People were gathering around Eli's neighbourhood, and more people gathered up when they saw the crowd; everybody wanted to know what was going on. Even the people on the other street were running to the gatherings.
Crowding like this is important to most of them and unavoidable for people on the low hierarchical ladder. They always want to catch up with everything around them even when it is unnecessary.
The gathering was because an expensive car drove into the street and stopped right at the entrance of Eli's house.
The crowd gathered around the car, blinking consistently as they waited for the owner to alight, fearing the person might disappear if they looked away for a minute.
They believed it was a politician aiming to give privileges to the poor in return for their votes, as that's the reality of modern politics.
Fortunately for Angela, the crowd could not see through the tinted glass; if they could, they would have seen the terrified Angela trying to hold back her urge to pee her pants.
She was surprised and scared by the crowd at the same time; her heart was beating rapidly, and it seemed like she was visiting another world entirely, a world she had never heard about.
She could not summon the courage to step out, and neither could she call their bodyguards at home because she left secretly to inform Eli's mother about the incident and drive her to the hospital.
Earlier at the hospital.
Eli was distraught, "what happened? I was running, not sleeping". He attempted to sit up, but he felt a sharp pain at the bottom of his back, which stopped him from pushing hard to sit up. He settled back onto the bed, wanting to get a grasp on his surroundings. Though his vision was blurred, he focused intently.
"This place smells like a drug factory". He turned his face to the left and clearly saw a tall iron standing beside his bed. He fixed his gaze on the top "A single iron is holding a giant of water; my brain knows it's impossible, but I could see it".
He abstains and looks to his right. "What's happening to me? I can barely see". He was scared, then he tried to scream for help, but his mouth just opened and nothing came out. "I can not even talk".
Then he looked at the doorway, and he could see a figure standing at the door, like a ghost.
"Maybe I am dead, but what took my life?
I can hardly remember anything. But I was running, not sleeping, and this place… it doesn't look like home."
Tears streamed down his face as he grappled with the heavy weight of his thoughts. "What if I am truly dead?" he whispered to himself. "What about my mother? Does she know I am gone? How is life treating her now? Has she eaten at all?"
Each question tore at his heart, painting vivid images of the pain he feared she was enduring. The fear of leaving her behind with nothing gnawed at him, amplifying his anguish.
Many questions surfaced in his mind, but he could not find answers.
"God, can I get a last chance to change everything?" More tears streamed down his eyes, "So I could retire my mother and she could find peace at last". He rubbed the bed with his hand,
"One last chance, so I could level up my life and never die like an average man".
She was awakened from slumber by the sound coming from Eli's bed.
"He's awake", she murmurs.
She struggled to his bed and sat down beside him.
Eli felt the presence of the ghost and again tried to speak.
"Tell God to give me one last opportunity, and I won't misuse it".
Angela was shocked "What? You'll be back on your feet very soon.".
"I won't misuse this last opportunity". He softly murmurs for a moment before drifting off to sleep, finding solace in the embrace of rest.
Angela was the figure standing at the door. After the incident, she did everything in her power to get the driver arrested after he ran someone over and refused to stop. Police tracked him down and called an ambulance to rush Eli to the hospital, and the driver faced two charges: manslaughter and reckless driving. He was also liable for the boy's hospital bill.
She left her father's business and has been going up and down, so everything will be favourable to the poor boy. Her face looked miserable, and tiredness was written all over it.
〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️
After a refreshing two-hour nap, Eli felt revitalized. As he turned to his side, he was taken aback. There she was, the same girl he had met that morning.
"What happened to me, Miss?"
Angela put her hand on his hand, which had been pierced many times by the doctor; because of inadequate nutrition, his veins have become fragile.
"Please don't distress yourself now; rest so you will feel better."
"Kindly…tell my mother about my situation. She will be worried if I do not get home on time". Eli said.
As she gazed at his plastered face and the cast covering his legs, a wave of empathy washed over her. Her heart ached for him, overwhelmed by the depth of his situation, and she felt a deep emotional connection within her.
"You never gave me your address". She responded while blinking rapidly to keep the tears from crawling out of her eyes.
"17th Bernard Street, Aguga" Eli responded.
"Please relax, I'll relay your message to her". She lay her hands on him once again and squeezed it, giving him a sense of assurance.
He knows his mother would be worried if she didn't see him before sunset. But after she reassured him, he saw no reason to go any further. Finally, he succumbed to the weight of his eyelids and let them close decisively.