How Bad Could You Really Be?

The takeover.

My eyes opened to the steady sound of beeping nearby. I was hooked up to some machines. How did I get in the hospital? That's right the idiots knocked me off that ladder. My head wasn't hurting so bad. I was about to press the button for the nurse.

"Everyone needs a thneed," the tv echoed through the silent room.

It was a commercial for Oncie's thneed. I just stared at the tv. This happened in a few days? They were available in stores in now. I just stared at the tv even after the commercial ended. A nurse walked in and looked at me. I stared at her in disbelief. She had the same expression. But she was wearing a thneed. The look on her face matched mine, but for a totally different reason. She rushed out of the door. I sat there in complete shock before some doctors and nurses rushed in the room. They prodded me. They lifted my eyelids and looked into my eyes. They asked me how I felt and took my vital signs.

"It's only been a couple of days, hasn't it? What's all this fuss for?" I asked.

"It's been more than a couple days," the doctor said.

"Like a week?"

"Close to two months."

I laughed nervously thinking it was a joke. The doctor and nurses looked between each other and back to me. Well that would explain a lot. They asked me if I was okay, but what could I really say? My dad walked in shortly after. He looked like he was about to cry when he saw me.

"Skye," he said, "I can't believe it."

"Hey dad," I smiled, "how are you?"

"You're acting like nothing happened to you."

"What am I supposed to do? How's Oncie?"

My father's face twitched for a moment. He quickly regained his composure. He sat down in the chair next to my bed.

"What's happened? Is he okay?" I was getting anxious.

"He's alive and well."

"That's good, but..."

"Skye, he's very different. He's outside, but I didn't want him coming in here."

"Why not?"

"He's very concerned with his business. He hasn't even come in over a month to see you."

We talked for awhile. My father told me about Oncie's business. And that Oncie should talk to me about some things himself. But then my dad told me he has been sick. He's been seeing doctors trying to get better; nothing was working. They only gave him a few more months at the most. I wasn't expecting this. He explained how he told Oncie months ago. At the time he didn't want me to worry. But with being so unsure he would speak to me again he felt compelled to tell me.

"Are you mad?" he asked.

"No, I'm sorry, dad," I sighed, "are you doing okay?"

"I've had time to come to terms with it. I'm just hoping your mother forgives me."

"I think she will, dad," I laughed, "though you might get an earfull."

My dad was trying to make light of the situation, but he tended to do that when he was really worried about something. I took his hand as squeezed it. He burst into tears at the very thought of having such little time left. I sat up and gave him a hug. Just then footsteps stopped at the door. My dad scowled as I sat back and smiled.

"Skye," Oncie's voice said.

I turned around to see him. The smile quickly faded from my face. This looked more like the greedler. He stood with a different energy about him. He held a green top hat in his hand. He had a green striped suit on, brown pants and those, oh so familiar, gloves. I remembered them from the night I almost drowned. This wasn't Oncie. I shuffled against the bed. The look on his face saddened for a moment.