Hope you enjoy this chapter, Merry Christmas, thanks for the reviews and read and review :) x
Chapter 21- Henry
They spent another night in hospital with each other, playing Xbox and chatting and giggling. The environment was much different to what they'd been used to while Dougie had been ill. On their last night, they sat in the chairs around near the window, reading through the magazine and newspaper articles that had been posted.
'I love the police,' Tom said with half a smile, 'not one word about our "ghosts"!' The articles gave very little detail, the ghosts changing into burglars who turned violent once they were refused valuables. There was silence in the room while Tom folded the magazines back up, putting them under his chair.
'There's been something I've been wanting to ask,' Danny said quietly, taking a biscuit from the plate in front of them.
'What's that Dan?' Harriet asked, grasping his unused hand.
'Dougie, what happened to you?' he murmured and Dougie looked uncomfortable.
'You don't have to tell me,' he added quickly but Dougie shook his head. They'd spent last night telling Dougie the ordeals they went through. Now it was time for him to share his. Taking a deep breath, Dougie began to speak.
'We were just standing there in the kitchen...y'know? Then all of a sudden I went cold, like freezing cold, and rigid, and everything in front of me went black. I can remember all these images swirling around in my mind, of Donald, of you guys' deaths...' Dougie broke off and shivered. Harry took his unhurt hand gently.
'...you all kept dying...he kept killing you all...and I couldn't wake up, I couldn't make them go away. It was like being in a continual nightmare. I don't remember very much, and I only remember waking up for that tiny moment, and being in so much pain, it was unbelievable. Then, I was out of it again. My whole body was hurting. Not even the unconsciousness could stop that. Donald was in my head...telling me awful things...about what he'd do to me...what he'd do to you...I was terrified...'
A slow tear made its way down Dougie's bruised and battered cheek. Harry gently caught it, brushing it away.
'You don't need to say any more Doug, we get it,' Danny said softly, giving Dougie a small smile. Dougie nodded tearfully and turned into Harry to hug him.
'I think it's about time we got some sleep eh? We get discharged tomorrow,' Tom said, trying to bring a lightened mood to the group. The others nodded, Harry helping Dougie and Tom back to their beds, Danny kissing Harriet goodnight before climbing into his own bed. All was silent. Except for the inside of Dougie's mind. Donald's words, echoing around and around.
'I'll kill them all. I'll kill you.'
Harry, certain Dougie wasn't okay, climbed quietly out of bed, his collarbone aching as he did so, before making his way to Dougie's bed, laying down beside him.
'You okay?' he whispered. Dougie shook his head in the darkness.
'It's all okay Doug, I promise. Donald is gone, all the bad ghosts are okay? They're gone. They can't hurt anyone anymore,' Harry soothed as Dougie broke down into tears. Harry lay there, silently hugging his best friend as quiet tears and sobs racked Dougie's body. Secretly, Harry let a few tears fall. They had come inches away from losing Dougie. From losing everything. He hugged Dougie tighter, incredibly grateful that Donald had not had his way with him. Dougie was strong. And that was why he was still here.
'I'm so glad we didn't lose you,' Harry whispered, more tears streaming down his face, now, not so secret.
Dougie hugged Harry back, tears running down his face too. 'Me too.'
Harry lay beside Dougie, feeling upset, confused, sore and tired. He didn't quite know what Donald had put into Dougie's head. He didn't want to know. But he would be there for Dougie whenever he needed him.
Tom was first awake the next morning. Looking around the room, he smiled. Dougie and Harry, sharing the small bed, Harriet and Danny with their beds pushed right together. Bored, Tom pulled himself out of bed, took his crutches, and began to walk down the corridor. Hobbling, he heard a child's giggle, and turned. It was a room full of X-Boxes, Play Stations and Wiis. Tom smiled and hobbled in, sitting down in the corner of the room on a foam cube, watching as a boy and a girl played Mario Kart against each other.
'I know who you are!' a voice exclaimed. Tom looked up. There was a boy, who looked around ten, on crutches as well, making his way over to Tom. He gave him a smile as the boy sat beside him.
'You're from McFly! My sister's in love with you guys!' he added.
'Well that's great,' Tom smiled, 'what's your name?'
'Henry,' the boy replied, 'I'm nine, I broke my leg falling off the playground.'
'Well Henry, I'm Tom,' Tom said with a smile, 'and I broke my leg falling down a hill!'
Henry laughed, seeming transfixed by Tom.
'So, what were you doing to fall off the playground Henry?' Tom asked, smiling.
'Well!' Henry began, and Tom held back a laugh; 'We were playing a game where one person was it, and if you were on ground, they could get you! But the thing was, even if you were on the playground, your feet still couldn't touch the floor of the playground, so I tried to jump up on the railing to get away from Matty, who was trying to get me, and my foot slid off, and I fell allllllll the way down! It was so cool being in the ambulance!' Henry's voice got louder and more excited with every syllable. 'How did you hurt your leg Tom?' Henry asked, out of breath from telling his story.
'Well, me and Dougie were standing on the edge of a big hill, and my foot slipped and I slid all the way down and my leg hit the tree at the bottom!' Tom said and Henry laughed.
'That's worse than mine! And I thought I was silly!' Tom laughed along with Henry, his day suddenly feeling brighter. Henry suddenly stopped laughing, gasped and turned to Tom.
'Would you be able to sign my cast? It'd make my sister soooooo jealous!'
'Of course,' Tom laughed, leaning over to the table to take a marker, quickly signing his name on Henry's cast.
'Do you reckon I should write it on paper too? For you and your sister?' Tom asked and Henry nodded.
He leaned close to Tom and whispered, 'for me, not for my sister!'
'That's not very nice!' Tom giggled, but signed the piece of paper anyway.
'Now Henry,' Tom asked, 'will you do me the honour of being the first to sign my cast?'
Henry's eyes went wide and his face froze. 'Are you serious?' he asked excitedly and Tom nodded with a grin. Henry, grinning like a Cheshire Cat took the marker from Tom, writing Henry on Tom's cast, putting a small smiley face after it. Tom held his hand out for the marker, quickly drawing a man in a spaceship, some aliens, a guitar and a surfboard. Henry was over the moon. His little face grinned, if possible, wider and he quickly threw himself forward into Tom, giving him a hug. Tom hugged him back, smiling.
'If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were a fan of us too,' Tom laughed.
'Maybe,' Henry replied, still grinning.
'Henry, come on, it's time for breakfast!' a woman called from the door, and Henry stood, taking his crutches from Tom.
'It was nice meeting you Tom,' Henry smiled.
'Very nice meeting you too, try not to fall off anymore playgrounds,' Tom teased.
'I won't if you don't fall down hills!' Henry replied and they both laughed. Henry gave Tom a wave, clutching the piece of paper, hobbling to the door. Tom smiled.
That little boy had just made his day.