Dumping Ground

Rick ~ Holding On

"Urargh," Rick called as Mike and May-Li got up. They stopped and checked on him as everyone looked over.
"Rick?"
"It's nought, probably just eating too fast."
"Alright."
"Hmn..."
"Nargh! Ah," Rick yelled before he coughed.
"Hey, do you want to go and lie down?"
"Do you want some water?" May-Li asked and Rick shook his head.
"It just hurts..."
"What hurts?"
"My... my..." Rick said before he let his body collapse onto the ground and he pretended to be unconscious.
"Rick!"
"What's wrong with him?"
"Has he passed out?"
"Rick. Rick, can you hear me?" May-Li asked and the others gathered around him.
"Rick?"
"Rick?"
"Why was he in pain?"
"I don't know Harry."
"Why's he passed out is the question."
"Do we need to get an ambulance?"
"That's a good idea Tee."
"Ok."
"Rick. Can you hear us?" Mike asked before he took his pulse.
"Wake up Rick."
"Ambulance please," Tee said and Rick knew that he'd made a mistake. Still, what's done was done, so he kept the act up. He was turned onto his side and he heard Johnny beside him.
"It could be his appendix."
"It could be Johnny."
"Or kidney stones. Like Mike had."
"Has he hurt his head on anything?"
"Not that I'm aware of."
"And that wouldn't cause stomach pain."
"True..."
"Either way, I've never seen Rick in pain."
"Neither have I."
"So it must be bad."
"Yeah."

You better thank me for this Tyler, Rick thought as paramedics arrived and assessed him.

He thought about waking up on the way to the ambulance, but by this point he was actually feeling relaxed.

Unfortunately, the paramedics gave him a saline mix that messed with his antihistamines and actually made him pass out.

~

"Where's Rick?" Tyler asked as he came into the lounge after saying goodbye to his mum.
"He's been taken to hospital."
"What? Is he ok?"
"He's got appendicitis. He's in surgery at the moment."
"What? But he said..." Tyler said before he trailed off.
"What did he say?"
"Are you sure he's got appendicitis?"
"Yeah, May-li called to say they've got him in the operating theatre now."
"Why?"
"Nothing. Poor Rick..." Tyler said as he sat down.
"I'm sure that he'll be alright Tyler."
"Yeah, they do it all the time."
"Did he have to go in an ambulance?"
"Yeah, he passed out at lunch."
"Out cold?"
"Yeah. He was in pain, then he just collapsed."
"Let's watch some TV. Mike will let us know when he's out of surgery."

Tyler: Are you ok? Johnny said that you've had surgery. I thought you were just going to distract Mike, not pass out.

Rick: I didn't mean to. I was faking, but the paramedics gave me something that made me black out.

Tyler: So you've actually had surgery?

Rick: Yeah. They've removed my appendix so at least that's not a problem I will have to face in the future.

Tyler: Sorry mate. I never should have asked you to cover for me.

Rick: You're not the one who called for the ambulance. And I have should have woken up and faced embarrassment instead of real surgery.

Tyler: Are you ok now? You're recovering alright?

Rick: Yeah. May-Li's asleep beside my bed and I've been pumped full of painkillers. A few day's rest and I'll be right as rain.

Tyler: Good. I'm sorry Rick.

Rick: No worries mate. I'll see you tomorrow. Night.

Tyler: Night.