May Sickness: 25

Chapter 25

            Friday fell on the final day of the month. Roy was jubilant for the weekend, he wanted to start what he had been planning.

            The fall season was starting, with the leaves changing colours and falling, along with the cooling temperature.

A bitter breeze licked Roy’s cheek as he walked down the road from the high school.

            Roy laid in the bed, his head on the pillow and the covers over his body. He closed his eyes, the darkness of the inner part of his eyelids engulfed him, a bleak nothingness. All thoughts emptied from his mind and he slowly relaxed.

            As he fell asleep, Roy started to concentrate on the world around him.

            Roy’s “Soul”, as he had christened it after much mental deliberation, separated from his body. Roy was then floating above his sleeping body, he looked peaceful. Look at me, damn I look stupid. As before, he went through the roof and continued to rise, reaching his zenith at about two-hundred feet.

Looking down on the city, Roy beheld the brilliant array of lights; from buildings, lamp post, and moving cars. It was a beautiful sight, Roy thought. From up here it looks amazing, but down there it’s the same terrible dangerous place. He looked down at the ground directly below him, at his house and, for the first time in a while, Raven's house. She died in an ignorant bliss, I wish I’ll be as lucky. Roy said to himself. Raven’s face crept into his mind, her smile, everything about her, but quickly her face was replaced with Nina’s. I would rather die than go another day without seeing you.

            Roy began in the direction of Nina, as he had before. The season was different than it had been the first time.

            He flew along the road, staying dozens of feet above. Roy could judge speed accurately but, for some reason, he was unable to determine the rate in which he flew. The road was barren, the asphalt clear, absent of cars and trucks, far to late for hitch hikers, the full moon illuminated the way.

            With the moon high, windless and his path clear, Roy continued down the highway, looking this way and that at the trees and other natural features.

            The leaves on the trees were changing colours, from the natural green, to browns and reds. As the trees on either side of the road began to become more and more dense, Roy increased his altitude, gazing over the grand sea of colours that were the trees.

            The four lane highway vanished into two lanes with long meandering curves, like those of an ancient river.

            Roy was taking his time, following the roads, as apposed to just taking a direct route above the ground.

            It had been nearly an hour sine he had started his trip, and a small town was in sight. It was one of many that Roy would have to go through to get to his destination, that is if he wanted to take the route he and his mother had months earlier, and that was the route he was going to take. He was in no hurry.

            In his state Roy found that along with being able to go through material and fly, he was also invisible and able to use his powers. Roy originally planned on calling this state “Ghost’ but to him it did not take it and its risk serious enough. He decided to call it “Soul” as it sounded more serious and, as he saw it, his soul was at stake; and if it was called “Ghost” it would insists that he was dead, but his body continued to live, so it was obvious.

            The town was dark, with only a few street lamps illuminating a few stretches of road and the light of the towns single gas station, but the lights did little compared to the light cast by the moon.

            From end-to-end the town was barely a quarter of a mile long, and Roy was immediately through it. From that small town, Roy estimated that it would take another hour or two to the next town and an additional hour to Nina. The time it would have taken to get their would have been halved or even quartered if he would have taken a direct route, but he wanted to reminisce.

            The road from that small town was a poorly constructed asphalt road, which Roy was relieved that he did not have to drive on. It opened to a vast forest, the grade of the road just enough to creep to a higher altitude.

            Every now and then a small stream would come near enough to the road that Roy could hear the rushing water.

            The next town’s lights came into view. It was larger than the previous, large enough to have a night life, to an extent. The town had lights on in the few restaurants and bars, as well as the twenty-four hour grocery store. There was, however, few people walking in the open, and even fewer cars in the street.

            Roy was quickly through the town and was on the closing stretch, just an hour from seeing Nina.

            The paved asphalt roads turned to rough dirt.

            It’s not cold, well not to me at least, really I don’t have a sense of touch like this, interesting. Roy looked at a small pond, it was frozen over. I remember the first time I did this, I was so excited about seeing Nina, that I didn’t have time to think. To be honest this is really boring, so boring that I’m starting to talk or, more so, think to myself. Weird.

            A slight fog picked up, but it did not impede Roy in any way, he merely continued on.

            As the time and boredom passed Roy continued on his way, and soon was at the outskirts of the town.

            Roy placed his feet on the ground and started to walk to Nina.

            This plan is just evil, like seriously, I’m probably going to Hell for this, but who cares. Roy smiled, and continued on his walk, he was then by the park. It was the same as when he left, humble.

            Roy continued to walk slowly, to him that small town was Heaven, and that dark street was the embodiment of memory lane.

            The things I would do to move back here, I guess it might be easier to move back than it would hoping this plans walks. He stopped, Shit! Why did that just come to me! Seriously! I’m risking my life on something that might not work! Damn it! Well I’m already here, if it doesn’t work I’ll just make mom move back up here.

            Roy arrived at Nina’s house, he walked through the front door and walked to her room.

            Nina lay in her bed, sleeping with her long hair covering the pillow.

            The room was perfect, as always, clean, no stray articles of clothing, the carpet vacuumed.

            A chair sat at the corner of the room, Roy walked to it and sat. I can’t sleep in this state. I’ll just watch her, but that’s kind of weird, creepy. On well. I’ve been in this state for longer than the first time I used it, with what happened then, who knows what will happen. Roy looked at the clock, on the stand next to the bed, it read two AM, Damn it! This is so boring.

            An hour went by.

            Roy stood from the chair and walked beside the bed, and position himself in it, next to Nina. He placed his hand on hers. Let’s see what your dreaming of. He started to concentrate. I hope you’ll forgive me for this one.

            Everything turned black, but for only a few moments. Instantly Roy was in a grassy field, sunny and warm, a cool breeze swept through the field.

            What the hell? All I wanted to do was see what she was dreaming. What is this place? Is this her dream? Roy thought to himself. He started to walk purposelessly.

            “Roy? Roy is that you?” Nina’s voice came ubiquitously.

            “Yeah it’s me. Nina where are you?” Roy asked.

            In front of him, from transparency to full form, complete opacity, Nina appeared; as she finished Roy embraced her. “Nina, I’ve missed you, I’ve missed you so much.”

            “Wow, this is weird.” Nina said in a confused mien.

            “What do you mean?” Roy asked.

            “Well, usually in dreams you never say stuff like, “I miss you.” She said.

            “Well I do miss you.”

            “I miss you too. It just sucks that this is just a dream.”

            “Wait you know this is a dream?” Roy asked.

            “Yeah I’m one of those lucid dreamers.” She answered.

            “I didn’t know that. What do you usually dream about?”

            “Anything, I dream about a lot of stuff. From just relaxing to fighting zombies, anything and everything.” She answered.

            “Let’s not fight zombies just yet, I want to just relax and be with you.” Roy reached out and held her hand but...

            ...But Nina started to cry and she then fell to her knees.

            “I’ve missed you so much. I’ve been so lonely, there’s no one to talk to, no one to be with. Just me, just me.” Tears ran down her face.

            Roy knelt down and put his arms around her. “I’m so sorry.” He kissed her, “Your right, this is just a dream, but I’ll tell you this, this is real. I’m here and I’m with you now. And soon after you wake I’ll be with you. I know how hard it is, please just wait, and it will be apparent that we will see each other soon.”

            “Really?”

            “Yes.”

            Nina stopped crying and they stood up. “I don’t care if this is a dream, I’ll believe that.”

“Good this have some fun now.”

            The terrain changed, turning from the grassy field into a city, Nina and Roy stood on top of a high rise. Below on the streets zombies appeared.

            “Zombies?” Nina asked.

            “Yep, lets kill them.” Roy smiled. A large crate appeared, inside was an assortment of weapons and armour.

            They put on the armour and grabbed a few guns each and started down the stairs.

            They were in a swarm of zombies, with heads exploding everywhere.

            “Nina don’t be afraid, I’m here.” Roy said.

            But Nina was not afraid, she was smiling, “As long as I’m with you, I’ll never be afraid.”

            For the remainder of the night Roy stayed in Nina’s dream, killing zombies and occasionally snagging a quick kiss.

Nina awoke to the beeping of her alarm clock, it was similar to Roy’s, loud annoying and frightening to wake to. As she left her dream, or more so before she woke up, Roy left her mind and continued to lay next to her.

            Nina's eyes opened, slowly, then hastily closing and staying closed for several moments. Roy looked into her eyes when she would open them. She’s so beautiful. A simple thought, barely giving grace to Nina’s true beauty. Her green eyes, her long perfect hair, the blemish free perpetually tanned skin, but, more so her personality, everything about her was perfect, to Roy. A pariah to the world but Roy’s soul mate.

            After several minutes Nina’s eyes where consistently open, no longer taking long breaks.

            Nina sat up, taking in a deep breath, and releasing. Her hands reached up and she rubbed her eyes with her index fingers. She arched her back, stretching with an audible cracking sound. As if in a physical education class, she scooted off the bed and stood up straight. Then as if preparing for a triathlon, she started to stretch.

            Once the stretching was finished, she walked over to her closet. She started to strip. Roy covered his eyes with his hand. Privacy. She pulled the large shirt off her frame throwing it casually on the bed, she then slid her pajama pants off, and did the same as with the shirt. From a rack in the closet she pulled out a bra, black with white lace over it. She then grabbed, from a hanger, a shirt, plain yellow, it was loose fitting, then she put on a pair of sweat pants, also yellow. That’s pretty ugly, I’m sorry but that outfit should not exist. Roy chuckled to himself.

            Nina’s father was at work and her mother was in the kitchen cooking breakfast, Nina walked to the kitchen, with Roy bringing up the rear.

            “Good morning dear.” Her mother said with a smile. “Did you sleep well?” She asked.

            “Good morning.” Nina replied as she sat at the table. “Mom,”

“Yes?”

            “You’ll never guess what I dreamed about last night.”

            “What did you dream about?”

            “I had a dream, where Roy and I just hung out.”

            “That’s sweet. Roy hasn’t called in a few weeks, has he?” Her mother asked.

            “He called last week.” Nina answered.

            “Tell me about this dream, it doesn’t sound all that unique.”

            “Well it wasn’t... it was actually.”

            “What do you mean?”

            “It was real, like really realistic. I had no control over it and everything was like real life, for the most part.”

            “Most part?” There were zombies for God’s sake. Roy thought playfully.

            “You really miss him don’t you?”

            “Yeah.”

            “I’ll think of some way for you to see him, don’t worry.”

            “Really?!”

            “Yes, don’t worry.”

            “Thank you!” Nina ran to her mother and embraced her.

            Roy left the room at that time, Good, her mother wanting us to be together, but her father, that fucker is going to pay.

            It took Roy a good part of the morning to find Nina’s father. Eventually he did, it was at an old quarry, about ten miles from town. Phil, Nina’s father, was the foreman of the site, he was in charge of who did what, when, where and had the most laid back job of all the workers.

            When Roy arrived on the site, two men where running heavy equipment and a third stood yards away from them and directed them as to where to go. Nina’s father was not one of the three men.

            Phil sat, corpulent posterior in a chair, stubby legs resting on a desk, in a small trailer with a naughty magazine in hand. A small fan blew air directly at him.

            “The things I’d do to you.” He spoke to the centre fold of the magazine.

            That lazy motherfucker! He was a beautiful wife and a great kid and he says shit like that. In here eating chips, drinking beer and on the verge of beating off, all while his men labour outside. He looked around the room, he saw a box of tissues and a bathroom in the back. That's it! Roy smiled, he then concentrated on Phil’s mind. That’s hot isn’t it? You must be enjoying looking at her breast and vagina, huh? Wouldn’t you just want to ejaculate all over them? Roy’s face contorted with disgust, Why don’t you go masturbate. And he then imagined him going into the bathroom.

            Phil stood up, still holding the magazine, he walked toward the bathroom, grabbing the tissues on the way.

The door slammed behind him, his pants dropped, and he got to work.

            That is fucking disgusting, I just want to die. Roy went outside and looked at the men. He looked at one in particular, the one directing the equipment.

            The man was African-American, dark skin that is. He had strong facial features and a muscular build, radiating an aura of confidence. Perfect. Roy thought to himself. Hey you, come into the trailer. Roy thought to the man.

The man stopped waving the drivers around.

            “Guys I’m going to take a quick break, okay?” He said to a CB.

            “Sure, Travis, just don’t piss off the fat ass.” Said a voice over the CB.

            “Okay man, I won’t.” Travis replied.

            Travis walked toward the trailer. Sneak in, don’t make a sound. Ray said to him. Travis twisted the door knob, slowly pulling the door, so a squeak would not occur. He stepped lightly as to not shake the trailer.

            Roy’s attention shifted to Phil, If anyone walks in on you, fight them. He then looked at Travis, Open the bathroom door quickly.

            Travis walked slowly to the door and quietly opened it, revealing Phil on the toilet, a naughty magazine in one hand and a tissue and penis in the other.

            Whatever happens don’t fight back. Roy directed Travis.

            “The fuck you doing!” Phil yelled as he threw the items down and pulled his pants up.

            “Sorry man, didn’t know.” Travis said calmly.

            “Yeah right you fucking nigger!” He grabbed Travis’s shirt.

            “What did you call me?”

            “I called you a fucking nigger!” Phil roared again, emphasizing his words with a sucker punch. His fist hit Travis in the face, he lost balance and fell.

            Sorry man but this plan requires it, again sorry man. Roy apologized as Phil jumped on top of Travis and started to pummel him. Fat ass stop it. Roy directed Phil.

            Phil stopped hitting Travis. You two in the machines get in here, you on the ground call the cops.

            Outside the two men, jumped from their equipment.

            Run you idiots. Roy to them.

            They started to run to the trailer. Travis was on his feet, holding a cellular phone, dialling the number for the police. The men ran into the trailer, and saw Phil setting in a chair and Travis, face broken, bloody and browsed.

            “What the fuck happened here?” One man asked.

            “Ran into this fucker jerking off, and then he attacked me.” Travis said with the phone against the side of his face.

            It won’t go as well if he gets arrested like this. Roy thought to himself. Why don’t you leave, he spoke to Phil, Go to the bar and have some fun. Phil started to walk out the door, but one of the men tried to stop him.

            “Where do you think your going?” He asked.

            Let him go, Roy told him, Phil walked out of the trailer. Tell the police everything that happened. He said to Travis, which was then connected to the police station.

            Phil drove down the dirt road back to town.

            Yeah man, you should get a drink and go fuck something. Roy said, setting in the back seat of the old SUV.

            Roy eyes were fixed on Phil, smiling with the delight of ruining his enemy’s life.

            But soon an agonizing pain swept through his whole body. He grabbed his stomach to relieve the pain, but it did nothing, he became nauseated and his vision blurred. What’s happening? Shit! Is this from being like this for too long? Roy sat up and tried to ignore the pain. I must fight through it. I said I would do this and I’m not going to give up.

            The nausea, pain and blurry vision passed.

            They were entering the town, a bar lay at the edge, Phil’s destination. He parked the SUV in the small one-to-two car parking lot. He stepped from the car and walked toward the bar.

            It was only twelve o’clock, noon, most bars in most towns and cities would be closed, but not that one. Even with regulations saying it could not be open the owner merely said, “Fuck off” to anyone that would say otherwise.

            Phil walked through the door, the bar was dark, with the only light being a long fluorescent light hanging over the counter.

A few people sat along the counter, five maybe. All broken pathetic drunkard.

            Drinking this early? They must have a problem. Roy thought as he floated through the door. A woman farthest from him caught his attention, mainly for the fact that she was the only woman in the bar.

            The woman was over weight, short, probably weighing two hundred and fifty pounds, easy. Everything about her was ugly, her face, hirsute with dozens of moles, she was balding. Her arms, too, where hirsute, as Roy could see from his position as they hung from a flannel shirt with the sleeves removed, crudely.

            Go sit by her. Roy ordered Phil in the direction of the woman.

            Phil did as Roy ordered and ambled across the bar and sat on a stool next to the woman.

            “What can I do you for?” The bartender asked. What the hell? Who talks like that? Seriously. Roy thought.

            “I’ll have a beer.” Phil said coldly. The bartender walked away, to fetch a bottle of a dark beer from the back room.

            Roy stayed, hovering, above the two. I hate to do this to Nina’s mom, but he doesn’t deserve her anyway. He concentrated on the woman’s mind, she was thinking of few things, but what she did think about were the beer in her hand and the man sitting next to her, Phil. When that man, setting next to you starts coming on to you, do whatever he wants, okay? Don’t go anywhere until you and him do so. He looked at Phil, drink as much as you like. Then he went into the shadows and stayed there. Roy listened attentively for any mention of Phil’s name, from thought to word. The police of that small town were all talking about him.

            Give him two hours. Roy told them. This plan requires some finesse. I’ll direct them as needed, from here.

            An hour and a half passed, the empty beer bottles piled in front of Phil, the and woman remained still, patiently waiting.

Roy floated back over to the two. Come on to her, ask her if she wants to screw.

            “Hey lady!” He started in to slurred, in a drunkard mien, “You want to screw?”

            This is when she says... Roy started.

            “Sure.” The woman answered.

            “Want to go out to my car and do it?” Phil asked.

            “That sounds good.”

            Phil grabbed her hand, led her across the bar, out the door, and to his SUV. He opened the backdoor, she got in first and him last.

            Roy stood there as the two started to undress. I’m not going to watch this, it is completely disgusting, For God’s sake she looks like a man. He turned away.

            The woman unlatched her bra, revealing a pair of veining pendulous breast. The fat of her sides poured over her hips, like flowing lava, fat fell and hit the back seats as well as the driver’s seat, the one she was directly behind. Phil took his shirt off, revealing a flabby belly, he then took off his pants. The two sat in the car, naked.

            They started to kiss, with indifference and, in moments, she was on top of him.

            Okay guys, come get him. Roy spoke to the officers, still patiently waiting for orders.

            The police arrived roughly ten minutes later, they walked to the car and saw the woman and Phil going at it.

One officer opened the door, gun drawn, “Get the hell out of the car!”

            Phil was surprised.

            Another officer grabbed Phil by the arm and dragged him from the car, naked.

            “Hands on your head, now!” Phil put his hands on his head. “You, give me his underwear!” The officer commanded the woman, she handed him a pair of underwear. The officer threw them at Phil, “Put these on!”

            Phil balanced on one leg as he put the other through the leg hole in the underwear, then the same for the other. When his underwear was on, and his corpulent rear covered, an officer took out a pair of handcuffs.

            “Put your hands behind your back.” Phil did as the officer said.

            The officer put the handcuffs on Phil and sat him in the cruiser, he then turned to the woman. “Get out of here now, or I’ll site you on indecent exposure!” he yelled.

            “Okay.” The woman said breathlessly.

            Ya! You fucking bastard! I’ll make you suffer. The shame you’ll feel! Ya! Roy yelled with a sadistic smile.

            “Should we contact Cathy?” One officer asked.

            “We have to. It’s just a shame, she’s such a nice woman.”

            “Yeah, but this fucker just snapped.”

            “This bastard has been causing a lot of trouble for people.”

            “What do you mean?”

            Wait, what? Roy was enthralled.

            “I hear he’s been sleeping around, fucking up a lot of marriages.”

            “How? He’s fat and ugly.”

            Yeah, tell how. Roy was dumbstruck.

            “He’s just so damn persistent, nagging, some women eventually do cave in.”

            “Seriously?”

            Yeah seriously? Roy added.

            “Yeah it’s true. My wife fills me in on all the gossip.”

            They continued their conversation in the cruiser, Roy sat in the back.

            “So who else?”

            “Did you hear what he did to Nelly Black?”

            Wait! What? I’ll fucking kill you here!

            “What?”

            “He did his persistent nagging on her and she ended up moving away.”

            “That’s not how it went.” Phil started.

            “What did you say?”

            “I told her if her boy wanted to see my daughter she would have to start doing favours for me.”

            You motherfucker!

            “Your pathetic.” Said one officer.

            “Whatever it takes to get some ass.”

            That’s it! Do a break check! Roy told the officer.

            The officer’s foot slammed on the break.

            Scurch!

            The car came to an abrupt stop.

            Phil’s body continued to move, his head crashed against the steel cage that separated the driver and passenger from the back seat. His head bounced off the cage, leaving a hexagonal pattern across his face.

            “Ow! What the fuck?!” Phil screamed.

            “Oops, I guess we forgot to put your seat belt on.” The driver chuckled.

            I think he would have done that anyway.

            The car was silent for a few minutes.

            The car pulled in to the station parking lot, and into a space reserved for officers.

            They walked into the station, Roy followed.

            “You can take him to booking while I call Cathy.” The officer said.

            “Okay, sounds good.” The other replied, he then walked off with Phil.

            The other officer walked to a wall where a old wired phone hung. He grabbed the phone and started dialling a number.

The officer held the phone to his ear, and waited as it rang.

            “Hello?” Nina answered.

            “Hello, is this Nina?” The officer asked.

            “Yes this is, who may I ask is this?” She asked.

            “This is officer Grassfield. Can I speak to your mother?”

            “Sure, please wait a moment.” Nina placed her hand over the receiver. “Mom, phone.”

            A few seconds passed.

            “Hello?” Her mother asked.

            “Yes Cathy, we need you down here at the police station.”

            “Why?”

            “It’s your husband.”

            “What about him?”

            “He’s been arrested.”

            “Okay, I’ll be right down.”

            “Thank you, bye.”

            “Yep, bye.”

            The officer hung up the phone and walked to a desk and sat down.

            Nina’s mother arrived thirty minutes later.

            She walked into the station, accompanied by Nina.

            “Hello Mrs. Black.” The officer greeted.

            “What has my husband done?”

            “Well... you might want to have a seat. I also think it would be best if your daughter didn’t hear this.”

            “She’s old enough to hear anything I can.”

            “Okay then...” Officer Greenfield told Nina and her mother everything from Phil assaulting Travis and him with the woman, to the conversation in the car, which was supplemented with the video from the dashboard camera.

            “That bastard!” She broke down crying, Nina consoled her.

            “You don’t deserve any of this. You’re a good person, too good of a person for anyone to do this to you.” The officer said, trying to comfort her.

            “Thank you.” She said as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

            “We’ll be charging him with assault, fleeing, and public indecency. That’s at least five years.”

            “I see,” she started, “I hope that prick rots in there.”

The officer then added, “He has asked to see you two. Nina would you like to say goodbye to your father?” The officer asked.

            “I guess.” Nina replied.

            “Yeah I’ll see him, just to spit in his face.” Her mother added.

            “All he wants is to see two, that’s all. Do whatever you want.”

            “Okay.”

            Why couldn’t I have been arrested by cops like these? Roy thought facetiously.

            “Yo, bring him out!” The officer yelled, so his partner, that was elsewhere, could hear him.

            “Okay man!” His partner yelled back.

            Grassfield looked at Nina and her mother, “We don’t have an intercom system, so we just yell.” Explaining himself.

            “Really? I would never have known.” Nina’s mother said sarcastically. The officer smiled and she smiled back.

            Grassfield's partner came out with Phil.

            “Here he is.” The officer said.

            Nina and her mother stood up and walked to him.

            “Aren’t you going to apologize?” She asked.

            “Why would I? I haven’t done shit to you.” Phil replied to his wife.

            “You’re a piece of shit.”

            “No worse than you.”

            “Don’t talk to mom like that.” Nina said in her mother’s defence.

            “Shut your mouth, you little whore.”

            What the fuck did he just say!

            “Fuck You!” Nina said.

            “You little bitch!” He then smacked Nina across the face, leaving a red hand print on her cheek.

            Nina started to cry.

            You fucking bastard! You two, beat the fuck out of him, tase him, mace him, everything and anything! He commanded the officers.

            Grassfield removed a baton from his side and a can of mace from his pocket. His partner revealed a large taser.

            He tased Phil, Grassfield ran and sprayed mace in his face. Phil fell to the floor. Grassfield hit Phil’s arms and legs with the baton, while his partner kicked his sides. It lasted almost thirty seconds before Roy stopped them. You idiots are going to kill him, stop.

            No bones were broken, no real harm, just a superficial beating.

            They helped Phil up and gave him support to stand.

            Nina’s mother walked over to him, “You get what you deserve.” She punched him in the face.

            “Ma’am please refrain from assaulting him.” The officer said.

            Grassfield then added, “Don’t worry two assault charges on him now. Are you okay Nina?”

            “Yeah, I’m fine.”

            “That’s good.”

            “I guess we’ll be going then.”

            “Okay, you two have a good night.”

            “Thank you, you have a good night as well.”

            They walked out to their small four door car. They got into the car, Nina in the back seat, her mother driving and Roy setting next to her.

            But soon Roy was hit by the same pain and nausea. Shit! What is this?! It lasted longer than the first time, from the time they left the police station to the time they arrived at the house.

            Nina and her mother walked into the house, but Roy stayed still, trying to stop the pain in any possible way, but with each attempt failure accompanied it. “Ahhh!” He yelled but his screams fell on deaf ears, in his state no one could help, the only thing he could do was scream or give up and return to his body. No! I must stay and complete this.

            Roy stayed still for hours, from midday to the time the sun left the sky and the moon was directly above him. Damn it. I don’t think I’ll make it. He floated to Nina’s room.

            She was asleep, head on pillow, a red mark still on her cheek.

            Because of me you got hurt, I’m sorry. He fought through the pain and leaned over, kissing her on the cheek.

            Nina started to smile, the redness of the hand mark slowly disappeared. I know you can hear me, I want you to know that I love you and I always will, regardless of what happens. There is so much I have to tell you, but there’s just no time right now. I love you.

            Roy walked to Nina’s mother’s room, she too was sleeping, he walked to her bedside.

            I want you to know that I love your daughter and, this is selfish of he to ask but, please move to me. Here your just that person, but with me and mom you and Nina, your important.

Roy stepped away, the pain was worse, his vision was no longer blurry, but completely gone.

            Crap. Roy blacked out, he felt as though he was spinning.

Darkness enveloped him, everything, all his senses left him, the darkness lasted for what seemed like forever. A dreamless sleep.

            Roy started to open his eyes, slowly opening them and quickly closing them. His wrist hurt, with a sharp piercing pain. Something was in his nose and went down his throat, it felt like he was choking with a slight irritating pain. Another tube was down his throat, which was connected to a machine.

            With the brief moment of consciousness, he could make out a blurry tile ceiling.

            Roy soon became completely lucid, awake and aware of his surroundings.

            He sat up, a machine started beeping. A passing nurse saw him.

            “Doctor your son is awake! Come here!”

            Roy grabbed the tube in his mouth and pulled it out, he then did the same with the one in his nose. With the tube sliding across his throat, he gagged. A small amount of vomit hit the back of his throat, he quickly spat it on the floor. Roy then removed the I.V in his left arm, which was the only one, and quickly stopped any excess bleeding. And finally he tore off the monitoring patches on his chest.

            “Where am I?” His mother ran in and hugged him. Roy looked at her, her hair was a mess, and dark circles where around her eyes, they made it appear that she had black eyes.

            “Where am I?” He again asked.

            “Your at the hospital.”

            “How long have I been here?”

            “Two almost three weeks.” She answered.

            “What happened?”

            “The other doctors and I can’t figure that out.”

            “What do you mean?”

            “Well, you were in what appeared to be a coma, but your vitals would randomly go erratic. Blood pressure would sky rocket, muscles would tense up, and your brain waves were everywhere. We did blood work, everything came back well.”

            “So nothing serious happened?”

            “No, you almost died, well you did die a few times.”

            “What?”

            “Well a few times your heart stopped as well as brain activity. You even had a heart attack.”

“Shit am I going to be okay?” He asked in apprehension.

            “Yeah your vitals were good a few hours ago and there doesn’t appear to be much damage.”

            “Good.”

            A nurse walked in along with another doctor, in a lab coat.

The doctor walked in front of the nurse. “Roy, you sure did scare your mother. I don’t think she has slept or has eaten in days.”

            “It’s okay Roy, he’s just joking.” His mother added.

            “I’m Doctor Toggle, I work with your mother.”

            Obviously.

            “So can you tell me anything that might have caused this?” Toggle asked Roy.

            “Nope, not an idea.” Roy lied, and then added. “Why don’t you get me something to eat.”

“What was that?”

            “I’m pretty hungry. I don’t remember waking up and getting any snacks.”

            “You want me to get you food?” Toggle again asked.

Roy read the nurse’s mind, What’s this kid doing? The doctor won’t do it, he’ll probably lash out at him any moment.

“Are you deaf?” Roy asked. “Get me something to eat.” That time Roy ordered him, instilling the command into Toggle’s mind.

            “Roy stop acting like that, don’t be rude.” His mother said.

            “Sure kid, what would you like?” Toggle asked.

            “Anything will do.”

            “I’ll go get you something then.”

            “Thank you.”

            The doctor left the room and walked down the hall.

            Wow I’ve never seen the doctor do anything like that. Thought the nurse.

            The nurse walked to Roy’s bedside. “Doctor,” she started but Roy’s mother cut her off.

            “Call me Nelly.”

            “Okay, Nelly, Roy’s awake now, please get some rest. I can tend to him while you take a break.”

“Okay but please tell me if anything happens.”

            “I will Nelly.”

            “Thank you Sally.” She stood up. “Roy I’ll be back soon.”

            “Okay mom.” His mother walked out the room.

            “Okay Roy, I’ll put the I.V back in.”

            “It’s okay, I’m fine, please.”

            “Okay I won’t. Can I do anything for you?”

            “Yes, please give me something to wear.”

            “Your mother brought you some clothes.” The nurse walked over to a dresser, at the other side of the room. She opened the drawer and grabbed a pair of sweat pants and a short sleeve shirt. She then handed them to Roy. “Here you go.”

            “Thank you.”

            “I'll leave the room so you can change.”

            “Thank you.” The nurse left the room.

            Roy got off the bed, it was hard for him to stand, his legs were weak. He wore the standard hospital gown with a pair of boxers under it.

            Roy put the clothes on. “Damn, got to take a piss.” He walked to the bathroom, it was through a door at the corner of the room, his room and the room next to his shared it.

            He walked into the bathroom and took care of business. Roy turned around and was confronted with himself, his reflection in a mirror that hung on the wall.

            Roy looked at himself, hollow cheeks, white skin, a ghoulish appearance. All making a contribution to a more stern serious look.

            Damn, look I’m almost dead.

            His once blond, almost white, hair was beginning to thin, his exploits in the previous days had greatly deteriorated his health.

            It doesn’t matter.

            It took another week to recover and to convince his mother he was okay. Soon she cracked and he would be going back to school.