The Enemy Within
By 18lzytwner
Chapter 1
Eight months after One Robot or Two?
Sportacus sat up in his airship staring out at LazyTown below from his cockpit. He and Stephanie had had a fight not long after Robbie had started his miraculous recovery and they hadn't spoken a civil word to each other since then. Shaking his head, he stood up and headed for his wall. Poking a button, the fruit holder shot out from the wall. He pressed another button that popped open a secret compartment. A sigh escaped his lips as he picked one up. Then with all his might he shoved the tip of the sharp instrument into his thigh and pressed the plunger down.
Over at the Mayor's house, Stephanie sat on her bed holding a picture of Sportacus and herself. She missed him and had no idea how she could get the two of them to talk again especially after what she called him. There has been some expletives exchanged, mostly on her part, and then somehow it had gotten down to name-calling. A loud sigh escaped her lips and she buried her face into her pillow and cried.
The pain in his chest had first shown itself shortly after the last time they'd spoken. Maybe it was because he was angry with himself for yelling. He rarely ever raised his voice above speaking level and now it bothered him. Or maybe it was because he missed her. Her smile most of all. She hadn't been there when his casts came off and he could bend his fingers again. He now could lace his fingers through hers but she would not give her hand to him. Sadness filled the above average hero and he moved toward the ladder to start his daily protecting of LazyTown.
"Ladder!" He called. The climbing apparatus fell through the bottom of the airship and he jumped onto it. As he began to climb downward, there was a stabbing pain in his chest; this one worse than those before. Pain radiated outward and soon his whole body felt like it was on fire. He opened his mouth to cry out but no sound came.
Something in her head screamed at her. Something was wrong although she didn't know what. Her tears forgotten, Stephanie bolted out of bed and headed for her sneakers at the front door.
He could remember the last thoughts he had as he got himself off the ladder. The pain in his body was almost unbearable as he stumbled and fell. I can't die, not until I've talked to Stephanie, he told himself. His body had other plans. It continued to try to pump blood to all the necessary places but it was becoming increasingly difficult. He heard someone shouting and people rushing in his direction and then nothing.
She reached the scene as a mob of people stood around someone. She prayed it wasn't him. There were things she had to apologize for, things she had to say to him. Pushing her way through, Stephanie saw her worst fears, Sportacus lying face down on the pavement.
"Someone dial nine-one-one!" She shouted as she tried to feel for a pulse. There was nothing and she silently thanked her uncle for making her take CPR classes. Beginning chest compressions, she couldn't hear Trixie tell her help was on the way. Counting and consistent rhythm filled her mind and she continued to work frantically. Soon the paramedics were pulling her off and trying to help the above average hero. They loaded him up onto a gurney and loaded him into the ambulance. The medical crews started to shut the doors of their vehicle as Stephanie pushed her way onto the siren screaming bus. Then in a flash the vehicle was gone and the crowd began to disperse, leaving one man standing there watching with curiosity.
To Be Continued…