Chapter 1: Chapter 1

As Luck Would Have It

Have you ever have one of those days where everything just falls apart? Try me, I bet I can top it. It all started with my pet Furret, Scout. He had been sick for quite a while now, and was getting a bit old.

"I'm sorry to say this, Mr. Sauter, but Scout is barely hanging on. The cancer has spread too far. There's not much we can do. He's awake now if you want to see him. It's best you say your goodbyes while you can."

I walked into the room to see my poor little pokemon. The annoying but assuring beeping noise from the heart monitor was the only sound in the room for a while.

"…Fuurret…" squeaked Scout. I wanted to pick the poor little guy up and squeeze the crap outta him, but in his state it would only break his spine. I rubbed his little frail head. I just broke out in tears. I had been with this dear little soul for fifteen years, what would you expect? I could almost feel his understanding as he curled up to me as much as he could.

*Beep* *Beep* *Beeeeeeeeeeeep*

I left the hospital with a sense of dread. Then my phone started ringing. I was hoping it was Sierra, my fiancée. It was, but still not the phone call I was expecting.

"John? It's me, Sierra." She said in a melancholy tone. "I know you've been going through some hard times, so I really don't want to drop this kind of thing on you. But if I don't, I may not have the courage to later. So, here's the thing, I'm having second thoughts about getting married. I've been doing some serious thinking, and I just don't think we're right for each other. I hope we can still be friends though. See ya later…" *click!*

I almost broke right then and there. I leaned my head against the steering wheel of my truck for support. Life had just back-handed me in the face with its ring finger. Then that little evil device my ex-fiancée used to stab my heart rang again. It was my doctor with even more bad news and an appointment with my name on it. What else did I have to lose? How about my Life?

"I think you'll want to hear this in person, John. Meet me back in my office as soon as you can," I heard. I got out of my truck and walked back inside the office, sad to say I hadn't even left the parking lot.

"I know you're a man of few words, Mr. Sauter, so I'll cut to the chase. Whatever gave your pet Scout cancer, also gave it to you. And it saddens me to say that you have just as little chance as he did."

"Isn't there something I can do?" I asked in anguish.

"Well, there is one thing, but with dire consequences. Are you sure you want to do this?"

"I don't care! I would rather continue living this horrible life than living none at all!"

"You don't know how happy I am to here that, Mr. John Sauter." He said with a grin. I was overcome with a sense of dread.. He said my full name, which couldn't be good. I soon found out it wasn't. My doctor went to the back of the room and pressed a series of keys on what looked like a home security keypad.

"He's ready. Come get him now." He spoke into the device.

Two burly men walked out of a sliding door that was nearly invisible on the wall. They picked me up under the shoulders and half carried-half dragged me through a series of halls. They finally entered a room and plopped me down onto an operating table. A doctor walked in holding a needle full of green liquid. He stabbed it into my neck and drained the liquid. I would have screamed from terror if not already from pain.

My body started trembling uncontrollably. My bones felt like they were being ripped apart, and my muscles were on fire. My insides were bursting! The doctor yanked the needle out of my neck and I howled louder than I ever thought possible. After the most intense pain I've ever felt and more, I started to feel dizzy. Everything started spinning and I couldn't tell what was happening anymore. I completely blacked out.