Virgil walked through the door to find a conglomerate of dirty dishes, silver, clean looking pots, and cardboard and plastic containers discarded everywhere. Despite all of the dishes and such scattered around, the counters were spotless, the floor was swept and mopped, and what could be scene of the yellow table did not have a spec on it. The kitchen, unlike the front room, was brightly lit. The stove, refrigerator, and dishwasher looked new. The whole room had a much less gloomy feel to it.
Virgil picked up one of the pots, smelling it to see if it was clean. He walked over to the sink and filled the pot with water at the same time using his powers to turn on the electric stove. He leaned against the counter next to the the stove and let out an almost relieved sigh. He wondered why the doctor needed boiled water in order to help his sick friend.
After a few minutes the water had reached 110 degrees Celsius and was bubbling like crazy. Virgil took this as a sign of the water being hot enough and walked out of the bright kitchen with the pot in his hands.
"I've got the water." The dark teen announced. "Now what?"
The old man turned around from where he had been examining Richie, now in his underwear (dark blue boxers), and pushed some books off of a table near the bed. "Place it here, if you will."
Virgil did as he was told and causally asked, "So what's wrong with him?" The concern in his voice was still very evident.
"It's hard to say just yet." Dr. Ricketson took out a needle and filled it with something that was in a small, brown bottle. "I'll need to take a blood test."
Virgil started forward at the sight of the strange liquid. "What is that?"
"Nothing to be worried about. Just a pain killer." He found a main artery and injected the substance.
"O-oh." The African-American teen stumbled out trying to convince himself that trusting this guy was the right choice.
After injecting the liquid the older man took out another needle which he used to draw blood.
He immediately submerged the container of blood in the still boiling water. After about a minute the blood that was a bright red turned dark red with a yellow tint.
Virgil had very little medical knowledge, but he did know that blood did not normally turn yellow, and he thought it would be true even if heated.
"What does that mean?" The teenage boy asked moving closer.
The doctor examined the yellow-red liquid for a moment. Getting worried Virgil glanced over at his suddenly quieter friend.
Richie had stopped panting shortly after the pain killer was administered and his breathing was now slow and shallow. However, the beads of sweat still trickling down his face did not give Virgil any comfort, and the yellow blood made his mind start to once again race.
"He's been poisoned." The doctor said now positive.
"Poisoned?!" Virgil repeated shocked. "By what?"
"Most likely the orangutan." The doctor said still looking at the liquid. "But I'll have to do more test to find out the exact cause and what the poison is." Dr. Ricketson stood up and walked into a room that was on the opposite side of the house as the kitchen. There was a sign on the used to be white, but was now currently brownish, door that read; 'Private. Do not enter.' Based on that, Virgil assumed it was a lab.
The mocha skinned teen sat down in a chair next to the bed. He took Richie's pale, but very warm, hand in his own.
"Rich, can you hear me?" He asked unsure if the sick boy was awake or in some other state of unconsciousness.
Richie made a move similar to a nod and squeezed Virgil's hand best he could.
"Good." Virgil said bringing his other hand up to enclose Richie's left hand. "You're going to be okay, bro. This doctor seems to know what he's talking about. You're going to be okay." The last few words were more for himself then Richie.
Richie attempted to open his eyes, to allow Virgil to see that he was somewhat okay, but he could only pull them half way. Through blurry eyes he could hardly see his brown companion.
"It's...okay, V." The pale teen huffed out. He was trying to give Virgil a little bit of comfort, but both of them knew that the truth was harsher than that.
Virgil scooted closer to the bed, resting his head near the top of Richie's chest. He did not let the full weight of his head down, not wanting to make it any more difficult for the other to breathe. "Richie, I love you. So please be okay." Virgil let a few tears slip from his closed eyes, mask having been discarded once he had landed in the unfamiliar city.
"I know..." was the quiet reply.
Both of them would have to think about the full implication of the words when this was all over.