MAX
I was so exhausted. The whole ordeal on the mountain and the rain and having to cuddle up to everyone was just a complete depletion of my social acceptance. But Dawaen looked like he was in a lot of pain when he came out of the hospital to get me and Kole and so I helped him get Kole inside the hospital. When I got in there, Mars was talking to someone on the phone and holding it away from his ear. His face was scrunched up and eventually he put his ear back to it.
"I know, I know... Yeah... I know... I will... Okay, bye." He gave the phone back to the nurse and looked at me. "My mom said she's going to kill me and then bring me back to life with kisses and hugs."
"That sounds like your mom."
"Dawaen, you should call your dad."
"He's probably at work. Someone needs to call Kole's mom since he can't."
"That's our job, Mr. Cyrio." A nurse said, walking up with a wheelchair. "I just need this young man's name so we can contact his family."
"His name is Kole Sprint."
"Do you know his date of birth?"
"Yeah, I can write it down for you." I said.
"And what's your name?" she asked.
I looked at Dawaen and then looked at Mars, who was also in a wheelchair. I gulped and cleared my throat.
"Max Taylor."
"You can write the information over here and I'll have Jason contact both of your families. If you like, you can talk to them like your friend did." The nurse said, as if my name meant nothing. But then again, Max Taylor was a pretty common name. She looked at Dawaen. "Are you sure you don't want us to contact your father?"
"I mean, you can try, but if he's on the air or at work, I highly doubt he'll stop and come here." Dawaen said with a nonchalant attitude.
The nurse nodded and I wrote down my name and birthdate along with Kole's. The nurse started doing vitals on Kole and then frowned, walking down the hallway. After a second or two, another nurse came down the hallway with a gurney and they picked Kole up and put him on it.
"Jason, let me know when someone is coming regarding this young man. We're taking him back immediately. He's unresponsive, though breathing. Do any of you know what happened?"
"Well, we crashed in the mountains and got a lift from an old couple."
"Crashed?"
"Yeah, we were in space and crash-landed back on Earth." Dawaen said.
The nurses suddenly looked freaked out and I knew this look, I had seen in so many times before.
"Dawaen, shut up." I hissed to him.
"Why?"
"The more you spout about aliens, the more they will not want to help us. Just wait until our parents get here..."
"Fine..." He turned back to the nurse. "I mean, we were so high it felt like we were in space."
The nurse made a face but seemed to take the sad coverup story and rolled Kole into the belly of the hospital.
"Give me the- God dammit! Give me the phone! You're making it worse! Hello! Mrs. Taylor?... It's Mars... Yeah. Me... No! Wait, please, Mrs. Taylor, it's really me! I got taken by the aliens that took Max and then we were able to escape but we crashed and a couple of people got hurt but-... They already called her and she's on the way.... It's not bogus, Mrs. Taylor. Max really is here. He's alive... Why would I ever lie to you about this, Mrs. Taylor? You know how much I missed Max and I know how much it hurt but I'm telling you right now: Max Taylor is alive... I'm serious... Could you- I mean..."
Mars looked at me frantically and motioned for me to come over. I grabbed the phone and he motioned for me to speak. It had been so long since I had truly heard my mother's voice and I had truly spoken to her. My mouth felt dry and my tongue suddenly didn't know how to work.
"Hello?" she said, anger in her voice.
I could tell the news was upsetting her. Why wouldn't it? A year ago she put her son to rest six feet into the ground, had his funeral, and has been trying to move on emotionally and mentally. Now all of a sudden, someone is telling her that her son is alive?
"I'm hanging up."
"No! Wait... please... I..." I didn't know what to say. "I'm really here... I'm alive and... and I missed you. Please... I know it's weird and confusing but it's really me."
"My son died a year ago. You sound quite like him but it's a sick joke to play on someone, young man."
"No! Mom, it's really me! Please... Just come to the hospital and you'll see for yourself."
"Leave me alone." She said, sounding so sad and dejected. "Please... We went through so much when he finally came home, endured so much hatred and anger from the town... and now that he's gone you people are going to continue harassing us?"
"I'm... I'm not harassing... Ma..."
"Please stop calling me."
The phone hung up and I looked at the receiver in horror. I looked at Mars, who was watching expectantly, and then at the nurse, who still looked confused.
"C-call the number again..."
"Obviously you're trying to impersonate a dead kid." The nurse said.
I made a face at him. "If I was going to impersonate a dead kid, why the hell would I call his parents? I'm not rich and neither were my parents and I supposedly died a year ago, not twenty. I look practically the same!"
I chucked the phone at Jason and it hit him square in the head. I turned and went to sit down in a chair, my chest tight and my breathing shallow. I was so angry! I can't believe that she wouldn't even come down here! I mean... if someone was trying to say they were my dead son, wouldn't you want to come and take a look at them so you could send them to jail or something? I just...
"Max?"
"What?" I snapped.
"Are you going to be okay?"
"Fuck no!" I growled, putting my elbows on my knees and my fingers through my hair. "What am I supposed to do?! My parents don't believe me and..."
"Don't worry, we'll figure something out. If your mom won't let you come back home or whatever then I'm sure my mom wouldn't mind. She's on her way."
"I don't want your parents, Mars, I want mine! I haven't seen them in so long... I haven't truly felt them in two years... I want my family."
Mars nodded. "I know but... I mean... you knew this was a possibility, right? It's not like they couldn't find you and assumed you were dead. They found you in the bathtub and confirmed your death. Showing up out of the blue like this is bound to raise suspicions."
"I know but I guess I just... never though that could happen. I thought they would be completely ecstatic about me."
"Your parents took it hard and even when I left, they still hadn't gotten over it. Just give them time."
I nodded and some more nurses came out to take us to our rooms.
*******************************
I ended up rooming with Mars and after some X-rays, it was confirmed that his ankle was broken with a fracture in his leg. They had to set up a pulley thing for his leg to be suspended on and he didn't look too happy to be in that thing. My arm was apparently sliced open and so they bandaged me up better than I was and had it in a sling. They said if I hadn't done a tourniquet then I would have died from blood loss.
About thirty minutes later, there was a small knock on the door and we both looked over, seeing Mars' mom and dad in the doorway. Mrs. Holt had her hands over her mouth as she stared at Mars and he waved a little bit to her.
"Hi." He said.
She ran to him and then punched him right in the leg. He howled in pain and then she grabbed a hold of him, hugging him with all of her might.
"I hate you, you stupid little boy!" she yelled, obviously trying to keep it together with insulting.
Mars smiled though, and hugged his mother back with almost as much conviction as her. Mars' dad stood by watching with a smile and then turned to me. He turned his head at me.
"Max, right?" he said.
"Yeah... Hi..."
Even though I've been friends with Mars since elementary school, I have only seen his dad a handful of times. He was always in a class trying to learn something and so he was usually always gone. Upon hearing my name, Mars' mom turned to me and she gasped a little too dramatically.
"Oh my god..."
"Hi, Mrs. Holt... Long time no see..."
She turned to Mars. "Is that really..."
"Yeah, that's him."
"But he died... we went to the funeral and everything."
"There's a lot to unpack from what happened up there, but I'm telling you that he's the real Max Taylor."
Surprisingly, she seemed pretty okay with that and turned back to me.
"Have you gotten a hold of your parents, hun?"
"They called my mom but she was understandably angry and hung up."
"I see..."
"Mr. and Mrs. Holt?"
They turned to the nurse in the doorway and she motioned for them to come with her. They went over to her and I put my ear towards the door to see if I could hear them or not. I couldn't but I heard Mr. Holt get angry in his tone.
"This is preposterous!" he yelled.
"Tim." Mrs. Holt said.
"Are you not listening to what she just said?!"
"Of course I am, sweetie..."
"This is familiar." I said to myself, remembering when I came to and heard my parents arguing with the nurses so long ago.
"What's that?" Mars asked.
"I think the hospital is going to make your parents take you home."
"Why? I'm not pregnant... no offense."
"I know but... you were captured by aliens and such. Knowing Grand Marquis, that's enough of an excuse."
A few minutes later, the Holts came back in and Mr. Holt had his arms crossed angrily.
"What did they say?" Mars asked.
"Oh... nothing new or unexpected... except to your father."
"I've never heard the like." He snarled.
I hadn't been around Mr. Holt a lot but Mars used to tell me that that was where some of his deep set anger came from. I was starting to see it...
"The doctors said that because the four of you were abducted by aliens that they feel it would be in everyone's best interest to be seen by someone who specializes in the field. Apparently, the doctor that worked with Max has his own building. They'd like us to take you there."
"To Dr. Bluewater?" I asked.
"Yes, that's him."
"Did he finally get out of the storage unit then?"
"They gave me a card for the address and it doesn't seem like it would be storage unit."
"What do you mean storage unit?" Mr. Holt asked.
"Uh... well... when um..."
"The Max that was here before was actually a clone that was being controlled by Max's consciousness, but his real body was actually back on the ship. I have a feeling it had to do with the fact that it was a first attempt that the clone was made but either way, Dr. Bluewater had to use a storage unit because none of the other doctors would let him use a facility." Mars explained for me.
Mrs. Holt looked at me skeptically. "So... this person here is the real Max? What if it's another clone?"
"It's him. The clone healed quickly and didn't have all the scars Max has. I found Max floating in a large container when I was up there so... I believe this is the real Max."
Mars' parents looked a little confused but I smiled and turned away.
"It's fine. I know it's a lot to process but... I'm real. I'm me..."
"I guess the best thing we can do is take him with us to this Dr. Bluewater. I'm sure there is some sort of test he can perform?"
"I know he had a xenologist friend that helped out with some things."
"I think it would be best to take him with us."
"What about everyone else?" Mars asked.
"They have their own parents to contend with, honey. Right now, the only two people that matter is you and Max." Mrs. Holt looked at me. "I'll try to get one of your parents to come and meet us at Dr. Bluewater's place."
I nodded and we began to get ready to go and meet Dr. Bluewater. I hope the other guys are okay...