Chapter 33: Let the Healing Begin
FOUR DAYS LATER, AT A LOCAL HOSPITAL IN L.A.
Simon sat up on his bed, as he absently looked out the window; he slowly ate an egg salad sandwich that one of the nurses gave him earlier. His arm has been free from having a needle in it for a day now. Simon is relieved that he no longer requires saline to help him receive fluid. In addition, he is glad that he does not need the oxygen mask to help him breathe. The doctors were able to take the mask off the next morning when they came to check on him in the San Francisco Hospital. Most of the experience during the first part of Simon's treatment, he could not remember. Sleep was mostly all he was able to do.
As he continued to eat his sandwich, Simon tried to focus his mind to see if he could hear any of his friends…or anyone that was from Founder's Island, but nothing. His once active mind, for the first time since been taken to the island, is now quiet. The only thoughts he can hear now are his own. It rather scared him, because it made him feel so alone. Even the 'other' voices, the ones that would try to control him and his friends, were not heard either. Had he heard the last of the accursed nightmare? He was about to take another bit of his sandwich when somebody started knocking on the door. Simon blinked for a bit before responding.
"Who is it?" He called out.
The door opened and Alvin's head poked through. "Can we come in?" He asked with a smile.
Simon smiled weakly. "Sure!"
Alvin, Theodore, Miss. Miller, and the Chipettes walked in and up to Simon's bed.
"How are you doing, Simon?" Brittany asked in a sweet support of voice. Obviously, she was trying to make up for being angry with him at what he did with Jeanette last week. Simon did not need his brain-enhanced telepathy to tell that was what she was thinking. He turned his head away from the girls with shame.
"I'm ok, I guess." He replied looking at the edge of the right side of his bed. He felt so bad. It impressed him that any of his friends and family still would even be in the same room as him.
"You had us all worried, my dear boy." Miss. Miller spoke. "But, we are glad that you are now safe and back home with us."
Simon did not answer, but kept his eyes down and slightly shrugged his shoulders as to say, 'whatever'.
Jeanette walked up closer to Simon and placed her hand on his. She kept looking at him until he finally looked up at her to meet with her tender, nurturing green eyes. They both slowly started to smile at each other.
The others noticed this and thought that the young lovers might want some alone time. "Ah, why don't we give you two some time to talk? We'll just wait outside!" Alvin suggested sheepishly. The others nodded in agreement.
With that Alvin, Theodore, Brittany, Eleanor, and Miss. Miller left the room. After they door closed Simon and Jeanette looked at each other again.
"How are you really doing, Simon?" Jeanette asked knowing all to well that he just had a huge traumatic experience, especially with the loss of his friends.
"I don't know, Jeanette! I miss Tom and the others so much. And I feel bad at how I was behaving towards everybody and that I know I have let you all down, including myself." Simon began to reply emotionally. "Will you ever forgive me?"
"Simon, I don't feel you didn't really do anything wrong! E-e-except for running away, but of course I'll forgive you for that!" Jeanette said, while showing support.
"Thanks," Simon said with a frown and sighed. He feels that he could not even believe in himself anymore. He looked down at his sandwich before slowly taking another bite of it. Jeanette noticed this movement and smiled. "How does it feel to eat again?"
Simon looked up at Jeanette and smiled sheepishly before swallowing. "Well, it's staying down at least. That's a bonus."
The two of them chuckled then looked into each other's eyes and slowly moved closer to kiss. After a few moments, they pulled apart slightly to catch their breath.
"Do me a favor, Simon?"
"Sure."
"Don't ever leave me again."
"Ok."
They moved in again for another kiss, but before their lips could touch, a knocking sound came from the door. Two young lovers looked at the door with slight annoyance written on their face.
"Come in!" Simon said trying to sound pleasant.
Dave came in holding a medium size brown envelope.
"Hi! Jeanette, could I have a moment with Simon alone please?"
"Sure Dave! I'll see you later, Simon!"
"Alright!" Simon replied before taking the last bit of his sandwich.
Dave walked up to the other side of Simon's bed and Jeanette got up to leave. After Jeanette closed the door, both father and son looked at each other.
"So, are you feeling better?"
Simon swallowed his food before answering. "As well as can be expected, considering that I just lost every friend I knew from the past five years of my life!" He said sorely.
"I'm sorry, Simon!" Dave said placing a reassuring hand on his devastated son's shoulder. He could not help but to feel just as bad as Simon did. Dave had misjudged Tom and Renee, and he knew there would be nothing in the world to make up for that.
"They were not bad kids, Dave! They stuck with me and supported me when things got bad!" Simon began to say with tears forming in his eyes again. "Why do bad things happen to good people? Why did they have to suffer and die?" He said as the tears started to roll down his face.
"I don't know, Simon! I don't know!"
"Where do I go from here, now? What do I do?" Simon asked hoping to get an answer that would make things all better.
"Well, you could start from the beginning. You know, wipe the slate clean and start all over!" Dave said as he handed his son a tissue from its box on table beside the bed.
"I don't think this pain will ever go away, Dave. You can't just go through what I've gone through, and just 'wipe the slate clean' and pretend all will be ok." Simon said as he accepted the tissue and blew his nose, he then took a deep breathe before continuing. "Not only that, but how can anybody trust me ever again? I mean, look at what I've become! A smoker and an alcoholic! They had to pump my stomach when I was at the San Francisco Hospital, because I had alcohol poisoning. I was in such bad shape the past few nights before my rescue that I just didn't think straight. I had become lost. We just basically drank anything we could get our hands on. It was all that combination of boos that messed me up by the time I could be taken to the hospital. I thought for sure I was going to die, so I figured what would be the point in being 'good old, Simon' anymore." He stopped as thought back at that moment and frowned. Then he pulled back a few strands of hair that were in his eyes and pushed it back behind his left ear that is when he felt his earring. "Dave, I'm wearing an earring for crying out loud! Do you ever see the old Simon doing this?" He complained as he pointed to his left ear.
Dave could not help but to smile a little at his son. He then gave him a look to reassure him that it was all right. "Well, it's not like you did any drugs or anything?"
Simon froze. His eyes started growing bigger as he frowned even more. He then turned his head away in shame. Simon began to remember the time on the island and the last couple of nights especially the night on the bridge. Simon shook his head as he became more and more disappointed with himself.
Dave saw Simon's look and felt that he had indeed might have taken some form of drugs. Dave almost was too afraid to ask, but he took a deep breath and leaned over to his son. "Simon? Were you doing drugs?"
Simon paused before answering. Before saying anything, he had to swallow a hug lump that formed in his throat first. "O-o-only a few times. Once on the island, it was after one of the worst days we had. Things had seriously gotten very bad and we really needed something that will help forget our troubles for a while. We were desperate to try anything, and that was when one of the older kids brought out something called Ecstasy." Simon started to explain, but still kept his eyes cast downward. He felt too afraid to look up at Dave.
"Simon, Ecstasy can be very dangerous…what were you thinking?" Dave asked in total shock.
"I…wasn't. That is why we had promised each other that we wouldn't take it ever again after it finally wore of three days later." Simon said in a shaky tone.
Dave then let out a sigh. He somehow figured that this confession was not yet over. "What other drugs have you been taking?"
"Just marijuana…I took it a few times actually. The first time when I took off with Tom and Renee on the train ride to San Francisco, and again, the night before the detectives found me on the bridge. Our pain was starting to get so bad that marijuana had been the only thing that would work faster then alcohol. But honestly Dave, those were the only drugs I did!" He said, finally looking up at Dave in an apologetic manor.
Dave shook his head then looked back at Simon. "Well, I hoped you learned something from all of this!"
"Don't worry, Dave I'm not going to do anymore drugs!" Simon replied solemnly.
"What about smoking and drinking?"
Simon sighed, "I won't smoke or drink anymore either, but it won't be easy. The cravings can be very strong."
"I know they can be, Simon, but you know that together we can work on that, right?" Dave said. Simon just nodded, not even looking up at his dad. "Now let talk about your earring and hair!" Dave then said.
Simon paused and thought about what his dad said for a moment, he wiped his tears from his face then up at looked at Dave. "Ah, Dave? I kind of want to keep the earring. It's sort of like a reminder for me. You know, the friends I made…and lost. The things I had to go through. The kids that never made it back home. …And besides, I-I kind of like it." He finally said with a shy grin.
"Fine!" Dave sighed in defeat. "But you must get a hair cut!" He demanded, pointing to his son's hair.
Simon blushed at that and chuckled, then looked up at his dad whom was trying to look serious, but defiantly had a smile in the corner of his mouth. "Deal!" He assured him.
"Alright then!" Dave then noticed the envelope still in his hand. "Oh, I was talking to Detective McCormick and she wanted me to give you this! She would be here herself, but she had a call to go to…something about continuing the investigation? She was saying that you two were talking while you were in the San Francisco Hospital. It was about the girl from the island. I can't seem to remember her name. The detective told me it when she handed me this envelope." Dave watched Simon with concern as he slowly took the envelope from him and looked at it with great sadness. "Simon, did you know this girl?" He wondered.
"Yeah, I-I did." Simon's heart began to sink as he suddenly started to clinch the envelope in his hands. With a quivering lip, he added. "Her name was…Mary-Anne."
Dave watched as he saw his son's face was beginning to look very long. Tears were also starting to swell in his eyes, again. "I'm sorry." Dave said sympathetically as he again placed his hand on Simon's shoulder. "Are you going to be alright?"
Again, Simon could not speak out his words anymore, so he just shrugged his shoulders to indicate the response 'I don't know'.
"Do you want your brothers and the Chipettes to come back in?"
Simon shook his head as to say, 'no'. He then let in a big sniffle as he again found his voice. "Actually…Dave, I am rather tired. I-I think I would like to be alone for a while." Simon said while rubbing away some tears.
"Well, ok. We will come by later and visit more. You get some rest, then?" Dave said as he got up to leave.
Simon did not look up at Dave, but nodded his head 'yes' anyway. He then looked up at his dad just as he left the room.
After he finished whipping away his tears, Simon pulled out another tissue from the box on the table he again blew his nose and composed himself. Simon then opened the envelope and pulled out a letter, four regular size cd's, and five mini disks. Simon looked puzzled then decided to read the letter.
Dear survivor(s),
If you are reading this, then somehow the original plan had failed and plan 'B' had been executed. By now you have received the 'cure' and your brain no longer should have the controlling voices of the Founders trying to brainwash you. The chemical formula was mostly to ensure a mental connection with everyone on the island, especially the Founders. The reason why you could not eat real food was because they made you think that on the island. The 'slop' was designed to keep your digestive tracks used to only one type of supplement to maintain a balanced diet. The instant real food would enter your system your body would reject it. I am hoping by now that have been given the cure that you are now able to digest real food again.
Now, in case you do not know for sure who we are, allow us to introduce ourselves. We are four of the many original children that the Founders kidnapped 13 years ago. Our names were Mary-Anne, Jeff, Rob and Mark; we are responsible for you being here today. It took us three years to put together this plan and bring together the information in the cd's and mini disks that are enclosed in this envelope. They hold the most hidden secrets of the Founders' ties to the Illuminati and their plans for world domination. There is also important information on every child that was kidnapped by the Founders, why they were chosen, and where they lived before they were taken, plus where their parents or closest living relative live now. If any of the children on the list, for whatever reason, did not make it home, please contact their relatives and let them know what went on.
It is up to you now, survivor(s). We hope you will use this information to help educate the world and bring peace to the families that lost their children in this so-called cause. The chances that we took in getting information from behind the Founders back were drastic. To cover up we would do things for the Founders to convince them that we were 'supposedly' on their team. We even volunteered to train five special chipmunk children. We felt that if for any reason we failed in our mission that these chipmunks would follow our lead and carry out our plan.
Originally, there were another plan we were going to attempt, but instinct wanted us to try a different approach.
We had to device a cure for every child on the island and tested on ourselves first. This was another thing we had to do without anyone knowing, especially the Founders. We then properly placed the instructions for the doctors to use the cure on the survivors in with our plan 'B' envelope that included a map to find the island. We did this so that you would be able to enjoy your freedom from the Founder's mind control and tell our stories.
We pray that you, survivor(s), didn't have to wait long to receive the cure; we understand that the doctors in the real world can be rather stubborn.
Till our souls meet again.
Mary-Anne, Jeff, Rob and Mark.
-------------
A tear rolls down Simon's check as he remembers his older friends from the secret field, especially Mary-Anne and her beauty and wisdom.
OoOoOoOoOoOo
TWO DAYS BEFORE THE FBI RAID ON THE ISLAND
Simon and Mary-Anne walked along an unknown path that only Mary knew of. It was located near a waterfall, half a mile from the secret field. Mary-Anne grabbed Simon's hand as they came down a steep trail. Soon they found themselves in a, somewhat, hidden cave. This was the first time Simon or anyone else on the island has gotten to see this secret cave of Mary's. Simon looked around and noticed water stains on the rocky walls. He figured they were from the nearby waterfall. His visual tour ended at an old bed mattress that someone must have left a long time ago in the corner of the cave. Simon saw Mary lit a cigarette and he decided to join her. He took out one of his own cigarettes and lit it.
The beautiful human teen sat down on the mattress and looked up at the young chipmunk. Mary then tapped lightly on the mattress to instruct him to sit down beside her.
"So, what's the reason for bring me here?" Simon asked as he slowly followed Mary's instructions and sat down beside her. He hoped that it wasn't bad news.
Mary-Anne looked at her young companion and attempted a brave smile. "I'd thought we'd talk!" Her New Zealand accent voice had been like music to Simon's ears.
"About what?" Simon asked trying not to feel nervous about this situation. Instead, he takes another drag on his cigarette.
"Oh, about many things! But mainly about the mission that me and the guys are going on tomorrow."
"Wow, really? Would you bring back some of those little fruity candies? They're really good!" He eagerly asked.
Mary-Anne giggled. Out of the five chipmunks, Simon was her favorite. There was something special about him that she liked. She reached over and stroked his check, tenderly. "Oh, Simon! Do me a favor and don't ever lose your charming personality?"
Simon blushed, no one ever looked at him as to be charming before.
"I want to ask you something?" Mary-Anne began to say.
"Sure!"
"This mission that were going on is very special. But what the Founders don't know is that we are going to do something that would hopefully allow all the kids on the island to go home and put the Founders behind bars."
"Wow! Is there anything I could do to help?"
"You could not tell anyone, at least not yet, anyway. If the boys and I fail, we ask that you and the other chipmunks would carry out our missions! That is why we volunteered to train you kids. The boys and I have been putting together secret information and I have hidden it here in this cave." Mary-Anne reached over to a lose rock and removed it. She then reached in the small hole and pulled out a medium size black box.
"If we don't return for what ever reason the information in this box will help you and your friends plan out the missions to come."
"Well, I rather hope for your safe return!" Simon said giving her a support of look.
Mary-Anne looked at him after putting the box back to where it came from. She had a sad and lonely look that made Simon feel more uncomfortable about this situation. She finally smiled slightly at him.
"Thanks, Simon!" She leaned over and with her hand stroked his hair and stopped at the back of his head. Then she moved his head closer and kissed Simon patiently on the lips.
This certainly took him by surprise. His eyes went wide at first; he then closed his eyes as he decided to enjoy this. Simon almost didn't realize that a single teardrop fell on his hand. He realizes that Mary is, indeed, crying and didn't want him to know. She always was good at hiding her emotions in front of everyone, but for some reason this was different. A few seconds later, Mary-Anne finally let go of Simon's head and moved her lips away from his. Simon slowly opened his eyes and looked up at Mary-Anne in shock. He decided not to ask why she was crying but looked up in her still watery eyes.
Sensing that he was wondering about her sudden actions Mary smiled wryly. "That's to remember me by." She said to him. For the next little while neither of them didn't say much. They both just finished their cigarettes and headed back up to campus before the Founders would miss them.