The Citizen Soldier (DNF)

20) Discharge

*George POV*

Finally, after a full week of poking, prodding, a bunch of glares for whatever reason, and panic attacks, I was discharged. Skeppy was the one to deliver the good news to me, which was a surprise. I was still trying to get used to the fact that Sapnap wasn't my only friend anymore. Sure, Sap was paying for the trip, but he never did stay with me and talk, make jokes, watch Netflix illegally on his phone with me, or anything. The most that he really did was check up on me once in a while to make sure that I didn't die or get swarmed by reporters.

And yet I would still openly and willingly bet my life that he would be by my side every second of a bad situation, like terminal cancer. No matter what it did to his job. No matter what it did to him as a whole. He'd be by my side, the loyal oaf. I smiled at the thought, my only real friend, the one to give me tough love and undying support, no matter what the cost, was there for me. Then I frowned because I realized what I'd just done. I was thinking of what it would be like to die again, and the only words that rang through my soul now were cold and unpleasant. I shivered.

I stood up in my room and ran my hand along the pale yellow paint that covered the wall. There were a couple of initials in the corner that I could barely make out. DT+KS, enclosed by a heart. I smiled at the little symbol. I ran my fingers over it for a brief moment, cocking my head and remembering what it was like to be so sickly in love, where it felt like I certainly couldn't live without the one, that specific person, the Yin to my Yang. I frowned and creased my eyebrows, wondering where these two may be now. Were they together, or did one of them feature a grisly fate within these very walls? Suddenly everything seemed too big and too stuffy and I took my hand away from the wall as if it burned me because it felt like it did. I held my hand deftly and winced at the pain that my mind had fabricated.

I clenched my teeth and nursed my hand, and that's when Sapnap walked in for the first time today, to see me clutching my hand as if it were a source of acute pain. Which, it was, but not for any physical reason. He set what he was holding down on the side table and ran to my aid, inspecting my hand for injuries as of immediately.

"What's wrong? Are you hurt?" I shook my head and looked him in the eyes.

"I'm fine, I was just..." I looked at the floor and said a hushed word. "Remembering." I frowned.

"Uh, I have both good and bad news, which first?" I looked at Sapnap with a raised eyebrow.

"Good first." I narrowed my eyes in suspicion.

"You're discharged from the hospital!"

"I knew that already, Sap. Skeppy told me." He looked a tad slapped.

"Oh. Well then." He coughed into his palm. "Want the bad now? Might wanna sit down."

I anticipated the worst, Clay died, or... or... Uh...

I sat and looked at him. "Lay it on me."

"Clay is being issued into a mental hospital, at least for a few months. He's unstable and the staff found out, and now they are going to issue him into the hospital for a while. Top floor. Visitors welcome." This time I was sure I looked slapped because it was like a slap to the face and a blow to the gut. I couldn't stop myself and I retched, throwing up on the bed and instantly feeling extremely guilty for doing so.

Sapnap's eyes widened as he ran up to me and crushed me in a hug. I didn't expect it to take me this badly, and I can tell that neither did he. I should have been happy, right? He'd finally be getting the help that he undoubtedly needed. But the idea of being trapped all alone in an unfamiliar place terrifies him, I can tell you that. But why did it hit me so hard? I winced again. It was going to be a rough day, wasn't it? Where everything affected me 20 times worse than it should have. Sapnap sat next to me on the clean side of the bed and rubbed his hand up and down my back in a calming way.

If physical touch wasn't my love language I'd be a toad.

After about an hour I'd calmed down, then decided to venture to Clay's room, only to find the door ajar and ready to admit another patient. Tears sprang to my eyes and I looked away, walked away and didn't look back. A thought occurred to me.

"Hey Sap?" I sniffled and wiped my face.

"Yeah?"

"Where's my phone?"

"Ah, sorry, we had to throw it away, it was too cracked. But I got you a new one and transferred all your contacts and info, and I made sure to keep the number."

I nodded in my understanding. I didn't speak for the rest of the way home.

Home.