugh at my own expense, uh? Okay, payback time!
"What about you, Dad? Don't you think it's about time you start to consider giving me a Mom? I'm pretty sure Aura would be delighted with the proposition!" And now he blushes! Ahh, sweet revenge…
"Let's not get too ahead of ourselves, young lady… It's still too early for you to pick on me" He grumbled grumpily, looks like I win! "Anyways, you are right, I should be preparing now. Today I have a lot of work to do…" He sighed with resignation. I was starting to feel guilty that I woke him up so roughly… maybe really needed to rest.
"Um… A-Are you okay?"
"Of course I am, sweetie! I just need that morning coffee and the humble doctor of town is ready to begin the day!" He announced like he was some kind of superhero. It was so sweet of him to humor me this way. "So you should hurry up too, college starts soon and it takes you an hour to reach the neighbor village"
Oh right, years ago Dad told me I had to attend to school to receive education… I felt overwhelmed at first, was I really going to school…? But Dad sensed that it might get awkward to let a teen into school… So he made tremendous efforts to teach me himself, he put is greater effort to teach me the basics of language, maths, chemistry, physics, and so on… Looking back at it now, you need to wonder how he managed to teach me in such short terms. He insists that I am cleverer than I give me credit for… Dad puts so much faith in me that I fear I might not reach his expectations…
But that's exactly what drove me in the long run. I felt that, lately, Dad has been struggling to keep up with the appointments he receives everyday… Being the only doctor in town does that to you, and I'm afraid it might have an impact on his health... Besides, even he can't deny that his age already catching up on him... That's why I decided to study medicine when Dad said I was ready to attend college… I wanted to help him, I wanted to become as professional as him, so he always had a partner in who he can trust. Sure, he has Flora, and she is really professional, but there is so much a doctor can do that a pharmacist can't.
That's why I decided to work extra hard to help him with any paperwork he might need while studying medicine. It's not an easy degree, but he has helped me pass through a lot of tests. Hell, he is almost more useful and gives more meaningful information than most teachers in my degree!
I am currently in the third year of the degree, but I just can't wait to get the diploma so I can officially work with him. He desperately needs help, even though he reassures me I can take it easy.
"I know Dad, everything is under control" I tapped my pocket to check I had the car keys there as a way to show certainty "By the way, I am going to the city with Nebby later when classes end… Can I go…?" Yeah, even though I'm already 20 I still ask my Dad for permission… I guess it is a small remnant of the slave I once was.
"Of course you can, sweetheart. Just make sure you don't arrive home late, you know how worried I get" But then he always lets me decide for myself with patience and love… He just trust that I will not get in trouble, because he already knows that I would never betray his trust.
"Do you want me to buy you anything nice? Something to decorate the clinic?"
"Oh, no it's fine really".
"Are you sure?"
"Absolutely".
Well okay, then I'll buy one of those cute posters with a cat that says "Hang in there!" and stick it to the wall, I'm sure kids will love it when they see it. Looks like everything is said and done, only one thing left to do.
I eagerly approached him while he was getting up and wrapped him around my arms… You can't just go without saying goodbye!
I felt his arms wrapping me up as well… He could not cover me as much as he did years ago… but it's a gesture I would always love… But every time he petted my head… a tear always run down my cheek… Those head pats were the very first gentle touch I got from him… The first time someone touched me without trying to harm me… No wonder it makes me so happy even now, after so many years…
I nuzzled his neck before giving him a quick peck on the cheek. He says that's more of a European greeting, but I find it so beautiful that I always greet Dad this way… He seemed bothered at first, but quickly grew fond of it…
"Have a nice day today, I love you Sylvie…"
"I love you too Dad…"
The End
So this is it… I hope I didn't scare anyone with how the last chapter ended! (Though I may have deliberately tried to make it that way, he he)
I must confess that I have mixed feelings with this fic. I have the impression that I could have done it better, but maybe I am just being too demanding with myself and my current skills. However, I can't deny that I love how I portrayed this nonetheless. And I hope you did too, this is a fic I really grew fond with when writing it. Kinda like it is my own child you see? (Although that may be something too bold to say considering that none of the characters are my own creation, except for Flora, Evelyn and in some way David as well)
Overall, I'm proud and pleased with what I have here. I'm sure this is a fic I will come back to read myself at some point.
See you around next story and thank you some much for joining me in my most favorite work.