Chapter five

Right I can do this, I will do this all without calling Sonic. Ok, Rouge has been and gone, I have everything I need and everything is all locked up securely now. I can do this, I know I can. It is only for a few days and I do need to start learning to do things for myself. It is not like this is forever and as soon as I am walking again things can finally get back to the way they were.

Five minutes later…

I do wish I didn't have Sonic doing everything for me all the time, just need to stretch up a little more. Oh come on, why did you move further away from me, you stupid damn book. Damn this stick thing, you are useless.

"I hate you!" Ok maybe I shouldn't have thrown it that hard or towards the window, maybe Sonic wouldn't notice the crack on the window?

A little set back but not to worry, I will forget the whole reading a book and find something else to occupy my time alone. Yeah alone and in the comfort of my home, all alone…wow I didn't realise until now just how silent it is without Sonic here with me. Ha, so it is him that makes the most noise around here. Lets watch a bit of telly, now where did Sonic put the remote to turn it on?

"Oh you have got to be kidding, why Sonic just why? Are you trying to make this time hard on purpose?" The least he could have done is put the damn TV remote on the coffee table and not high up on the shelf beside the blasted thing I want to turn on.

"Wait where did that handy stick land, I can try to knock it off into my lap."

There's the thing…oh, it's on the floor. Huh, what a grand start this is. Ok I just need to move as close to it as possible. Right done that now I just need to reach and…

"Ahh no!" Damn that was a close one, I almost tipped over. Ok is there anything else I can use to get that remote?

Looking around, looking around, looking around and seeing nothing. Great now what? Why did I agree with having the TV mounted up high on the wall for? Worst decision ever right now. Fine be that way and don't think I'll be watching you any time soon and no it is not because I cannot turn you on either.

"Stupid TV, mocking me with its blank screen and being up high so I cannot turn it on."

It probably didn't occurred to Sonic that I might want to turn the TV on, it is not like I watch much television when he is here anyway. Well back to the question of what do I do to pass the time? It is too early to just call it a night, not that I am tired, and I cannot reach my stick without tipping over. I need Sonic…no I cannot rely on him all of the time. He needs his own personal space right now and I am not going to be the one to ruin it. I just need to think harder, yeah think Shadow think.

Ten minutes later…

Yeah I knew if I thought harder I would find something to do. Sorting out the bed so it is ready for me later is totally something to do. And lowering it…has it always lowered this slowly? Oh well ,wait that's how low it goes? How the hell am I supposed to get on that by myself? Cant it go any lower, it's barely level with my waist while sitting in this chair.

Well maybe I can do some practice runs, just so I know what the best way is for when I am ready to call it a night. Ok lets see, I think the best position my wheels should be is beside the bed as close as possible…oh come on this is supposed to be the easy part.

"Move a little forward, turn ever so slightly…move back…ok not that far back you knock into the side table and straighten up. Well when I do get the use of my legs again I will be very good with parking a car."

Wait this doesn't seem right, shouldn't I be slightly facing the bed or something or have the chair facing the opposite way to how I have it?

"Maybe this isn't the best position for the chair to be in, well back to the drawing board."

Twenty minutes later…

"Finally got it in the perfect position and close enough to the bed. Ok breaks now on and…what now?"

Why did I agree with Sonic to have him lift me into bed for? I feel like a small infant trying to get up onto their parents bed.

"Maybe I could hoist myself up then twist so I am sitting on the edge, not too close to the edge, I don't want to fall onto the floor."

Take a deep breath and on three Shadow. One…Two…Three…This is a lot harder than some people make it look.

"J-just a l-little more and, oh chaos, oh chaos I am going to fall. Ahhh shit!" Not the best of landings but at least I am on the bed, just facing flat on my front with my useless legs dangling over the edge.

Need to pull myself further onto the bed. I had no idea my body was this heavy to move with using just my arms.

"O-ok , ok a break right here will be nice." I think I earned this break, actually being in this position is slightly comfy.

"I think I'll just rest my eyes before continuing." I did always enjoy relaxing in bed on my front before…

"Shadow, come in Shadow. It's Rouge. Is everything alright hun?"

Huh what, what's going on? Oh crap I fell asleep, wait what time is it?

"Shadow answer me or I will call Sonic up."

Is that Rouge talking, where is…my communicator on my wrist duh, she isn't here in the house.

"Sorry Rouge I was sleeping, what time is it anyway?" I wonder how I am going to get back into my chair?

"It is almost ten in the morning Shadow and I am currently standing outside your house. I did knock a few times but you didn't answer. Is everything ok, would you like me to pick the lock and assist you in anything?" Oh damn it.

Ok swallow my pride and ask her to help me or struggle with getting back into my chair and hope to chaos I do not make the wrong move and fall to the floor? To risk falling off the bed and onto the floor or have help and make a smooth landing in the chair? Choices, choices…

"Shadow I am picking the lock, see you in thirty seconds."

No she can't, I need to learn how to do this. Maybe if I try to wriggle backwards towards my chair, yeah slowly does it now. Perfect, I didn't go too far, point one for me. Just need to reach out to it with one hand…almost done it, almost there…

"Shadow are you sure you do not want help?" Ah crap, she has gotten faster with lock picking.

"No Rouge I need to learn how to get in and out of bed without help." Man I am just so stubborn, I have someone willing to help me and I just have to turn it down.

There I got the chairs arm rest…now to pull myself down to the chair seat, not a problem. Oh crap too fast, too fast…

"Sorry hun but I am not going to just stand there and watch you fail. There we are back in your chair." Nice reflexes you have, I was sure to fall onto the floor.

"Thanks but not a word to Sonic, I told him I will be fine and wont need any help while he is away." Oh please don't tell him I am struggling on my own, please don't.

"Shadow this is the first time you have been on your own without anyone to help you with big things like getting in and out of bed. You are bound to struggle with this and it is not shameful to call for help. I wont say anything to him but since I am here, is there anything I can do for you?"

"Well I erm dropped my grabbing stick. When I mean drop I really mean threw it in anger because it is useless with getting books from the top shelf of the book case in the living room. Also mind getting the TV remote from the shelf on the wall too?" Yeah there is no point lying to Rouge, she will find out the truth sooner or later. Especially when she notices that crack on the window, which means Sonic will notice it too. I am so screwed.

Ten minutes later…

"Ok the remote is on the coffee table by your mobile, you now have your stick and book down. Anything else before I leave?"

"Thanks Rouge and this is perfect. I now have the whole day sorted. Say hi to Towers and Omega for me when you get there." This is lovely, I am all nice and comfy on the sofa, I have my book to occupy me and my stick to grab the remote with.

"Will do hun, just give me a buzz if you find yourself in a tight situation or on the floor. Bye and please try to not do anything too extreme."

Such a worry worm but she is right, I should just take it one step at a time…I will come up with a new saying for that one. Erm, one wheel movement at a time? Nah, it is fine as it is, it's not like it means actually taking steps to walk or anything.

"I will Rouge and thanks again!" With Rouge once again gone I can finally get some reading done like I wanted to yesterday evening.

A couple of hours later…

Damn this book is getting realyl good but I bet the killer is Professor Jones, he seems dodgy to me and never around when shit hits the fan. Although he did seem very shocked and mortified when he and the lead detective found Greta stabbed to death in her home…could be just acting. I'll find out later but first I'll mark my page so I don't forget where I was.

"Lets see what is on the telly…now where is that stick?" Duh right beside me, man can you be so forgetful Shadow.

Now the question is will it be long enough to reach the…scratch that my phone is going off. I bet it is Sonic ringing up to check on me. Just need to stretch a little more, there now I just need to…

"Oh come on pick up my damn phone!" I sweat this thing has many design flaws, for one it is not easy to grab a mobile phone with.

Yes I got it, no it slipped and now my phone is on the damn floor. Chaos this is so damn frustrating. Wait it's right by the sofa, I can lay down and reach out to it. Done that so just need to stretch out and…got it.

Well it's not Sonic calling so I wonder who is?

"Hello this is Shadow speaking." It better not be a damn prank call after all the trouble I just went through to get my phone.

"Hello Shadow this is Doctor Stine. I am just calling to give you a gentle reminder of your appointment with me tomorrow. You do still want to have those tests done right?" Doctor Stine actually calls you to remind you of appointments? I did not know they do that.

"Er yeah of course I do, I need to know if my healing process is sorting out everything and going to start or has started." Like that question really needed asking.

"Well ok then, if you are sure you still want to go through all of that. I will see you tomorrow at eleven in the morning. Good bye and take care Shadow."

"Yeah bye." Damn this means I need to make my own way to the hospital for that appointment.

Damn, damn, damn. It's three miles away from here and it also means I need to go along that bumpy pathway through the woods to even get to the nearest town.

Maybe, since this is an important appointment, Sonic wont get too upset with me if I chaos control there then make my way home manually with this chair. Well what he doesn't know wont hurt him right?

Actually while I am still laying down I might as well slide the remote on the floor towards me and grab it before sitting up. Grab my stick, check, reach out towards it, check and now to slid it closer to me and…oops, too far away. Do I even bother to reach out for it, what am I saying I can flip it closer with my stick. Ok attempt number one…please just come over to me. Why did we have to have carpet in here for and not laminated flooring again? Oh wait I am doing it, yes and I can reach it without stretching too far, yet another victory for me.

It is way easier flopping down than getting back up to your previous position with dead useless legs to drag a little as well but I am officially defeating that too. This isn't all that hard actually, I don't know why I was even the slightest bit concerned about being on my own with no one to call out to for assistance. Lets see what is on the TV now that I am once again comfortable and upright.

"Nope, nope, boring, nope, repeat, too dumb, nope." Is there seriously nothing worth watching? Why do we even have TV for?

"All that hard work and for what? Oh no wait this looks interesting…nope my mistake, boring." I don't care for pointless documentaries about space, I already know space anyway.

"Nope, nope…wow even the daily news is on the boring side. Repeat that wasn't worth watching when it wasn't one…finally something worth my time." I do find freaky weather interesting and this is sure to have something exciting in it like tornados and…

"Wow what the hell is that?" I did not know you can get upside down rainbows, see this is very educational.

"Hey Rouge come in…" I so need to tell her this amazing discovery.

"Shadow, is everything alright hun?" Wow she sounds concerned.

"Yeah, yeah fine but did you know there is such a thing as an upside down rainbow?" Yeah I bet you didn't.

"Shadow you are suppose to only contact me in emergencies not tell me facts about strange and freaky weather happenings. To answer your question yes I did now please call me when you really need me ok." Damn she knew.

"Ok fine, see you soon." Spoilsport, maybe I should have just text her instead of calling her up with our communicators. Oh well what is done is done.

Twenty minutes later…

"Damn and I thought my rage is bad, seems like a hurricane is far worse." I had no idea how bad a hurricane can get and how long it can go on for.

"All that destruction…even the aftermath of the Doctor isn't that bad in comparison. Well so far it isn't, then again if he wasn't stopped it could get just as bad."

See living in space since birth is such a setback. If I was brought to life down here and had more freedom and access to the outside world then all this stuff I would know about, probably experience it too. Wait doesn't that depend on where abouts you live on this planet? I mean we don't get hurricanes or tornados around here, unless you count Tails' plane. We don't get cool upside down rainbows either which is a total let down.

"Huh, I should have travelled around for a bit while I had the chance…yeah, when I am finally back on my feet I am so going to travel the planet and witness all this freaky weather." I will hunt down that rainbow too then take lots of pictures to send to Sonic.

"Awe it's finished, now I am stuck trying to find something else to watch." This sucks and I bet there is nothing on too.

I was right, three minutes of channel hopping is totally enough time wasting. You telly are going off and I am going to take a nap to pass a little time. I will place you right next to me by my phone and grabby thing, get all snug and comfy…stupid legs are heavy…ok now I am all set for a little nap…

(Well it seems like Shadow is coping-ish with being alone. Although he still needs to master getting in and out of bed without risking a fall to the floor. Thanks for reading and until the next update…)