Heroes

Chapter 29: Research, Recovery, and Reflecting

   It had been a few hours since Dad and Beth had saved us from Kuragari. We were in a hospital recovery room. Sagira, Dahlia, Lou, Maddie, and I were in beds as our injuries were much more significant. Espinho was in a chair. Luckily for him, his ribs were intact. I had napped for a bit. Maddie and Dahlia were the first ones to wake up from their comas. I found out I had broken my back and that's why I couldn't move, but fortunately, I could sit up in the hospital. Maddie was scolded by Dad for sneaking out even though she did text him about it. Even I knew that Dad was more scared for her than actually mad. Pascal was sitting by the window and he looked upset. I mean, what little kid wouldn't be after what Kuragari said to and attempted to do to him? Dad looked at Pascal and immediately knew something was wrong. "Hey, pal, is something wrong?" Dad asked, sitting down by Pascal.

Whimpering, Pascal told him, "That bad man told me my father and mother threw me in the well because my eyes were ugly and they didn't love me. He tried to poke my eye. He said people would love me if my eyes were gone."

Dad instantly looked appalled. He came from a troubled home life, and while he and my didus did reconcile over 20 years ago, Dad still remembered what it was like to be abused by the person or people who were supposed to nurture, care, and love you. "Well, young one, that man couldn't have been more wrong. Your mother and father couldn't have been more wrong," he said. "Your features don't define who you are. From what I know, you're a kind, pure-hearted, beautiful young man. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

      Pascal teared up, smiled, and hugged Dad's torso. "Thank you, Father," he whispered.

     Dad looked shocked and smiled, saying, "You're welcome."

      Pascal sat by the window and fell asleep. Mom smiled and walked over to Dad and Pascal. "Such a sweet boy," she spoke with her voice soft as not to wake Pascal up. "He'd be good friends with Kobe, don't you think?"

      Dad chuckled. He had a sense of care and love in his eyes. Then again, my dad, in a not-predatory way, had a fondness for children like Pascal. "Indeed. Can we keep him?" Dad asked, being dead serious.

      Mom looked at me and Maddie. We both nodded eagerly. Mom turned back to Dad and nodded. Dad chuckled. I felt happy that my parents were so eager to adopt Pascal, but my happy face soon turned to one fueled by anxiety and worry. Sagira had woken up a little bit and was being tended to by the nurses, but Lou was still out cold. I saw how grizzly his injuries were. They were much more violent and gruesome than even Maddie's, but I had held out hope he would wake up soon. At this point, I started to panic. It's funny to think that if this happened at the beginning of my sophomore year or anytime before that, I would probably not even care. After all, I was getting fed up by his bullying. Sure, I'd be shocked a kid my age could get so hurt, but would my life then be slightly better off without him? Well, maybe. Now, however, I was praying my love wouldn't be gone. I wouldn't be able to stand it. He had to have surgery as he had an infection due to Kuragari's claws and the wound not being able to be treated. Lou also had 17 dissolvable stitches to close the wound. I got up. I was stiff, but I could move. I walked over to his bedside and grabbed his hand. Lou was limp. His heartbeat was stable after numerous blood transfusions. Even so, I was scared that one twisted hand of fate could take him away from me. I whimpered and tightened my grip a little bit. I choked back the scared lump in my throat as I begged, "Come on, Lou, please, wake up. You're scaring me. I can't help but feel like the only reason you're in this position is because I wasn't strong enough to walk it off and fight back. I wasn't strong enough and now, you have to suffer because of it. This whole mission I was afraid you'd get hurt or worse and now that it's happened, I feel like I just got shot in the heart. I need you here. You were the one to jump to my rescue when the spirit of that nurse at the Hopkins Institute. You were the one to bring me flowers and allow yourself to start to change your ways after I attempted suicide. You were the one to carry me to safety after I got my DNA altered by that creature. You were the one to go with me when I was on the run from Rue. You were the one that saved me when I was corrupted. You were the one that got me through my grief of losing Mom. The one I had my first kiss with, the one I graduated with, the one I went to prom with, and the one I hold each night. You're the one that I want to spend forever with. You're the one...."