THE RUN

Asma almost pee in her pants as she sees the lady from earlier again. "What did she come here to do? Is she following me around? Or spying?" She asks in her mind. But all these questions remains unanswered as the lady sits directly behind her and folds her arm watching her. Asma starts feeling insecure and scared, she even looses her appetite immediately but she tries her best to eat just ten spoons of her ordered meal. After a while, she calls for the attention of one of the waitresses and foots her bills, then gently stands to walk out.

She quickly thinks of where to go, just to be sure if the lady is truly following or monitoring her. Asma picks her bag and walks out, yet the lady still follows her walking very suspiciously. Asma increases her speed in walking, so did the lady too.

The situation appears to be something serious than what Amsa could be actually thinking, if someone is following or monitoring her, it means a lot. The person might be doing so to kill her or harm her. Out of fear, Asma starts walking through some unknown paths, she climbs through some stairs, so did the lady too.

Her heart starts racing like a horse, before she knows it, she started running very fast on the stairs,but lady still persisted following her. The ladies ran for some minutes until Asma finds herself in a very lively environment where they is a lot of people. She stops and looks at the lady who was chasing her and she breaths heavily.

The lady stand some paces away from Asma and watches her from afar, with her face still hidden under her face cap. In her hand she holds a small knife firmly as if she is ready to kill or stab someone.

Asma notices the knife the lady is holding and her fear increases to the last point. "She actually planned on killing me? What did I do to her?" She asks herself.

The lady turns her back and puts the knife inside her back pocket the removes her face cap. The lady is Jessica. She looks around the environment for a while and walks away.

Asma returns to her place of work looking very lifeless and covered in sweats, she sits on her chair in the office trying to rack her brain and put a lot of things together in her head. "What just happened out there?" She asks herself.

"Asma are you okay?" Missy asks as she walks up to her.

"Uh?" Asma asks as she jerks herself back to reality. "Yes I am."

"You are seriously sweating and your eyes looks tensed and scared." She stops and continues. "Are you sure you are fine?"

"Yes." Asma nods and fakes a smile. "I am fine, thanks for the care."

****************

Jessica walks in the psychiatric hospital that same day and goes to the receptionist. "Hi ma'am."

"Jessica!" The woman exclaims with happiness on sight of her. "How are you doing?"

"I am fine." She replies and pulls her face cap. "Is my mom responding well to treatment?"

"Yes." She nods. "I think she saw you yesterday."

"But she didn't recognize me." Jessica says looking around.

"I think she actually recognized you."

"What?"

"Yes." The woman nods. "She followed you with her eyes when you left yesterday and for the first time in five years, she slept peacefully without being injected."

"Are you being serious?" Jessica asks again with a lot of interest.

"I am my dear."

"So are there any chances of her getting healed?"

"Of course!" The woman says with a smile. "If she continues having sound and peaceful sleeps, then she is going to get well very soon."

Jessica smiles and sighs of relief. "Thank goodness."

"As a matter of fact, she had her bath this morning by herself without doing anything funny."

"I am glad this is happening."

"Won't you go in and see her?" The woman asks.

"You think I should?" Jessica asks too.

"Of course, seeing you might really help her health condition."

Jessica looks at herself and shakes her head. "I think I should not do that today, I don't look good enough to face her. I will see her tomorrow."

"I don't believe you Jessica, what if you disappear again for months like you used to?" The receptionist asks.

"I promise I won't, I will come back tomorrow looking like the fine lady she has always wanted me to be."

"I will count on your words." The receptionist whispers.

Jessica puts on her face cap and smiles. "See you tomorrow ma'am."

"Have a nice day my dear."

Jessica walks out of the psychiatric hospital with a lot of unexpressed joy in her heart. She is really glad and happy that her mom is responding to treatment. But she didn't want to meet her mom looking like what she is presently. So she plans on getting a new hairstyle, a nice dress and shoe, and a nice spa treatment just to make her look different.

A purple gown, which is hung for display in a boutique gets her attention. "Purple, this is my mom's favorite color." She whispers to herself and moves closer to the dress. "It's actually a nice gown, let me get this for my mom. I will love to see it on her." She says and enters the boutique.

"Hello ma'am." The boutique attendant greets.

"Hi ma'am." Jessica takes off her cap and smiles. "How are you doing today?"

"I am fine thank you ma, how can I help

You ma'am?"

"Please I need a purple dress and the purple dress over there too." She says pointing to the purple dress she saw earlier.

"You need two purple dresses?" The boutique attendant asks to be sure.

"Yes ma'am." Jessica nods. After some minutes she walks out of the boutique with two bags containing a purple dress each, one for her mom one for her.