Chapter 4 The Graveyard

Catherine Pov

The auditorium was filled with esteemed scholars and a respected public figure, all gathered for a significant meeting. Dr. Herbert, a renowned Ph.D. in mathematics and Wilton's father, was expected to join the proceedings. However, he was preoccupied with trying to reach his son, Wilton, who wasn't answering his calls.

"Dr. Herbert, sir, the meeting is starting," a girl reminded him.

"Alright, I will join you very soon," Dr. Herbert replied, his mind still on his son's whereabouts.

"Where could this brat have put his phone? What is he scheming now?" Dr. Herbert thought to himself, his worry evident on his face.

As he walked towards the auditorium, he turned to his secretary and instructed, "Once I enter, please make sure to check on Wilton at school. Today is really important to me, and I can't allow him to ruin the day for me."

With that, Dr. Herbert stepped onto the podium and began his speech, his voice commanding the attention of the esteemed gathering. Little did he know, his son Wilton was facing a crisis of his own, one that would soon entwine their lives in unexpected ways.

I stepped out of the taxi and onto the school's front gate, where Wilton happened to be walking towards me. We met at the gate, and both felt timid, unsure of how to react. "Good morning," Wilton said in a low tone.

"Yeah, good morning," I replied awkwardly, my mind racing with questions. I wanted to ask about the name he gave in class yesterday and the birthday mark on his chest, which resembled my husband's. "I knew definitely this is not possible, it must be due to my condition, it must be an hallucination, that was all in my mind."

As I tried to gather my thoughts, I asked, "Yesterday...about..." But before I could done, he cut in, "Are you getting enough sleep?" His worried expression caught me off guard.

"Hey, are we the same age? Why do you keep addressing me with honorifics?" I asked, feeling a bit frustrated. "Plus, yesterday, why did you...?" But before I could finish, the migraine struck again, and I felt dizzy.

Wilton quickly held me by the arm, concern etched on his face. "Are you really okay?" he asked, as students around us began to stare. I saw my husband's face in Wilton's, and the faces kept changing - my husband's, then Wilton's, back and forth. I couldn't tell what was real or if the condition was worsening.

"Is that not our class teacher? What's going on?" I heard my students murmuring from the back. Suddenly, I realized I was standing in the school's open ground, surrounded by curious onlookers.

Wilton's grip on my arm tightened. "Let's get you to the nurse's office," he said, his voice filled with concern. As he led me away, I couldn't shake off the feeling that something strange was happening, and I wasn't sure if I was hallucinating or living in reality.

I collected myself back to reality, pushing Wilton's arm away. "I understand that you're a spoiled rich kid, but that doesn't give you the edge to address your teacher rudely," I said, trying to maintain my composure. "Thanks for last night, and I would be much appreciative if you would cease keeping close contact with me."

With that, I humbled myself and walked away, trying to distance myself from the strange encounter. I could feel Wilton's eyes on me, but I didn't dare look back.

I was still thinking about what I saw earlier - the changing faces, Wilton's and my husband's - and I couldn't shake off the feeling of uncertainty. Was I hallucinating? I was sober then, but my mind was playing tricks on me. Yet, I couldn't deny the details that stuck in my head - Wilton's perfectly brushed eyebrows, the sweet smell of his cologne, and his round pink lips that made him look hot from up close. I couldn't let go of him from my head.

Just then, I heard a knock on my table. It was Sarah, the school's female student president. "Hey, Catherine, what's going on? You've been spaced out since morning," she said, concern etched on her face.

I snapped back to reality, trying to compose myself. "Oh, just a bit tired, that's all," I replied, attempting to brush it off.

Sarah looked unconvinced but dropped the subject. "Well, I need to discuss something with you. The school's annual charity event is coming up, and I was thinking of nominating you as one of the judges."

"Great, I'll send you the details later," Sarah said, smiling, and walked away, leaving me to my thoughts.

As the day went on, I couldn't help but think about Wilton and the strange encounter we had earlier. I tried to focus on my work, but my mind kept wandering back to him. I couldn't understand why I was so drawn to him, why I couldn't shake off the feeling that there was something more to him than meets the eye.

"Ma'am, I think we have your class right now," Felicia,one of my students said, smiling at me. My lovely student, always so cheerful and supportive. I adored her not only for her academic excellence in Mathematics but also for her kind heart and versatility. I followed her to the classroom, but just a few steps away from the entrance, the migraine struck again. It felt like a bell was jingling in my head, and my surroundings began to blur.

As I stepped into the classroom, I noticed my environment changing again - not once, not twice, but three times. One moment I was in the street, the next at a bus stop, and finally, I found myself standing in the cemetery where my husband was laid to rest. I was standing right in front of his grave, the familiar inscription on the headstone piercing my heart like a dagger.

The world around me spun, and I felt like I was trapped in a never-ending nightmare. My student's voice echoed in my mind, "Ma'am, are you okay?" But I couldn't respond. I was lost in a labyrinth of memories and hallucinations, unsure of what was real and what was just a product of my fragile mind.

As I stood there, frozen in time, I heard whispers in the wind - whispers that seemed to carry secrets and truths I wasn't ready to face. The migraine intensified, and I felt myself being pulled back to reality, but I knew that nothing would ever be the same again. The lines between reality and illusion had blurred, and I was left to navigate the treacherous terrain of my own mind.

The darkness of night enveloped me once again, and I couldn't help but wonder how many hours I had lost this time. I pulled out my phone to check the time, and the screen glowed with an eerie light, revealing the time to be 7:30 pm. I remembered checking my phone earlier that day, when I was following Sarah to class, and it was 10:30 am. A chill ran down my spine as I realized I had lost a whopping 9 hours, with no recollection of what had transpired during that time.

Fear gripped me as I thought about my condition worsening, and my doctor's warning echoed in my mind: "Don't be alone, Catherine. You need someone to keep an eye on you." I felt a sense of desperation wash over me, and tears began to flow as I gazed at my husband's grave. The stormy sky above seemed to mirror my turbulent emotions, and suddenly, a loud thunderclap boomed from the clouds, making me jump.

The storm intensified, and I felt vulnerable and alone, standing there in the cemetery. No one knew I was there, and I wondered if anyone would even find me if something happened. The thought sent a shiver down my spine, and I knew I had to get out of there, but my legs felt heavy, as if rooted to the spot. The storm raged on, and I was trapped in my own nightmare, unsure of what the next moment would bring!.

The storm intensified, and I was paralyzed, unable to move from where I stood. The rain poured down on me like a deluge, soaking me to the bone. Just as I thought I couldn't take it anymore, an umbrella appeared above me, shielding me from the torrent. I looked up to see Wilton standing beside me, his broad chest and strong arms holding me steady. His handsome face was etched with concern, and his eyes sparkled with a deep intensity in the brief moments of lightning.

"Are you alright?" he asked, his voice firm but gentle, without the honorific language again.

I stuttered, trying to form words, but my mind was a jumble. "How...did you find me here?"

He gazed at me with a knowing look. "You don't remember, do you?"

Wilton's expression softened, and he pulled me closer to his side. "Let's get out of here," he said, guiding me away from my husband's grave.

I felt weak and fragile, unable to resist his firm grip. As we walked, the storm raged on, and I couldn't help but wonder what was happening to me. Was I losing my mind? And why was Wilton always there to rescue me? The questions swirled in my head, but I couldn't find the answers. All I could do was cling to Wilton's arm and hope for the best.