Blue Band 1

Chapter four

Chapter 4. She stalked off, not even looking back once.

It turned out that I didn’t, because dead people couldn’t hear the sound around them.

“Charles, please…please wake up…”

I opened my eyelids, breathing with much difficulty, my chest feeling heavy and metallic.

“He’s alive!” exclaimed a voice that belonged to Nicole’s wheezy voice.

I was in a hospital again, a fresh pain on my chest.

“You’re alive!” cried Nicole, as she started kissing all over my face.

I managed to laugh- or croak, and then looked around. Mr. Brown was standing next to me, his eyes puffy and red.

“Charles,” he called out, his eyes welling up with tears again.

I looked away.

“Forgive me, please,” he said softly. “I was wrong. I…I loved you, but I didn’t know how to express it. I wanted to grow you strong. I was all the while proud of you, and I loved you.”

 “Love. It only stirs up pain, and it’s a redundant feeling,” I said without looking at him. “Thanks to you I realized it young.”

“Please, Charles.”

I was already panting, after talking only that much. I closed my eyes, sighing. “Sir… I thank you for everything you’ve done to me. But it’s time that we go our separate ways.”

“Father. Call me that, maybe just even once, please.”

Edmund popped out next to us in his dragon form.

“You don’t deserve to be a father,” he said angrily, huffing. “He was in a profound pain, but you never bothered about him.”

  When I stole a glance at Mr. Brown, I saw that tears were pouring down his face, wetting his beard.

 “Will you all please leave us alone?” I said. “Please.”

 They did so, shuffling their feet quietly, and Edmund came into me. When they left, I looked at Mr. Brown, and slowly held his hand, my own hands trembling. He squeezed mine, and I smiled, for the first time at him.

 “Father,” I said softly.

  Mr. Brown’s tear streaked face spread into gaiety, and he embraced me, patting my shoulder. “Charles, my son, my beloved son, I love you, I love you so much.”

 “Me, too, father, I’m sorry I was foolish,” I cried, tears wetting my face. “I don’t deserve anything.”

  Father shook his head. “No, son, no. I’m sorry. I am.”

 

Father’s jaws dropped. “No- not it can’t be that serious.”

“Yes it is. He might die soon if it doesn’t get cured,” said the doctor with a baldhead seriously. “You won’t know when he would collapse and die. He’s so weak now.”

 Father took my hands, at the verge of crying. “Have you been in this physical pain as well? Why have you not told me?”

 I looked away in heavy guilt. “I’m sorry.”