Fan Fiction |
by Jenny Tran
Mia was taking her afternoon nap when she dreamt about someone name Reina. Not a single recollection came to mind but she knew the girl. Apparently in the dream, they were friends. Joking and laughing about something and then the scene changed. They were on a rooftop and shots were fired. She remembered looking down and fear took over. Her heart beating fast and then another scene entered her mind, she was gagged in a cave-like environment. She remembered crying a lot.
Mia shook violently and she finally let out a scream that woke her nightmare. Her eyes snapped open and she felt the dripping of perspiration “What was that all about?” she asked herself. Whatever her dream meant, she wanted to find out. She got up and washed her face. She wanted to wait for Erin to ask her but it was after an hour that she decided to research on her own.
She didn’t want to call Darren, afraid that he would panic so she called Doug instead. The two met at the corner deli “Thanks for coming out on short notice.” She greeted him gratefully.
“No problem. What’s up?” Doug asked with curiosity.
“Who is Reina?” Mia asked with ruffled brows.
He turned his head to the side “You remember?”
“No…well, kind of. I had a dream. About a girl named Reina, we were good friends then for some reason we were enemies. She even tried to kill me.” Mia shook her head after hearing herself talk “It sounds so stupid!”
“Not exactly.” Doug sighed, “You do know her, unfortunately.”
“Can I see her?” Mia asked eagerly “Please, it would answer a lot of questions!”
Doug eventually gave in “Let’s take a drive.” Together the two drove to the county jail where they were admitted in by the guard before frisking them for any weapons “I’ll wait here. Just follow that man over there.” He signed in as a visitor for Reina under Mia’s name. The security escorted her inside.
Mia was led from hallway to hallway until she reached a room with about five chairs and a window with circular holes in the center. A telephone was connected from the outside visitor to the prisoner. She took a seat and nervously wrung her fingers together. She didn’t know what to expect of the other person. After a few minutes, a guard dragged out a prisoner in an orange faded uniform. The girl’s hair was tied up in a messy bun and she had a smirk on her face. Her hands were handcuffed and her feet had iron chains that held her down.
Mia smiled at the girl and she managed to flinch a smile “What do you want?” the girl asked as they simultaneously picked up the phone.
“Are you Reina?” Mia asked cautiously. She couldn’t shake the eerie feeling away when she realized the girl was a complete replica of the woman in her dreams.
“Are you stupid?” Reina asked “I thought you were dead.” She said without feeling.
“I was in a coma.” Mia said slowly “Do you know me?”
It was the first time she showed of any interest. Her body leaned closer to the glass and her eyes concentrated on Mia “You don’t remember?”
“I have amnesia.” Mia replied and as if it was funny, the girl began laughing hysterically. She frowned in confusion “What’s so funny?”
Reina wiped the tears of laughter from her eyes “You.” She said bluntly “Why are you here? Aren’t your friends worried about you? Darren’s probably shitting in his pants right now.”
“So you do know me!” Mia smiled “Please, tell me more.”
“Why should I?” Reina looked at her smugly “We’re not friends.”
“We were at one time.” Mia nodded when Reina arched her brows up “I had a dream about you last night. I didn’t think it was real but now that I see you, I know it’s true. Can you tell me what happened?”
Reina rolled her eyes away and a sly smile came on her face “Sure…what do you want to know?”
Doug glanced at his watch every minute that went by. He was worried what Reina would say to corrupt Mia’s fragile mind. If she knew the girl had amnesia, she would gladly take advantage of the open door and screw them over. Doug sighed as he thought about what everyone would say to him if they knew he brought her there.
A half hour soon passed and Mia was finally out. He got up to get her “So, what happened? What did she say?”
Mia looked like she was in total shock but she shook her head instead of answering, “Let’s go.”
Doug followed until they were in his car “You know Mia, I regret taking you here. She’s not a nice person. Don’t listen to her, it’s all lies.”
“Don’t worry about me, Doug. I’ll be fine.” She assured him. Suddenly, her cell phone began to ring. She saw Ethan’s name flashing, a smile cleared across her face “My session isn’t until tomorrow, Dr. Chan.” She teased openly.
He laughed, “I know, I’m not the one with amnesia.”
“OH! Right below the belt.” She shook her head with a laugh “So what’s up?”
“I have a little surprise for you. Are you busy, can you come to the hospital? I’ll wait for you there.” Ethan advised mysteriously.
“Sure.” Mia hung up and turned to Doug “Can you take me to Yan Sum?”
“Yeah. What for?” Doug asked curiously.
Mia shrugged “Don’t know. Ethan wouldn’t say. You want to come and find out?”
Doug laughed, “I’d love to but I have things to do and important people to see.”
Mia dropped her jaw “Well! If I was never insulted by you, I am now.”
He continued to laugh but seeing her straight face, his smile faded “Hey…you’re not mad are you? Sorry, Mia.”
She burst into giggles “Gotcha!” she pointed at him playfully.
They reached the hospital and there was Ethan outside the double doors waiting for Mia. The guys greeted shortly and Doug was off “Come on.” Ethan rushed as he pulled her towards his car.
“What’s your rush?” Mia asked curiously.
He didn’t answer, only smiled and drove off to the hills. It was deserted and free of people. Only the winds kept them awake “Don’t freak out…but I signed up for a hot air balloon ride.”
“You what?” Mia asked in shock.
Ethan put his hands up “I know it’s freaking you out…but I was thinking-”
“Why would I be freaked out?? I saw it on commercial the other night and thought it would be crazy to go!! And here I am.” She was excited as a little girl with a lollipop. Mia reached out unexpectedly and hugged him.
He looked at her strangely “So you’re not afraid?”
She shook her head “Not at all!” she began skipping over the giant basket. There was an attendant that took care of the machine for them. Ethan reluctantly followed, never in his life had he seen a case where the patient got over their fear from amnesia. But there was a first for everything. The two had a short lesson on how to maneuver the balloon. Mia was giddy as she took control of the lines while Ethan stepped inside.
They were practically pushed off the hill and Mia controlled the machine with ease. Ethan on the other hand was gripping onto the edges for dear life. His legs were tense and his eyes bulged out “I…I think we’re…high enough…Mia. MIA!!!” he yelled when she continued to lead them up into the sky.
“This is so fun!!!” Mia yelled happily “Wow, look at the buildings!!” she tipped over and pointed out of the basket “I think I see my apartment building.”
“Mia! We have to stay on opposite ends!” Ethan advised at the same time he practically jumped away from her “We’ll unbalance the balloon.”
Mia turned to him strangely “Ethan…are you afraid of heights?”
“Me? No.” He shook his head unconvincingly.
“Why do you look like you just saw a ghost? Oh my God…you better not puke!!” Mia warned with her finger wagging.
“Must have been something I ate.” Ethan slowly dropped himself on the floor while reaching up and loosening his tie.
Mia too sat down as she looked at him carefully “If you say so.” She shrugged it out.
“You’re really not afraid?” Ethan tried again.
She shook her head “No, should I be?”
He nodded “You were deathly afraid of heights. Out of all my years as a psychiatrist, I have never met anyone that was so scared to be on the second floor in their lives.”
Mia smiled as she recalled the situation “Oh yeah…I forgot about that. Who knows… maybe I’m over it.”
“A fear is not something one gets over so quickly.” Ethan said logically.
She frowned “Why not? Not everything has to be psychologically answered.” She said with good reason “Some things are unexplained. A miracle, perhaps.”
“Perhaps.” He nodded slowly, still trying to contemplate an answer “I don’t want to know where we’re going, can you look?”
Mia nodded as she got up and looked around, then her head did a double take “Oh my God! We’re going to run into that building!!!” she shrieked.
“AHH!!!” Ethan yelled while he covered his ears fearfully. Even with his hands over his ears, he could hear her contagious laughter. He narrowed his eyes and got up only to see that they were over the harbor with buildings below them “Charming.” He nodded sarcastically.
“Thank you.” Mia curtsied while her grin grew wider.
“I was being sarcastic.” He said flatly.
“I know.” Mia laughed, “It’s still a compliment however you say it.”
“You pull another stunt like that and you won’t be hearing a compliment.” Ethan turned away and glanced over the edge. Suddenly, he felt his chest suffocating. He clutched it and opened his mouth to breath.
Mia sighed as she enjoyed the view “Isn’t it relaxing?” His hearing began to clog up and he felt his feet weakened. Even then Mia didn’t notice “You think we could go a little higher?”
“Mia…” his voice was hoarse as he called for her. His legs bent and he had one hand clutching his heart and the other on the basket.
“Yes?” she turned with a smile but it faded just as quickly when she realized he looked pale “Ethan!” she bent down in front of him “What’s wrong?”
He shook his head “Can’t…breath. Go back…” he stammered.
Mia nodded vehemently “Okay. Just hang on.” She moved the direction of the balloon so it would return to their destination. But he was loosing oxygen, fast. His eyes dazed and his body swayed even though the ride was smooth “Ethan! Don’t faint!” she yelled.
It wasn’t until they reached the land that he was completely out. She quickly supported him out with the help of the attendant. She called for an ambulance and they came minutes later. He was put on a stretcher and she followed along in the van “Pulse 135. It’s low. Blood pressure too high.” The man said calmly as he checked his watch.
Mia’s heart raced as she silently prayed for his safety “Is he going to be okay?” she asked as they set him up with IV bag and needle stuck into his back left hand.
“We don’t know, Mam. It looks like he’s having an acute heart attack.” The man replied with much control.
“A what?!” Mia cried, “How could that be? He’s only 27!”
“We can’t be sure yet, but it looks like it. One of the reasons could be high elevation, high buildings or anything of that sort. Some things can cause a person with this disease to have high blood pressure which leads to this.”
“I don’t understand…” Mia looked confused “Please save him.” She said with tears in her eyes.
“We’ll do our best, Mam.” The man nodded firmly.