TRIGGER FACTOR

The TV in the living room was on as they had their dinner. There was an awkward silence occasioned by the clatter of forks because none knew how to initiate a conversation.

She was enjoying the food and thankful for the silence cause she was sure she wouldn't be able to participate in any kind of talk at the moment seeing how her mind was scrambled.

They were deep into their meal as the commentator talked about an event that seeped into her mind. Turning her head towards the TV set, she saw a photo of a handsome couple in a wedding setting.

The groom, who was tall and good-looking with wavy hair, was in a dashing tuxedo while the bride, an equally tall (maybe cause she was in 6" heels), a beautiful woman, all smiled in a Cinderella wedding dress.

They held hands and were smiling into the camera for all the world to capture their glorious moment of love.

As if she wasn't in control of her actions, She got up from her seat and went to stand before the Television. The men who were startled by her actions, watched her movements, not knowing what was happening.

She felt a cold, icy, freezing hand take her heart and rip it out. All of a sudden, she let out a blood-curdling scream and started throwing anything that was within her reach at the TV set. She turned into a mad woman in a heartbeat screaming, breaking things, and crying like an alien had taken control over her.

The men coming out of shock, rushed towards her, trying to hold her down to no avail. Maria came running from her room not understanding what was happening. The scene that met her was a sight to behold.

Two grown men were trying to hold down a tiny woman; the whole living room looked like a tornado had just passed through, and their gentle guest, like a possessed woman, was overpowering the men and smashing anything that came into her sight.

Extreme fear gripped Maria and she couldn't move a muscle. Then, just like a light had been put out of her, the lady slumped to the ground, breathless and unmoving.

As if coming out of a trance, Frost leapt to where she had fallen, grabbed her up, and laid her on the couch. At the same time, Leo took his phone out to call Weister. Maria was so confused that she just stood rooted to the ground.

Weister had just come out of a long, relaxing bath and was getting ready for a lazy evening, curled up in bed with a glass of wine, her favourite book, and some cool music. She had no early appointment the following day, so she just wanted to enjoy her quiet time.

Hearing her phone buzzing, she halfheartedly picked it up, hoping it wasn't an emergency call. Seeing the caller lID she quickly answered.

"She screamed, she fainted, she's bleeding", rushed Leo, not knowing he was making no sense.

"Please calm down and tell me what happened," Weister said putting her phone on speaker mode while rushing to her wardrobe for a change of clothes

Her quiet, relaxing evening plans had to be postponed. Understanding the situation, she asked them to rush the lady to the hospital, and she would meet them there. She then made an emergency call alerting the hospital of the incoming patient.

Frost gently picked her up while Leo rushed to the garage to get the car. Snapping out of it, Maria rushed upstairs to get the lady's coat so she wouldn't catch a cold.

Leo looked at the cars packed and opted for the blue Mercedes C-Class. It was a small car, easy to navigate around bends and it had a wonderful speed. This is the vehicle that they would normally use when attending functions concerning middle-class institutions and programs cause it attracts less attention. Knowing that time was of the essence, he drove the car to the entrance of the house.

Frost was just coming out with the lady in his arms, and Maria, like a worried mother hen, was hovering over them. She opened the rear door for him so he could get in. Not wanting to put the lady down, he had to squeeze himself inside the car as Maria shut the door and took the front seat.

As if the car had wings, they were at the hospital in no time and found Weister, who lived a few blocks from the hospital, waiting for them with a gurney and a group of medics ready to receive them at the emergency entrance.

The team quickly pushed the patient into the emergency room. Frost, without thinking, pushed his way in, too, only to be pulled out by Leo. At the moment he looked so distraught.

Time seemed to be at a standstill and the only sound that could be heard in the corridor was Frost's footsteps as he paced up and down the hallway. He was so worried but didn't realize his pacing to and fro was driving Leo and Maria insane.

When Maria couldn't take it anymore, she took her boss by his shoulders and sat him down. Surprised, Leo looked at their ever-patient Maria and gave her a thumbs-up.

Flustered, she hurriedly sat down too. The waiting seemed to be killing Frost inside and all he wanted to do was to break the door open to find out what was going on in there. Without thinking, he found himself up and pacing again, looking at the light above the door every few seconds.

After what seemed like an eternity, the light on the emergency door went off and Weister came out while removing her gloves and face mask.

"We managed to stop the bleeding," she said. "She is in an induced coma to stabilize her system cause she looks like she faced a great trauma. She will be out for two or three days. What happened? When I left her, she was very okay?"

Leo directed her to a seat, knowing that she must be exhausted after almost three hours in there. As they narrated what happened, it dawned on them that it all started with the news that was on TV.

"So either seeing the wedding or the couple in the photo is what triggered her breakdown" analyzed Weister.

Frost made a mental note to investigate the wedding couple. They might just have something to do with her being locked in that shed.

The young lady was being willed out of the emergency room and taken to a VVIP room as requested by Frost. Weister asked them to go back home and come back tomorrow cause the medics would handle it from here but Frost would hear none of it. He instructed Leo to take Maria back home and come back with his laptop. It was going to be a long night.