Shattered

12

"Where are we?" he asked grogely,

"Visiting hours are almost up and it is getting dark, so you are on my back on the way back to your room." Cal said looking over his shoulder to face Benji,

"Oh." Benji nuzzled his head into Cal's shoulder, "Why are you so warm?" Benji mumbled,

"Random question. I don't know, is that a bad thing?" Cal asked concerned,

"Nope, not complaining." Benji hugged Cal tighter.

"Hey, we're almost there." Cal said they arrived at the door of Benji's room, Cal opened it and laid Benji down on the bed. Benji sunk into the bed without a problem. Cal covered Benji up with the blankets and walked over to turn the lights off,

"Wait! Can you please keep them on." Benji said panicked,

"Yeah no problem Bean." Cal said about to walk out the door,

"What did you just call me?" Benji shocked,

"Opps, didn't mean to call you that Benji."

"Noooooo! I like it, keep it." Benji pouted,

"Alright Bean." Cal laughed and waved goodbye.

It was the next morning and Benji was having a bad day. He threw up but more like gaged 3 times already, and had a really bad cough. His stomach was cramping every 2 minutes and only got 2 hours of sleep. He was currently curled up in a ball with his blanket over his face. His mom walked in with Brit,

"Benji?" his mom asked, very concerned, she walked over so she was facing his face. She kneeled over and moved the blankets so she could see his face,

"Mom?" Benji asked in a very raspy voice,

"Hey sweetie, what's wrong?" she asked,

"My stomach." Benji mumbled, he gripped harder at his stomach and winced,

"Do you want me to get a doctor?" she asked, she lifted him up so he was sitting up. He was still curled up in a ball, his mom sat next to him. She hugged him gently,

"No, their gonna make me *hard cough* eat." he said,

"Ok, but if you get worse I'm getting one." his mom said, "Can I feel you stomach?",

"I guess." he leaned into his mom more, he also loosened his grip on his stomach. She reached down and gently pressed on his stomach, he winced but relaxed. She gently pressed on his stomach, he barley winced until she got to the bottom left corner.

"Ow! Mom that hurts!" Benji cried, then he started coughing, really hard,

"Oh, Benji I'm sorry." his mom hugged him tightly but gently. "I'm going to go get a doctor, Brit watch over your brother." she stood up and walked out. Brit jumped on the bed, she helped him lay down. She covered him up with his blanket, she sat down next to him, her back against the wall. She started messing with his soft hair. Their mom and a few doctors walked in, Benji curled up even more on himself, he pushed himself closer to Brit.

"I'm sorry, I would of told you sooner but Benji doesn't do well with doctors non the less hospitals." his mom sat in the guest chair that was in the corner of the room, she called over Brit. Brit started to stand up, she felt a cold hand on hers. It was Benji,

"Please *cough* stay." he struggled out, she stood up still holding his hand and pulled up another chair. She was right next to the bed, she squeezed his hand,

"I'm gonna stay, promise." she smiled, He relaxed a bit and opened up to the doctors.

"How are you feeling from the scale 1-10?" one doctor asked, he was checking Benji's vitals,

"8 maybe, or 7?" Benji siad more of a question than a statement,

"Alright, your breathing is a bit weak, I'll get Nurse Kate." the other doctor said, he walked out and a few minutes later he walked in with Nurse Kate at his heels. She was caring a oxygen mask,

"Do I have to *cough* wear that?" Benji said barely even a whisper,

"Please Benj, do it for me if you're not going to do it for yourself." Brit cried,

"Fine." Benji coughed, Nurse Kate hooked up a tube to another tube on the wall, then gently lifted Benji's head so she could put on the mask. "It feels weird." Benji readjusted to make it more comfortable,

"Here, I'll tighten it." Nurse Kate adjusted the mask to fit him better,

"Thanks." Benji mumbled, Nurse Kate adjusted the the tube on the bed,

"Anytime sweety." the nurse walked out,

"Mrs. WIthers, may I speak to you outside, it's important to Benjamin's health." one doctor said, he walked to the door with the other doctor and Benji's mom walked out with them. Benji looked concerned, Brit noticed this,

"Hey, hey, look at me." she gently held his tired face in her small hands, "It's gonna be ok, promise." she smiled sweetly. Benji had tears forming in the corners of his eyes, a tear fell down his cheek. He hugged her tightly,

"Thank you lil' sis." he whispered in her ear, then something broke the silence. Their mom's scream. This made her kids jump. Brit jumped up and rushed over to the door, Benji took off the mask and struggled over to the door joining Brit. They opened the door, their mom was on the ground sobbing, the doctor looked at her with sympathy,

"Benji *sob* Benji can't!" she shouted, she didn't notice her kids there. Benji kneeled down on the same level as his mom. He had a really bad feeling about this. The doctors noticed him out of bed but didn't say anything.

"Mom?" he lifted her head in his hands, she had red puffy cheeks from crying, Benji whipped the tears away with his thumb. He gave her a sad smile, she hugged him, almost tackling him.

"It's ok Mom, I'm right here. I'm not leaving anytime soon. Promise." he said softly, Brit, teary eyed joined the hug, "Ok, guys! You're crushing me!" Benji laughed, Brit let go and laughed. His mom kept hugging him though.

"Ok, I'm sorry to bother the family moment but Benji should go back to bed so we can tell him... something..." one doctor said, Benji helped his trembling mom up. They walked into the room, Benji sat his mom down on the chair nearest to the bed, he sat back down with a cough. Brit helped him put the oxygen mask on, she sat next to him on the bed.

"Well, we are sadly to inform you." the doctor started to say, Benji started to get nervous. He gripped Brits hand tightly, he was slightly shaking. "Benji, you have...". The world went silent.