Keep Dreaming Up Ways to Survive

Chapter 29

Felix looked around the dark room, feeling an emotion he could only describe as boredom. He would never say it out loud because his situation was anything but. A knock came from the door just as a sigh left his mouth.

'Come in!" Felix answered.

"Hey Felix, you have some visitors!" A friendly nurse replied.

The nurse opened the door fully, revealing Dawson, Octavia, and Wyatt. Dawson audibly gasped but closed his mouth as Octavia elbowed him. Dawson took giant strides to get to Felix's bed, pulling a chair beside it.

"Felix... Jesus... Felix..." Dawson's voice wavered.

"It's ok; it's not that bad...." Felix smiled weakly.

Dawson used his eyes to inspect the damage.

Felix's face.

Bruised and scratched

His neck.

Bruised

His right arm.

Broken

His left arm.

Bruised

His legs were covered, but from how they shuffled, they were not broken. But from the way, Felix flinched when they did, bruised.

"Yeah, not too bad... Oh, Felix..." Dawson lightly touched Felix's face.

"Mh!" Felix shuddered, "O-ow.."

Dawson was left gobsmacked. Utterly shocked by how the lightest touch caused him pain. As Dawson sat back down, there was another knock at the door.

"Say we're not here," Dawson instructed Octavia, becoming protective.

Octavia, obviously ignoring him, went to the door and opened it. A nurse and a police officer walked into the room; then the officer started talking.

"Hello, I'm guessing you were the one I talked over the phone with? Dawson, right?"

"Yes." Dawson stood up and answered, "But how did you know to call me? How did you get my number?"

"We found Felix here with the number written on a piece of paper in his hand. Now, Ma'am, are you Felix's guardian?"

"...Me? Oh, uh... no. But in this situation, yes." Octavia answered, stepping forward.

"Ok, let's talk outside then?" Officer Taylor suggested, already walking out the door.

As Octavia, Wyatt, and Officer Taylor stepped out, the nurse stepped up.

"Hey, Felix! So we need to get a urine sample from you. Is that ok?" The friendly nurse asked.

"Ok..." Felix responded quietly, looking down.

"Come on; I'll help you." The nurse piped.

She pulled the blankets away from Felix's legs, and Dawson almost gagged. His once pale legs were covered in a deep purple and a gut-wrenching green. They were swollen and lumpy in a few select places. There were scratches all over them, not deep enough for bandages but just enough to be painful.

"He'll be back...." The nurse gave Dawson a look to give her his name.

"My n-name is Dawson, and take as long as you need," Dawson said, rubbing his hand together.

The nurse nodded as she helped Felix hobble to the bathroom. Felix whimpered quietly in pain, and the nurse told him what a strong boy he was, while closing the bathroom door. Dawson then sat back down on the chair he once was in, then the door opened, but it was the door of the room. It was Octavia; she had a look on her face that was a mix of sadness and anger.

"What happened?" Dawson asked.

"Jesus... Dawson... Felix was beaten up. And after... he crawled down the street... crawled. He was trying to get the payphone... he was trying to call you. That's why he had the paper with your number on it...." Octavia shook, opening her hand, showing Dawson the bloodied-up paper he had once given Felix.

"They found him on the sidewalk Dawson... in a pool of his own...." Octavia looked at her younger sibling's sad eyes, "He won't tell Officer Taylor who did it. He said he would only tell you. Dawson, listen. You need to get Felix to tell you, so he can get the justice he deserves."

"...Fuck..." Dawson roughly wiped his eyes.

"Hey... it's ok to cry...." Octavia cooed, rubbing Dawson's head.

"No.... I-I-I..." Dawson sobbed.

Octavia set Wyatt down on the bed and quickly cuddled Dawson as he cried. Slightly swaying back and forth, knowing it always calmed him as a kid. Just then, Dawson mumbled something. So quiet he could barely hear it himself.

"I already know who did it."