Abandonment

5: rescue

Luke

I saw Michael fall to the ground, most of his clothes were on the ground and he was crying.

"MICHAEL!" I shouted, running to him.

He just cried and curled up on the grass, his hands covering his face.

"Michael. It's Luke. Y-"

"Michael sorry," he cried, pushing himself so he was on his knees. "Michael very sorry. Please no hurt Mic-Michael."

I knelt in front of the crying boy, putting my parka that was laying on the ground around his shaking body. I pulled him into a hug and he started sobbing.

"Michael sorry," He repeated again and again and again.

"It's okay Michael, none of this is your fault." I tried to help him stand, but his knees wobbled and gave out, causing him to fall. I picked him up and carried him home.

-

I laid the now sleeping Michael on the couch before going to our house phone and calling the emergency hotline.

-

I hung up the phone and sighed, sitting in the chair next to the couch. The operator said that the cops should be here in around fifteen minutes. I was instructed to not let Michael shower or bathe to preserve evidence.

-

Michael sat on a medical table, eyes in a daze as they looked over them. He definitely wasn't himself. He was now clean and wearing a dark blue sweater and grey sweatpants.

"Alright. He'll be a little sore tomorrow, but other that that there's not any physical damage, he got lucky. Now I just need to ask you a few questions before we let you go, okay?"

"Okay," he said softly.

"How old are you Michael?" Asked detective Quinn. He was quite attractive for a detective, black hair, blue eyes.

"Seventeen."

The questions and answers went bay without any hesitation, until one question made an appearance.

"Has this happened before?"

Michael froze, tears coming to his eyes as he shakily admitted,"Yes."

My eyes widened and I shot out of my seat, standing next to Michael,"What?!"

He shook and I quickly hugged him, not wanting to let go of him. He started crying and my heart broke with every pitiful sob.

-

I called Ashton to come pick us up. Michael tended to stay close to me after our hug in the office. He was clutching my arm with his sweater paws.

honk. honk.

"Hey, Ashton's here," I said, opening my hand so he could hold it.

He yawned and grabbed my hand gently. He was adorable.

I sat in the back with Michael, not wanting to leave his side. "Does Calum know about this?"

"No. And I don't want him to. He's already worried about him, we don't need to make him panic over this, got it?"

"C-Cally no know about mean ally man," Michael said.

"Good." And with that Ashton drove us home.

-

Ashton walked in first and told us to wait a minute before going in.

I lead Michael into the hallway and we heard Calum scream," It's your fault that he's probably freezing to death! It's all your fault! I-"

"C-Cally?" Said Michael, slowly walking out of our hiding place.

"Michael!" Cheered Calum, running to the boy and hugging him tightly.

"Hey hey hey. Take it easy on him, he's really-.....tired," I said, getting Calum off of Michael. Michael was shaking as he yawned. "What do ya' say Michael, wanna go to bed?"

He nodded and I began to lead him to my room.

"Wait! Michael can sleep in my room!" cheered Calum.

"Luke room," Michael said tiredly, wiping at his eyes with his sweater paws.