Chapter 25:
Zack remains in the hospital all the following week. The doctors give him nasty medication which causes him to become cranky and grouchy. On another bad note, Rebecca's put on a 'pity' act for him.
Meanwhile Cody seemingly relives his childhood…
Cody watches the steady drizzle as it rains down his brother's hospital window. A little girl runs through the parking lot while her mother hurries to catch up with her. She jumps into a puddle and "Splash!" She'd slipped and was sitting in the water, soaking wet. Her mother finally reaches her and helps her up. He watches sadly as they walk to their car.
A vague, yet clear memory appears in his head..
He's about 6 years old and he and Zack are running down their street. Exactly which street, he couldn't tell. They were hopping in puddles and stomping on their neighbor's flowers. He remembered being reluctant about it and Zack calling him a goody-too-shoes and then running down the slippery sidewalk, with Zack a couple feet ahead of him.
"Zack! Zack, wait for me!" He could clearly hear his six year old self calling his brother. He runs faster and falls down into a puddle. Zack whirls around and walks back. His face reads impatience but his eyes are laughing.
"Let's go pull up some of Mrs. Hinkle's tulips!" Zack said grinning mischievously and extending his hand.
He'd nodded and taken Zack's hand.
"Cody? What're you doing?" Cody jumped, snapping out of his reminiscence. He rubbed the tears out of his eyes and turned. Zack was sitting up in bed, staring at him, eyebrows raised.
"Nothing." He muttered and dragged his chair over beside the bed.
Short? Yes. LoL. The next chapter's a longer though :)