as it turns out, i wasn't done with this story after all. i have returned with new angst and sadness. bet you all are grateful for that. so enjoy all the sadness that comes with this little bonus chapter and just know that i cried whilst writing it if that makes you feel any better, but i kind of doubt that.
Alek wasn't sure what lead up to waking up in a hospital bed. The first thing he realized was that he was alone in the room. Sure there were other patients, but… Deryn wasn't there. Alek tried to sit up but his efforts rewarded him with agonizing pain in his torso. He fell back on his pillows in defeat.
There was soft light streaming through the window above his bed. Sunrise. The surrounding room became clearer with the new coming light. The man in the bed to the right of him looked as if he had walked through a minefield. Alek wondered if he looked the same. He couldn't see much of himself other that thick wrappings on his chest and arms.
Surrendering to the silent stillness of the hospital ward, Alek assigned himself the job of studying the ceiling cracks.
Hours passed before anybody who might know how he got to be laying in this bed came in to check on the patients. She was young nurse around the age of twenty. She was rather pretty with auburn hair ties back in a bun.
She noticed that Alek was awake and watching her. She came over.
"Good morning sir." She said pleasantly.
Alek tried to return her smile, but it came out s more of a grimace. "Excuse me miss, could you tell me why I am here?" Alek asked. The nurse smiled apologetically at him. "I'm sorry sir, but I don't know what happened to you."
"Would there happen to be a tall blonde boy by the name of Dylan Sharp here? He is a science official. He is my friend."
The nurse shook her head at that question. Alek was bit confused at that, Deryn would be here visiting unless… she too, was hospitalized. A small bit of panic welled up inside him. He couldn't remember what happened to him, Deryn could very well be dying on a bed in this very hospital, and Alek wouldn't know. The nurse seemed to notice that he was becoming agitated.
"Although, there was a woman from the zoological society of London here earlier. She said her name was Dr. Barlow."
The door opened behind her and in walked Dr. Barlow. Her eyes were a little puffy like she had been crying, but that was impossible, Dr. Barlow never cried. On her shoulder was Bovril, accompanied by the lady boffin's own loris. Dr. Barlow reached Alek's bedside and waved the nurse away.
Upon closer inspection, Alek realized she had indeed been crying, for her eyes were red and her face splotchy. Bovril hopped her shoulder and onto Alek's lap. He expected the beastie to say some sort of greeting, but it stayed in a mournful silence.
"What happened to me?" Alek questioned. Dr. Barlow took a deep breath.
"It would be up to you to tell us that. You were found in No Man's Land, shot full of bullets, when you should have been in the officer's bunker."
"What about Deryn, is she okay? Where is she?"
Dr. Barlow flinched like he question visibly hurt her. She suddenly couldn't meet Alek's eyes.
"You don't remember anything of what happened?" She was pleading him. Alek shook his head.
"Only that Deryn and I were in the trenches. Where is Deryn? She should be here, she must be worried sick."
Dr. Barlow still wouldn't look in his eyes. She stroked her loris and sighed shakily. "I didn't want to be the one to tell you," she started. Only then did Alek realize something was terribly wrong.
"The trenches were attacked by walkers and a bomb shell struck near the officer's bunker..."
Alek didn't want to hear the rest of the report. He already knew how it would end. "No, no, Dr. Barlow, stop." Something about the way she was talking wanted made him want to curl up under his thin hospital blanket and forget the world existed. He wanted Deryn, but by the looks of things, Deryn wasn't going to come and rescue him this time.
"I'm sorry, Alek, but-" "STOP IT! STOP TALKING!" Alek didn't mean to yell. He was crying now, his hands covering his ears in a futile attempt to block reality. Dr. Barlow had tears running down her face. Alek swallowed. "I don't want to hear anymore." His voice was small, like a scared child. Dr. Barlow tentatively reached out her hand and placed it on Alek's knee. Then she got up and left. Alek pulled the thin hospital blankets over his head and cried. His sobs wracking his body until he fell into the welcome dark embrace of sleep.