A Dragon's Crimson Cry
By: Tippi
Ch 9 Dog Call
The hospital
Habit awoke LS at dawn. After Jake had fallen asleep he had been moved to an actually hospital room. Jake stayed asleep as he was placed in a bed and LS had fallen asleep shortly after in the chair next to his bed.
LS stretched his body out after a long night asleep in a chair. LS sat in the chair awake thinking the first thing he needed was his morning tea but he was reluctant to leave his grandson alone. He looked at his sleeping grandson and figured he'd be fine while he left to find a cup of tea and the paper.
LS had found him self back to the lobby and asked where the cafeteria was. While he was down there he noticed the mass of reporters trying to get into the hospital. LS should have seen that coming. Reporters were vampires as soon as there was a story they were all over it and sucked it dry.
LS managed to find some herbal tea in the place and purchased a paper. He wasn't too surprised at the headline on it. 'The 86th Street Slaying' it said in bold, black print across the paper's top. It was ironic they chose the word slaying LS thought. He was sure this was on all over the morning news too.
Then an after thought came to him, Fu Dog. He wondered if the canine even realized he was missing.
He knew Fu was rarely up at dawn but still he should try calling him at least leave a message on the machine.
The Shop
Fu had fallen asleep in the arm chair like usual. Fu slowly opened his eyes and his gaze went to the clock on the wall. It read five pass six, Fu gave a groan thinking it was too early to wake up. He closed his eyes and tried to go back to sleep but something inside of him was nagging him to stay awake. Since he couldn't get back to sleep he decided to go about the morning business.
Fu got out of the chair stretching his body. Fu went to the front part of the shop to see if the mail had been dropped off yet. Fu saw the mail lying on the floor under the mail slot and he picked it up but then he saw the paper on the floor under the mail. Gramps usually was up by now and would have already taken the paper. In fact that wasn't the only thing out of place. The building was eerily quiet the TV or radio wasn't tuned into the news and there was no smell of morning tea in the air. The old man never started the morning with out his tea. Actually Fu couldn't remember LS getting in last night. It was true he could sleep through almost anything and gramps could have just gotten in after he fell asleep but where was he this morning. Fu flung the mail and paper next to the register of the shop and climbed up the stairs. He saw the upstairs kitchen was empty as he moved on and looked in LS's bedroom. Gramps wasn't in his room and it looked as if the bed hadn't been slept in. Fu was starting to really worry. Fu went back downstairs when the phone rang. He ran to the front counter to pick up the phone hoping for a familiar voice to be on the other end.
"Hello, Canal Street Electronics Never…" Fu started picking up the phone but was cut off by the one at the other end.
"Fu Dog it's me" LS said from the other end.
"Gramps, where are you, I thought something bad had happened" Fu said to the old dragon.
"Something did I'm at the hospital" Gramps responded.
"You ok, what happened, need me to whip up a healing potion" Fu asked frantically on the other line.
"No potion can heal my wounds" Gramps said sadly.
"What happened?" Fu asked again.
"How can you not know it's all over the news and is the paper's headline" Gramps said as you could see the TV in the waiting area behind LS tuned to the news as it talked about the very event LS was referring to.
"I haven't read the paper or turned on the TV" Fu answered.
"You don't have the TV on that's a first" Gramps said.
"Hang on" Fu said as he grabbed the paper and unfolded it and read the headline then skimmed the article.
"Gramps I'm… You… This…" The 600 year old canine was at a lost for words. Even 6 centuries couldn't give the dog anything to say. He never lost a close family member both his parents as well as his grandparents were still holding on last time he checked and his love life never got far enough for a wife and pups. But the old man was a brother, cousin, father and grandfather. He had a well extended family over 30 relatives he couldn't begin to comprehend what the man was going through.
Gramps was fine with the dog's sudden silence he knew there was nothing the dog could say.
"The gods of fate left me only one life from the tragedy" Gramps said.
Fu stayed quite on the other end not sure what the old man was implying.
"Jake some how managed to survive" Gramps explained.
"Susan's kid" Fu asked thinking about the boy.
[Susan was LS's youngest daughter and Jake was her fist child and Gramps' oldest and first grandchild. As the first dragon born on American soil and America not having a dragon representative already Jake was the first considered for the job as the first American dragon.
Fu had a fondness for the boy even if he was made to act like the average house pet in his presence. Jake found entertainment in letting Fu's dog instincts get the better of him every time Jake throws a ball. No matter how many times Fu told him self he wasn't going to fetch it he still found him self playing fetch with the boy. Also Jake seemed to have the magic fingers sorta speak. Jake always found just the right place to scratch behind the ears or rub his belly to make Fu's back leg go.]
"Yes, he's why I'm at the hospital" Gramps responded.
"How bad is he" Fu asked with concern.
"Psychically he's fine but mental and emotionally… he's broken and the healing has barely begun" Gramps said.
"Well, everything he knew and loved besides you is gone and destroyed" Fu said.
"I should go I'll call later" LS said hanging up the phone with no more to say, he wanted to return to his grandson.
A/N This may get confusing later on if it isn't already so any questions just ask. Review