Chapter 10 - The Pull

Anna had to sit somewhere because of how she felt

Something was wrong.

Very wrong.

Her chest pain had gotten worse at this point in time. The more she stepped into the hospital, the more the pain became worse.

Not a pain actually it was more like a pull. Like her body was reacting to something in that hospital.

She placed her fingers on her chest as she went to the reception.

“What is this…” she whispered.

The nurse behind the desk looked up briefly.

“Are you alright?”

Anna nodded.

“I’m fine.”

But she was not.

She quickly scanned the room with her eyes. She saw people sitting quietly on the metal chairs waiting for their turn.

Nothing looked unusual. And she couldn't understand the strange feeling she felt.

The pull became stronger.

Like something was calling her.

Upstairs in the hospital, Adrian stepped out of the elevator.

He had a calm expression on his face but his body wasn't calm at all.

His hand rested lightly against his chest. He had the feeling again.

It had started when he entered the building.

It started off faintly but it became stronger with time.

He started walking slowly.

“Sir?” Michael called as he touched his shoulder.

Adrian did not respond.

His eyes focused ahead, his jaw tightening.

“I feel it.” he said quietly.

“Feel what?” Michael asked

Adrian exhaled slowly.

“Nothing.”

But it was not nothing.

His heart was reacting.

Fast.

Uneven.

Like it recognized something.

Or someone.

The pain in Anna's chest became too much for her. She had to stand up from the chair and walk towards the front of the hospital.

She was walking towards the door when the pull came in harder. She began to walk more quickly till she go outside.

“Where are you g..going?” the nurse shouted as she looked at Anna.

Anna did not answer.

She did not even turn back.

It felt like her body already knew the way.

Adrian turned and headed towards the front of the hospital.

His chest tightened suddenly.

His breath caught for a second.

He felt the pull again.

Stronger.

Closer.

Unknowingly to him, he pressed his hands hard against his chest.

“What is going on…” he murmured.

Michael stepped closer to him.

“Sir, are you alright?”

Adrian raised a hand slightly.

“I’m fine.”

He headed towards the front of the hospital.

Anna reached the parking lot.

The feeling was overwhelming now.

Her heart, or whatever was inside her chest, was reacting in a way it had never reacted before.

She started walking slowly.

Then she stopped and turned towards the front of the hospital.

Because someone was standing at the door of the hospital.

Tall.

Still.

Watching.

Adrian looked up and saw Anna.

Immediately he saw her, everything around him faded.

The sound.

The movement.

Even his own thoughts.

All of it disappeared.

Because of her.

His chest reacted violently.

A sharp, sudden pull.

His breath caught.

His eyes locked on hers.

And something inside him shifted.

Anna felt it.

The moment their eyes met.

Her chest tightened sharply.

She gasped softly, her hand flying to her chest.

The feeling was intense.

Too intense.

Her body reacted like it recognized him.

But her mind did not.

She had never seen him before.

So why?

Why did it feel like this?

They stood there.

Staring at each other.

Neither of them are moving.

Neither of them understood what was happening.

But both of them felt it.

Strong.

Clear.

Real.

Adrian took a step forward.

Then another.

Slow.

Careful.

Like he was approaching something fragile.

Something important.

His eyes never left her face.

“What is your name?” he asked.

His voice was calm.

But there was something deeper beneath it.

Something controlled.

Anna blinked.

The question caught her off guard.

“Why?” she asked.

Her voice was soft.

Guarded.

Adrian stopped a few steps away from her.

Close enough to see the details of her face.

The slight tension in her eyes.

The way her hand still pressed against her chest.

Because he felt it too.

Stronger now.

“I asked a simple question,” he said.

Anna frowned slightly.

“And I asked one too.”

Silence.

The air between them felt heavy.

Charged.

Michael watched the scene carefully.

Something about this was not normal.

The way Adrian was acting.

He was looking at her like he knew her from somewhere.

This was so unlike him.

Anna stepped back like she had just seen a ghost.

The feeling in her chest did not go away.

Infact, it became stronger.

Stayed connected.

She looked at Adrian with disgust.

“What is the matter with you?” she asked.

Adrian looked at Anna with confusion.

“I was about to ask you that.”

“I don’t know you.” she replied quickly

“Yet,” Adrian replied quietly.

The word hung in the air.

Anna did not like the way he sounded.

Too certain.

Too confident.

She felt the pain in her chest again. She held her chest immediately.

Adrian noticed immediately.

His gaze dropped to her hand.

Still pressed against her chest.

Just like his.

His expression darkened.

“Are you hurt?” he asked.

Anna hesitated.

Then nodded slightly.

“It just started.”

Adrian’s jaw tightened.

“When?”

Anna looked at him again.

“When I came here.”

Silence.

Something clicked in Adrian’s mind.

His voice dropped.

“So did mine.”

Anna froze.

“What?”

Adrian stepped closer.

His eyes locked on hers again.

“It started when you walked in,” he said.

Her breath caught.

That did not make sense.

None of this made sense.

But she could not deny it.

Because it was happening.

Right now.

Footsteps echoed behind them.

The hospital staff had noticed.

Two nurses approached quickly.

“Miss Anna,” one of them said, slightly out of breath. “The doctor is ready to see you.”

Anna did not move.

Her eyes were still on Adrian.

Something about him felt important.

Dangerous.

Connected.

She did not understand it.

But she felt it.

Adrian straightened slightly.

His expression shifted.

Back to control.

Cold.

But his eyes still held something deeper.

“Go,” he said.

Anna frowned.

“Why are you telling me what to do?”

Adrian held her gaze.

“Because whatever is happening to you,” he said quietly, “is not normal.”

Anna let out a small breath.

“I already know that.”

For a second, something passed between them.

Understanding.

Then it was gone.

The nurse gently touched Anna’s arm.

“Please, miss.”

Anna hesitated.

Then slowly, she stepped back.

Her eyes stayed on Adrian for a second longer.

Then she turned and walked away.

Adrian stood still.

Watching her go.

His chest was still reacting.

Still pulling.

Still connected.

Michael stepped closer.

“Sir…”

Adrian did not look at him.

“Find her,” he said.

Michael blinked.

“But we just saw her.”

Adrian’s voice dropped.

“I want everything.”

His eyes darkened slightly.

“Everything about her.”

Anna followed the nurse down the hallway.

But her mind was not there.

Her hand slowly moved back to her chest.

The feeling was fading now.

But not completely.

It was still there.

Quiet.

Waiting.

She swallowed hard.

“…who was that?” she whispered.

Behind her, unseen, a man stood at the corner.

Watching.

Listening.

“So it has started,” he murmured.

Anna stepped into the doctor’s office.

And without knowing it…

She had just stepped deeper into something far bigger than she imagined.