HIRAETH

ry 12

ced at the reminder on her phone, which listed several bills-one of which was for the electricity in her studio. How could she have forgotten to pay?

to her was now dangerously slick. Lilian tightened her jacket, feeling the biting cold of the winter wind against her porcelain-white skin. As usual, she walked home. F

ful ballet gown. Lilian stared at it with a wistful look, wondering when s

l," she murm

rrying large shopping bags. "Thanks, Mom, for buyi

darling. Just promise me you'll practice

erformed on stage. Not even for a competition had she been chosen. She turned and began walking home. That night, th

few other people. Her mind drifted, imagining herself dancing on stage for a ballet performance. But suddenly, her

d when they touched her skin. Blood began to trickle from her templ

s broken by the sounds of people groaning and others rushing to find help. Lilian struggled to open her eyes,

ulled a handkerchief from her bag and pressed it against the wound on Lilian's head, trying to stop the bleeding. Usin

f her, and she had no strength left to resist it. In the distance, she could vaguely hear t

. Several medical devices had already been attached to her body, including an oxygen tube gently placed beneath her nose. At that

ed everything just moments ago. The woman held tightly onto Lilian's hand, her own fingers trembling. She

ing Lilian's vitals, which kept fluctuating. Suddenly, Lilian's p

rk. Are you still at the studio? I can be there i

. "Hi... I'm sorry, I'm Alice. The owner of this phone is unconscious. We're

was a

What happened?" Jasper's voice s

l as one of the paramedics leaned over Lilian and began CPR. Her condition was slipp

nd nurses rushed to take over, wheeling Lilian inside, leaving Alice behind in th

leave. She didn't know Lilian at all, but something about the young woman lying unconscious stirred a deep

the entrance, his face pale with panic. He looked around, clea

use me... are you Jasper?"

andsome in a sharp, striking way-tall, broad-shouldered, with piercing eye

the doctors now. They're d

and ran a hand over his

ntrol up ahead. The road was slippery... the driver couldn't stop. It

h. All the strength seemed to drain from his body. His ey

walked over. "Are you a

end," Jasper an

it to the head," he said gently. "We've managed to take care of her external injuries, but the head trauma is more complicated. R

. There was nothing more to do now but wait-and hope. The medical team began moving Lilian to an inpa

light that grew brighter the further she went. In the distance, she could hear the sound of waves crashing, birds singing sweetly in the air. Slowly, she began

. Peacefu

I...?" she