Twisted Bodies | Human AU

chapter 2

The hospital was closed down by the police and under investigation for negligence–meaning someone somewhere wasn't doing their job to mediate the panic in the facility. Typical. Firefighters were also sent to the scene to help people evacuate the building through windows. The stampede that had happened caused a blockage of people, some, unfortunately, losing their lives...

It was hours I sat in the darkening room with the child on the hospital bed. Occasionally, the kid piped up about being hungry and luckily; I had a couple of snacks in my pockets. I could handle not eating for a while longer. They were a smart kid too and thankfully they were fully potty trained and confident in going by themselves. The kid, even though i had thought they were oblivious to the entire odd exchange between me and the two mystery men, they showed some fondness for them, especially the one with the 'ladybug hair' they had said which made me laugh. They had apparently liked his bracelets.

At some point, i must have fallen asleep, because when i woke up, it was mid-evening when i heard a tapping on the window. I sat up from the bed groggily. "Shadow?" i called, seeing red. I rubbed my eyes, squinting quickly when a flash of light showed on my face.

"Is everything alright in here? Why's the window broken?" a man's voice asked.

I shielded my eyes from the light and realised it was a firefighter on a ladder. "I dont know," i lied. I didnt feel like explaining what had happened, not that he'd of believed me at two men in hospital get-ups jumped out the seventh floor and survived. "But yeah, we're okay. I found a lost kid..." i told the man.

"Alright, well my name is ben." he waved over, "Bring them over and we'll get you two home."

i smiled at that. Sounded amazing. I picked up the child gently in my arms and they stirred slightly in my arms. "Theyre asleep," i notified ben then he took the kid just as gently as i hoped.

"Ill take them down first then come back for you," he whispered. He then looked down and waved a signal down to the ladder operator. I watched as the two descended slowly down. Ben was an attractive guy, with warm brown eyes and a pretty smile, and seemed really sweet and thoughtful too.

Not too long after, ben returned to my level and offered me his hand. "Ready?" he asked gently. I took his hand and looked down out the window, it was a long way. Suddenly a flash of blue hair entered my mind, i shook my head. Ben must have taken that as fear because he gripped my hand tighter. "Dont worry, i got you," he smiled. I nearly melted.

"Thank you," i smiled back then climbed out the window and into the small basket.

Ben waved the signal down again and a small jerk startled me. He chuckled softly, "you'd get used to it after a while."

"How's the kid?" i asked, avoiding looking down again.

"Fast asleep. I radioed some of the guys a moment ago to see if anyone had reported a missing child. There was. They're confirming right now the report matches the kid's description."

"That's good," i smiled gently.

There was a slight pause. "It was really good of you to help them. That kid's gonna be able to go home safe because of you."

I looked up at him, a bit amazed. "I suppose youre right," i smiled back. That never really crossed my mind, i was just compelled to hold the child telling them everything was okay.

Once the ladder stopped, ben helped me down the truck and onto the ground safely. It wasnt until i said goodbye to him and the child now reunited with their thankful family, that i realised how cold it had gotten. It must have been nine in the evening. I groaned as i dreaded having to walk to the bus station at night. There were a lot of shady individuals out at night in Green Hills. Apart of me wished i had taken ben's offer for a ride home. Stupid. Stupid. I flirted with the idea of turning around, but at this point, i was already halfway to the stop and there was no way to know if he was still on-site, or much less that particular spot on-site. I should have asked for his number. I groaned to myself.

I sat on the metal bench of the bus stop, trying my darndest to endure the freezing metal seeping through my frankly, thin pants. It only took seconds until the two men crossed my mind again.

I could have sworn the room was empty when i entered... but– that makes no sense! What were they even doing messing around in a state of crisis? Then... how the fuck did they even survive such a long drop? I felt like i was going crazy. Maybe it was a dream? No. the kid mentioned them too... unless... maybe i was talking in my sleep? It felt too real...

"I just need a stress-free day..." i groaned, leaning against the glass of the bus stop.

A couple of minutes passed until the bus arrived and i stood waiting for it to stop and open its doors. I pulled out my bus card and swiped it on the card reader giving a brief greeting to the driver as i passed her. The bus was emptier than i was used to, and maybe only six people scattered about, but then again, today was an odd day, most people had half the mind to stay home.

A jolt went passed me as the bus started to move again, i went to sit down when outside the window i saw familiar bright blue hair standing across the road. I stiffened in my spot. The bus gained speed and i walked to the back of the bus, my eyes never leaving the man. I felt like he too was staring at me, watching.

I looked down at the elderly man in the back corner. "Excuse me, sorry but did you see that man?"

He hummed, "need to be more specific, kid. There's a lotta those out and about." he had a thick southern accent.

"The one with blue hair. Outside, across the street." i went to point, but he was gone. The bus then turned the corner, and i moved again to try to where he might have gone.

The man shook his head. "Nah," he simply said. "You should sit down before we hit a pothole and you end up tumblin' over."

I was speechless. All i could do was nod at the man's suggestion and slowly sat down just a could rows ahead of him. Maybe i am seeing things... i leaned back, slouching in my seat until the crook of my neck rested against the lip of the plastic seating. I fell back deep into thought as i stared out the window, watching the moon.

My apartment building came into view and i blinked, taking a moment before getting up. I left the bus giving the driver a passing goodbye before i was hit with a sudden gust of freezing wind. "Gah..." i groaned. I entered the building and went into the elevator to my floor. I flicked the lights on before closing the door and took off my shoes. I slumped onto the couch and pulled out my phone from my pocket. There were gross smudges all over the screen and i wiped the screen against my pant leg. When i turned it on, i noticed i had 20 missed calls. Fuck.

I tapped the notification and the phone instantly went through, "OH, THANK THE GODS YOURE ALIVE!" a worrisome yell come from the other end of the phone. I winced at the sharp noise.

"Hey, D...," i laughed nervously.

"DONT 'HEY D' ME! I THOUGHT YOU DIED!" there was a sigh, before she continued, "youre okay right? I saw the news. It looked really bad."

"Yeah, im fine, thankfully. It's been a hard day."

"I could imagine."

"You'd be surprised," i said, putting her on speaker and then checking the news for myself. "Whoa... i get why you were so panicked..."

the first earthquake in a century decimates city neighbourhood, Green Hills, killing hundreds.

"Yeah." D said sharply. "So what all happened?"

I groaned, falling against a pillow. "I... i dont even know..." i began. "Deadly natural disasters aside, it was wild..." i sat up, rubbing my brow feeling a headache incoming. "D... I think im going insane..." my voice was low.

She quickly took notice of my shift in tone. Even though she lived halfway across the country and we've never met in person, it always amazed me how she could always read me like a children's book. "What do you mean?"

I took a moment to answer, there was no use lying. "I dunno... i've just–been seeing things, i think." she urged me to specify, i obliged, "i was hiding in an empty room when these two guys appeared outta nowhere, and they didnt use the door..." i added before she could interject. I stood up to make some coffee, hoping the caffeine would curve the throbbing pain in my head. I went to tell the story until i was met with an intense stare outside my window.