Hello everyone! So I know I'm already working on 4 stories, but I've got like 500 ideas going through my head. I have to get this one down on paper, and I hope you enjoy!
This story is about Ryder and how his Myoclonus gets steadily worse, eventually he will have to be hospitalized. No one knows the specific cause of Ryder's Myoclonus, so that wont be stated here.
I yawn. I've been awake since midnight trying to get the pain in my shoulder to stop. I quietly tiptoe to the kitchen to get some medication for it. I hope I don't wake the pups up.
"Ryder? What are you getting Ibuprofen for at 2 in the morning?" Marshall asked, getting a drink from the water dish.
Curses! "I have a headache. I can't sleep." I lie.
Marshall yawns and trots back to his Pup House. I sigh. That was close! I walk back up the stairs rubbing my shoulder.
I lay down and pull the blankets up. Then my Puppad rings.
I pick it up and yawn. "Ryder here…"
"Hey, Marshall just called me. He says you had to take Ibuprofen but said you had a headache. Are you out of Motrin? Or is all this your Myoclonus and you don't want to admit it?" Kittypaw asked.
"I couldn't find the Motrin." I lied.
"You're lying." She narrowed her eyes. "I can see it in your face!"
I sigh. There's no hiding things from her. "I'm fine. Just a stiff shoulder."
"Just a stiff shoulder?" She sighs. "Ryder, you need to be honest about this stuff. You know how severe this can get!"
"I told you, I'm fine. I'm just tired and not in the mood for a checkup. Please can we talk about this some other time?" I beg.
She sighs. "I'll call you back at 12." She hangs up.
I love her, but sometimes she's to… Oh, what's the word? Worried. That's it.
I close my eyes and fall asleep.
"Ouch!" I gasp as pain shoots up my neck. Not again! When it finally stopped twitching I pulled the blanket over my head and cried a little.
Then I hear a knock on my door. "Who is it?" I called.
"Ryder, it's 12:30. I called and you didn't answer, are you that tired?" Kittypaw opens the door.
"Yes. I'm fine." I say.
"If you're fine, then why in StarClan's green hunting grounds do you sound like you've been crying?" She asked.
"What's StarClan?" I changed the subject.
"Turn around and ask me to my face." She said.
I turn around. She had a serious expression on her face. "What's StarClan?"
"It doesn't matter. Just look at yourself!" She fusses over getting me comfortable. "Your Myoclonus is getting out of control! You're banned from missions until you're feeling better and call someone when this happens!"
"But, what about Adventure Bay? I can't skip missions!" I protest. "What if someone needs help?"
"Like you?" She counters.
"I don't need help!" I say, astonished.
"Ryder! Look at how stiff you are! You need medical attention!" She says, pulling out her phone.
"No, hold up. What if I told you stiffness doesn't matter?" I say.
"Ryder, that stiffness is a sign that you've been spazzing out all night! You can't ignore Myoclonus attacks like that!" She gives me a concerned look. "You're not scared, are you?"
"No!" I turn back around. "I'm independent. I don't need help!"
"Independent! Ryder! Myoclonus in your case is eventually going to turn into seizures! You'll need a service dog then! That is not independent." She sighs. "Ryder, part of being a good leader is to know when to ask for help. You encourage others to 'yelp for help,' so, why won't you do it?"
"Because, I DON'T NEED IT! You don't ask for help when your asthma gets bad!" I say.
"That's because I have treatment for it! YOU NEED TREATMENT!" She argues.
"Just don't!" I say.
"You're so stiff you can't stop me!" She picks up her phone again.
I turn around. "Wait! Let's-"
"No. I'm getting you medical help!" She walks out of the room with her phone to her ear.
"Yes. And he'll need…" I put my headphones on and start to play a game. I might as well make the best of this.
Marshall walks in. "Ryder, you should have told me! I wouldn't have bothered you! You were obviously exhausted!"
I continue playing my game of Corn Niblets Crush.
"Ryder, you've got three hours to sleep, then we're leaving!" Kittypaw yells through the door. Marshall pokes his head under the blanket and takes my Puppad.
"That means sleep." He growls.
"Let me finish that level!" I growl back.
"I'll finish it." He says, then leaves.
I sigh. There is no way I'm going to be able to sleep now.
I reach under my bed and pick up my secret notebook. It's not a diary or a journal. It's my mom's notebook. I flip through the pages until I get to page 30. I read the first sentence and laughed. Oops, I need them to think I'm asleep! I'd better read this part later.
I turned the page. Then I started reading.
Kittypaw comes in. "Get ready, we're leaving in a few minutes."
Noticing my advantage, I snuggle deeper into my blanket.
Kittypaw sighs. "I'm not going to be late. If you don't get dressed, I'll dress you myself." She gives me a stern look and walks out the room.
She won't do it. "You're not my dad!" I challenge her.
She turns around. "Okay. We'll go now then." She says.
"Hey!" I say as she picks me up. "I'm still in my pajamas!"
"I don't care. You're getting medical attention." She begins walking outside.
"I can walk on my own you know." I complained.
"How do I know you won't run off?" She argues.
"Do I look like I'm in the mood to run?" I snap.
"Don't know." She replies. "I can't read your mind."
When we get there and she finally puts me down I give her a piece of my mind. "I'm walking back there. I don't want you embarrassing me like that!"
"You brought that on yourself." She pulls out her phone and starts typing. My arm twitches.
"Just a headache, eh?" She smirks.
"I get it, I get it!" I say.
Eventually we got called back and the nurse just started feeling my neck and arms.
"Do you mind?" I say. "That hurts!"
Kittypaw starts laughing hysterically. "I thought you were only sassy with me!"
I glare at her. "It's your fault I'm here in the first place!"
"Oh, okay. HEY EVERYONE! HE THINKS I GAVE HIM MYOCLONUS!" She yells at the top of her lungs.
"And if you're quite done with embarrassing me!" I yell back. "Ouch!" My arm twitches again, sending what feels like fire down my back.
"Now, this might be the worst Myoclonus I've ever seen!" The nurse announces with a worried look on her face.