Push

Push [chapter 10]

"Really?" Arthur asked disbelievingly after a long pause and drawled just like his nephew, "Damn. Strong girl."

"Wasn't her," I piped up, trying to ignore the throbbing each syllable made. "That was just a really bad intro."

"Well don't start talking again. Jamie still has to clean the floors," Arthur said.

"What? I thought we were-"

"Shut up and help me, boy," Arthur said, snapping open their first aid kit.

They started working on me, cleaning my wounds and slapping a variety of stuff on me - gauzes, band-aids, some foul smelling cream, you get the idea. It wasn't bad, really. I've went through enough of these medication application things since before I went to Boston so I knew what to expect. I barely winced at the pains and tried to hold everything down until they were done. And yet, my body felt like a cocktail of pain.

By the end of the procedure, I smelled like pain medication but I could move again. Just like old times, I though bitterly. I washed down two painkillers with another bottle of Arthur's brew and enjoyed the dulling that started to creep over the rest of my body.

"So," Jamie drawled. "What really happened?"

"I said don't get him talking!" Arthur reproached.

"You just gave him beer after he got beat up so I'm pretty sure you're no doctor and anyone who is a doctor would probably put you on their hit list," Jamie replied. "Hey, there's an actual thought."

"Congratulations," Arthur said sarcastically. "Wait, about the hit list?"

"No, seriously, I think we should take him to a doctor," Jamie finished. "I mean look at him. He looks he got run over by a truck and miraculously lived only to find out he's been heavily deformed and has lost all reason to live. Oh wait; did the realization of deformity come before or..?"

His uncle sighed exasperatedly but looked at my slumped form, scratching his head. "Kid's got a point. But what do you think Ryan? Hospital?"

I thought about it for a moment and said, "No, I'll be fine."

"You sure? You look pretty beat," Jamie said.

"Would you stop it with the jokes?" Arthur scolding.

"That wasn't a joke," Jamie said quickly. "But it was a good one. Remind me to say that the next time someone who got beat up walks in here."

"Guys, I'll be fine," I assured them. "I just...need to get some sleep."

"What, did you trip because you were sleepy?" Jamie started again.

"Shut up," Arthur and I said in unison.

Jamie held his hands up placating and took a seat next to mine, grabbing his own beer as he did. "Hey uncle, don't you have that thing with...you know?"

"Oh, crap, I almost forgot. I guess I'll just have to cancel-"

"Whoa, what?" I cut him off, sitting up and immediately regretted. I got dizzy from the speed and felt nauseous again but I soldiered on. "What thing?"

"Uncle's got a date," Jamie said in a singsong tone. "That's why we closed up early."

Huh, so that's why there wasn't anyone else panicking when I walked in. "With who?"

"Susan," Arthur said in a tiny voice.

"You're old fling?"

"Whoa, how come he knows about her?" Jamie interjected.

"Yeah, she's in town for a few weeks so I thought I'd catch up with her," Arthur sighed. "But she's still here for a few more and I'm sure she'll understand-"