Chapter 2
From behind he heard someone approach and saw the bushes above where they were hiding part open.
"There you are I forgot to give you this" it was the nice nurse from earlier. Peering into the bushes she saw Timmy and a smaller child who was covered in bruises. "Oh my God, Daniel come here." She screamed "it's okay hun, come on out let me look after you and your sister" she urged not giving him a choice as she lifted him up. Within seconds a man was there Timmy was handed across. He tried to fight but was easily restrained.
"It's okay son. Let us look after your sister" the man urged. The nurse was already digging into the bush retrieving the small girl running her into the hospital. Timmy and the man following, the man carrying him too.
"Is she going to die?" Timmy cried holding onto the man for dear life, he was really strong, stronger than daddy even. He smelt better than daddy too.
"I don't know son, not if my wife can help it. Are you hurt?" He asked carefully placing Timmy down kneeling next to him, his blue eyes staring at Timmy. Timmy shrank, he didn't want to lie, but he knew he'd be in trouble if he told the truth.
"Not bad" he muttered. His cheeks flaming red.
"Okay let's get you checked out," he ordered, he held his hand out.
"Yes sir" Timmy replied, taking the hand, daddy had always made it clear adult had to be address Sir, or Mr, girls as Ma'am or Mrs. The man just oozed leadership making others feel like that had to obey him, but not in a scary way like daddy.
"You can call me Dan, or Daniel" the man said, "Only my soldiers call me Sir"
"Sorry" Timmy apologised immediately, hoping the man wouldn't get angry and hit him.
"It's okay son, can you tell me your name?" He asked.
"Timmy"
"And how old are you?" Dan asked curiously
"I'm 8" Timmy replied, Dan had led them to a bed and lifted him up placing him on the gurney.
"Is this expensive, daddy says Doctors cost a lot, I have money," Timmy offered worriedly, his hand in his pocket fingering the notes he had there, 8 dollars and 46 cents.
"Don't worry about the cost" Daniel insisted, "was that your sister?" He asked as they waited for the doctor.
"Uh huh. Zona, she is 5" Timmy held up 5 fingers,
"I can see you're a really good brother," Daniel praised, Timmy puffed up with pride. They didn't get compliments very often, only at school.
"Hello," the curtain opened a young male doctor came in. "What do we have here?" He asked, Daniel went to step out to give them privacy only a small, panicked hand grabbing him stopping him from leaving, panicked blue eyes met his.
"It's okay son, I'll stay" Daniel said. If the traumatised child felt safe with him then he'd give him that safety for as long as he could.
"Where hurts?" The doctor asked, Timmy hesitated
"You can trust him" Daniel advised. Timmy pointed to his stomach lifting his shirt off, hearing a gasp. His whole body was black and blue with fresher marks over the top. He was thin they could see his ribs poking through.
"Okay we are going to do some tests" the doctor said keeping his composure ordering x-rays, CT scans and social work and police. There was no question these kids had been beaten. After lots of poking and prodding and his clothes being taken Timmy was settled on the children's ward. He kept trying to pay but they had refused and had let him keep his money. Daniel was still sat by his side.
"Here" a nurse came in not the same one as earlier that had gone with Zona, "I brought you both dinners. Your sister is in the operating room she'll be brought here after" the nurse nodded to the empty bed. "Your wife is scrubbed in," she explained to Daniel who wasn't surprised. Still, she gave him enough with his job moving every 18 months without complaint that he could bend in return. He took the trays, they been given stewed beef, with mash potato, veg and gravy. It wasn't the best food, but it beat military chow. Timmy poked it
"You don't like it?" Daniel asked,
"What is it?" Timmy whispered poking it again nervously with his finger.
"Beef, potato and veg, try it" Daniel invited. Timmy used his fingers to get the mash bringing them to his lip and licking a small amount off.
"It's warm!" He exclaimed in surprise. He licked his fingers again, his eyes opening in wonder at the taste. "It's yummy" Daniel grinned, hiding his heart break, what did he mean 'it's warm' did the kid only eat cold food?
"It is, try eating it like this" he instructed demonstrating the fork, Timmy copied him eating nearly half the plate until his small stomach felt like it could burst.
The doors to the ward opened Zona was wheeled in, a mask across her face, her bruises now a deep purple making her seem paler than normal.
"Zona" Tim cried trying to run to her side a hand gently resting on his chest stopped him
"You can see her in a minute let them settle her first" Daniel ordered. Timmy sat back but watched the staff like a hawk as his sister was placed in the bed next door. Wires escaped from under the blanket, she looked really sick.
The nurse from earlier came over hugging and kissing Daniel. "Hey mister, how are you?" She asked sitting on the chair Daniel had vacated. Her feet aching,
"Timmy has been worrying over his sister Zona lots. But we did manage some dinner" Daniel replied letting his wife know the names of the two children, not sure how much she had gleaned from Zona before they took her to the OR.
The doctor walked over a different one to earlier, she'd been settling Zona into the bed. "Hello Timmy. I'm Doctor Mabel and this is nurse Barbara. Your sister was badly hurt, she broke her arm and we had to take her into surgery to fix it. We put a cast on I hope she likes pink?" She asked having already checked with the girl before going into the OR but wanting to start the relationship with her brother.
"It's her favourite colour" Timmy replied,
"Good, we took some pictures on her insides and found her organs were bleeding, so we went into her tummy and stopped it. She should make a full recovery" the doctor said, "is there anyone we can call?" She asked. Timmy quickly shook his head. If daddy knew he'd be mad. "Okay well we are going to keep you both here tonight and I'll see you tomorrow" she gave them a wave before leaving.
"Do you want to see her" Barbara asked "she'll be pretty sleepy tonight" Tim nodded allowing Daniel to help him across the room to sit by Zona. Timmy took her hand noticing the bandages that now covered his sister's hand, the other hand had a pink cast as well as bandages. She too had been changed into a patient gown, and while his had race cars, her had horses on.
"Is Zona going to go to heaven?" he asked solemnly.
"No son, she should be fine,"
"Can we save her some mash? Zona would like it please" he asked politely, Zona would love warm food she hated sandwiches.
"I'll make sure that they put some food aside for when she wakes up but that may be tomorrow" Barbara replied,
"Not sandwiches" Timmy said hurriedly, he knew his sister would be disappointed if she had the opportunity to try something different and ended up with sandwiches.
"Okay I'll make sure it's not sandwiches" Barbara promised, she yawned having worked the night shift, sitting down had made her realize just how exhausted she was.
"Timmy, we need to go home now, can we visit you tomorrow?" Daniel asked noticing how tired his wife was, Timmy nodded it would be nice to see them again.
The couple left.
"Zona" he whispered as they were alone, he was relieved when her non swollen eye opened, she tried to sit up her eye widening seeing the equipment and strange clothes she was wearing.
"Timmy"
"You're okay" he cried in relief,
"Uh huh, Timmy" she paused tears welling up in her eyes, "Daddies going to be really mad" she whispered fearfully. This was going to cost a lot, and daddy had always told them not to let anyone see their bruises, now lots of people had seen.
"Don't worry Zona, I'll protect you" Timmy promised having no idea how he was going to do that but knowing he would die trying, he'd let her down today he wasn't going to do that again.
I love the idea of the older protective brother, for those wanting the nurse to follow i hope that satisfied you.
Let me know what you think and thanks to those who have reviewed