Chapter Eight
Each and every employee who had been near or inside the cafeteria were sent to the hospital, and one by one they were checked for anything serious.
Most of the monsters were okay, and highly annoyed with the situation. It was all they could do to complain as they left the hospital and went home, since the factory was shut down for the rest of the day.
Zane was the most sensitive, practically crying his eyes out as a nurse checked him and continued to calmly tell him, "Everything is alright."
"Mike," Celia said as she stepped up to her man, who was briefly watching Jimmy talking to one of the safety monsters. "Mike?" She repeated when he didn't answer.
He turned to her,a little apprehensive about everything.
"We can go home now. Do you wanna walk me?"
Mike did want to walk her. He wanted to walk her home, and spend time with her. However, he knew that was the last thing he could do. Dealing with the mistake Jimmy made was more important. "I better stay and wait on Sully."
Celia seemed a bit hurt by his response, but accepted it as she gently rubbed his head.
Her touch soothed him, and he felt like his body was tingling, making him want to run off with her. He resisted that temptation, and glanced over at Jimmy as Ceila left.
Both Jimmy and the Safety Monster made their way over, and began to talk about the conversation they had.
"False alarm," the monster said to Mike and peered at Jimmy. "It was a mistake. I will let your boss know."
As soon as the two were alone, Mike gave his friend an annoyed expression. He didn't know where to start with him, so Mike made his way to the hospital doors.
"Mike," Jimmy said as he quickly followed him out the doors. "Mike, I'm sorry."
Mike instantly turned to his friend. "What was that? You probably cost us our jobs!"
"Mike, I was only trying to protect you."
"From what, Sully? I'm fine, I can handle myself."
It stunned Jimmy, but he somehow knew that his friend was right. Mike was probably braver than he was, but it wasn't as though he would tell him that.
Mike didn't wait another moment, and continued to shift away.
Jimmy could only chase after him, and try to continue the conversation. "Mike, you don't understand. There's something strange going on. Like in the apartment–"
Mike stopped to look at his friend once more. "Don't do that, Sully. You're just afraid of change. You never wanted to move out, it's quite obvious."
"That's not it at all! Just like in the closet, and near the vending machine, I can see someone. Someone has been watching us." He knew it sounded crazy, and it was exactly how Mike took it.
"Sully–what the hell!"
Jimmy was suddenly angry, not liking his friend's aggressive reaction, and began to yell at him, telling him he wasn't a trusting friend, while Mike yelled back at the same time, trying to explain how crazy he sounded and that it was all in his head.
The two didn't even notice that they were getting attention from a small crowd in the hospital parking lot, nor would they care.
Mike yelled in frustration. "I'm going home! And I'm walking alone!" He charged away, and didn't stop to look back; at least until he made it away from the lot.
When the green monster turned around, Jimmy was gone, meaning he had gone his own way. It hurt Mike, like a part of him wanted his friend to follow him, or for this whole situation to be a dream.