STARTLED EPISODE ONE

I was ecstatic. The normal drive of 20 minutes seemed to take hours. My heart kept racing.

I tried to calm down by listening to the entertainment news on the fm I tuned into

It didn't help much.

Finally!!! The driver pulled up at the entrance of the St. Louis hospital.

I practically jumped out of the car and headed straight for the entrance. I almost knocked down a stretcher that had been kept carelessly by the side of the door.

" Good afternoon. Please I'm here to see a Lanre Williams. " I said to the nurse at the reception. She wore a rather tired look. It didn't bother me much.

" hold on a minute" she replied as she went through the list of patients in the hospital.

"Room 417, Mr Lanre Williams. Just got out surgery" she was smiling now.

" Thanks "

I hurried into the elevator and was just about to press the button when a young man jumped in. " " " hi"

" Yh, hi" I pressed the button before I asked "sorry, which floor? "

" same "

" ok".

It was quiet. I was glad about it. I really wasn't ready to start a conversation with a stranger.

I ran out without looking back when the elevator stopped.

" please I'm looking for room 417" i stopped to ask a nurse. She pointed to a room at the end of the hallway.

I ran towards the room. At the entrance I was stopped by two men in uniform.

" who are you? " the heftier one asked.

" it's ok Conrad. She's family" a young man said coming out of the room. " Hi, miss Davis. I'm Frank. The guy who called you. "

" oh my!! Thanks. Can I see him?"

"Definitely ".

He led me into the room

There he was. Lying down , fast asleep with an oxygen mask over his nose. He had a bandage on his head. His face looked like it had been bashed in with a huge hammer. But for the tribal mark on his cheek, I could have sworn he was not the one. I moved closer to the bed, tears filling my eyes as I held his hands. I could not believe that he had been missing for five years. I had lost hope. I thought I'd never see him again in my life. Here he was right before me and it seemed like it was just yesterday he had gone missing. I left his hands and right there and then I promised never to let him out of my sight again.