A Loaded Gun

Chapter 31

Daniel POV

Dr. Effam was waiting inside, a clipboard in his hand and a calm expression on his face.

"Capo," he nodded to Marcus. "She's in the first room. All her tests were normal, she's just unconscious due to shock right now. A few cuts and bruises, but those will heal quickly. She'll be fine."

We rushed past him, barely hearing his last words in our hurry to see Brooke.

The beeping from the heart monitor was the only sound that greeted us as we stared into the haggard face of our sleeping sister.

Her hair was a frizzy halo around her head, bandages and gauze on her exposed arms and face contrasting with her skin. We collectively breathed a sigh of relief as we watched her chest rise and fall.

"I'll stay here with her, you guys go back and let Lucas know. Try to get some sleep," Marcus said, taking a seat in the uncomfortable chair next to her bed.

Michael nodded reluctantly, but I stood still. "No," I said firmly. Marcus raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?" his voice was dangerous.

"I said no. I'm not leaving her. You can stay if you want, but I need to have eyes on her." He studied my resolute face and jerked his head toward the seat next to him.

"Michael, go home. No," he held up a hand to stop Michael's protests. "Someone needs to help Lucas, and I am counting on you. Take the car and go home."

Michael turned and walked out of the room without another word. Marcus and I sat in silence, watching Brooke's still form like hawks.

We stayed wide awake for I don't know how many hours, holding our breath every time the heart monitor was silent for a second too long, only exhaling when the familiar beep echoed around the room.

I didn't realize I had nodded off to sleep until I jerked awake to the sound of the heart monitor increasing its tempo. I immediately sat up, terrified that something was wrong with Brooike.

Marcus sat beside me, bolt upright as he fumbled for the call button. We froze as a groan came from the hospital bed. I leaned forward eagerly as Brooke's eyes flickered slightly.

"Brooke? Brooke can you hear me? Come on, wake up. Please wake up." Marcus's gentle voice was no longer a shock to me; it was becoming a regular thing around Brooke.

"Ughhh," she let out the most adorable sigh and blinked her blue eyes open.

Looking around blearily, she smiled as her gaze landed on our anxious faces. "See, I knew you would find me," she said sleepily, her eyes blinking slowly.

"Brooke? Are you ok, honey?"

She frowned in confusion. "Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

I let out a bewildered, relieved laugh. "You were just kidnapped and in a car accident. Why would you be ok?"

"Oh, that," she attempted to lift her arm in a casual motion but stopped at the tug of the IV. "I'm fine, it's all good."

I frowned at her loopy smile and looked up as Dr. Effam entered the room, still clutching his clipboard. "Doctor, she seems a bit...high?"

He gave a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, she's just feeling the effects of the medication. It should wear off soon."

Brooke grinned cheerfully at Marcus. "So, I got a couple questions for ya. How exactly does the mafia work? I mean, how do the police not stop you? I guess I'm glad they haven't, though I seem to get into scrapes because of it. Do you have a gun?"

She gasped excitedly as Marcus stared, bemused. "Ooh, can I have a gun? Wouldn't that just be so cool? Brooke the badass, running around shooting bad guys. Pew, pew..."

She waved her free hand in a finger gun motion woozily before it dropped to her side in exhaustion.

Marcus looked from her to Dr. Effam repeatedly, blinking rapidly. "What exactly did you give her, Dr. Effam?"

The doctor rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, muttering something about painkillers under his breath.

I stared at Brooke's open expression, the pure happiness on her face, and wished it could be like that all the time.

She piped up again, a wondering look on her face. "Why do we assume aliens are technologically advanced? Who's to say they're not still cave-aliens who just bang space rocks together to make star-fire?

"Why do we think they're better than us? I think it really speaks to how the human race underestimates itself and the imposter syndrome we all feel on a daily basis.

"Like, we put ourselves down so much that we think a species that may not even exist is better than us."

Marcus and I stared. I turned to him thoughtfully. "You know, it kinda makes sense..."

"Don't even," he muttered. But she was off again, this time directed at me.

"Heyyyyy, Danny! I gotta–I gotta ask you something," she slurred. "Why–why are you so grumpy all the time? It doesn't make sense with your squishy face, your ishy cutsie..."

Her voice trailed off into baby-talk gibberish as Marcus choked back his hysteria.

Maybe I didn't want her to stay like that all the time. It might not be worth the humiliation.

Suddenly she slumped against the pillows, causing me to let out a panicked gasp. It was silenced the next second, however, as she sat bolt upright, looking around with alert eyes.

"FIDGET SPINNER!" she screamed, before collapsing back on the bed. Marcus and I stared at each other, bewildered, as Dr. Effam rushed in, again with his stupid clipboard.

"Fidget spinner? What the hell?" Marcus could barely speak as he turned to Dr. Effam. "Is my sister going insane?"

Dr. Effam shifted uncomfortably. "I'm not exactly sure what she means by that, but I can assure you she suffered no lasting cranial damage. I can run some more tests if you would like me to."

Marcus nodded jerkily. "Do that. Find out what the hell is going on."

Dr. Effam turned to leave the room, and I immediately followed.

"Hey," called Marcus. "Where the hell are you going?"

I shrugged. "Our sister yelled for fidget spinners. I'm getting her fidget spinners."