Chapter 4:
Peter's awareness came back to him in fits and starts. He was aware of some yelling, bright flashes of light, and a weird sensation that he was vibrating.
He was in a park. He felt satisfied. He had his coffee, his newspaper, and was heading to work. There was a game on that night and he had put a little money on the home team. Not enough to hurt if he lost it, but enough to blow on drinks with his friends if he won. It was strange that the coffee guy gave him a $2 bill to break his five, but hell, he would save that $2 bill. You don't run across those every day. He jammed the bill into his wallet. It might be worth something someday… He was aware that he was cold, really cold. Damn, was he even wearing a coat? He glanced at the sun in confusion. Wasn't it supposed to be a little warmer today? A deep chill ran through him and he dropped his coffee, his newspaper forgotten.
"Peter? Can you hear me?" Walter asked loudly, tension tipped his every word. A low moan came out of his son's mouth. Walter's eyes flicked up to meet Olivia and Astrid's in relief. Peter's eyes blinked rapidly as he tried to make sense of what had just happened.
"Holy hell." Peter struggled to sit upright from his position on the floor. "My head hurts like a bitch." He leaned his head into his hand. "What happened?" He tried to stand up but tilted to the side and slid back onto his backside. "Okay, I'll just stay right here then."
"You tripped and caught yourself on a lamp, completing the circuit. I think you were electrocuted. How do you feel?" Walter's face loomed close into Peter's field of vision as the power came back on and relit the room.
Peter attempted to get vertical again and was somewhat successful with Olivia's assistance. He grinned at her in appreciation. "I feel like I can glow in the dark. Like I've been barbequed. Like.." He glanced over at the gurney and stopped speaking for a moment. "How did he get here? What happened to him? Why is it so cold in here?" Peter's teeth started to chatter as he wrapped his arms around his body in an effort to gather some heat.
"Astro, can you get Peter a blanket? He's going into shock." Walter said matter-of-factly as he watched Olivia put her arms around him in an effort to lend him some warmth. Peter sat down hard on a desk chair, still chattering away. Olivia wrapped him in two blankets that Astrid had provided. His lips were starting to turn blue and his skin was losing all of its color.
"So c-c-cold…Am I w-w-wearing a coat? I thought it was supposed to be warmer t-t-today." His eyes looked up towards the ceiling. "Where's my coffee? I put the money in my wallet. You don't see a $2 bill every day, you know." He seemed to be staring off into the room. Olivia's eyes widened at the mention of the money, but she continued to hold him tight.
"Astrid, please prepare a warm saline drip." He turned back to his son. "Peter, can you hear me?"
"Yes, Walter, I can hear you." He looked back at his father before his eyes rolled up into his head and he lost consciousness.