Long Time Running - By Hannah Foster Page 0,7

what had happened flashed through her mind. She could practically feel her legs shake just as they did in the bathroom and despite the soft lighting in the room her head still pounded. Sighing tiredly, she touched her hand to her cheek feeling the small welt from where her face hit the ground.

"I'm fine" she insisted.

"Stop it!" her friend hissed. "You have been out for more than an hour. You are not fine and you have not been fine for quite some time" she told her knowingly. "It is time for you to get help."

"Mylea-"

"I mean it." There was no mistaking the firm tone to her voice. "You have that young man worried out of his mind."

"It's just a headache," she denied.

Mylea fixed her with a look. "You need to stop lying to yourself, to me and to him. Denying what is happening will not change the past and is very unfair to those who love you."

The door to the bedroom creaked open and Keith paused before rushing in once he saw she was awake. "Nat" he said breathlessly, pressing his lips to her forehead.

"I'm sorry," she apologized quietly, Mylea's words ringing in her ears. "I didn't mean to scare you."

He shook his head and brushed her hair from her face. "I was so worried," he admitted. "I love you so much and to find you lying on the floor, not waking up...." His thoughts trailed off. He was unwilling - or unable - to finish them.

Her fingers curled through his and bringing his hand to her lips, she kissed it. "I'm going to be okay" she reassured him. She wasn't sure what okay meant, all she knew was that she did not want him to worry.

He nodded. "Mylea has booked an ambulance to take you to Songea."

Her eyes widened in shock and she looked angrily at her friend. Mylea met her gaze with a determined one of her own, practically daring the young doctor to contradict her.

"You need an MRI" she told her. "And I have called Doctor Thabo who has agreed to see you tomorrow."

"I'll go with you," Keith told her.. "I'll be right by your side."

Knowing she was defeated, she closed her eyes and nodded. She knew she shouldn't feel this way, she knew she should be grateful to have such good people wanting to take care of her but she didn't. She felt as though she was being smothered. She had seen the worst humanity had to offer and had paid dearly when she tried to circumvent it. She no longer had an interest in trying to change the will of the universe and would prefer to just let things happen but she wasn't able to explain that to anyone. Keith would never understand and Mylea would dismiss her as being ridiculous.

"Just rest Nathalie," Mylea said. "I will get things ready for your trip."

Nathalie hated the idea of being gone from Mbamba even overnight. She felt grounded and happily tethered here. Going to Songea took her out of her comfort zone and trips had a way of always lasting longer than they were intended to.

#

Sitting on the exam table, she chewed nervously on her bottom lip. She hated hospitals - more specifically she hated being a patient. It made her feel as though she were fenced in and she hated feeling as though she had no escape.

Despite the bumpy terrain, it had been an uneventful ride to Songea. Mylea had arranged for all them to stay with a friend of hers at her house near the hospital. Neither she nor Keith slept very much that night. He had kept a watchful eye on her and she had tried to reassure him that everything was fine and they would be back in Mbamba before the next day was through.

"Should it be taking this long?" Keith asked as he paced nervously.

She shrugged. "I'm sure he's just reading the films."

"Still." He glanced at his watch. "It's been a while and if it were nothing he would have been back in here to tell us."

"Keith!" she snapped, "just give it a rest." Seeing his gazed drop she sighed quietly. "I didn't mean to snap."

With a small smile, he crossed the room and took her hands in his. "And I didn't mean to stress you out."

Leaning in, she kissed him gently. "Thank you for coming with me." She offered an olive branch.

Both their heads snapped up as the door opened and the towering Doctor Thabo came in. Nathalie immediately recognized the