Misadventures in the Multiverse

Chapter Fourty Five

Clyde wakes up in a hospital bed looking around at his surroundings. A tv was on playing something in the background. He was confused did they win? A nurse enters surprised to see him sitting up. "Oh your awake. Let me go inform your parents." She turned to leave, but he grabbed her arm stopping her. "Wait, did we beat him? What do you mean parents?"  He asked slowly getting more confused and scared. They were not all dead so they must have right? She pulls her arm away. "Listen Mr. Moore. There was an accident at your home that caused a huge fire. You've been in a coma for about a year. Sometimes people have dreams that are so vivid they confuse them for reality."

Clyde looked down, and at his body his arm was burning like hell. "No it can't be... there's no way she wasn't..." He started to go into shock obviously concerning her. But then a more intense moment on the TV caught his attention with the noise it was making. He looked to see a girl who looked similar to Raleigh fighting someone. He stared with disbelief but slowly started to except the depressing reality. "Your parents suggested that show they said it was one of your favorites maybe it made its way into your dream?" She asked  a little relieved by his quick acceptance of things. She left the room to call for them, and a doctor.

He didn't want to believe it, but all the evidence pointed to all his adventures with Raleigh being a delusion. A tear fell down his cheek as he held his head in his hands. Not only was some of the most fun he ever had been a facade, he was back here in his world. The hospital bill would destroy the few savings he had, and he no longer had a place to live. He would again have to return to his soul crushing job. It didn't take long for the nurse to return with his parents.
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hey seemed almost indifferent about him being awake now. Both of them resembled him in different ways. "You're finally awake. I was beginning to think that would never happen." Clyde's mother said seeming to be a little more emotional then before. She hugged him before sitting down in the chairs next to the hospital bed. "Sorry for all the trouble I guess." Clyde said awkwardly unsure what to even say to them.

"Well speak up all ready. Think of all the worry you put me and your mother through." His father grumbled, but didn't even give him time to answer him. "The doctor said you can leave as soon as tomorrow, you'll need a little physical therapy, but can start working again soon. It will be a tight fit, but me and your ma will like you stay with us." Without another word he got up, and left. His mother frowned. "He has been pretty busy at work lately." "He's always busy with work, so is everyone." Clyde said a little dejected.

His mother wanted to say something but she didn't have the words. "Honey. None of us really want to spend all day working, but it's how things are. Its better then being dead." She looks at her watch. "Oh dear I hate to do this to you but looks like I have to get back to it as well. I'm glad your OK. She gives him another hug before rushing out. He lays back in the bed raising up his arm. "Is this really living. Feels pretty damn dead to me."

He felt like he barley knew those people. They lived in the same house for 18 years before he moved out yet they still felt like strangers busy with their own problems only here out of obligation. He looked over at the TV and at the girl on screen heartbroken he couldn't bare to look at it anymore. He turned it off, and faced the other way. He did so much learning to be a better person. He built relationships, did things with purpose. He finally felt like his life had meaning, and it turned out to be a lie. It started to get dark outside as he sunk deeper into a depressive state.

"No I refuse to accept this." He said sitting up suddenly ripping out the iv wincing in pain. He gets up falling right away. His body had lost a lot of muscle from laying down for so long. He still managed to get up some how and hug the wall to get out of the room. He went down the hall, and up the stairs till he reached the roof. It said emergency only, but he didn't care. The past him wouldn't have opened it. He stares at the bright glowing moon breathing in the air. He wasn't completely sure why he came up here half hoping the sky wouldn't be there, and he would expose that this was all some sort of trick, but that didn't happen.