Took me longer to finish this chapter due to busy schedules and other commitments that need my attention, so sorry for the delay. In case you're wondering, I haven't abandoned this story completely, as my reason for leaving it out so long is due to writers block. But that's all over now so I'm beginning to write it again.
Though I gotta admit it's probably gonna be a while before I finish the 7th chapter. Anyways, here's the next one all laid out in text.
Heckler's adventure continues on...
Happy Reading!
"What do we have?" A frazzled-looking nurse asked, wrapping on a fresh gown and walked out of the hospital bay.
"A large, heavyset looking fella. He was a victim of a botched robbery"
Heavyset? I'll teach you what heavyset means! Heckler glared mockingly – though impotently so – at the M.T.
Luckily for Heckler, the guy was too busy to pay attention to him.
Without a minute to spare, Slick was quickly rushed to the E.R. by nurses on duty. One of them had cordoned off the door. That was as far as Heckler could go.
"I'm sorry sir, but this area is off limits. You need to stay here in the waiting room."
The red neon sign above the entrance flashed brightly, denoting a operation in progress. Worn out and exhausted from all the running, Heckler stumbled and fell backward onto a green bench aligned with the wall. A long and tedious wait was expected.
From the outside, there was no way to tell what was happening to Slick. The details would remain scarce until someone came out and explained the full situation. And whatever prognosis Slick would face.
Heckler could do nothing but sit tight. Fear intensified and sunk deeply, and it took every ounce of strength he could muster to prevent a full on freak-out. He winced and became restless at every nurse's footfall and gurney's squeak. Things didn't get any better when he couldn't help but insult a little boy tirelessly running around the place.
"Hey kid, enjoying yourself there? Try savoring that lollipop because once it's gone, you'll never get it back"
The poor kid was startled and burst into tears. A wave of regret overcame Heckler. Now he needed to think about how best to handle this bawling child…and fast. Trouble would be coming in a second if the kid's parents found out. "It's ok, ssh sssh, don't cry now" he gently consoled him.
When that failed to appease the child, Heckler resorted to bribery. "Here's a quarter, go buy yourself some candy" He flipped the tender over to the boy. The coin flew directly in his hand. A wheeze turned into a smile. "Now isn't that adorable" Heckler rustled the hair on top of the little one's head.
"So, we good now?" The boy nodded in approval. Heckler seemed to be in good spirits with his new friend. "Now run along and have fun"
Driven by sugary instinct, the kid hurried off to buy some sweets. Once more crisis averted, Heckler turned his attention back to the real problem.
"I can do this, just calm myself down. These guys are certified professionals." Heckler composed himself with a few shaky breaths.
For now, he had to trust the hospital staff if there were any way to save the salesman.
And so Heckler sat silently for an hour.
The red light dimmed. A surgeon came out the door, removing his medical mask. "Mr. Heckler" he called out.
Nothing.
The surgeon shot a second time "Mr. Heckler?" This time he raised his voice to separate his own from the din of the sick crowd.
"I'm here, hold your horses" Heckler spat when he finally caught the doctor's voice.
"Are you Mr. Heckler?" the surgeon asked.
"I am. What's up, doc?"
"Come with me"
Heckler followed the man covered in bloody scrubs down a hall. One room, two rooms, three rooms back. Each step worsened the congealed fear in his gut. Heckler swallowed as the doctor stopped and pivoted in front of a closed oak door.
Heckler fought to remain steady before finding out Slick's ultimate fate.
"For the moment, your friend is unconscious, and needs to be under constant watch." The doctor softened, relaxed a bit "Though I can assure you that he'll be alright"
"Thank goodness for that"
The orange fuzz ball took the news like a champ. There was no reason to ask why. The man's genuine expression was slight confirmation that Slick is indeed safe.
"After you, sir. Please" The doctor opened the door. The metronomic beep of a heart monitor spilled out into the sterile hallway. The doctor motioned for Heckler to enter. One step. Then another. The door closed behind him.
A tentative knock on the door. Before Heckler could answer, the door creaked as the knob slowly turned.
A young female doctor, around mid-20, stepped into the room, her clipboard in hand. The minute she went in, there was lightness in her steps.
"Hello, I'm Doctor Julianne Harvey. You can call me Doc Julie for short."
Heckler turned his full attention to the doctor as soon as he got a glimpse of her. She did what any normal doctor would do – check the health status of her patients.
"So we begin by assessing the patients' caretaker. First of all, how are you related to the patient?" Her hand was involuntarily jotting down important information.
"Oh um, I'm his cousin" He gave her a wary nod.
"Any other confidential information you might want to share?" She added.
If the doctor was trying to trick or getting him to open up his feelings for Slick, Heckler wouldn't say a word. He knew when to step back before it would raise some eyebrows. He was, in a sense, glad to withhold that information. It was a good thing, because she probably would've freaked out.
"No, nothing else. Just your two regular BFF genetic experiments"
If only the doctor knew.
"You mean one of those genetic alien experiments running around the island?" Her subtle voice bounced through the four corners of the room.
Heckler didn't know whether to feel scared or relieved. After all, most humans aren't always the friendly type when it comes to extraterrestrials. He stiffened visibly at the mention of the word 'Alien'.
"Yeah, both of us are aliens, why? You got something against us lady?" Heckler sneered, sensing possible hostility toward him and Slick.
"Oh nothing like that, we love the experiments. In fact, we've got several of your cousins working at the hospital, you'll probably meet one of them sooner or later!"
Her act of simple honesty broke down any barriers that would've otherwise kept both parties on opposing ends. Heckler dropped the sneer painted across his face.
"Alright, glad we're one and the same. So uh, how is he Doc?" Heckler asked, eager for a response from the physician.
"Vital signs are stable for now, but we need more time to monitor him just to be sure. He's still under critical care."
"How long would that be?" Curiosity had gotten the best of him.
"I'd say about 3 weeks would be sufficient. I…hate to be the bearer of bad news but the cut was deep, not to mention the bruises he took from his attackers. He's going to be fine nonetheless, but it'll take time" She was able to give Heckler some good news about Slick's condition.
To be told twice by two different doctors lifted an enormous pressure off his shoulders. He drew a deep breath, felt it energize every muscle fiber, and then continued.
"You gave me quite a scare doc"
"I'm a bit surprised myself. From the looks of it, I'd say your friend took up quite a beating"
"A real trooper, no doubt," Heckler smiled in satisfaction "I've known this guy for a while and he's a real dynamo when it comes to protecting the things he loves"
"Well I'm glad he's got someone who cares for him. And you should be proud! You're a hero – you saved his life. That's something he's going to be grateful for someday." She commended the insulter for stepping up and taking charge when no one else did.
Heckler, on the other hand, had other things going on his mind.
"I don't know if hero is the right word for it…" Doubt loomed large "But I guess you can say I came at the right time."
"The things we do for the people we love… Well, I have other patients I need to attend to. If you guys need anything, just page the nurses' station downstairs."
He nodded. "You got it doc, and thanks again"
Heckler chuckled gently as he watched her retreating form.
She gave him a sly, but suspicious wink before she exited the room. The door closed behind with the physician heading off to her next patient. The stunned experiment shook his head a little at her teasing tone, whilst somehow maintaining a straight face.
Still standing in the doorframe, Heckler's heart quickened. "Does she know? Nah, probably not!"
One glance tells him precisely what it is. He let out a short grunt to hide his discomfort.
This was bad news.
"If word gets out that I have a crush on this guy, people could either love me or hate me for holding it in for so long" He told himself.
Heckler's opinion is that if people want to intrude on his inner social life, they'd have to meet several conditions. Most of them would probably bail, as getting through all that arduous process could mean that their head could not contend with all the complex things he planned.
"She's probably just being nosy" He muttered to no one in particular "The doctor hardly knows a thing or two about me. No one, but me alone, will ever understand what I'm going through anyway"
Taking a deep breath, he freely let all the air out. He stretched the upper appendages above his head before turning his attention to Slick.
"He's probably going to be fine" he whispered, squeezing his eyes to block out everything he doesn't want to imagine right then. Now was not the best time for negative thoughts.
He opened his mouth, trying to form something coherent. Yet, silence persisted, growing more uncomfortable with the passing heartbeats bleating on the monitor.
He felt stunned not knowing what to do.
An immure loudmouth without words. Nothing Heckler could think of seemed right. He couldn't look away, seeing him all battered and bruised, yet he had hoped for nothing but the best.
"Or should I assume the worst?" He abruptly added.
No sooner had he uttered those horrible words, he realized it a pretty stupid thing to say to a good friend. He needed to be serious and this situation was clearly a testing ground for him, both mentally and physically, yet his only main concern was to keep Slick alive.
No, he isn't alright
He wouldn't be alright
Not until I know for sure
Standing by his side, he cared for him, a lot. Being close friends, they not only trusted each other and respected each other but they formed a strong bond as well. There was no way Heckler was going to run away and leave Slick falling by the wayside. Not now, not ever.
The salesman's slow recovery in the next few hours will make all the difference, but if the professionals responsible for him mess up, Heckler could lose him for good. The orange insulter will be damned if he let that happen. Not after he's fought so hard just to keep Slick alive.
Setting down for the night quickly became the best decision. A well-deserved rest near Slick's bedside. Heckler pulled up a chair and sat on the left side of Slick's bed.
He got down to his feet and shut off the lamp beside him, letting moonbeams peak through the glass window.
He shifted uncomfortably as he hugged his knees while the blanket wrapped him tightly. He tried to pack in as much warmth as he could.
He'd barely dozed off when a clap of thunder jarred him awake. "Son of a…can a guy get some decent sleep around here?" He fumbled in frustration.
Reclining his back to a more comfortable position, Heckler soon began to shut down.
No less than a minute later, the room lapsed into silence, save for a tree branch rustling against the sides of the old concrete walls of the hospital.
With the noise finally dwindling down, sleep found its way to the tired experiment.
A second clash of thunder rang through the air. It stirred Heckler awake as he jumped to his senses. Curse that thunderstorm. There wasn't an easy way to tell how much time had passed – still too dark to tell.
"Ugh, how long was I asleep?" His voice felt tired.
Lifting himself up from a slouching position, he turned his head to the salesman who was fast asleep on the bed. Heckler gently placed his hand on his side wistfully as he gave him a reassuring smile.
He quietly watched the salesman slumped heavily on his bed, concentration and earnestness apparent all over Heckler's face.
The orange fuzz ball rubbed his neck, feeling like the world's biggest fool.
Please be alright, Slick. I need you bro.
Just then, the salesman's left palm twitched. Heckler's droopy ears perked up once he sensed Slick about to speak.
But against his expectations, the anticipated reply was not what he had hoped for.
"You…you stared at me getting beaten up by crooks like a coward! Why?!" Slick's accusing tone resonated around the room.
"I…I didn't know it was you! I'm sorry!" Heckler quickly bit his lip.
His voice rivaled that of the distant clashing of thunder outside.
"I could've been dead. Don't you care for me anymore?"
Don't you care. Heckler was souring inside, but hid it with a plain face.
"You know that's not true Slick. We've been best friends ever since the Leroy's attacked us. You know I'd never abandon you in any way. I…I…" Heckler wanted to send the conversation in a different direction, but the feeling lingered too long. Pressure built. He was unable to hold it in.
"I like you!"
Those three simple words he dreaded saying, yet wanted to for so long. His whole body went utterly still, shame was gripping the guy from inside out.
Heckler let his guard down. His heart rate accelerated as he waited for Slick's reaction.
"Hmph" A reply comes out in a rushed, but irked tone.
Out of options, Heckler was forced to use an agitated taunt in order to get a more satisfied response "Come on halfwit! Is that all you have?" He challenged Slick.
There was silence.
"Hello?! Don't leave me hanging here!" Heckler was edging for an answer but got no response.
"Slick?" He called out his name once more before he turned on the light and realized Slick was only talking in his sleep.
Comfort blossomed, knowing he got away with it – and his secret, still tucked away in his confused little mind.
"For the love of…he's only talking in his sleep" Heckler face palmed. Great job stupid, keep it up!
Heckler felt relief and, if he was honest, just a tiny bit smug.
This was a terrible way to admit what he truly felt about Slick. It hurt having to keep mum about it, but sometimes, that's the most rational and reasonable thing Heckler would be willing to risk.
"Phew! That was close. I need to remember when to keep my mouth shut!" As he took his seat again and waited to sleep to bless him once more, he hoped he could avoid unleashing such careless drivel again.
