The Sun Will Rise (Moonlight 1)

Chapter 14-Circles

The beeping machines echo repeatedly in my ears as I nervously walked the linoleum corridors. They're almost impossible to drown out, made worse by my enhanced hearing. My eyes scaled the vacant walls that were stripped of almost all personality besides the signs marking the room and ward numbers. It was easy to remember why I hated hospitals; every visit always seemed too soon from the last.

We'd been herded out of dad's room about ten minutes ago, the doctor had made us leave to run some tests. They still weren't sure what was wrong with him. I'd seen the doctors shaking their heads, unsure of what they could do.

I wasn't so sure either. When I'd first walked in the room and seen him for the first time it had been impossible not to notice the scratches that ran along the surface of his skin. Except for the translucence of his skin, it was easy to pretend to myself that he was just asleep. He wasn't conscious but the heart monitor told us he was alive. It didn't make things better though, it was hard not knowing exactly what was wrong.

All mum had mentioned was the werewolf and with no details of what had happened whatsoever. I couldn't help but wonder if it had something to do with a werewolf that then it wouldn't make much sense to bring him here? How could they help with something that they could barely understand? Whatever it was, she wouldn't explain much to me. I guess she knew what she was doing.

I'd decided to text Calum on the way over here. If it was something to do with the werewolf, then maybe he'd be able to help. He'd have to have more information on that kind of thing than my mum did. At least that's what I hoped. Texting wasn't the best way to pass on info for us but the bond hadn't been working properly as I could only hear snippets of what Calum was saying and vice versa.

We moved to sit on the plastic seats at the end of the corridor. I could only watch the nurses parade up and down as they went about their work. After a little while I noticed that there was a television playing an older movie from 80's or 90's on the screen. I tried to watch it but it seemed to be half way through and even when I strained my hearing I could barely make out what they were saying. So, I soon lost interest.

I tried to think of something else to do. I guess I could eat but I didn't feel like anything. My stomach was too crowded with butterflies. I glanced beside me at the now cold coffee and bag of chips that sat with it. I hadn't even opened the packet. Mum kept looking over at me, clearly worried by my behaviour. I just wasn't hungry.

"Luke, maybe you should eat..." She finally said.

I shook my head, cutting her off, "It's okay, I'm fine."

She frowned at me, for a moment. She looked as if she was about to reply when she let out a sigh as her phone buzzed in her bag. She quickly fished it out and took to scrolling through it. I gazed up at the ceiling, examining the small grooves in the plaster to calm myself. It wasn't helping much.

'Alright I'm here. Can you meet me outside in the pickup zone?' Calum's voice rings in my ears clearly this time. It seemed the bond was working again. I could feel a sense of nervousness from him.

That's right, Calum had said he was going to meet me here to talk properly. I was grateful to him and nervous at the same time. What if this ended up being worse than I thought?

"Mum, I need to uh...step out for a moment." I say to her, my voice slightly strained. I felt a little guilty leaving her, "Are you fine by yourself?"

She patted me on the shoulder, and nodded, "It's okay, Luke. I'll wait right here."

I nod. "I'll be back soon."

Walking through the hospital was surreal, buzzers blared as room numbers lit up the screens at the top of the corridor. I could faintly hear the hushed conversations of visitors by bed-sides. Machines blared and whirred from the door of each room. The smell of disinfectant wafting through the corridors. I was starting to think that enhanced senses made hospitals worse. I passed a woman wheeling a large trolley that came up to shoulder height. The smell of food reached me, and I silently wished that I hadn't left that bag of chips behind if even hospital food was starting to smell okay.