The Fall

51. Home

3.22.21

Benji's POV

When I came to, my body was being jostled from side to side with a sickening motion. I couldn't summon my eyes to open, but just the motion was making me so nauseous that it was clear what was happening. I'm being transmitted from point A to point B, and I wish that my friend would be just a little bit more gentle. I'm already having to cope with slowly becoming useless. It will take a long time for the clove to leave my system, and by then the war will be all but over... I'm going to be taken out of my position and left to die, surely. 

The crunches of footsteps changed to dull, hard plops, and I could tell that we were almost there. Concrete and forest do sound very different, after all. I can't hear anything else, so I know that there isn't a situation with the humans rounding us up and capturing us. Good, I don't have the energy to deal with that. Connor walked through the front door, and I felt the usual chills that the place gives me. I don't like the way that it feels; it's too congested and tense. I would rather be in my quiet suburban oasis caring for my son and loving my husband. I'm not really built for this life, but people are counting on me. I can't let them down.

The awful motion finally stopped, and I felt my back collide with a soft bed. This must be either my room or the medical bay. It's pretty quiet for the latter, but that may be on my behalf. I don't know for sure what's happening. I have to open my eyes... The doctor, who must have been walking with us, began to check on my leg, and I could hear his loud sigh of relief. Thank God at least someone cares about my life.

"The transfer was successful," he declared while changing the bandages around the wound. The jarring kind of hurts, but I'm able to ignore it from the reassurance that I'm not going to die today. I want to be around to raise my son, no matter what. I know that I could come up with a better reason for what I want. Maybe, I should be thinking about the people's lives that are in my hands. However, I've become burnt out by always worrying about them. I just need a bit of my time like any other person; I'm not invincible by any means.

"That's a good thing. I was worried that I wouldn't be stable enough," Connor fretted while putting a hand on my forehead. I have no doubt he thinks I'm asleep, but it's kind of creepy that he would do that to me if I was. I chose to ignore that, though, because he's my friend. There's probably something running through his mind that I could never have any clue about. Come to think of it, I could use a little bit more rest, but I need to start planning for the next part of the war. The work just never stops in such a dire situation.

"Connor, come quick. There's something that you need to see on our radar!" a feminine voice declared frantically. I was glad that they were beginning to respect Connor; he deserves it a lot more than I do. However, I still have to wonder what is so urgent that he ran in here to tell him. I mean, it wouldn't take that much longer to walk from the monitoring room to here. Unless... The humans are kicking us while we're down. 

I managed to pry my heavy eyelids open from the motivation of my concern, and I noticed that the doctor was facing away from me. His hands and attention were on some project he was doing on his desk. Now is my chance; I get to do what he would kill me for doing if he was watching. I dragged myself into a sitting position quietly and without moving my leg too much. I don't want to be horizontal anymore; it makes me feel like a burden to society in a way. 

When he turned, I could see the planned disappointment in his eyes. However, he had expected every bit of my movement. "I knew that you were awake and would do that as soon as I turned around. You're so predictable, Benjamin," he commented with a dry attempt at humor. I don't know in what world that would be funny, so I just let out a quiet, fake chuckle. I don't want to be rude to him considering he had saved my life, but I'm very bad at faking emotion. I have never been a stellar actor. "Oh come on you don't have to flatter me. I know that I'm old and boring."

"Sorry, doc. I just couldn't stay laying down for that long when there's so much going on outside of this room. I want to go back to what I was doing." He gave me a simple unimpressed look at the excuse, and I grinned cheekily. If the only entertainment I get is torturing my poor doctor, I have to make the most of it. You'd best believe that I won't ever give him a moment of peace if I can help it.

"I know that you want to get back out on the field, but you've become an icon for this revolution. If you were to die, it would become like a four year old in a sugar rush. There would be the initial push, sure, because they would see your death and feel the need to avenge it. However, without your skill in strategizing and motivation, our cause would crash in the same way. Unfortunately,  I was placed as your doctor, and I am not going to let the leader of our cause die in my care. Got it?" His eyes were sharp and commanding, and for the first time I felt like it was a worthy authority. This man worked hard to get to the place where he is. It wasn't just handed to him; he had to earn it. My powers were just given to me at birth. That isn't nearly as cool as learning a lot of skills to become a doctor. 

"Fine. I might consider not overworking myself."

"You won't consider; you'll just not do it."

"I'll do it as long as you keep my visitors to a minimum. I don't want to see people that I don't have a personal relationship with. I don't want a lot of people to see me like this. It's horrible." I saw his face begin to read sympathetically, and he nodded his head after a while.

"I understand why you would want that. I'll do my best to keep it to a minimum, but I'm not a security guard. I can't keep them all out."

"I get that... Just try your best."

"I will. now get some rest."