Henry Creel - Short Stories

001 x Reader // Bad Blood

In the evening you are surrounded by other members of the staff until you go to your room so Henry can't speak to you privately again.
He guesses that you've been avoiding him on purpose.
He just can't go on like that, so when everyone is supposed to be asleep, he sneaks into the infirmary and checks all the records.
There must be some hint about what's truly going on with you.
And when he finds out, he doesn't want to believe it. He feels like suddenly being dead.

On the following morning, he stalks you.
He didn't sleep at all and his mood is just the worst.
He needs to speak face to face with you and nothing can stop him.
You are utterly shocked when he suddenly cuts your way and drags you to an empty room, locking the door.
Looking at your widened eyes on your pale face makes him feel a bit guilty for being that rough.
"Be honest with me" he says standing in front of you "What's wrong with you?".
He believed that being friends meant that you can share everything, that you were allies in that hell. He doesn't expect you to reveal it, but it hurts him anyway.
"Henry, please..." you whisper. You let out a breath and you look about to faint.
He grabs your shoulders making you look into his face, maybe you can even see how broken hearted he is.
"You're ill. Why didn't you tell me?" he hisses "I thought we were friends".
At least you mirror some of his anger "Being friends also means protecting from certain burdens".
"You were protecting me?" he translates, perplexed "Or were you ashamed of admitting that you're ill? When it's getting so evident".
You sigh and almost fall against him "Who cares? Nothing matters anymore".
Henry believed he couldn't feel worse, but he feels another crack deep within him.
Like the death of hope, like the end of everything.
He pulls you closer and wraps his arms around you, feeling your sobs shaking you as you surrender to your emotions.
Becase you're dying. And it seems he's the only one caring.

"You can't stay here. You need a hospital, to go through treatment" Henry says when your sobs calm down a bit.
"It's too late" you mumble, looking small and so fragile in his arms.
"Late?" he repeats despising the word "Brenner knows it, the other doctors know it and they do nothing? You keep working when you should be resting".
You fight another wave of tears pooling in your eyes "I don't want to talk about it".
"But it's your life. You need some threatment, you can heal" he insists.
"It's life" you say defeated "We are born to die at some point. None of us live forever".
"But you're too young to die. Your life is precious" he feels guilt after so many years, remembering how he broke his own sister's life. Maybe it was his time to be punished for it, making him feel so sad and helpless while watching you die.

Not wanting to worsen your condition with that kind of sorrowful talk, he lets you go.
Days passes and he sees how you are weakening and everyone around seems taking for granted what your destiny is and already moved on.
Henry is used to think that the word is made of predators and preys, of natural laws where the weak ones are destined to die.
And you look like an easy prey. But he doesn't want you to die. Because in all those months in that lab you brought so much life with your enthusiasm. You proved to Henry that not all people are evil and with sinister shadows behind their smiles.
There are people that can break through the coolest hearts and warm them with their patience and liveliness, there are people that offer joy and hope for free. And that kind of people is so rare. That's why you must not die.

Henry tries to help you as your body starts to fail you and you don't have enough energy to work anymore, so you are confined to your room.
He has little creativity to cheer you up. He wishes he has paid more attention on the ways you always managed to comfort the children with your jokes and the little stories you invented for them to steal a smile from them after they've been crying.

One day Henry decides to face the monster who's allowing your light to fade.
From behind his desk Brenner glares at him when he marches into his office without any warning.
"We need to talk about Y/N. She's dying. And you're not letting her be cured properly".
The doctor sighs, dropping the papers he has been reading "Her leukemia gives her little chances of surviving. Threatments might keep her alive for some more months or years, but I doubt she can fully recover from it".
"But you don't even want to try. Even the smallest chance should be used. She can survive. But you prefer letting her die here" Henry spat with disgust.
Brenner brushes a hand on his face "You have no idea of how sorry I am. She's a brilliant girl. She doesn't deserve it".
Henry drops his fists on the table to look closely at his worst enemy "Then let her leave this lab. Let her take any treatment she needs. Save her".
Something in Brenner's eyes kills his hopes.
"It's not all about her. I'm glad that you seem to care of someone. But I can't let her out of this lab. She knows our secrets, out there she could reveal some on them in her delirium".
Henry wishes to have his powers. He feels his neck burning, the pain almost blinding him.
He pushes the desk with his own strength, making Brenner jump on his feet.
"You are sacrificing her for the sake of your lab! You are sick! You should have the leukemia and die slowly because of it, forgotten by everyone, not her!".
Henry doesn't look at the guards bursting into the room to stop him before he can jump on his prey and break that neck with his hands.
Brenner just looks shaken as Henry is held down, but he recovers quickly and wears that look that means only one thing.
Time for punishment.