Chapter 3: Still kicking, still fighting

Simon woke up on a hospital bed, which was a nice change of pace compared to the wretched nightmares he constantly had. But, there was no real way to tell whether or not this was all the result of his unstable imagination. He decided not to dwell on it. The events of the previous night slowly seeped back into his mind as he recalled what happened. He remembered he had been attacked on a roof top and, while he lose the fight as well as his knife, did manage to kill one of his attackers. The room was a plain room, he laid in an metal frame hospital bed. The ceiling tiles had evidence of water damage and the light seemed to flicker a bit... Not the best sign for a confused assault victim. He sat up and looked at himself. No iv drips, no heart rate monitor, some bandages on the arm that the bat hit and a numbness where he had been injured. His dirtied street clothes had been swapped out for a hospital gown. He summarized that he hadn't been injured to seriously in the battle and ignored the sensation. Simon then noticed a small button next to the bed that called for a nurse. He decided to press it to see if anyone would come. Before he could however, the door knob turned and a duck stepped in. He looked like a janitor. The duck looked at him with a very disinterested expression. "Oh, sorry, didn't realize you were awake."

"What are you doing here."

"Fixing a door."

"Okay, that still doesn't answer my question, why are you in this room."

The duck sighed. "Kid, your not suppose to be here. Whether you came to this town deliberately or were just in the wrong place at the wrong time, it doesn't matter now. It's too late to run. You've set something into motion that was never suppose to be triggered. A storm is coming your way. For you, and your friends. Watch yourself."

"What?"

The duck began to walk back to the exit. "Wait! What are you talking about!"

The janitor simply stepped back outside and left him to wallow in his thoughts. The janitor was cryptic, similar to the doctor he depicted in his book. Perhaps the janitor was just something conjured out of his mind. Another one of his vivid hallucinations or one of the men who attacked him last night. He had little time to think however as a doctor who was a deer and a police officer who was a cat entered the room. The same police officer that he had seen when he had first arrived in the town. The officer stood in the doorway and the doctor approached Simon. The deer cleared her throat. "Simon Henrickson correct?"

"Yes."

"Ah good, I'm doctor Taylor. I was the one who fixed you up last night, quite a nasty fight you got into."

"Yea, it was."

"Well, the good news is, apart from a few bruises, cuts and some glass that was embedded in your arm that we removed. You have no real lasting injuries you need to be worried about but I recommend you do not take part in any extraneous activities or else you might tear the stitches we gave you. Here are your release forms, head to the front desk when you are leaving and hand these forms to the front desk as well as this slip."

The doctor produced a yellow slip from her pocket and handed it to Simon. It had a series of numbers on it. "What is this for?"

"It's for your clothes dear as well as a pair of new shoes."

"Shoes?"

"You wouldn't want to go around town bare foot correct."

Simon realized he had lost the shoe when he was hurled off the building. "Oh, okay. Thank you Doctor Taylor."

"No problem. Now, Officer Molly here has a few questions for you to answer relating to the assault you faced last night is that okay?"

"Sure, I can answer a few questions."

"Alright Officer Molly, that is your queue."

The grizzled old police cat stepped into the room and the nurse left, closing the door behind her. "Well, Simon, I have a few questions for you regarding last night. So long as you are honest and straight forward, this interview would go smoothly, do you understand?"

"Yes Officer."

"Good, now can you tell me what happened last night?"

"I was attacked, I was on a roof top when I heard a noise behind me. I went to look and then someone tried to hit me with a bat. I fought him off and killed him and a second guy tried to finish me off but I managed to get away."

Officer Molly wrote some things down into her notepad.

"Okay, Simon. We got the same story from your friends last night but there is a problem with that story."

"What do you mean?"

"We didn't find anything on the rooftop that was mentioned Simon, not a single thing."

"What?"

"It's true I'm afraid, we didn't find anything that would indicate a fight took place there. No blood, no body, nothing Simon. So why don't you tell me what really happened last night."

"What?! What do you mean, I killed one of them on that roof, I felt his head cave in under my shoe. I got the injuries to prove it."

"Well Simon, that roof was spotless, not a trace of blood anywhere."

"No, NO. I killed an attacker on that roof, I nearly died up there."

"Now calm down Mr. Henrickson."

"NO! I almost died and you don't fucking believe me."

"Mr. Henrickson, you are acting irrationally, do I need to come back later?"

"No, you need to listen to what I'm saying. I was attacked by two guys up there, end of story. I'm not changing my story."

Officer Molly sighed and stood up. "Alright Simon, I'll try again another day. Maybe you will be more willing to tell me what really happened yesterday."

"I did!"

The officer left the room and Simon sat in the room fuming at the officer. The arrogance. Who was she to claim he was crazy. He wasn't crazy! He knew what he was saying. He felt every blow that night and the terror he felt the entire time. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

"Simon... Simon? Your drifting out again stay focused... You need to open up to me if I'm going to help you get better."

"Like I said, Doctor Purnell, I'm fine..."

"Simon."

"I'm okay Doctor Purnell."
"Simon."

"I'm serious."

"Simon."

"What."

"Simon."

"What doctor Purnell."

"Simon, are you there?"

"What do you mean, I'm talking to you right now."

"Simon?"

"What?"

Simon shook his head and turned around. He had left the hospital an hour ago and had walked back to the suburbs. He had gotten a new Grey hoodie that was reminiscent of the one he always pictured book Simon wearing as well as a set of old leather work boots that were left over from the mining days of the town. He had gone to the Diner and was told by Mr. Haflax that he should leave for the week until he was fit to work again. Mae stood behind him, she looked up to him with those bloody red eyes of hers. "Simon, are you okay."

"Yea... I'm fine."

"How are you feeling."

"I don't know... I'm hurt, someone is out there to get me... I think I'm really screwed."

"So, you got one of the guys last night right?"

"I don't want to talk about it Mae."

\ "Come on, how did you do it?"

"I said no Mae!"

"Alright, alright, fine, we don't have to talk about it. Soooo, what'ca doin?"

"I don't know. I've been told to take a few days off, I... I don't know what I'm going to do."

"You can spend time with me."

"Why do you want to spend time with me?"

"Why not? You look like a fun guy. Besides, if your bold enough to bathe in a river this time of year, I'm sure you cool enough to do the stuff I do."

"Well what is it that you do?"

"Crimes."

"What crimes."

"Just crimes."

"Like what?"

"It's self explanatory Simon, stop asking questions."

Simon was unsure what to say, while it wasn't a good idea to let his mind wander, it wasn't a good idea to go to jail within the first week of his new life. But weighing the effects of receding and jail time, Simon decided this would be the dumbest choice he ever made. "Alright Mae, I'll give it a shot."

Mae smiled. "Alright, glad to know your not a wuss, come with me. I'll get you hooked up."

She grabbed his paw and began to pull him along. Simon groaned internally. What was she up to now.

Simon stared up at Mae who had managed to climb up to the roof. "Come on Simon, we don't have a whole lot of time!"

"Mae, are you crazy, there's no way I can make that."

"Come on Simon, don't be a wuss."

"There's a fine line between cowardice and stupidity Mae!"

"But you love what you have to see up here!"

Mae had somehow convinced him to join her on the roof for fun. He wasn't sure what she was planning but climbing up to the roof wasn't such a great idea. Then again, he didn't exactly have to climb. "Alright Mae, I'll be up there, just give me a second."

"Alright."

She sat there looking coyly at him. Simon ran to the other side of the large red building. Bingo, a fire escape of the tall five story building. The iron ladder hung a few feet above the ground but he would manage. He dragged a abandoned table and pushed it into a spot where he could easily reach the ladder. He jumped up and began to climb the ladder. He began to make his way up the flight of stairs to the top. "HEY YOU DAMN KIDS GET OFF OF THE FIRE ESCAPE."

Simon flinched at the old raspy voice that came from the window below him but continued to run. Eventually, he made it to the top. Gasping, he looked at Mae who was standing there with a smug expression. "Well come on Simon, we still got some exploring to do."

She leaped off the roof and onto the ledge of an adjacent building, as if she was mocking his fitness. She was a small fat cat, he could do better then her. Simon followed her along the ledge until they came across a window that was half open. Mae slid the window open and crawled inside and Simon followed her. "Okay, what now Mae."

"Just wait a second. This thing is really cool."

She walked down the stairs and past some old flower decorations. Simon coughed from the amount of dust that was in the room. He approached the door Mae had entered and opened it to find a dilapidated duck statue. It's cold and wide eyes looking up to the ceiling, that wide, creepy smile. "Ta da! What do you think Simon?"

"What is this suppose to be."

"It's Mallard, the old possum spring float."

"It's really fucking creepy Mae, why did you want me to see it?"

"Hey, Mallard isn't creepy. Sure he did run over Chris Evans that one spring when his tether broke but he's still cool. He was one of the best parts of my childhood and the best of the possum spring floats. Besides, he isn't all I want you to see, come closer."

"No Mae, I don't want to."

"Come on!"

Mae grabbed Simon's arm and dragged him to the float. Despite her small size, she managed to pull Simon over despite his best efforts to break free of her without harming her. When she got him over he gave up. "Fine, what is it you want me to see."

"Just wait Simon."

She pulled out a pretzel and held it over a tear in the duck's stomach. Simon stood there for a moment wondering what Mae was doing. Suddenly, an albino rat jumped out of the hole and latched onto the pretzel, gnawing on it. Mae continued to wave the pretzel and a second rat jumped up to eat as well, and then a third before she let the pretzel go. Simon peaked into the hole and watched the rats tear the pretzel apart. "What was that about Mae?"

"They're my babies."

"They're gross Mae."

One of the rats looked up and hissed at him. "Aww, Simon, you upset him, say your sorry."

"No Mae, I'm not saying sorry to a disgusting rat."

"Yes you are."

"No I'm not Mae."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No Mae, I'm not saying sorry, especially to a rat."

"Fine, be that way, I'll get you to say sorry one day."

"Good luck with that Mae. Can we leave, I really don't want to stick around here, especially with that creepy parade float."

"Alright, alright, fine. Let's go."

She walked out of the room and Simon followed. He walked down the stairs and saw a door to the right, something about it peaked his curiosity. "Hey Mae, do you know what is behind that door?"

She came back and looked at it. "No, I never really noticed it actually."

Simon stepped over and put a paw on the door knob. "Oh, so if I drag you to weird places it's not okay but if you do it it's fine?"

Simon turned and looked at Mae who stared at him with a smug expression. "No, I'm doing this on my own accord, not because you told me to."

Simon opened the door. "BOO!"

"GAH!"

Simon jumped up when Mae spooked him. He grabbed his chest and glared at her. Mae on the other hand simply laughed and pointed at him. "Oh, man, hahaha. Your face, it was just like the time I caught you in that ravine. Man, you don't take too well to surprises now do you?"

"Of course I don't, who does Mae?"

"Well not everyone acts as extreme as you."

"Whatever."

Simon looked inside. It was, what he could only assume, was a bedroom. A metal frame bed on the side. A wardrobe and several pictures depicting religious figures on the wall. "Wow, this place is cozy Simon."

"Yea, it kind of is."

"Say, you aren't planning on raping me now, are you? What would Jesus here think."

She pulled a picture off the wall with a lion on it and held it out in front of her. Simon scoffed. "Mae, that joke wasn't even funny, why would you ever say that?"

"It was just a joke Simon."

"Well maybe you should think before you say something."

"Sorry."

"Whatever, let's just get out of here before we get asthma."

Simon and Mae stepped inside the old party store where the rest of the gang had assembled as well as a strange bird he had never seen before. Bea looked up from her laptop and looked at him with a bored, almost condescending, expression. "Oh, you brought him along."

They all looked at him, making him very nervous. "Yep. And we are just hanging out."

Bea snorted. "Huh, and how has that been working out for you."

Simon groaned. "She's crazy. I don't know why, but she's feeding a nest of fucking rats and calling them her babies."

Gregg laughed. "Welp, looks like Mae is getting her maternal instincts are finally kicking in. Must be all that college getting into her head."

"Haha Gregg, don't think I'm getting soft over here, I can still eff people up."

"Sure you can."

"I can, and if you keep doing this, I'll have to eff you up."

"Bring it."

Bea snorted. "Come on you two, are we going to play a song or what?"

"Sure, hit it!"

Sorry this one is short. I kind of crapped out when I realized I forgot to ask you guys a question. Do we follow the Gregg path or the Bea path. Or should I just shoehorn Simon into the little side adventures Mae has and leave him out of the main story line. Comment and I'll choose the option that has the most votes. Happy, late fourth of July, hope you all are having a great summer.