Isobel practically flew across the hallway, burnt toast and half-done eggs in hand. She found herself fumbling for her key-card but eventually opened her door, then closed it and let out a long sigh of exasperation.
"What the hell!" She grumbled to herself loudly.
"I didn't even get to finish cooking my food because of her rambling, what was she even talking about? The lack of compassion in society and the bystander effect, something about individuality, and the rich should go to hell? Why should I go to hell for being fortunate enough to be wealthy, and who says that after just meeting someone anyway?"
Isobel then realised she was talking to herself aloud.
'Oh… I hope I didn't sound crazy there, I bet she got in Oakhaven in via a low-income scholarship anyway, for her to be talking smack about the rich so comfortably.'
"Wait… What has gotten into me? How could I think something like that so thoughtlessly?"
~~
The thin accommodation walls were cruel to Isobel, because Eric who was next-door could hear her talking to herself— albeit without much clarity.
Eric grimaced upon hearing Isobel talking to herself, thinking to himself 'Maybe she's retarded or something, talking to herself like that. Well, I'm gonna mind by business cos it ain't affecting me.'
He then put his headphones on and began to listen to music.
~~
Isobel sighed once more. 'Ugh… I'm just going to stop all this thinking; I don't even know if anyone heard me… I really hope nobody did.'
'Anyway, it's not like they're even home, or if they are nobody cares what I say… they have other things to worry about.'
Isobel suddenly remembered her breakfast, "Oh… I'd better eat this before it gets cold."
The unusual softness of the half-cooked egg and the bitterness of the overcooked toast did not create a balance of some sort but instead ushered in a disjunct array of sensations to her tastebuds which felt insulting to her prestigious palate.
With no other choice, she begrudgingly finished the meal and her face by the end of it was akin to someone being cheated on in a game of lacrosse.
"I need some fresh air."
Isobel headed outside surreptitiously like a gazelle to avoid anyone she knew from seeing her and began to relax as she took a walk down the nature path close to her accommodation. Being used to the city life, the trees that hung over her head and the sunlight spilling through their leaves as if trying to kiss her really made her feel an overwhelming sense of serenity and calm. The golden crepuscular sunrays from oncoming clouds far off into the distance made her feel grateful again for where she was in life. Even the ordinarily rough breeze was gently playing with her hair today.
"It all feels so surreal… I don't care about all that society crap; nature is so much more important."
Isobel continued to enjoy the ephemeral landscape until something from the corner of her eye piqued her interest.
What she saw seemed to be a young, beautiful woman which looked to be in her 2nd trimester of pregnancy, frantically checking her bag for something. After straightening her hair and fixing herself briefly, Isobel hesitantly reached out to her.
"Hi, could I be of any help to you?"
The pregnant woman replied almost immediately.
"Yes, I'm looking for my pills, but I can't seem to find them and I'm really worried that I might've lost them."
"I can help you with that, don't worry we will find your pills today!" Isobel consolingly said
She searched around nearby trees and on the path, but it was when she noticed a bench a few meters away, she noticed two white packets that seemed to be the pills she was looking for, underneath the slits in the bench.
With a sigh of relief, she picked up the packets and curiously had a look at them and the label on the case, and one read 'Mifepristone' and the other read 'Misoprostol."
A slightly weary expression washed over her face, but she deceptively hid it well from the pregnant woman and smiled cheerfully. "Is this what you're looking for?"
"Oh my, it is! Thank you so much, finding this means the world to me."
"I'm glad I could help, and I wish your pregnancy all the best!" Isobel replied
The pregnant woman laughed lightly whilst clutching her protruding belly. "Thanks a lot, hopefully it goes smoothly."
Isobel walked off a bit further, feeling a newfound sense of joy in helping a stranger in an unfamiliar environment. She even had a little spring in her step, and it was then she remembers to give her mother a call to update her daily and how she is feeling, just like they promised.
The phone rang thrice before she picked up.
"Good evening honey how are you? I hope university has not been too harsh on you."
"Yes mother I am hanging on so far, the lectures are boring but fine, but there are some strange people I am living with… It feels so different to our estate, it is a little hard to take in."
Her mother laughed softly. "Oh, it happens, new experiences and new people and whatnot. You will eventually learn to coexist with the working class scum that even find their way into Oakhaven."
"You're right mom…"
"I have told you this before, Isobel. Address me as mother only, and not 'mom.' Where did you learn that?"
"Sorry Mother."
There was a brief silence.
"Uhm, Mother I wanted to ask you about what Mifepristone and Misoprostol does. I just helped someone pick it up again." Isobel sheepishly asked.
"Excuse me?"
"Oh. I said I wanted to ask abo—"
"—I heard you! I am just taken aback. Isobel, those are drugs used for abortion."
Isobel felt as if someone had shot her. She stopped walking. "Abortion? But mother that does not make any sense, she looked 5 months pregnant!"
"Are you questioning me?" Her mother retorted.
"Of course not mother."
Isobel continued walk now, a little faster than before.
"Good. In any case, the lower classes enjoy doing stupendously irresponsible things and when they cannot bear the consequences of their own actions they seek for a quick fix, it is honestly revolting." Her mother said with a sudden passion.
"Yes, that's right mother. I will be off now; I am nearly home! I will see you soon."
"Bye dear."
Isobel felt sick to her stomach suddenly. She wasn't sure if it was the eggs or if it was the news that she had just helped a stranger to abort her child, a child that was inside her for nearly half a year.
'I can't believe it, why would someone do such a thing… and I helped her do it! Does that make me an accomplice in murder? Surely not, right?'
'Oh my, I can't deal with these things happening to me all the time… You know what? I'm not going to think anymore. I need to get my diary.'
Isobel got inside her room and felt an urge to retch, and she successfully made it to the toilet in time.
After sorting herself out, she sat down at her desk with a slightly deadpan look on her face and a barely noticeable dim in her eyes as she opened her diary.