Lying in the hospital bed, Zoe drifted in and out of sleep, unaware of how much time had passed. When the phone beside the bed rang again, Zoe struggled to open their eyes, feeling as if their body was falling apart. They stared at the phone number for a long time, unable to remember if they knew the caller. Their mind was a muddled mess.
Finally, Zoe answered: “Hello?”
On the other end, there was a brief clamor before a calm male voice came through:
“It’s me, Roger. How are you doing? Everyone at the bar is worried about you. I was knocked out by Brian, so I didn’t see what happened. I heard you were shot by Brian while trying to save Neil. Since you’ve woken up, I wanted to check in.”
“I’m okay,” Zoe replied, though they had no idea who this person was.
“When you’re discharged and feeling better, come back to my bar. I won’t keep you any longer. Rest up, I’ll hang up now.”
“Thank you.”
After hanging up, Zoe rubbed their eyes and struggled to sit up. They went to the bathroom to wash their face and comb their hair, then retrieved a set of clothes from the wardrobe—an ordinary shirt and jeans. Zoe rubbed their still-throbbing head.
Zoe glanced at the clock and then looked around the empty hospital room. The person who had claimed they were family was nowhere to be found, leaving Zoe alone. Zoe looked up and saw a familiar figure smiling, dressed in a light jacket. Despite the pale complexion, the smile remained gentle.
Zoe stepped out of the room. It was cold outside, and the gusts of wind made pedestrians shiver. Zoe hailed a taxi, with the morning rush hour already in full swing. Dust from the road clung to them as they followed the address in their phone to the Night bar.
The cab stopped by the curb, and Zoe walked twenty meters to find the bar. The bar was elevated above the street, with stone steps leading up to the entrance. Inside, the space wasn’t very large. There were three small tables, one of which was the bar itself. The bar stools were insufficient for more than ten people. Since it was morning, only a few patrons were present, each looking like a regular. A table was sparsely occupied.
Zoe chose the table closest to the bar. The high stools were not very comfortable, and Zoe stared at the wall decorated with pictures of sailing ships on blue seas.
The man who appeared to be the bar owner stood behind the bar. He was quite young with brown hair, wearing glasses with sparkling blue-black eyes and a smirk on his face. His face, neck, and arms, exposed by rolled-up sleeves, were pale. Approaching Zoe was not the owner but a young woman around twenty, dressed in a blue T-shirt. She was as pale as the owner, and Zoe thought to themselves that the bar seemed like a gathering place for vampires!
As soon as she saw Zoe, the woman greeted with a smile.
“Zoe, you’re awake!”
Seeing Zoe’s confused look, she continued, “I’m Myra. I heard about your condition. You still don’t remember anything?”
Zoe shook their head. Myra turned to glance at the bar owner before leaving as he approached.
After sitting down, Roger brought a glass of water for Zoe and observed them for a moment, then smiled softly.
“It’s good that you’re okay, though you look a bit worn out. You shouldn’t return to work too soon. You need more rest.”
Zoe settled into the chair and asked after a moment, “I’m fine, but did I work here before?”
“Of course, I’m the bar owner, and you worked for me.”
Zoe shrugged slightly, feeling somewhat helpless. “I want to ask you something. Is Neil really my family? He seems very strange to me.”
Roger forced a smile. “Why not ask Neil directly?”
“I did, but he won’t say anything. I want to know about my past because I can’t remember anything.”
Roger was silent, understanding that Neil likely wanted Zoe to forget everything and live a happier life. If Zoe learned about the death of their parents, it would cause Neil great pain, and Zoe might leave again.
“You should really ask Neil. I’m just a friend, so I don’t know much about your situation.”
Zoe shifted uncomfortably, feeling their head pound with pain. Every time they thought too much, their entire body seemed on the verge of collapse.
Sighing, Zoe said, “If that’s the case, I won’t bother you any longer. I’ll go now.”
“Are you heading back to the hospital?” Roger asked.
At that moment, Zoe wasn’t sure where to go. They didn’t even know how to return home.
Leaving the Night bar, Zoe wandered around and found a café to sit in. After a few hours, listening to trivial conversations around them, Zoe’s headache worsened, and their vision began to blur. The prolonged sitting had also made their whole body ache.
The waiter noticed Zoe’s pale face and approached. “Are you okay?”
Zoe shook their head. “I’m fine.”
Struggling to stand, Zoe grimaced as the pain intensified, feeling as if they might collapse. They staggered towards the door, their eyes unfocused, and their body swayed. Despite their efforts to walk, the heaviness in their head made everything seem distant, and the noise around them felt muffled. Zoe sensed something wet running down their abdomen. They touched the wound and realized it was blood, leaking from the injury due to the movement.
As Zoe swayed and nearly fell, a hand grabbed them, and dizziness struck. They collapsed, but someone caught their fall, embracing them tightly.
The screech of a taxi braking cut through the air. Neil rushed to hold Zoe, one hand on their hot forehead, feeling guilty for leaving Zoe alone in the hospital. He quickly lifted Zoe and carried them to the waiting taxi, rushing back to the hospital. Upon arrival, Neil told the nurse to call a doctor. As Zoe was placed back in the hospital bed, they muttered, still confused.
“Who are you? What are we to each other?”
Neil sat beside Zoe, his brow deeply furrowed. “Why are you asking that now? You’re not well and you went outside, aggravating your wound. It’s bleeding again.”