Chapter 76: Chapter 76

Chapter 76.

*.

"Just follow your heart," she said and smiled before walking out of the cottage.

"Elena!!!!" He yelled her name.

"Where is he?" Laura asked as Elena got in the car.

"He would be fine. You do not have to worry about anything. Right now, we have to go to the hospital" Elena said as Alex ignited the engine.

"I do not know how we are going to start explaining the situation of things in Mystic Hollow to the locals," Elena said as she looked out of the van through the window. It was getting real dark already.

"Do not worry. I have got you covered. I recorded everything they said in my phone" Laura said smiling as she brought out her phone from her pocket.

"Oh my Gosh! You are such a genius Laura" Elena exclaimed as she hugged Laura who was grinning from ear to ear.

"We would have to visit the council when we are done with taking them to the hospital."

Alex watched them from the rearview mirror as he shook his head and smiled.

They drove for long till they got to the hospital and alighted.

They met Peter in the waiting room and asked of Sarah.

"She is in her mom's... Sorry, Emily's ward" he said scratching his head as Elena looked elsewhere.

"And my mom and the Mayor?" She further interrogated.

"In their separate wards," he said as she began walking away.

"Where are you going?" Alex asked her.

"I need to see the doctor," she said still walking as he shrugged.

"Always have a mind of her own," He said as he sat down close to Peter.

"I'm starving," Laura said as she opened the fridge in the waiting room and brought out three bottles of sodas.

"You can say that again," Alex and Peter said simultaneously as she handed each to them.

Elena met Dr. Erica walking down the hallway who was instructing a nurse that was following her.

She handed over the clipboard she was holding to the nurse who left.

"Hi, doctor. Good day"

"Oh, hi. Good day. You are Elena Gilbert right?" She asked as Elena nodded while they walked toward her mom's ward.

"Your mom lost lots of blood. She would be okay in a week but I do not know how long before she would be able to walk on her own without support. It depends on how determined she is anyway." Elena nodded at this and kept following the Doctor.

"Had it been you hesitated for another hour before bringing her here, we would have lost her. But right now, we need to do a blood transfusion. She needs blood"

Elena placed her thumb in her mouth and breathed down, she looked straight to the Doctor as she shrugged.

"Is there anything the matter?" She asked her.

"If there is no one for the blood transfusion, what would happen to her?"

"Well, right now, we have been able to stabilize her. But she needs the blood, if she does not get, I am afraid we might lose her"

"Ok, give me some minutes"

"Very well then. But whatever you are doing. Make sure you do it fast, we might be running out of time" with that, Doctor Erica was about to leave as Elena called her back.

"Please, what ward is she in?"

"Follow me"

She followed the Doctor as she took her to where her mother was lying on the bed.

She folded her arms and watched her mother's lean figure on the bed as she looked up at the doctor.

"How are the other patients?"

"Which patient?" She responded without looking up at her.

"Mayor Bellos?" She asked as Erica smiled and nodded.

"How did you know he is here? " she asked.

"Because my mom shot him. And I shot my mom" Elena said calmly as Dr. Erica arched her brow at her.

"You are not serious, right?" She asked laughing as Elena scoffed.

"Soon you would know," she said and was about leaving the ward.

"Would you not stay behind at least with your mom? She needs you now " Dr. Erica told her as she stopped at the door.

"What is happening to her?"

"Nothing, she is resting. We would prepare her for the blood transfusion when the donor is ready"

"When you are ready, let us know" she added.

"Ready for what?" Elena was surprised.

"Ready for the blood transfusion of course. Or is she not your mom?"

"I do not know. I am going to think about it" with that, Doctor Erica stared at her back. She kept wondering what was wrong with her.

Her fingers were on the doorknob already.

"Do not worry, she would be fine," she said and opened the door as she stopped.

"What ward is Emily Bellos?" She asked as Erica stared at her.

"VIP WARD 4,"

"Thanks," Elena said and walked out of the room after closing the door after her.

She walked to where her friends were as they looked up at her.

"Hey! How is she?" Alex asked.

"She would be fine. She just needs blood transfusion"

"Then what are you waiting for?" Laura spoke and offered Elena a bottle of soda which she took and drank to half of the bottle.

"I do not know. I am confused. A part of me wants to donate the blood to her. Another wants to let her die. She deserves it"

"Yes, she deserves it, but you have to help her. She is your mom. Think of all the things she has gone through and the grudges she had carried in her heart. I must confess, I would not like to experience what she went through" Laura said.

"That still does not justify the fact that she vents her anger on the innocent citizen of the town instead of the culprits," Peter spoke.

"But I will not be in support of Elena if she does not donate the blood to her. At least, for the sake that she is your mother." He added.

Elena stared into space while Alex seemed lost in thought in something else.

His phone buzzed as he took it out from his pocket and placed it on his left ear.

"Hey, Bonnie, how are you doing?" He started walking away.

Elena stood up, walked to the fridge and took a bottle of soda, and started walking away.

"Hey! Where are you going to?"

"Sarah. She is in Emily's ward"

She got to the ward Emily was and saw Sarah sitting close to her mom who was asleep.

She held her mother's hands as she stared at her face.

"Sarah. " Elena said as she stood at the door.

Sarah cleaned her eyes and turned to meet the gaze of Elena.

She stood up and walked up to her as they stared at each other for a very long time. Elena handed the bottle of soda to her which she kept on a stool.

"Thank you" Sarah muttered.

Elena glanced at Emily on the bed, and Sarah did the same.

"They said she had a panic attack. I... I do not know... What... To.... " she cried.

"Shhh... It is going to be OK, she would be fine" Elena said and hugged her sister. They remained that way for 30 minutes and it was getting awkward.

"Sarah--" they disengaged the hug and stared into each other's eyes.

"I do not know what to do or say to you. All this information we have gathered about ourselves was so sudden and it creeps the hell out of me" she said.

"Well, I do not know how it is going to be like, but I wanted to say that... I am glad, that--. I do not even know what I am saying" they both laughed and held hands.

"Shhh-- we do not want to wake her" they both stared at Emily who was still fast asleep. Sarah's eyes became wet suddenly.

"Do you have a birthmark?" She asked out of curiosity.

She wanted to do something that would make her twin stop crying.

"Yh, I think I have one on my stomach," Sarah said raising her shirt as Elena did the same.

"I have one too. On my stomach" Elena said as she raised her shirt too.

It was the mark of a strawberry. It was half on Sarah's stomach and also half on Elena's

"Guess the strawberry is complete now," Sarah said as Elena smiled and touched her nose.

"So, we are going celebrate our birthday together which is in two weeks," Elena said smiling.

"Yh, I guess so. But I am not too good with people around me. I prefer being alone" Sarah said facing down, forgetting her mom's state.

"Hey, it is ok. I know you are an introvert. It is going to be OK. Your other strawberry is here. I am here" Elena told her as she smiled.

"I am glad you are my other strawberry," Sarah said as they both hugged.

"I have to go do something. I would be back" with that, they disengaged the hug.

"Where are you going to?"

"I have to donate blood to my mother," she said.

"Oh, I see"

Elena was about to leave as Alex, Peter and Laura walked into the room.

"Twins reunion or what?" Peter asked as they laughed.

"I will be right back guys, take care of my other half" with that, she left to meet the doctor.

When she met with her, the doctor excused the nurses who were with her.

"Are you ready?"

Elena nodded as Doctor Erica smiled.

"You made the right decision" with that, she called on the nurses as they started making the necessary preparations.

A nurse took a sample of her blood and left it with it.

"What was that for?" She asked.

"She is going to check if you are fit to donate blood to your mother. Excuse me please" Doctor Erica left and walked out of the room.

Elena remained there and stared at the ceiling.

*.*

Doctor Erica walked into the ward Sarah and her friends were.

"Hi," she said as the nurses stood at her back.

"Excuse me. We would see later, Sarah" Alex stood.

"Hi," he said to the doctor and walked to the door. He earned a nod from her.

"Hi," Alex said.

"Hello," Laura said and they all left, leaving just Sarah there.

"Sarah Bellos"

"Yes, Ma'am" she responded and sat upright.

Doctor Erica smiled and looked at her.

"You can talk?"

Sarah looked elsewhere and sniffed, she held her mother's hand as Erica heaved.

"Your father, Mr. Bellos needs a blood transfusion"

"So?" She asked.

"Well, you--"

"I am not donating anything to him"

"I do not know what is going on, but I just want to tell you not to make a drastic decision you would live to regret. Your father has lost lots of blood. And he is in great need of your help" she didn't get any response from Sarah.

"Let me know when you change your mind. I just hope it would not be too late when you make the right decision" the nurses left with her while Sarah kept staring into space.

Alex and the rest entered the room where they had left.

"Hey! What is the sullen face for?" Peter asked her as she sighed.

"They want me to donate blood to my dad"

"And what? You do not want to?" Laura questioned.

"Wow! You and Elena are truly twins" Alex said as the door opened as Elena walked in.

"Hey, guys!" She called. The hospital was getting very quiet as the croaking sound of frogs could be heard.

Alex's phone rang as he received it and walked to the door.

"Hey, dad!" He said.

"How did it go?" Laura asked her.

"I was not a match to my mom. They are asking if she has another child" she said.

Sarah stared up at her as Peter kept his arms folded.

"And what?" She asked.

"I told them of you, Sarah. Could you do this for me?" The room was serene as she finally spoke.

"Sarah, I know she tried to kill severally, I know you hate her so much. You are not alone on this. I do not like her either. But we have to do this, not for her sake, but the sake of humanity. Let her know good people still exist in this world" she expounded.

"I will do it," Elena wanted to say something but Sarah spoke again.

"But, my dad needs a blood transfusion too"

"Where are the nurses? They should check if I could donate to dad"

*.*

The nurses tested their blood and found out that Sarah was a match to Ruth and Elena was a match to the Mayor.

When doctor Erica heard about it, she was shocked by the marrow and she knew something was up.

Sarah sat beside Ruth as the blood was being transfused.

She slowly opened her eyes and saw Sarah, she tried to sit up but Sarah stopped her.

"You should lie down, you are not fit to sit properly yet"

Ruth saw the blood being transfused as she stared at Sarah.

"Sarah... Thank you"

"I am not doing this for you. I am doing it for the sake of humanity"

"You are a better human than I ever was. I hope you find a place in your heart to forgive me. I am very sorry for all I did for you. I know I do not deserve to be called your mother. But I am sorry, my child"

"Stop talking please" Sarah faced elsewhere as the tears dropped freely from her eyes.

*.*

THE NEXT MORNING

At the Council.

The Locals were gathered at the council, so were the council officials and the police.

Elena and her friends had summoned them and they were waiting to hear what was going on, they had tried to reach the Sheriff, the Mayor, and Emily, but could not find them.

Then they heard the news that they were at the hospital.

But Elena requested they should hold a meeting before they would go to the hospital to see the Mayor and the Sheriff.

There was a murmur in the hall, but when Elena and her friends showed up, the murmuring died down.

"These are the kids we have been waiting on?" One of the locals spoke.

"Is Mystic Hollow now a joke?" Another asked.

"Silence! We have something to tell" Elena said.

"I am getting out of here?" One of the locals said.

"Silence! Let us listen to them!" One of the police officers said.

"Does this looks familiar?" Laura dropped the artificial chest and the outfit the killed wore.

"Has any of the police spotted this outfit before?"

"Yes, I have! It belongs to the killer" Vera said as the locals gasped.

"So, are we going to listen or not?" Alex asked as the hall went silent in anticipation.

*. *. *.

TBC