House of Cards

Waking up

‘Why am I still alive? I thought I died when I used that final attack to take down Jake?’ the moment I remembered what happened my heart fell into deep sadness as the sight of seeing how my classmates struggled to escape from Jake’s hands. I tried to move my hands but it felt really heavy like something is holding on to it but there was nothing that is hindering my arms from moving. The room that I was in is quite different from the rooms that I have seen in the past, the instruments are quite different, it was so advanced.

The woman then came rushing in to the room along with some of the doctors and some familiar faces, one of them was Roger Bradley who was looking at me with a sad expression. The staff did not allow unauthorized person to go inside as they inspect my condition as of the moment as I see the look in their faces. “His condition had stabilized compared to when he arrived here a few weeks ago. It really must be the ‘Card Overdrive’ to think that Dr. Stephen’s theory was right all along. But what surprising is that this kid is still able to survive even after his special ability overclocked, he theorized that there is a limit to how much a human body can use their special abilities and if they go over the limit their body will not be able to endure the toll of overusing one’s special ability and would just lose their lives instead, but why did this kid survive?” the doctor stated as he takes a quick glance at the paper that he is holding and my body.

‘Incredible, his body is recovering really fast. From the time that he got here, his veins from all over his body was really dark blue and bulging looked like they were about to explode. So we assigned people to watch over him in case something happens but nothing noteworthy happened, it was like he was put to a short coma. If he can withstand the ‘Card Overclock’ then what the hell is this kid’s special ability?’ the doctor thought as he look into my almost fallen eye lids and then wrapped things up and allowed visitors to enter the room after seeing no strange signs of abnormality in my body.

After the staff of the hospital left the room, the people outside my room were a bit hesitant to enter the room before they can even take a single step inside, especially Roger Bradley whose feelings is as clear as day, anguish and frustration is what I am seeing from his face. The scene then played in my head as Robert tried to cover the narrow space with his body just to protect the others but still, he failed. But even if his expression is telling me even when he did not opened his mouth, he was the first one to take a step inside the room where I was in and even flashed me a heart piercing smile.

“Hey kid, it was nice seeing you again. I was not able to visit much since the security is so tight that there is not a sight of any media here. I even had to tag along with the institute representative just to visit you until today.” Roger Bradley said with a tormented voice as he tries to suppress his tears and the sadness from his voice. I tried to lift myself up to apologize for my powerlessness but then he walk towards me and stop what I was about to do before I could do it. “Stay still kid, you are still recovering. Seeing you gaining your consciousness is already a great news. Take your time, there are so many opportunities to talk about what happened. Prioritize your recovery first and after you are fully recovered, we can talk about it okay?” he said with a wry smile in his face.

His face is really haggard, he must be really exhausted after crying his eyes out with the loss of his son. Without any words to respond, I nodded my head with tears flowing from my eyes as he left the room with a smile as the representatives I have not seen before entered the room after him. The representatives told me to focus on recovering and leave the rest to the institute, which will handle everything. After all of that, they left the room and left me a phone that I can use to contact them, including everyone from the outside world.

‘Where the hell did Chris go? He was with me in my last moments and given his special ability he should have been fine the whole time.’ I thought to myself after not seeing a silhouette of the person whom I consider my brother. So I waited for a few days hoping that he and the staff from the foster home would come and visit me. I also tried to call his phone but it did not ring.

*BEEP!* BEEP!* BEEP!* *Sorry, the number you dialed is currently unavailable. Please try your call later.* *Sorry, the number you dialed is currently unavailable. Please try your call later.* *BEEP!* *BEEP!* *BEEP!*

‘That’s strange, I’m sure that this is his number that he’s been using for two years, there is no way that I will dial a wrong number.’ I told myself as I tried to dial the same number once again.

*BEEP!* BEEP!* BEEP!* *Sorry, the number you dialed is currently unavailable. Please try your call later.* *Sorry, the number you dialed is currently unavailable. Please try your call later.* *BEEP!* *BEEP!* *BEEP!*

But I receive the same notification every single time. I then felt my chest getting tighter as my head was flooded with thoughts about his whereabouts.

*BUDUMP!* *BUDUMP!* *BUDUMP!* *BUDUMP!* *BUDUMP!* *BUDUMP!* *BUDUMP!* *BUDUMP!* *BUDUMP!* *BUDUMP!* *BUDUMP!* *BUDUMP!* *BUDUMP!* *BUDUMP!* *BUDUMP!* *BUDUMP!* *BUDUMP!* *BUDUMP!* *BUDUMP!* *BUDUMP!*

Desperate to know about his whereabouts, I asked the nurse who was stationed at my room at the moment. “Miss, can I asked something?” she then move towards me. “What is it?” “Where is my brother? There should be another person with me, I tried to contact him but I cannot get through.” I asked with a worried expression.

The nurse just look at me with a confused look in her face and said. “I think you are mistaken Mr. Ambro, you are the only person who is admitted to this hospital and no one else.” I felt my whole world crumbled the moment I heard her response. After answering my answer, she then returned to what she was initially doing while I slowly drown in despair. ‘There is no way- it is impossible- how am I here while Chris is not? He is the one who has the special ability, ‘Immortality’ ‘ is what I was thinking when I glanced at my arm and saw the same thing written on my wrist. ‘Immortality’ beside my original ability, ‘Lightning’.

My eyes widen after seeing something strange that I even thought that my eyes was deceiving me. ‘What the hell is that thing doing in my wrist?’