In life's Suprises

It was a dark and stormy night, Zack Huegan was making his way home from his usual 9 to 5 job as an assistant counsellor working in a mall next to a retail store. He was a 32 year old man, who was barely passing by with essential needs as it is. As he arrived home, all sweaty as it drips onto the pavement. He was met with a strange figure in a hood who was staring into the sky as if whatever that thing or person is was waiting for something, anything to happen.

As Zack was about to walk into his front yard, the figure suddenly slowly approached as it extended its hand slowly yet somehow the figure manages to touch his without him realising as a ghastly shock was felt flowing through his body. the figure slowly itched closer to him as a low mumble could barely be heard "wh-es te za". Zack was confused and now shaking uncontrollably started to shakingly ask "what is it that you wish t-to inquire" as he tried to say politely. The figure did not respond and got closer and closer and the imagery under the hood was now visible... it revealed a small figure with a life-sized pillow underneath as it was a girl hugging tightly to it, clinging to it for dear life.

For a moment, Zack to a long deep breath trying to calm his nerves down. His heart started to slow down and his body has started to shake less. Zack ask once more this time with a kinder and much more gently tone "hey there, if you don't mind me asking are you lost? what's your name and-..." the girl collapses. In that moment, Zack mind was panicking, this situation has never happened before so it took him a bit to shakingly reach to his pocket and take out the phone. He dialed 9-1-1 as it started ringing well all of a sudden... the girl woke up.

In the blink of an eye, everything changed. Zack hanged up the phone and could not move.. his eyes glued to her. It was at that moment he saw her face as the hood fell down. She was badly bruised,blood gushing down all the way to her knee, dried-up blood left on her head and her eyes looking restless and worst of all her hands all the fingers were gone but her pinky... he then wondered how she was able to come all this way and tapped him as he noticed that in her mouth were the fingers duck tapped on her lips. There was a cane placed in between her wrist so that she could stabilize herself.

Left completely traumatised at the imagery of the girl that had fallen infront of his house. He was too stunned to even try anything. But the girl then tried to speak "please h-help me". Those 3 words.. snapped him out of it, he hurriedly carried her to the car and started making his way to the hospital. It was close by as he had once gone there for a checkup a few months ago. He was constantly blaming himself for not trying to help her much sooner. The girl then rested her head on the Zack's shoulder as if spiritually trying to calm him down even with how badly she was injured.

As they arrived, Zack carried the girl up to the reception center, quickly trying to scan and find a nurse or a doctor quickly without making too much of a fuss as he did not want to wake the girl up. Moments later, a doctor saw them and introduced himself as "Doctor Mochanko or Doctor Mo for short". Doctor Mo immediately took the girl from him and put her on top of a stretcher as a couple of nurses as other doctor entered a room for a diagnosis. Zack was not allowed to enter as he was neither a friend nor the parent or guardian to the girl.

Minutes and hours passed, as Zack was pacing around the room in circles. One of the doctors went out of the room she made her way to Zack. She stated "Her condition isn't well. If you had brought her even a moment later she may have been dead the moment you arrived. Luckily she's stabilizing and have a higher chance of surviving now". Zack with a big exhale said "thank god... thank you .. ill pay the treatment.. just take care of her now say that she stumbled her way to the hospital".. Then the girl, out of nowhere appeared behind him quietly saying "no, please stay ..i have no where left to go a-and it feels safer with you".. The man stayed silent for a few seconds. When he opened his mouth, a small smile formed as he said "okay but i can't grant you the best little girl, i hope you understand". The girl nodded gently. The girl made her way back into the room as she was told that she needed more rest. Zack made his way back home as he tried to get a few things so he could stay in the hospital with her; a blanket, pillow and even a teddy bear for her that he had kept from his childhood. He then came back to the Hospital now as he was told was called "Saint James Hospital". As he made his way to her room which was Room 253. There was a peaceful silence he had not felt in such a long time. As he entered, he saw the girl sleeping peacefully. her face covered up with bandages. Unfortunately, her fingers seemed to have not been able to reattach as the doctors determined that they had left her body way long before she made her way to his house and the only injury that was still bleeding were the cuts on her shoulder. This poor girl who suffered what only her and god knows amounts of tremendous pain. I softly patted her head gently as i held her hand as i notice a small smile plastered onto her face for the first time. I then rested on the chair nearby as we both drifted away to rest for the night.