Hey hey everyone. I'm back with chapter 17 (wow!)
Ghostwriter: Thanks for the idea but Hunter's already woken up!
Jenihenpen: Calm down! Breath! You've found it now - welcome on board!
Crimson-Ranger: Sorry, no kissing in this chapter!
the peace pixie: More of Phil? Maybe, maybe not!
Ninja Freak: Of course I know what's going to happen - I know everything... Giggle
Also a shout out to YellowCrimsonforever, footychick, garnetred, CamFan4Ever, anyabar1987 and Jorgitosbabe. If I've missed anyone - you know I love you! Thanks for all your lovely reviews!
Here's chapter 17. Enjoy and don't forget to press the little button at the bottom of the page once you're done!
When Blake returned with the food, it didn't appear to him that Hunter had changed.
"Here you are." he said, putting it down on the table beside the bed. Just as he went to straighten up, a hand grasped his wrist.
"I hope you didn't make that." Hunter's voice was barely a whisper but it was enough for Blake. He turned around, first in shock, then with a big grin on his face.
"You're back!"
"I didn't know I'd been gone." Hunter croaked. "Wow, my throat is so sore." He blinked. "Have I been ill? I feel terrible."
Blake just stared at him. "You don't remember?"
A haunted expression crossed Hunter's face, then he shook himself slightly, smiled and said, "What is there to remember?"
"Don't you remember Phil?"
"No," he said shortly. Blake knew he was lying.
"Hunter…"
"I don't remember, Blake," he sounded angry. "Just leave it please."
Blake knew when to back off. "Ok then. I'll leave you to eat something." He walked out.
Hunter bowed his head. He wanted to forget everything. He wanted to lock it away deep inside and throw away the key, but Blake had brought the memories back to the surface, and Hunter knew the others would do the same. But he couldn't tell them. He couldn't tell anyone. He felt like it was all building up inside him and was going to explode. Angrily he grabbed the knife off the tray of food and impulsively drew it across his inner arm. Not deep, but deep enough to draw blood. He watched as the blood ran down his arm and amazingly he felt better. It was as if he'd found a way to let out all his anger, pain and frustration.
The others tried, and failed, to get Hunter to talk about what had happened. He'd either clam up completely on them or get angry. His body began to heal, slowly at first which fustrated him even more. But it was his mind that was still broken.
And after that first impulsive cut,he began to cut his arms regularly. Whenever he felt like the pressure of life was getting to much, he'd make one, maybe two cuts on the inside of his arms and let the blood out. And with the blood all the secrets he was trying so hard to keep. It made him feel better. Of course, he couldn't show the others his arms – they'd wonder what he was doing. So he took to only wearing long-sleeved shirts and tops. If they thought there was anything strange about this, they didn't say anything.
The night-times were the worst. It was as if he was back in his childhood. The light had to be on in his room and he tried to stay awake as long as possible. He was now pale with dark circles under his eyes because, even if he did sleep, it was not a restful sleep. Nightmares made him scream and toss about. Sometimes he'd wake up and Blake would be there, sometimes Cam, but they were no real help. Cutting himself became his only escape.
He was like a ghost. He wandered around Ninja Ops listlessly. They'd got him to join in training, but he couldn't do very much. It made him angry when he couldn't even do simple punches and kicks like he used to do. Finally, Sensei had had enough.
"Hunter, I know this is hard for you, but you've got to accept your body is going to take time to heal. It's not going to happen overnight."
"Why not?" Hunter shot back angrily. "It used to."
"This has been explained to you." Sensei said patiently. "Your healing powers have been over used. They're going to need to rest a while before they return."
"If they return."
"Hunter…"
"Sensei, how am I to know that they're ever going to come back? Same with my Ranger powers. I, I tried to use my thunder powers the other day, while the others were out fighting that alien. Nothing happened. Sensei, they're gone." Hunter sat down, his head in his hands. "They were the only thing in the world that I was truly good at. Now they're gone, I have nothing."
Sensei sighed. Dr. Chan had warned him this might happen. "Do not worry Hunter. Your body has been through an awful lot recently. Give it time."
Hunter gave a small laugh. "You're saying that if I'd just told you what was going on, I wouldn't be in this mess now."
"Hunter…"
"No, you're right. Just like Phil. This is all my fault." He shook his head. "Maybe I am useless. Here, you better have this." He put his morpher down in front of Sensei.
"Hunter…"
"It's no good to me now. Correction – I'm no good to it now. You'd be better off finding someone who can do the job right now, not wait for someone who used to." Before Sensei could say anything to that, Hunter got up and walked away.
"What was all that about?" Cam asked his father, picking up Hunter's morpher.
Sensei shook his head. "I fear it's going to take Hunter longer to heal that we'd thought. I understand what's wrong with him now, and I'm afraid it's not just a case of rest and get better. He's got to sort himself out – we can give him no more help."
"Father, that's not really very…"
"What I mean, Cam, is that there is nothing we can do to help him. It's inside his mind – something not even Dr. Chan can heal."
