The carriage came to a halt. "We're here, sir. Nakamura Manor." The driver was tipped well for his troubles driving in this weather. He never liked putting people through this trouble, but right now, he didn't want to deal with wet clothes or soggy socks. One of the family butlers entered through the gates with an umbrella as the storm grew worse. "Welcome back, Sir. Lady Astrid is waiting for you in the living room," he greeted. They walked back inside after closing the metal gates to the manor. Neither of his shoes was drentched like last time, thank goodness. He walked to the living room where Astrid sat, sloutched.
His cousin looked like death with bags under her ounce lively eyes and the color drained from her face. If he had to compare her to anyone in the world, it would be a zombie. He knocked on the wall to get her attention. Slowly, her head turned to meet his gaze. "Good, you came. Thank you, Lee", she croaked. He was beginning to think she was actually sick, but showed no sign of a fever when he checked her temperature. She explained the past few nights have been sleepless for her seeing as how easy it for Astrid to fall back to sleep.
"Astrid, you look like death. What's wrong?" Her condition really made him concerned for his cousin. She always took care of herself more than anyone she knew.
"Its...something is keeping me awake. Lately, I feel like someone is stalking me. I cannot sleep because I am afraid they will hurt more or worse, you and the rest of the family. I want your help, please!" Astrid begged and pleading just through her eyes for him to help. Without any second thought, he agreed.
That was two weeks ago.
"Look at you now, cuz. I failed." He stared at Astrid. Her head and a lot of her body was covered in gauze and wraps. Lee sat in a cold, dull hospital room with a view of all of Hargeon and the ocean. The room itself wasn't too big.
They found her earlier this morning all the way in Magnolia. He blamed himself for everything. She lied unconscious in the hospital bed. The doctors had said she was in a deep coma and didn't know if she when she would wake up or if she would. He was not stranger to bad news. He felt his past was catching up to him now. Everything in here was a reminder of that.
Soon his family came even his deadbeat of an older brother and his beloved nephew. They all heard what had happened and came at once when they heard she was found. It was hard to believe a lively spirit such as Astrid could be torn down so easily. The whole time Lee stood silent, staring at Astrid, while the family visited. Astrid's step-mother was basically in tears as so was her father. Lee had a cold, but deep look on his face trying to decide what to do. Nicolas, his father, turned to with a apprehensive expression on his face. ""Are you okay, Lee? I know how close you two are," his father asked.
Lee could lie and say he will be fine, but he wasn't. Nothing was okay. His closest fiend in the whole world was attacked and by whom. Thanks to his lack of skills and able to predict the future, he failed her. Anger rose inside of Lee, but he was able to keep it back. Although, his shaking angered tone gave away his true feelings. "I will be fine. I need some space," he whispered. He walked out of the room and into another where is was dark and empty. He punched the walls with burnt areas from anger.
"This is all my fault! I need to become stronger.