Chapter 38: Are You Alright Now?
“Ivan is on the phone, he wants to talk to you,” Karla said, handing Hazel the phone.
Hazel took the phone apprehensively.
“Hazel, I am glad that you woke up,” Ivan said.
“Sorry, Ivan. I have no idea why I overslept.” Hazel apologized.
She could not understand why she had slept so late, she wasn’t that tired when she went to bed.
“That’s okay.” Ivan smiled and said softly, “Are you all right now? You aren’t feeling sick, are you?”
“I’m fine. Thanks,” she answered.
“That’s good. We are not planning to go back until later this afternoon.” He continued, “You can come here with Karla. She knows her way.”
“What?” Hazel was surprised.
With Karla? She wanted to refuse immediately.
“My classmate was forgetful. She left her camera in the villa.” Ivan continued, “Would it be a problem for you to bring it to us?”
“Not a problem.” Hazel agreed.
“Hazel, sorry for troubling you to come here with Karla. I am worried about her coming here alone.”
“That’s fine. Ivan.” Hazel said. “Anyway, I have nothing to do here.”
If there were someone that needed her help, then she would gladly help.
After she hung up, Hazel went to her room and got her phone.
When she came out, she saw Karla had already found the camera, and they left together.
Karla led the way and did not speak a word to Hazel, so she just followed in silence. However, the road they were on was becoming more and more remote.
“Karla, are you sure we are going the right way?” Hazel could not help asking.
“Of course.” Karla refuted immediately. “We are hoping to reach the village at the top before noon. Therefore, I choose to take the shortcut. If it weren’t for you getting up so late, I would not be going this way.”
Hazel was left speechless and followed her. She did not know how long she had walked. She noticed that Karla slowed down and kept looking around.
Suddenly, Karla stumbled and almost fell, but Hazel had quick reflexes and reached out to her to catch her. Unfortunately, the camera flew out of her hand.
"Oh." Karla balanced herself and looked at the camera anxiously, hanging on the bushes located on the edge of the hillside.
“What should we do?” Karla was about to cry. “Hazel, could you help me get the camera back? That camera is worth 30000 dollars. I can’t afford to replace it.”
Hazel furrowed her eyebrows, then moved forward to try and reach it.
The slope was very steep, which would not be easy for Hazel to climb up if she slid down.
The place where the camera landed was treacherous. Fortunately, the camera was protected inside a camera bag.
Karla watched Hazel standing on the edge of the hill, she stepped forward and slowly approached Hazel.
"You can search around to see if there are any strong wooden sticks," Hazel said to Karla. "We can try to reach the camera with a stick and get it back..."
Hazel unexpectedly felt a touch on her back and moved out of the way, startled.
“Ah!” Karla screamed and slid down the hillside.
Karla grabbed onto the bushes around her, and she hung on.
“Hazel, rescue me.” She was in a panic and yelled.
Hazel went to the edge and watched Karla, who was likely to slip down at any time.
Hazel’s expression became cold, “You wanted to push me down? And you also threw away the camera deliberately, correct?”
Karla bit her lip and did not reply.
She did purposely throw the camera. She planned to throw down the side of the hill and let Hazel get it, but it got caught in the bushes.
When that happens, Karla had to change her plan, so she would push down Hazel when she was distracted. She did not expect that Hazel would have such a rapid reaction, and she would be the one who slid down the hill.
"No, no!" Karla explained. "I just wanted to pick up the camera..."
Hazel squatted and looked at her from above.
“Tell me the truth, and I will pull you up. Or else, I will leave you there.” Hazel stood up and was ready to leave.
“Wait, Hazel, you can’t leave me alone here,” Karla shouted angrily. “Come back and pull me up!”
Hazel looked at her coldly and turned in the direction of the villa.
Karla panicked when it looked like Hazel was leaving. "Hazel. Come back! Yes, I planned to push you down. Why are you so close to Ivan? I like him!”
Hazel came back with a long wooden stick in hand.
“What...what do you want to do? “Karla looked at the stick fearfully. “Do you plan to save me with that stick? Then hand it to me.”
Hazel looked at her with no sign of emotion. She used the stick to reach the strap of the camera bag and got it back.
She took the camera and looked down at Karla. "I ask, you answer."
“You...” Karla looked at her angrily. With the fact that she was slipping down again, she rushed and said, “Okay. You can ask.”
“What did you give me last night to make me sleep so late this morning?” Hazel asked coldly.
Hazel had a hard time believing that the others could not wake her up unless she had been drugged.
"I added sleeping pills to the milk you drank last night..." Karla said through her teeth.
Hazel was scared. She had been careless. If the things she added were not sleeping pills but some other drug, she could be dead. She was thankful that Karla did not hate her that much.
“Why?” Hazel continued to ask her.
“So that you would be left behind and forced to walk up the mountain with me.”
"After that, you would find a chance to push me down the hillside? Then, what were you going to do?"
"I...I had no plans what to do then. If you got lost, Ivan would look for you. I did not mean to hurt you. I just wanted to leave you here for the afternoon and make you suffer a bit. Then I would tell Ivan that you were careless and got lost,” Karla said spitefully.
Hazel was left speechless but did believe Karla was telling the truth.
Karla was acting like a child and was not thinking of the consequences that her actions may cause. This would be the last time she was naïve enough to think she could call Hazel a wine whore or push her down a hill.