Chapter 6 DRAKE’S ATTACK

CLARA

Sleep eludes my eyes for the rest of the morning. As soon as it’s 6:00AM, I rush out of my apartment and drive very fast to Lifeline hospital. Elena said Drake had been rushed there earlier. 

I spot Elena waiting in the hallway as I run through the hospital’s main door. Her eyes have turned red from crying. She grabs my hand and walk me into the emergency ward without uttering a word.

On seeing Drake, I become speechless.

There are machines and tubes connected to him while he lay there on the hospital bed. The equipment doesn’t stop making loud and consistent beeping sounds. His face wrapped up with a bandage and the visible part has bruises on it.

Leaning on the bed is a huge guy. I recognize him from college days. Ethan—Drake’s older brother.

He turns towards me with rage-filled eyes. “Are you Clara?” He asks in a low but firm tone. “The one my brother went on a date with last night before he was attacked?”

“Yes.” I mutter, shaking. “I am.”

He pulls out a leaflet from his pocket. He said it was gotten from the coat Drake wore for our date that night.

He hands me the piece of paper while I look at the ugly handwriting on it. The words written there literally makes my heart skip a bit:

LET CLARA BE. SHE IS MINE ALONE. YOU PROBABLY MIGHT NOT LIVE TO TELL THE STORY NEXT TIME.

The goosebumps that come out after I read the note are so visible, my throat clenches harder. Who could have done this to Drake?

Ethan grabs the note immediately, then he points at the door. 

“You two will have to leave this ward immediately.” He tells Elena and I. “Your stay here will only worsen Drake’s condition.”

Hot tears begin to rush down my cheeks, burning them in the process. Elena steps in front of me and tries to talk to Ethan. 

“Look, Ethan… it’s…”

“Get out!” He yells, not willing to hear another word. His loud voice  drags the attention of a nurse who rushes in immediately. 

“What is going on here?”

“Tell them to leave, this minute.” Ethan points at us for the second time. Elena had found out about the attack from a social media post by a mutual friend who had posted Drake’s photo with the information that he was attacked while going back home on the exact route he took to the restaurant. Whoever the beast is, he must have watched Drake carefully.

“Elena, let’s go.” I whisper, grabbing the hem of her denim jacket. I turn towards Ethan with my hands on each other. “I am really sorry.  Whenever Drake wakes up, please tell him I was here.”

I walk out of the hospital with Elena who won’t stop staring at me. I can barely hold my car keys because my hands refuse to stop trembling.

“I will drive you home.” Elena says, taking the keys from me.

“No. It’s fine. I can do that.” 

“Clara, you can’t drive this way. Take a look at your hands.” Elena insists, standing before me.

I hand over the keys, hop into the car and lean against the passenger seat while staring at the tinted windows. 

We finally get to my apartment and Elena offers to gently help me out of the car. I look up to see the owner of the footsteps approaching us. Julian. he looks worried.

“What is the matter?” He ask, searching our faces for answers.

I had become to weak to speak. The picture of Drake in that ward won’t stop flashing in my face. 

“She probably needs to be left alone for some time, Sir. I’ll just take her inside.” Elena says softly while we walk past him, leaving him absolutely speechless.

Hours later, I’m seated on my bed, drowning completely in my thoughts. The room feels quiet but my mind isn’t.

Elena comes in with a hot cup of tea which she gives me carefully. 

“Drink up. It will help calm your nerves.”

“Thank you.” I mutter, sipping slowly.

“I have been thinking… that bastard called Marcus must be responsible for what happened to Drake…”

I tilt my head,and drop my gaze back on the tea. That has been my thought exactly for the past hours. No other explanation, it has to be him.

“I know it’s him.”

Weeks later, I determine to see Drake regardless of what his brother had told me at the hospital. Drake on the other hand had blocked me from reaching him through any means, but I got confirmation that he has been discharged. 

I drive down to his house. My hands shake as I try to knock.

Drake steps out after a few moments, his countenance changing at the sight of me.

“What do you want?” His crooked, broad smile has gone completely. 

“Drake…” I stutter. My voice cracking. “I… was at the hospital with Elena, but Ethan asked us to leave. I am…sorry for everything that happened. I swear, I have no idea…who…”

Drake interrupts me with a bitter laughter.

“None of these matters now, Clara. Just leave.”

I swallow a hard lump.

“I can explain…”

“I said leave!” His voice rises in anger. “You wouldn’t want me to call the security guards. I don’t want more troubles. Please leave now.” His eyes dart around nervously.

“You know the tall masked man who attacked me and warned to stay away from you, right? He might just be around watching us now. I’m certainly not ready to risk my life for you again. Get out.”

Those words pierce my chest like they were arrows. I quickly dab at the tears forming beneath my eyes, nodding and walking away at the same time.

While I walk back to the car, my heart keeps pounding. A tall, masked man. Who else would it be if it wasn’t Marcus? He has finally found me, so using thugs to hurt anyone who comes close to me is his newest tactic.

I grab the steering and place my head on it, letting the tears I had held back flow freely.

My phone screen lit up all of a sudden. A new message from an unknown number: 

05231685744: You went back to him right? Seems you want him dead this time.

Fear seize my breath as I roll my eyes around every corner of the car.