The fifth floor of Avalen Care Hospital was shrouded in a heavy silence, broken only by the rhythmic, hollow beep... beep... of the life-support machines. Harsh white light spilled across the walls, making it feel as if time itself had frozen in exhaustion.
On the bed lay a seventeen-year-old boy named Viyen. His face was pale and still—trapped in a coma for two long years. He was lost somewhere deep within the slow, steady rhythm of his own breath, neither moving nor speaking.
The door creaked open gently, and a slender, composed girl stepped inside. Faint shadows lingered under her eyes, yet her footsteps were firm, as if she carried the weight of the entire world but refused to stumble. This was Anira.
She walked straight to Viyen's side, took his hand in hers, and sat down. For a long moment, she simply stared at his lifeless face... then, she spoke, her voice soft and trembling.
"Big brother... tomorrow, it will be exactly two years. How long... how much longer are you going to keep sleeping like this?"
The air in the room grew heavy with grief. Anira's fingers tightened around Viyen's palm, as if trying to pull him back to reality.
"After Mom and Dad were gone... I thought you would be the one to hold me together."
Her voice cracked, tears threatening to spill.
"But you... you left me all alone, too. Do you have any idea how much I miss you?"
Her whisper faded into the cold, sterile air. On the bed, Viyen's eyelids twitched ever so slightly—a faint flicker of life—but Anira didn't see it.
She rested her forehead gently against his hand.
"I'll be back tomorrow... just like always. Maybe then... you'll finally hear me."
She stood up, carefully placed his hand back on his chest, and walked out of the room, leaving the silence behind.
Scene Shift — Velaris Point Town | Evening
Anira walked briskly through the evening light toward 'Velaris General Mart'. Her routine was set in stone: the hospital, then the shop, then home.
As the bell above the door chimed, she called out, "Grandpa... I'm here."
Behind the counter, an elderly man with sharp, kind eyes looked up. It was her grandfather, Ranikar.
"You're back, my little moon? Tell me, did you visit Viyen today?"
Anira walked over and gave him a tired hug. "Yes, Grandpa. It was the same as always. He didn't move. He didn't say a word."
Ranikar patted her back gently. "He will wake up one day. He is strong... he won't give up on us."
A flicker of hope lit up Anira's eyes for a second, but she remained silent.
Scene Shift — Home | Velaris Old Township
Back in the Old Township, Anira entered her home and embraced her grandmother, Riyora. Even the wrinkles on Riyora's face held a warmth that could chase away the cold seasons.
"You're home, Anira. How was school?"
"It was fine," Anira replied softly. She set her bag down and the house settled into a quiet comfort... but outside, the sky was beginning to warp.
A strange vibration hummed through the air. White and black clouds swirled together violently, looking like an unnatural bruise on the horizon. The wind swept through the lanes of Velaris, making the trees shiver.
Anira stood in the garden, staring up at the chaotic sky. She was strangely calm, completely unafraid. The clouds churned, as if a heavy secret was fighting to break free.
Suddenly, a jagged bolt of lightning tore the sky apart with a deafening crash!
"Anira! Come inside!" her grandmother shouted, panic in her voice. "This weather isn't natural!"
Anira tore her gaze away from the storm and walked inside, without saying a word.
Scene Shift — Hospital | Same Moment
At that exact moment, a sudden stir began inside Viyen's hospital room.
His body trembled lightly. Behind his closed eyelids, a storm seemed to awaken. A smoky, black aura circled faintly around him—very faint, very unnatural.
The beeping of the machines grew faster. Outside, the rain poured heavily. It felt as if the entire town of Velaris was beating with a single pulse—Viyen's heartbeat.
The more his body moved, the harsher the rain became. Wind howled against the windows.
Then, Viyen's eyes shifted beneath his lids. Once. Twice.
The monitor beeped erratically—and suddenly, his eyes snapped open.
At that very instant, the storm outside calmed, as if tamed by an unseen force. The harsh rain softened... slowing down... turning into gentle droplets.
Only one sound remained in the room—the rhythmic beep... beep... syncing perfectly with Viyen's awakened breath.
Night had fallen. The clock read 8:07 PM, and warm yellow light filled the house. The TV played softly in the living room while gentle raindrops tapped against the window.
Anira sat on the floor, hugging a thin pillow to her chest.
"Anira, shall I serve dinner? Call your Grandpa, too," her Grandmother, Riyora, called out from the kitchen.
Anira didn't look away from the screen. "Yes, Grandma, just two minutes... after this scene."
Riyora rolled her eyes playfully. "Every day, it's the same. You wait for the show to end and eat cold food. Come on, get up."
Just then, Ranikar walked in, placing his shawl on a chair. "What happened, my child? Lost in the TV again? How was school?"
Anira smiled softly. "Grandpa... did you close the shop properly?"
He nodded. "Yes, everything is fine. You look tired."
"A little," she sighed. "The sky was really strange today."
Ranikar glanced at the window. "The weather must be changing. Sometimes, clouds behave strangely."
Just as the three gathered at the dining table, a loud sound echoed through the house.
Ring... Ring...
Riyora flinched. "Who would call on the landline at this hour?"
Anira ran to the phone and lifted the receiver. "Hello? Who is this?"
A woman's voice came from the other side—rushed and anxious. "We are calling from Avalen Care Hospital. Can you please connect us to an elder?"
Anira's heart stopped. She looked at her grandfather. "Grandpa... it's the hospital."
Ranikar quickly took the phone. "Hello? Yes? Is everything okay?"
A few seconds of heavy silence passed before the voice spoke again.
"Mr. Ranikar... we need to tell you something immediately. Viyen has regained consciousness. He has come out of the coma."
What had been a fragile hope for two years suddenly became real. Grandmother's hands trembled. "What... is it true?"
Anira screamed, "Grandpa! Did Big Brother wake up?! Did he really wake up?!"
She hugged her grandmother tightly as tears streamed down Riyora's face. Ranikar hung up the phone, his voice heavy with emotion.
"Let's go. Right now."
Scene Shift — Avalen Care Hospital | Night
The rain had weakened, but the air remained cold as the family rushed into the hospital.
Anira didn't wait. She pushed open the door to Room 512.
And there... sat Viyen.
Dim light fell across his face. His eyes were open—but inside them, there was a deep, terrifying emptiness.
She ran straight to him and hugged him tight. "Big Brother! You... you woke up! You finally came back to us!"
But Viyen didn't move. His face showed no happiness, no pain, no recognition. Just emptiness.
He pulled back slowly and whispered, "...Who... are you?"
Anira froze. The room went utterly silent.
"Do I... know you?" Viyen asked, looking at his grandparents without a spark of memory.
The doctor stepped forward, his voice low.
"He is physically stable, but... he has lost his memory. The mental strain during the coma was severe."
"Will he remember us?" Grandmother asked, panic rising in her voice.
"It is hard to say," the doctor replied seriously. "But listen to me carefully—do NOT force him to remember. If you pressure his mind, it could cause a breakdown."
With teary eyes, Anira sat beside him again. "Big Brother... I am Anira... your younger sister."
Viyen looked at her, confusion clouding his face. He tried to find a memory, but found nothing.
"I... don't know," he whispered.
Raindrops slid softly down the window—no longer violent, just quietly falling. A strange, heavy silence filled the room.
This night was going to change everyone's lives forever.