Love and Vengeance

“IS there anything you want me to get for you?” Sybil asked as she grabbed the car key from the drawer.

“Are you going out?” Sonja turned in her direction.

“Yep. We’re running out of almost everything here, so I decided it’s about time for me to go to the town proper and buy some stuff.” She grinned and put the shopping list down on the table. “Here, I made a list last night. Jot down whatever you need, and I’ll buy it for you.”

Sonja left the sink and dried her hands.

“Could you please get me my eyeglasses? It’s on top of the drawer, I think. And oh, do grab a pen for me as well.”

“Eyeglasses and pen, coming right up!” She snapped her fingers and sauntered to the drawer.

“I think this is too much,” Sonja said when she returned to the kitchen.

“Too much?” She looked at her shopping list. “What’s too much?”

“This.” Sonja shook the paper in her hand. “You should only buy what’s necessary, Sybil.”

She heaved a sigh.

“I’m sorry about that. You can cross it out if you think it’s unnecessary.”

“This isn’t your first time doing grocery shopping, yet you still haven’t mastered what I taught you.”

Sybil bit her lower lip.

“Sorry. I think there’s something wrong with me.” She cupped the side of her head.

“Oh, Sybil…” Sonja’s expression changed when she looked at her again. “I didn’t mean to get you offended.”

She slowly shook her head.

“No, I’m not offended. It’s… well… uh…”

“Let’s just let this be,” Sonja said and smiled a bit. “Perhaps we’ll need them anytime soon.”

“Alright.” She handed her the pen and eyeglasses.

“Should I come with you? What do you think, hmm?” Sonja pulled a chair and sat down. She then started writing.

“No need. I can manage it myself. There’s nothing you should worry about.”

Sonja raised her head and looked at her intently.

“I’m taking the car anyway.”

“Remember, you don’t have a driver’s license—”

“I know. I mustn’t drive the car beyond the boundary. I will park it at Mrs. Collin’s Diner and walk to the bus stop.”

“Great.”

Sonja shoved the shopping list into her bag and stood up. She walked her out of the cabin until they reached the car.

“Wait.”

She turned in Sonja’s direction when she grasped her arm.

“Yes?”

“If someone sees you and asks, who are you—”

“I will tell them I’m Sybil Wellins.” She beamed.

“That’s right.”

“I gotta go now. I shouldn’t miss the bus.”

“Hm.” Sonja let go of her arm and tapped the car. “Drive safely. And call me if something happens.”

“Nothing will happen.” She gave her a salute and got into the driver’s seat.

Sonja remained standing outside the cabin and watched the car speed away.

It was just a ten-minute drive from the cabin to the diner. Sybil parked in her favorite spot and went inside the restaurant first to greet the owner.

“Mrs. Collin!”

“Sybil, dear!” the owner greeted her back as she left the counter. “How are you? It’s been a while.”

“I was here last week.” She chuckled.

“Oh, was it just last week?” Mrs. Collin tilted her head to the side. “Anyway, come… I’ll make you a sandwich—”

“No, thanks, Mrs. Collin.” Sybil wagged her hand with a smile. “I need to go to the town proper to do some grocery shopping. I’m quite in a hurry. I’m so sorry. I just came in to tell you that I left the car at your parking. Sonja would be mad if I came home late.”

“Oh. No problem.” Mrs. Collin gave her a light tap on the shoulder. “You know you can always park here anytime.”

“Thanks.” She gave Mrs. Collin a salute and went out of the diner.

Sybil rushed to the bus stop across the street when she saw the bus coming. Panting, she sat on the very end and waited until it arrived in the town proper.

The town’s noise and haste made her feel liberated. It was far from the life she had been living for a year now in the middle of nowhere on the outskirts. But she didn’t despise her life in that cabin with Sonja; she was rather thankful about it.

“Excuse me,” said the woman behind her.

Sybil stepped to the side and let the woman pass through. She then fished the shopping list from her bag and started her agenda.

“HERE is your Hawaiian sandwich to go.” Susan smiled and handed her the paper bag containing her order.

“Thanks!”

She went out of the diner and got inside the car. It was time to go home. But her phone rang just when she was about to start the engine. Of course, Sonja would call her. It was already seven in the evening, and she was still out. Perhaps she was worried about her.

“Hey, where the hell are you now?” Sonja’s tone was a little high, just as she expected.

“I’m on my way home.” She heard her sigh. “Don’t worry. I’ll be home in ten minutes. I just dropped by the diner and grabbed sandwiches for us.”

“Oh… okay.”

The call ended.

Sybil could only heave a sigh as she started the car. If truth be told, she wasn’t related to Sonja in any way. They were strangers who met when something tragic happened to her. But sadly, they have no clue what happened. She just woke up one day inside the cabin with Sonja nursing her wounds; worse, she couldn’t remember anything, not even her name.

It had been a year since Sonja found her, yet no one had looked for her until now. Perhaps her family assumed she was dead or had no family at all. The only way to know was to regain her memories, but she was far from that. She wanted to remember, yet her mind seemed to be corrupted. She could only assume the identity of Sonja’s dead sister, Sybil Wellins, and tried to live a new life as happily as possible. Everything was hard for her at first, but she eventually overcame it. Perhaps losing her memories and getting a second chance in life has a purpose.

She was almost halfway to the cabin when someone suddenly appeared ahead.

“Oh, damn it!” She stepped on the break immediately. “What the…”

Her mouth dropped open when she saw what was in front of the car at that moment—a person. But what made it more shocking for her was that he was naked. He was covering his front with his hands and looking around frantically.

Sybil took a deep breath and lowered the windshield a little.

“H-hey, stranger… need help?”

The place was a bit secluded. Only a few people lived there, for it was too far from the town proper. And she could say it had been very peaceful there for the past year. It was the first time she had encountered someone like him.

“Y-yes…” he said breathily and fell on his knees.

She noticed his voice was trembling as well.

“Oh, God…”

She immediately got off the car and ran to the trunk to get the blanket. It was a blessing in disguise she bought one.

Sybil rushed to the naked stranger and wrapped the blanket around him.

“Thank—”

He couldn’t finish what he was saying when he suddenly passed out.

“Oh, shit!”

She tried shaking him to wake him up, but he wouldn’t open his eyes. He was too big and heavy for her to carry alone in the car. Sybil needed help. But they were in the middle of nowhere. The closest cabin was Sonja’s, and that was a five-minute drive from there. She brought the car with her; it would take even longer for Sonja to get to them if she walked. But she couldn’t leave him behind. What if his life was in danger?

“Oh, right! The diner!”

She rushed back to the car and called the diner.

“Susan!” she said when the call connected.

“It’s James. Who’s this—”

“Oh, thank God it’s you, James. It’s me, Sybil. Remember me?”

“Oh, Wellins’ sister, right?”

“Yes! Yes! James, I need help. Can you come to me now?”

“Where are you?”

“I’m on my way home, at the alley. I ran into someone, and he just passed out. Please… I need help.”

“Alright. Calm down, and I’ll be there.”

It took James almost ten minutes before he could get to her.

“Sybil? What happened?” he asked as soon as he got off his motorbike.

“Can you please help me carry him to the car?”

“Sure—wait.” James looked at her with furrowed brows. “Do you even know this guy, Sybil?”

“He needs help—”

“He sure needs help. But we’re not sure if he’s a bad guy—”

“We’ll know later. What matters now is to attend to his wounds. He’s unconscious as well.”

James and Sybil had a staring contest for a few seconds. She won, though.

“I don’t know what Sonja will say about this—”

“She won’t be mad at me.” She knew that.

James carried the unconscious stranger to his back and put him down on the back seat.

“Thank you,” she said afterward. “And please, don’t mention this to anyone in the diner yet.”

“Might as well call the police, Sybil. I don’t have a good feeling about him.”

“I will. Tomorrow, perhaps.” She shook James’ hands and got inside the car.

Sonja was waiting for her by the door when she arrived home. She rushed to her as soon as she got off the car.

“What took you so long?” Sonja asked anxiously.

Sybil heaved a deep sigh and opened the door to the backseat.

“I’m sorry I was late. Someone needs help.”

Sonja looked at the unconscious stranger in the backseat and looked at her with her mouth dropped open.

“And who is this stranger, Sybil?” she muttered.

“I don’t know. He just appeared ahead while I was driving back home. I didn’t have the chance to question him more when he suddenly passed out.” She looked into Sonja’s eyes. “We can help him, right?”

Sonja glanced at the stranger and nodded her head in agreement.

“The hospital’s too far anyway, and it seems he needs immediate help.”

Wincing, they carried him inside the cabin.

“He’s naked?” Sonja exclaimed when the blanket slipped to the floor as they put the stranger to bed. “For heaven’s sake, Sybil!”

She picked up the blanket immediately and covered him again.

“I have no idea what happened. He was already naked when he—”

“Go get him some clothes so he can at least look decent.”

“You don’t mind, do you?”

“I’m a nurse, and I’ve seen the worst of the worst, Sybil.” Sonja raised a brow and gestured to the door. “Now, go and do what I told you to do. I need to clean and disinfect his wounds.”

She sauntered to the door and went to her room. Perhaps she should go back to town tomorrow and buy him some clothes he could wear. In the meantime, she would lend him her clothes. Good thing she was fond of wearing oversized shirts. That could at least cover him to look decent.

“I hope this poor guy isn’t like you, Sybil.”

She strode to the side of the bed and watched as Sonja nursed his wounds.

“I don’t think he has amnesia. It seems like he’s running away from someone.”

Sonja’s pupils were dilated when she turned to her.

“What did you say?”

“He was looking around frantically.” She let out a sigh and sat down on the edge of the bed.

“Sybil…”

“What?” She met Sonja’s gaze.

“You must keep your distance when he wakes up. We’re not sure what kind of person he is—”

“You didn’t keep a distance from me back then—”

“It’s different.” Sonja pressed her lips together.

“Fine.”

“It’s not that we’re jumping to conclusions. It’s better to be safe. He’s a stranger, after all.”

“I understand.”

“Now, get me a basin of warm water and a towelette.”