Chapter 5

Mrs. Wei is disoriented when she finally opens her eyes again. She is surrounded by witness. There is just no other way to describer what she is seeing and feeling. Everything around her is white, it is like standing in a room with white walls and doors. There is no end to the space around her, it looks like she is standing on a cloud and is surrounded by clouds. The fluffiness is almost touchable. 'Where am I?', she mutters softly to herself while she tries to focus on something, anything in the distance.

'Mother, are you alright?', Lizzy is sitting next to the bed in which Eva lies. The old woman stares at her daughter for a few minutes with a complete blank expression. Then she notices that she is lying in a hospital room with it's white walls, door and ceiling. 'Lizzy?', she mutters softly. Eva feels old, no she feels suddenly ancient. The flight from the angry boy with his beetle comes back to her mind and for a moment she just wishes she died. Her body simply cannot take it anymore, she can feel it. From now on she will be chained to a bed and perhaps a wheelchair. She will never walk on her own two legs again. The feeling of being lost is growing inside the old woman's heart. From now on she will need others to help her in her wheelchair, in her bed, with her food, with every little aspect of her life.

And then as struck by lighting she asks: 'What about Satis? What about my dear, fat, black, furry friend?' Her daughter looks at her mother with a sad look. 'Mother, you can't take him with you. You're going to a secure facility where they will take care of you, because apparently we can't anymore.'

'Secure facility? What do you mean?', Eva asks confused.

'We never saw it coming. We thought you finally had grown happy here with us.'

'What are you talking about, Lizzy? I do not understand.'

'You tried to kill yourself by jumping of the cliff and...'

'What? I did not try to kill myself! I was chased down the track and...'

'Dear Jo'dan saw it all happen', she is interrupted by Lizzy.

'Saw what happen?'

'How you were talking to your illusions and walked towards the cliff and just stepped off...'

'And you believe a young Nourasian boy over your own mother?'

'That young Nourasian brother is the future king! What reasons does he has to lie?'

'But...'

'I'm sorry mother, but you're leaving this afternoon.'

Eva's heart sinks inside her chest. The boy had promised to take her life and that is exactly what he did. Everything would be taken away her from her. Her little house, her few belongings and even her cat would be taken over by her family, who would rather believe a young boy over their own mother.

'Good afternoon, Mrs. Wei. My name is Robert and I'm going to be your caretaker and friend from now on', a middle aged with blond hair and brown eyes is smiling at her happily. Eva does not say anything in responds, she does not nod to the man or even acknowledge he is there. She just sits in her wheelchair and is waiting for the man to take her down to the last prison she will know before she dies. Outside the hospital is a car waiting to take her away from the life she has known. Her family is standing in front of it and they all look sad, like they understand how they betrayed her. Eva does not look at her three children, but she cannot prevent a smile from tugging at the corners of her mouth when she sees her grandchildren. They all run towards her and she is happy for the short moment that she is sitting in a wheelchair. 'We will miss you Granny', one of her granddaughters whispers into her ear. Immediately followed by the soft voice of her oldest grandson: 'I will come to visit soon Grandma and I have done as you asked. They're sent.'