RaDiOdOrK
Chapter Uno- Scars and Stories
Daniel dropped his head mournfully to his shaking form, sleeved in an olive green hospital robe.
'This is so pathetic'
He glanced around the white-washed walls, closed, numbered doors and bustling hallways.
'This is so incredibly cliche'
Even the paper cup he drank from smelled of disinfectant.
His mother lay unconscious in the room behind him, receiving a check-up for the fifth time that evening. He never liked to stay and watch, it was the first time he'd seen her vulnerable; and preferred the loneliness of the corridor.
'Watch it son!' A warden sped past and almost caused a collision with the stretcher he pushed, harbouring a motionless, sheeted form.
Daniel jumped backwards, only to hear the outrage of a group of knee-high children. They glared viciously at him, shrunken beneath their matching robes and I.D. bracelets.
He smiled, apologetic. He was used to children liking him.
'See why we call it the midnight rush?' a voice commented lightly beside him, and he glanced down to this watch as he turned to face her.
'It's only eight o'clock..'
The girl shrugged, her tangled hair reflecting her carelessness and her worn robes revealing just how familiar she was to this place. 'Sickness doesn't always wait.'
Daniel nodded, irritated and turned back to the rushing hallway.
'Jhokai- burns unit.' She delivered her greeting grimly, but looked to him for a response all the same.
'Daniel- miserable actor from a movie series that never finished. Excuse me, I have to attend to my dying mother.' And with his last bitter note, he turned back towards room 304. The heavy door swung outwards, and Daniel felt his face implode as it made contact.
He squeezed his eyes shut and stood motionless, cupping his nose as blood oozed through his fingers and into his gaping mouth.
The exiting doctor, anything but sympathetic, moved Dan heftily into a nearby supply room to fix the damage. They left shortly after with barely an apology, leaving him with a bandage pressed to his face and a inquisitive-looking Jhokai seated across from him.
'I remember now.'
'So do I, it still f**king hurts.'
'No! Harry Potter right?'
'Call me Daniel' His sarcastic reply was muffled by bloody cloths.
She grinned roguishly as if they had made progress. 'Yeah.. There used to be two little girls here. Utterly obsessed they were. Got their whole ward hooked and started a dress up tradition which we still have I believe.' She trailed off reminiscently.
Daniel snorted with laughter; immediately regretting his action as more blood drizzled over the drying stains on his chin and onto his robe as he tried fervently to block the flow.
'Grow up, did they?'
Jhokai eyed him sternly. 'They died Daniel, that's usually the case when we speak in past tense.'
He dropped his eyes to hide the guilt. Jhokai crossed her legs on the box of plastic tubing she was perched on, eyeing him blatantly and flickering back her locks to reveal a glistening array of piercings.
'Aren't they a health risk?'
It was her turn to scoff. 'Needles in the ass isn't the only thing doctors are good for.' She fiddled with a ruby stud on the inside of her ear. 'But they aim just as good.'
Daniel skimmed her over in the silence. 'You don't look very sick.'
She smiled wryly. 'Don't I?'
'Well you said you're from the burns unit and I- ah..'
'You expected what? Scars?'
He dropped his gaze once more. 'Never mind.'
Her intense eyes softened and she picked up her clucky tone. 'So what happened to your mother?'
As invaded as Daniel felt, the girl in front of him didn't seem like someone you said no to.
'Stroke.' He cleared his throat. 'I'm kind of here, everyday out of guilt.'
She smiled, obviously used to exchanging morbid, sadistic hospital stories.
'Ah the guilt visits. Not as popular as the I want your inheritance trips but there's still a few
.'
He grinned at her attempt to make light of the situation, cautiously removing the cloth away for the first time.
'Yeah I've stressed her out. Not doing too great at school any more, and when the whole Harry Potter thing cut short last year..' He shook his head, feigning mourn.
Jhokai gave an understanding nod. 'We'll I'm sure she'll appreciate you when she wakes up, they always do.'
'Jhocky?' A small frail girl peered into the room, gripping the doorway tensely and eyeing Daniel with fright.
'Mindy!' Jhokai rose and scooped the child into her arms, bringing a tiny smile to her porcelain face.
'What're you doing out baby girl?!'
'You didn't come say g'night...'
Jhokai cooed an apology before setting her down again. 'Race you back to the ward!' she called, humouring Mindy. The little girl squealed and took off out the door, white hair flailing after her, and shyness long forgotten.
Jhokai paused in the doorway, still bearing a grin of affection. 'Goodnight Daniel. I was sort of hoping you were sick, we could of hung out.' And with that she was off, bare feet falling down the halls playfully and tiny screams of excitement not far ahead of her.
Daniel dropped his head mournfully to his shaking form, sleeved in an olive green hospital robe.
'This is so pathetic'
He glanced around the white-washed walls, closed, numbered doors and bustling hallways.
'This is so incredibly cliche'
Even the paper cup he drank from smelled of disinfectant.
His mother lay unconscious in the room behind him, receiving a check-up for the fifth time that evening. He never liked to stay and watch, it was the first time he'd seen her vulnerable; and preferred the loneliness of the corridor.
'Watch it son!' A warden sped past and almost caused a collision with the stretcher he pushed, harbouring a motionless, sheeted form.
Daniel jumped backwards, only to hear the outrage of a group of knee-high children. They glared viciously at him, shrunken beneath their matching robes and I.D. bracelets.
He smiled, apologetic. He was used to children liking him.
'See why we call it the midnight rush?' a voice commented lightly beside him, and he glanced down to this watch as he turned to face her.
'It's only eight o'clock..'
The girl shrugged, her tangled hair reflecting her carelessness and her worn robes revealing just how familiar she was to this place. 'Sickness doesn't always wait.'
Daniel nodded, irritated and turned back to the rushing hallway.
'Jhokai- burns unit.' She delivered her greeting grimly, but looked to him for a response all the same.
'Daniel- miserable actor from a movie series that never finished. Excuse me, I have to attend to my dying mother.' And with his last bitter note, he turned back towards room 304. The heavy door swung outwards, and Daniel felt his face implode as it made contact.
He squeezed his eyes shut and stood motionless, cupping his nose as blood oozed through his fingers and into his gaping mouth.
The exiting doctor, anything but sympathetic, moved Dan heftily into a nearby supply room to fix the damage. They left shortly after with barely an apology, leaving him with a bandage pressed to his face and a inquisitive-looking Jhokai seated across from him.
'I remember now.'
'So do I, it still f**king hurts.'
'No! Harry Potter right?'
'Call me Daniel' His sarcastic reply was muffled by bloody cloths.
She grinned roguishly as if they had made progress. 'Yeah.. There used to be two little girls here. Utterly obsessed they were. Got their whole ward hooked and started a dress up tradition which we still have I believe.' She trailed off reminiscently.
Daniel snorted with laughter; immediately regretting his action as more blood drizzled over the drying stains on his chin and onto his robe as he tried fervently to block the flow.
'Grow up, did they?'
Jhokai eyed him sternly. 'They died Daniel, that's usually the case when we speak in past tense.'
He dropped his eyes to hide the guilt. Jhokai crossed her legs on the box of plastic tubing she was perched on, eyeing him blatantly and flickering back her locks to reveal a glistening array of piercings.
'Aren't they a health risk?'
It was her turn to scoff. 'Needles in the ass isn't the only thing doctors are good for.' She fiddled with a ruby stud on the inside of her ear. 'But they aim just as good.'
Daniel skimmed her over in the silence. 'You don't look very sick.'
She smiled wryly. 'Don't I?'
'Well you said you're from the burns unit and I- ah..'
'You expected what? Scars?'
He dropped his gaze once more. 'Never mind.'
Her intense eyes softened and she picked up her clucky tone. 'So what happened to your mother?'
As invaded as Daniel felt, the girl in front of him didn't seem like someone you said no to.
'Stroke.' He cleared his throat. 'I'm kind of here, everyday out of guilt.'
She smiled, obviously used to exchanging morbid, sadistic hospital stories.
'Ah the guilt visits. Not as popular as the I want your inheritance trips but there's still a few
.'
He grinned at her attempt to make light of the situation, cautiously removing the cloth away for the first time.
'Yeah I've stressed her out. Not doing too great at school any more, and when the whole Harry Potter thing cut short last year..' He shook his head, feigning mourn.
Jhokai gave an understanding nod. 'We'll I'm sure she'll appreciate you when she wakes up, they always do.'
'Jhocky?' A small frail girl peered into the room, gripping the doorway tensely and eyeing Daniel with fright.
'Mindy!' Jhokai rose and scooped the child into her arms, bringing a tiny smile to her porcelain face.
'What're you doing out baby girl?!'
'You didn't come say g'night...'
Jhokai cooed an apology before setting her down again. 'Race you back to the ward!' she called, humouring Mindy. The little girl squealed and took off out the door, white hair flailing after her, and shyness long forgotten.
Jhokai paused in the doorway, still bearing a grin of affection. 'Goodnight Daniel. I was sort of hoping you were sick, we could of hung out.' And with that she was off, bare feet falling down the halls playfully and tiny screams of excitement not far ahead of her.
Than I'll post it up.. and that's the end!
