Crow

04. Tragedy

A familiar voice brought him back from whatever trance he had been caught up in. He battled to open his eyes and as soon as he did the intense white of the lights forced them back closed. He couldn't move, there were tubes in his throat and through his nostrils, and also in his arm. He was sore to the bone and he wanted to cry. Where was he?

"Who's taking care of the kid?", a warm female voice said, one he didn't know.

"I am his closest living relative. His mother would've wanted it that way", said the familiar male voice.

His uncle Peter.

Philip's heart clenched as if his ribcage became smaller. What was his uncle doing in here? The man lived in Aberdeen, and he only travelled if there was an emergency... Unless this was one, he had no particular reason to be there.

"This whole thing is a tragedy..."

"What...", Philip managed to move his mouth, taking the oxygen mask off his face, pulling out the tubes and disconnecting the electrodes on his chest.

"Phil!", his uncle rushed to help him sit up. "You should not do that..."

But it was too late, the boy was already coughing and spitting blood, groaning, but he was awake now, ready to ask questions.

"What are you doing here? Where am I?", he asked nervously?

"Hey...take a breath, you need to calm down", Peter said.

"Hey Philip", said a nurse moving Peter aside weaving him a sign to leave the room, and approaching to check on the boy's vitals, since he had removed himself from the monitoring machine she would have to do it manually. "I'm Penny, you are at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital." The nurse checked his blood pressure, and his pupils, and asked him about how he was feeling.

"I have no clue of what the hell I'm doing here."

"You were found on the floor, unconscious, after what happened...where else could you be?"

"What happened?"

"You don't remember?"

"I....no."

"I think is best if your uncle explains everything to you. He requested it so, I'll let him in now."

The small woman retired and a second after Peter got in. His eyes seemed to be darker than usual.
Uncle Philip was a typical blonde man, with short hair and a carefully cut beard. He had big blue eyes just like Philip's. He was wearing a grey coat over a black turtleneck sweater.
"Hello, Phil." Peter walked towards the bed and sat on the edge. "It's been a long time since I last saw you. You look like a man now."

"What's going on? Where is mum?"

"What's the last thing you remember, son?"

"I...I woke up from a nightmare, then mum made me take the pills. I took an extra one. Is that what sent me here? I want to talk to my mum, please..."

"Phil, listen to me: your mother....", Peter's voice broke for a moment. "There was an accident. Apparently, there was a malfunction in the gas system and there was an explosion. Your mum and dad, they...."

"They what?"

"They didn't make it."

Philip stared at his uncle for a moment. The man seemed to say something for his lips were moving but Philip didn't hear the sound of the words. He felt his ears and his head getting numb.

"I want to see my mum...Please", his voice broke at that last word. His uncle's eyes crowded in tears. "Where is mum?"

"Phil...listen to me...there was an accident."

"What accident?! MUM!! MUM!!"
Uncle Peter shook his head with sorrow.

"This can't be right..."

Philip's face turned into a giant bowl of red tears. He was shocked, he couldn't believe what his uncle was saying. He was confused and nothing made sense.

"I'm so sorry", the man covered his face for a moment. "I'll have to take care of you now."

"I don't understand!! Do you mean mum and dad... are dead?"

"Yes, Philip. This is a tragedy!"

"It doesn't make sense!! I was home too!! How didn't I explode with them?! Why am I still alive?!"

Philip burst into tears, his golden hair soaked in sweat. He hid his face behind his hands.

"Phil, you weren't home", the boy looked at his uncle even more confused. "You were laying on the middle of the street, you were bruised, but there was no sign of you being inside the house when it exploded. The authorities are trying to figure things out, but it will take time."

Philip laid down on the bed and turned his back to his uncle.

"Leave me. I want to be alone."

"Phil..."

"LEAVE!!", he spat with anger.

"Alright. I'll be outside if you need me."

"I don't need you...I need my parents. Just...just go away."

"I'm sorry..."

"Don't be! Just..."

Peter looked at the boy for a last moment before walking out of the room. Philip could feel his eyes over him till the door finally shut closed and silence embraced him again.

He shut his eyes as he was used to, but this time, it wasn't a nightmare. There wasn't a reality to come back to. That fucked up moment...it was his new present, his new life.