Freaks of Salem

Chapter 12

"Thanks, Newt." Eric said as him and Kate climbed out of the car. He grabbed the crutches and went inside with Kate.

"How may I help you?" The lady at the front desk said.

"Yeah." Kate started. "My friend, Eric here, hurt his ankle. We want to know if we can get some X-Rays?"

The lady nodded. "Just take the elevator down the hall and go to the 3rd floor, it will be right there."

"Thanks." They both said and walked over to the elevator. They got in the elevator and went up. Kate having to make sure Eric was keeping his balance. She had to help him stay still once, but after that, he was good.

They stepped out of the elevator and went to a desk. Kate signed Eric in as he went and took a seat. Kate sat down beside him. He just stared ahead, his jaw clenched.

"You okay?" Kate asked.

He turned his head to her and shook his head. "No."

She sighed. "How's your ankle?"

He shrugged. "Okay. I guess."

She sighed again. "I can't communicate with you."

He looked at her in confusion. "What?"

"You're so hard to talk to."

"How?"

"I hate hearing you say the same things everytime. You can't say one sentence that isn't longer than two words."

He chuckled to himself.

"What's so funny?" She asked.

"You're cute."

She blushed. "Now will you talk to me?"

He sighed. "I'm just nervous what my Dad would do. He is not going to be okay with this." He motioned to his leg.

"What would he do?"

Eric shrugged. "Slap me. Say it was my fault. Just like everything else."

She put an arm around him. "It's never your fault."

He sobbed. "It's always my fault. It's my fault that I send him over the edge. It's my fault."

"It's not your fault."

He sobbed one final time before the nurse came out. "Eric Wells?"

Eric grabbed his crutches and stood up, Kate helping him stand. They followed a nurse into a room.

"Eric, sit on the bed." The nurse said and motioned to a bed in the corner. Eric and Kate walked over to the bed. Kate grabbed his crutches as he sat down. "May you put your leg on the bed, please?"

Eric did as told and layed his leg on the bed. The nurse came over and unwrapped his ankle and examined his ankle. He whinced in pain, clenching his teeth.

"What happened?" The nurse asked him.

He hesitated before speaking. "Sports injury."

"Yeah?" She said in amusement. "Football?"

He cringed as she moved his leg around. "Lacrosse."

"Yeah? You an athlete?"

"Yeah." He said, he couldn't believe the doctor was seriously trying to make conversation. "Basketball season starts up in the winter."

"Well, hopefully your leg is better by then."

He nodded. "I hope so."

She let go of his leg, making him squeeze his eyes shut.