I don't own any of this Loud House belongs to Nickelodeon.
Mr. and Mrs. Chang had faced many terrifying scenarios throughout their lives. There was the time when Mr. Chang nearly got run down by a semi truck when he was five, the time when Mrs. Chang was in the lion enclosure cleaning out the big cat's waste and the large male lion had gotten loose from the inside section, and finally there was that time when the family was taking a road trip and got caught in a severe storm that produced a tornado which nearly hit them.
None of those events could even compared to how scared they felt right now. Their oldest daughter had suddenly collapsed shortly after they left the hospital and now as they called out her name she doesn't responds to them, even as her younger sister frantically shook her shoulder while shouting out her name. "Sid! Sid! Come on wake up! Please, your scaring me!"
The couple didn't know what to do. The infection must've gotten worse, that's the only explanation on why Sid had suddenly fainted in the first place. They were relieved that she is still alive as evidence by her faint breathing, but still what were they to do? They had nothing to help her with, the hospital is destroyed, and they had no one that can help them.
The only thing they can do is at least get her out of the open. Mr. Chang leaned down and picked up his daughter as if she was a princess. The family quickly made their way towards a coffee shop, Adelaide ran beside her father, looking up to her sister in great worry.
Entering the coffee shop, Mr. Chang went over to a booth in a corner and sets his daughter gently down, Sid leaned back with her head tilting sideways. Mr. Chang straighten her up in order for her not to fall sideways on the seat.
With their daughter now comfortably placed on the booth seat, the parents stepped away a few feet and looked at her not sure on what to say, they hated on how she is currently looking like. Looking over to her cheek they took noticed on how the wound is much more redder, in fact Becca's patchwork on the wound seem to have come undone a bit on the bottom, replaced with a ugly scab that has formed.
Adelaide took a seat across from her sister, she is very concern for her big sister's health as she has never seen her just faint like that before. Looking to the wound briefly, Adelaide quickly adverted her gaze from it as although she wouldn't say it to her older sister's face, she couldn't deny that it looked worse, possibly more worse than when Sid first got it.
But even with that ugly scab, Adelaide reached out and grasped her sister's hand. "Please wake up Sid." Adelaide sadly told her.
Her parents watched this with more deeper frowns, they had to do something, they couldn't just let this infection kill their daughter, it will not only greatly devastate them, Adelaide doesn't need to see her big sister slowly die in front of her.
Mrs. Chang thought frantically on what she could do. The hospital idea was a great disappointment, she struggles to think of where they should go now? Even if they find one, a pharmacy is most likely stripped bare from anything by now. What could they honestly do?
Just like his wife, Mr. Chang is also thinking frantically on what they should do? They just needed to do something for Sid. His daughter's life is in danger for pete's shakes! Memories suddenly came to him, memories of all the times he's been with his little girl; from the moment he first saw her when Sid was born, to when he used to give her private train rides on his days off.
Those memories filled him with determination to save his daughter, closing his hands into tight fists, Mr. Chang marched his way towards the doorway.
His wife and other daughter watched him with eyebrows raised. "Where you going daddy?" Adelaide question.
"I'm going to find something that will make your sister feel better. You two stay here in case she wakes up." He instructs them, Mr. Chang then left, leaving his wife and youngest daughter to look at each other in surprise for they had never seen their father/husband act so serious before. The two now looked worrying back to the unconscious Sid who has leaned forward and is resting her head on the table.
Mr. Chang walked down to the corner of the block, he stands there while scanning the area for a place that may have something for his daughter, but alas there is nothing but office buildings and a post office.
There must be something on the other blocks, he just knows that there might be something. Mr. Chang goes west, he scans at each building and shop he passes by, his luck isn't doing so good so far as his search has come up with nothing.
He wasn't giving up though as this only made him more determined. He went down six more city blocks where upon coming to the next corner, Mr. Chang saw something that finally seemed to change his luck.
It's a still standing Wal-Mart, Mr. Chang could feel his face brighting up as he never thought that he would be so happy to see one of these stores. As you know Wal-Marts had pharmacies, which means if no one had already taken what he needed, then there's a possibility that he might find something to save his daughter.
A great burst of energy filled him, he rushes on over across the parking lot to the front doors, like his wife at the hospital he also had to push open the doors in order to get himself inside.
The Wal-Mart like the hospital is cold and dark. He looked around to get his bearings as each Wal-Mart had a different layout, but usually the pharmacy section is at the front. After looking around for a few seconds Mr. Chang sees that he's near the grocery section, okay so this Wal-Mart had their grocery section at the West of the store, so that must means that the pharmacy is located at the East.
He walked forward a bit, then turned right and walked in between the checkout lanes and the women's clothes section, where raggy clothes that had fallen victim to hungry moths hung for the spring. Real shame to as the people who designed those clothes had worked very hard on making them, and now their creations are nothing but food for the moths .
Mr. Chang however couldn't dwell on that matter, as he wasn't that much into fashion anyway. He soon passes the aisles where the Easter stuff are proudly displayed, melted chocolate stained the shelves and inside of Easter baskets, and the inflatables were all but flat. Mr. Chang passes by the Easter stuff and at last he spotted the pharmacy coming into view, it wasn't a pleasant sight though, for it looked like Mrs. Chang's fears were true.
"No, no, please God no!" Mr. Chang rushed forward to the bare shelve, frantically he scanned for anything that may be hiding in the back of them, yet found nothing. Quickly he checked the other aisles, which only showed the same results as before.
He couldn't believe it! He thought that he would have good luck, but no of course not. The universe just didn't want to give him a break, it was like finding a big pile of gold only to find out it was all fake.
"God dammit!" He shouted, his voice echoing throughout the empty store. In utter frustration Mr. Chang kicked the bottom of the shelve, creating a rather loud bang, then fell to his knees completely deflated. This is just great! How is he going to find something for his daughter? He wasn't going to give up don't you start thinking that, but he couldn't help but think of how difficult it's going to be on even finding one item.
Mr. Chang rests his head on his hands, letting out a low breath. "Oh Sid, am I going to go find something for you in time?" He muttered to himself, it's a real worry for him as he could utterly see it. He comes back to the coffee shop with what he needed and he sees the sad sight of his wife holding their crying youngest daughter, while she herself is crying as they stood next to the booth he placed Sid on.
Racing forward, Mr. Chang caught sight of his oldest daughter lumped forward, deathly pale while the wound on her cheek is a ugly purple. Mr. Chang looked at for a few minutes before raising his head up and screamed no loudly, just like Darth Vader in Revenge of the Sith.
He didn't want that scenario to happen, it horrified him over the thought of it. Mr. Chang would just have to be quick to not only find a place where Sid's medicine is, but also be lucky enough to find a place where it's still there.
Slowly Mr. Chang gets himself back up on his feet, he does a short stretch for his back, then walked his way to the second exit of the store. Stepping out he is caught in complete surprise for he saw two figures in yellow rain jackets, walking at the end of the parking lot.
Mr. Chang stood frozen there, he didn't expect to come across other people so suddenly. He wasn't so sure on what to do with this sudden turn of events, his first instinct is to shout out to them for maybe they can help him, but another series of instincts told him to hold in his shout out to them. What if these weren't nice people? What if these people were the type to kill you for whatever supplies you had? It may be a bit unfair to judge someone you don't even know, but in these hard times, it's best to be cautious around people you never met before.
It was probably best to go back into Wal-Mart and wait for these people to pass. Mr. Chang slowly took a step back, he couldn't risk on making too much noise. He took a step on the doorframe when one of the figures had noticed him, the figure points over towards him alerting the other figure to Mr. Chang's presence.
Cursing under his breath for being spotted, he's now face with two options; one he goes into the store and find a place to hide, which wouldn't be very hard since it was a big place with plenty of aisles to duck into, there's also the back area to as he could always slip out the back. The second option is to stand his ground and face them. Probably a dumb idea as there's two of them and one of him, plus they both might have a weapon. Still if he stood his ground, they might respect him and not kill him on the spot.
The figures approached him in a steady pace, as they got closer Mr. Chang sees that the figures turned out to be two men in masks with the one on the left having a long, red beard. The two men came to a stop at the foot of the curb, both looking at him with such surprise looks on their faces.
They and Mr. Chang both looked at each other for what felt like forever, until the one on the right smirked and lets out a chuckle. "Well shoot me up a bottle of whiskey and call me a son of a gun! We didn't expect to come across a fella like you! Ain't that right Joey?"
"Sure wasn't Randall. What's your name fella?"
"I'm Stanley Chang." He answered slowly.
Joey nods. "Nice name you have there. You already heard our names, so I won't bore you with the details. But tell me, what are you doing out here all alone in this Wal-Mart?"
Mr. Chang is very hesitant to answer, although these men seem like good fellows, it could all be a ruse to allow them in closer then kill him when he least expected it. Randall senses the hesitation from him and goes in another fit of laughter. "Come on pal! You can trust us. We're as harmless as a newly born baby."
"Weird reference point, but if you must know I'm looking for something." Mr. Chang informed them.
"Looking for what? Food? Shelter? Water? Medicine?" Joey questions.
"Medicine!" Mr. Chang quickly answered.
"Oh, are you sick fella?" Randall asked with slight sympathy.
"Not me, but my daughter is." Mr. Chang blurted out. Randall and Joey displayed more sympathy after hearing that bit of information. "Sorry to hear that mate." Joey said.
Mr. Chang sadly looked to his feet. "Thanks, she got attacked by a tiger and now her cheek is infected."
Randall and Joey looked to each other in surprise, clearly not believing on what they just heard. "Did he just say a tiger?"
"I believe he did Randall."
"Where in the hell would you run straight into a tiger?" Randall question.
"At the zoo, turns out the tiger is the only animal that survived and my daughter had a close encounter with it." Mr. Chang explained.
"That's a horrible thing to experience. Your kid getting attacked by an animal, now she has an infection." Randall exclaimed.
"It is, now I'm searching the city for anything that can help my little girl. I just searched the pharmacy section at this Wal-Mart, but I came up with nothing." Mr. Chang's worry grew larger as he shook his head. "I'm scared that by the time I find what I need, I'm going to be too late." Mr. Chang sighed in dismay over the thought.
Randall and Joey looked to each other, exchanging their thoughts, they just met this guy and don't know a lot about him, but they feel great sympathy for him as although they don't have any children of their own, they can understand the fear he is feeling.
"Listen Stanley, perhaps we can help you out." Joey informed, Mr. Chang looked up in surprise. "You can?"
"Darn tooting we can pal! We got some stuff back at our shelter." Randall happily informed.
"Are you sure that you have the right stuff for me?" He question them, he felt a little hopeful that these two might have the things he needed, but it's best not to get your hopes up.
Randall nods in enthusiasm. "Yes! I may not be a medical expert, but they seem like they could help ya."
Mr. Chang is still a bit unsure, these men really wanted to help and he appreciated that, but what if this is all a trick to get him in their lair then kill him. Joey sees the unsureness on Mr. Chang's face, so he spoke up to reassure him. "Look we understand that you don't completely trust us since we're probably the first people you seen since that day occurred. But we really do want to help you with your situation."
Mr. Chang doesn't speak, he's still a bit unsure about this. A thought of his daughter's unconscious face came into his mind, that thought ultimately gave him the final decision. "Alright, lead the way."
Randall and Joey nodded, then walks off in the direction of their shelter, Mr. Chang fallowed behind in a few feet behind them.
Mrs. Chang sat at a table, with her arms crossed on the surface of the table while she anxiously looked out the exit of the coffee shop for her husband to return. It has been what she could only guess about two and a half hours since her husband went out to find supplies for Sid.
During the time he was gone, Sid hasn't stirred from her sleep, instead she has only been breathing quietly which worried her mother as those breaths sounded bad, a clear indication of how sick she's becoming.
"Stanley, where are you?" She thought in worry. "Mom?"
Mrs. Chang looked down to her youngest daughter who looked back up at her afraid. "What's wrong Adelaide?" A stupid question to ask, as it's quite obvious on what the matter was.
"Is Sid going to wake up soon?" She asked in worry.
Mrs. Chang looked over to her other daughter who is still slumped forward on the table. "I don't know Adelaide, your sister is very sick."
"Should we make some chicken noodle soup for her?"
"Unfortunately Adelaide, soup won't help her this time."
Adelaide looked down in sadness. "Oh" She took a shy glance over to her sister, she felt very badly for her, she really wanted to help her poor sister feel better somehow.
Mrs. Chang looked at her daughter's worried face, her heart felt like it was going to break in two. She really hated seeing her youngest so sad, gently she places her hand on Adelaide's shoulder with a motherly smile. "Why don't you make a card for her. That should make her feel better when she wakes up."
"Ok mom." Adelaide muttered under her breath, she slowly walks off to find some paper, along with something to write with. Mrs. Chang watches her daughter's retreating back until she disappeared behind the counter.
Mrs. Chang sighs and looked back to Sid. "Oh Sid, please stay strong. Your father should be back soon with your medicine." No response comes from Sid, she just continued to lay there with her sickly breathing.
"Please hurry Stanley." She muttered to herself, Mrs. Chang looked back out through the exit, hoping that her husband has found something for Sid and is on his way back right now.
Mr. Chang still stayed a few feet behind Randall and Joey as the two continued to lead him towards their shelter. They had traveled for several blocks after leaving the Wal-Mart, during this time he kept his distance from them as he still didn't fully trust these guys.
"It shouldn't be that far now." Randall informed him.
"You said that three blocks ago." Mr. Chang stated.
"This time I mean it." The three walked through several more blocks, until they eventually they got to a corner where Randall and Joey suddenly come to a complete stop. "Alright it should be just around this corner." Joey informed.
"Prepare to be amazed! As you're definitely going to be surprised to see where we set up base." Randall added.
Mr. Chang stays silent, he didn't care if their shelter is the fanciest place in the city, he just wanted to get that medicine for his daughter. With no further delays Randall and Joey lead him around the corner and despite his earlier statement, he felt a little surprised that their shelter is the tallest building in Great Lake City.
"Your shelter is here?" He exclaimed, Randall nodded enthusiastically with a bit of pride. "Yep, now let me tell you that we were lucky to find it with no one else inhabiting the place, for as you probably heard people are being trigger happy these days."
"We live mostly on the first floor, we sometimes go up to the third floor, but don't go any further up as we're afraid that the rest of the floors may not be stable enough to support our weight." Joey further explained.
"So where do you store the medical supplies?" Mr. Chang asked, the explanation is nice and all, but he's kinda in a hurry.
"If you just fallow us, we'll show you." Randall informed.
They lead him to the building, Mr. Chang expected to enter through the front doors, instead they make a sharp turn to the right and walked alongside the building. Although he is confused on why they wouldn't go through the front doors, Mr. Chang doesn't say anything as he felt that it wasn't his place to question them for the time being.
The three walked to the back alley, Joey and Randall went up to a dumpster, the two men pushed the dumpster out of the way revealing a hole in the building. "Right this way." Randall exclaimed before going into the hole, Joey fallowed afterwards and after standing there in that alley for a few good minutes Mr. Chang leaned down and entered through the hole.
Straighting himself up on the other side, Mr. Chang took a glance around the room. It's seems to be a backroom filled with closed up boxes, shelves filled with items that Randall and Joey had collected, and a workbench at end of the room right next to the door.
"So why did we go through that hole behind the dumpster, instead of going through the front doors?" Mr. Chang finally asked.
"Oh, it's because we set up a trap at the front entrance." Randall casually answered.
"A trap?"
"Yep" Joey replied. "As you can imagine living in such a tall structure is a great risk. You'll never know when someone undesirable might show up when your away, besides the hole gives us a good escape if we have to abandon the building."
"So, what's the trap?"
"I rather not say as you may find it a bit brutal."
Mr. Chang wisely didn't press the matter, they exited the backroom where they now stood in the lobby that's has clothes on the floor, several cans on the front desk, four full containers of water, two sleeping bags laying in the middle of the lobby, more shelves with items and a few weapons on them, and candles that lit up the room. "You guys certainly made yourselves at home here." Mr. Chang stated.
"Yep! We claimed it a week after the event." Randall happily informed, he then looked around the room with a finger on his chin. "Now where did we place that medical stuff?" He and Joey went off to find the said medical stuff, as he waited Mr. Chang went over to the front desk where he leaned against it while taking several more glances around the place some more.
His gaze falls upon the front doors where Randall and Joey set up their trap for intruders. Mr. Chang looked closely to the handles where he saw a string attached to them, fallowing the string he felt himself do a little jump as the other end is tied to a trigger of a shotgun. They weren't lying about it being brutal, with the position of how close the gun is to the door, it will surely blast someone's head off.
The thought of that brutal death made Mr. Chang hold his head in cringe, he couldn't imagine walking in here one moment, then BANG! Your dead without even knowing it.
"Found it!" He heard Randall shout, he looked over and saw him holding up a black bag, he and Joey quickly walked over to him. Randall places the bag, (that has a medical cross on it) on the desk.
Joey opens up the bag revealing all sorts of medicine bottles, a stich kit, bandages, and cream. Joey looked at them carefully in order to decide which one of these items should do. He makes a satisfied grunt and picked up two bottles, some bandages, and cream. He then places the items in Mr. Chang's hands, "Take these. They should be able to help your daughter, give her a few weeks and she may recover."
Mr. Chang looked at the items at first in utter surprise that he's actually holding the stuff he needs to help his daughter. He then let out the biggest smile that he had ever pulled in his life, it is only rivaled by the smile he had on his wedding day. Randall and Joey felt their hearts warm, they may have been able to help this father make his daughter feel better.
Mr. Chang looked up at them with that smile. "Thank you."
Randall gave him a thumbs up. "No problem pal!" Joey however gently patted him on the shoulder. "Now go to your daughter, she needs you."
Mr. Chang made his way towards the backroom, he stopped just short of the doorway where he turns back to address the two that helped him. "I owe you guys for this, if we cross paths again? I along with the rest of my family will help you."
Mr. Chang gives them a salute which they gladly returned, then after going through the hole, he began to quickly make his way back towards the coffee shop.
After staying in a peaceful world where Sid has retorted back into a four year old, enjoying a train ride with her dad for a long period of time. Sid finally began to return back into consciousness, slowly her peaceful world fades away like a TV screen slowly turning off, which left nothing but darkness.
Through this darkness, Sid can just make out the familiar voices of her family.
"Is she finally waking up mommy?"
"I think so Adelaide."
Sid slowly opened up her eyes to see a ceiling above her, she slowly turned her head to the left until her parents relieved, smiling faces came into her view.
Sid doesn't say anything as her brain is still restarting her senses on waking up after a few days of unconsciousness. Sid picked up the smell of old coffee and she felt herself lying against a flat surface, her mouth is also dry. Sid then found her voice and spoke lowly. "Mom? Dad?"
"Morning sleepyhead." Her dad joked to brighten up the mood.
Her mother meanwhile leaned down and petted her hair. "You feeling alright sweetie? Do you feel dizzy?"
"A little bit." Sid slowly blinks a couple times, then began to look around. "Where are we?"
"In a coffee shop." Her mother gently answered.
"That explains the coffee smell." Sid suddenly let's out a few coughs that hurt her chest. "Ow! My chest hurts!"
"It'll pass in a couple days." Her dad gently informs her.
"That's great." Sid remarked sarcastically, she lets out another cough before asking the obvious question. "How long was I out?"
"A couple days." Her mother answered.
If Sid had the strength she would've sat up right then. "A couple days!"
Her mother nods. "We haven't left your side through those days, especially your father here."
Sid had a lot to take in; she's been unconscious for days and judging by the half empty medicine bottles she could see on a table, along with the feeling of a bandaid on her cheek that still hurt. A lot of stuff has happened during those days. "Sid?"
Adelaide's voice causes Sid to look over at her, her younger sister looked up at her, clenching a small piece of paper in her hand. "I made you something." She said shyly.
Slowly Adelaide places the paper in her older sister's hand. Sid glance over to it, on the paper is a drawing of her with, "Get well soon!" written above the drawing. Touched by this card that her sister has made, Sid slowly raised her hand and patted her little sister's head while giving her a warm smile that Adelaide gladly returned.
Her parents also smiled warmly for after days of watching her sleeping form, it was great to finally see her moving again, it would be awhile before Sid is fully moving around, but overall they were very happy that she was going get better and that was what mattered the most.
A tear escapes from Mr. Chang's eye from how happy he was. His little girl is going to be alright and he promised himself that he is going to protect her more, to prevent another incident like this from ever happening again.