Gerald tried not to feel annoyed as he laid on the hospital bed. The crinkly plastic under him felt more grating than the countless wires and machines hooked up to him. He tried to let the silence put him to sleep but the constant beep of what was presumably an ECG monitor interjected his catnap sporadically. His loud sigh went unnoticed by the doctor.
Hedwyn Millar's eyebrows were furrowed so deeply that Gerald wondered if there was a risk of them disappearing. The doctor was young but currently he looked more than thrice his age due to his irate countenance. He looked at the monitors, then back to the bundle of papers clutched in his hand, then back over to the machines in a rather hypnotizing cycle. Gerald settled on watching this little routine; entertainment was clearly going to be scarce this evening.
A young teen suddenly bustled through the door, looking both winded and flustered. The doctor dropped his papers then clattered his chair around to see who had interrupted.
"Um, I'm Javed," He offered a hand forward. It was ignored. "I'm new here and uh, she," He looked back outside and pointed somewhere. "She said to help you..." Javed squinted his eyes at Gerald. "Shit, man, I thought you were dead."
Gerald grunted in approval, causing Javed to flush a deep red.
"No, I meant like. You just look real disturbing with all that..." He motioned weakly at the machines before awkwardly crossing his arms in front of him.
"Clearly, the best help you can provide is removing yourself from here," The doctor's voice was cold as he gingerly picked up his papers. "This place hires anyone now..."
"Oh, did the big red man bring you here, too?" Javed asked curiously as he crossed into the threshold of the room. He looked at Gerald, then at the screens surrounding him.
"Yes." Hedwyn replied curtly. He shot a dirty look at Javed before resuming his thought process."Same. My parents are happy about it, and the woman at the front is really nice. Pleased to meet you by the way." Javed didn't receive a response to this, but he didn't notice. Something about Gerald's medical results had seemingly caught his attention and he started snooping around to confirm whatever his suspicions maybe.
"Huh, hey, uh, doc? His cortisol levels are sky-high..." He called over to Hedwyn.
"I'm very much aware."
"Cortisol controllers, huh, old man? The hell did you get 'em from?" Javed put a finger on his chin as he was seemingly lost in thought about something. "Hm. Not just cortisol. Your kidneys are messed up, too." He moved his finger to trace it over one of the screens.
"Are you from a medical background?" Hedwyn's voice had taken on a more inquisitive tone.
Javed nodded.
"I'll be in med school this year."
"I see." Hedwyn's face softened ever so slightly as he offered a few leaves of paper to the boy. "Well, take a look, then. From what I can figure out, he's dying, but I don't know why."
YOU ARE READING
FALTER
Mystery / Thriller"Do you remember what we used to say?" "Never falter." "Yeah. Forever after." When a familiar cult emerges from the shadows of Youth City, underground rockstar Imti has to choose between hiding his demons behind a mask or finally facing everyone bur...
