Hello, my fellow Zootopians!

The last chapter took me two days, this one took me two hours. The reason for this is that this one's really short. But as short as it is, it is vital to the story. Just read it, and you'll know what I mean.

Number are climbing steadily, many thanks for that. 18 reviews, almost 3300 views, 36 favorites and 60 followers. I am more than content! This one's literally exploding in my hands!

So, PointedHairJedi, you think you need to prevent me from seeing spoilers, or what? Relax, I know the movie like the back of my paw - thank God for transcripts! I watched the movie at our local cinema, and with the transcript, I know what's going on.

Thanks, NikkiMarie1113, for your words of support.

And now, on to lots of screaming …

Zootopia is not some cartoon movie where you sing a little song and all your insipid dreams of owning it magically come true. So let it go!


Chapter Seven

Getting Worse

This is the sound of me wearing thin.

Hawthorne Heights: "Desperation" (Written by Hawthorne Heights, from the album "Fragile Future," Victory, 2008)


To Nick, the slight increase in heart rate seemed like a sign that things might take a turn for the better yet.

What he didn't know was that it was to be the last improvement he'd get to see.

To the contrary - Judy's condition gradually worsened over the course of the following week.

For nine days, he had stayed in the tiny antechamber, leaving it only to answer nature's call or to take a quick shower. He had eaten little and slept even less. The rings under his eyes would have put the Zoolympic Rings to shame. He had lost an enormous amount of weight, and his fur had completely lost its usual luster.

Just because there was no discernible improvement in Judy's condition. Rather, he was looking at deterioration.

Even talking to her had yielded no reaction whatsoever.

Her parents paid her a visit every day, sometimes talking to him, sometimes just sitting in the other chair in companionable silence. His workmates kept visiting her on a steady basis, providing him with food and words of comfort. Old friends of hers, school friends from Bunnyburrow, old companions from college, they all dropped by to offer words of comfort. Fru Fru, the daughter of Mr. Big, had been brought to the hospital three times. The second time, her tiny daughter Judy, called Ju Ju, was with her, obviously not understanding why her beloved godmother was in bed on the other side of the window, not reacting to her shouting.

None of them had any true words of comfort.

None of them knew how to help.

"No improvement?" Chief Bogo asked.

"None that I can see," Nick retorted. "I'm no expert, but when I look at Doctor Pawson, well, he doesn't look too happy."

"Understandable. I wouldn't be too happy either. I am not too happy."

Nick heaved a sigh. "I guess you came here to remind me that I cannot dodge my duties much longer, right?"

Bogo looked down at Nick. "Actually, no. I told you to stay here as long as necessary, and my orders usually don't change that easy, or that fast." He knelt down to open the suitcase he had brought with him, taking a few pieces of paper. "I would have preferred to do it while you're both awake, but … you know how it is."

"You'd have preferred to do … what?"

"Well, I received a letter from the Mayor's office today. They agreed with my assessment, so I am now authorized to promote you. Congratulations, Lieutenant Wilde."

"Thank you, Chief," Nick said in a voice which carried no happiness at all. "I take it she was promoted, too."

"Of course."

Nick managed to put on a smile which even to him felt forced. "Must be nice, to fall asleep a Sergeant and to wake up a Lieutenant."

"That's one way to see it." He looked at Nick again. "The last days have been hard on you, Wilde."

Nick snorted. "How did you find out," he said in his most sarcastic voice. His shoulders slumped. "I am close to cracking, Chief."

"I can see that. Listen, do you really think you do yourself a favor if you stay here 24/7?"

"You told me to."

"I did. But I didn't think you would take it literally. I thought you would be wise enough to leave this room once in a while. Go sleep in a real bed for a change."

"Wouldn't make a difference, Chief. Whenever I close my eyes, I have nightmares. I cannot stop them. And I don't think this will change all that much when I'm at home in my bed."

Bogo waited a few seconds before saying: "Then why do I get the feeling that you are flogging yourself here?"

Nick shrugged. "I don't know. I have never faced something like this before. I have always been able to hide my feelings, to just go on, regardless of the obstacles life threw in my path. I simply cannot do it anymore. Not with her. And especially not …"

He broke off. Something was different.

The beeping …

Instead of the rhythmic tone, there now was a sustained beep.

Oh, no! Please, no!

He gaze shot up to the heart rate monitor. And sure enough, it showed a flatline.

"No!" he whispered.

Seconds later, the door into the antechamber opened with a bang, and Doctor Pawson entered without looking at them, followed by two interns and three nurses. They stormed through into the quarantine room and got to work immediately, using syringes to put more drugs into Judy's bloodstream. One of the interns prepared a defibrillator.

"NO!" Nick screamed, banging his clenched paw against the window. "JUDY!"

Suddenly, he felt two big hooves grabbing him, lifting him up. He immediately started thrashing and flailing, howling Judy's name.

"Cut it out, for God's sake," Bogo said between clenched teeth. It was incredibly hard to restrain the panicking fox. All his physical power seemed to no avail; Nick was threatening to slip out of his hooves. "Please, Nick, calm down!"

It had no discernable effect on Nick, he just kept struggling harder. And when the first application of the defibrillator yielded no result whatsoever, he became positively savage.

"JUDY! STAY WITH ME!"

Bogo put one arm around Nick's waist, holding him tight, while fumbling for a pouch on his utility belt. He took a small dart out of the pocket. It was one of two types that usually came with the standard tranquilizer gun, containing a tiny amount of a very potent sedative.

The intern applied the defibrillator again.

And again, nothing happened.

"NO! PLEASE, GOD, NO!"

Nick hardly felt the tiny prick in his shoulder. He didn't hear Bogo's apology. All he saw was the tiny bunny.

The tiny, dying bunny.

"JUDY! NO!"

The world started turning sideways. A funny feeling overcame him. Sound was muffled. His vision blurred.

The intern used the defibrillator again.

No change.

Nick's world suddenly became pitch black.


Ouch!

Will she survive?

Stay tuned for the answer!

The next chapter may take me a little bit longer - getting the tone right is crucial, so there may be some tweaking and tinkering involved.

Please send me your reviews!

Oh, and of course, take care!

J.O. aka TheCatweazle