nightshift //minizerk//

14

Josh's POV

I tap my fingers restlessly on the metal frame of my bed, feeling a little uncomfortable. They've taken me off my pain medication for now, so I have a feeling they're letting me go. Until Harry comes in.

''How're you feeling?'' he asks with a smile, sitting down on the chair next to me. ''Fine,'' I say. My voice has finally made a recovery. ''Eager to leave this damned place,'' I add with a grin, but Harry shakes his head. ''I thought someone told you...'' he sighs, and I frown. ''What is it?'' I ask, shifting uncomfortably. ''We haven't even taken the bullet out yet. It's lodged somewhere near your stomach. We were planning on taking it out today... but if you aren't ready we can hold it off for a little while...'' he trails off, and I shake my head. ''Oh, just do it already,'' I sigh. ''It's not serious is it..?'' I ask quickly, and he tilts his head. ''I mean... if we don't get rid of it soon you'll die,'' he said bluntly, ''Y'know, cos moving around can make the bullet move and it may hit a vital organ. If you don't die from internal bleeding, that is...'' I can practically feel myself go pale. 

Harry shifts in his seat. ''S-sorry... you do need to be aware, though... but we won't let any of that happen. You've had your appendix removed, haven't you?'' he asks, and I nod. It was back when I was around ten, though. He continues, ''Well, the process will be the same. The bits you're awake for, anyway. So don't panic. I won't scare you with the details, but basically we'll work out where the bullet is, get it out for you, and you'll probably be in here for a couple more weeks...'' he says, and I nod slowly. ''S-so... can I come and fetch you when we're ready?'' he asks, and I nod again. ''Thanks, Harry.'' He smiles, and leave the room. I let out a heavy sigh. I know it won't be as simple as he makes it out to be, there are a million things that good easily go wrong. But I'm too focused on Simon at the moment to care. He keeps drifting in and and of my head and there doesn't seem to be anything I can do to stop it. Not that I'm complaining.

--

I'm not sure how long I was asleep for, but I wake up in an unfamiliar room. I notice someone sleeping on the chair at the end of my bed. ''Tobi..?'' I ask, my throat feeling dry yet again. He jolts out of his uncomfortable-looking sleep and gasps. ''Oh my god you're awake. I thought you'd be asleep forever and I asked if I could stay and they said no but Harry made them so I've been here three days and I was just so scared...'' he speaks rapidly, and I just shake my head. ''I'm fine,'' I say, and he nods, wiping his damp eyes. I sigh. ''Where am I..?'' I ask carefully, and he looks around. ''They... they had to move you to another hospital. The one at the asylum didn't have the stuff they needed... see...'' he trails off before speaking again, ''Your heart stopped at least twice. Lily and Harry have no clue why, since the bullet was nowhere near your heart. They think it may have been shock or something with your blood...'' he shifts in his seat as I stare at him blankly. I shake my head. ''Mad ting...'' I mutter, and he let's out a suppressed giggle. ''I'm just glad you're okay now... we haven't given Simon the news yet... all he knows is you were having the bullet taken out...'' he frowns briefly. ''He really needs to see you, Josh. I don't know if you'll want to at the moment, but as soon as you're better, at least show him you're okay. None of us have been able to get through to him and we know how much he means to you and we know you aren't supposed to get close to patients but we'll speak to the boss and maybe she'll allow it...'' he starts speaking rapidly again. I rub my temples. ''Alright... as soon as I'm allowed out, you can take me to see him,'' I say, and he nods. ''I have to go now. I'll come back, though,'' he says, and I smile at him, watching him leave the room and walk down the corridor. I peer down the hospital gown I've ended up wearing at my stomach. I gulp and look away immediately. There's a row of neat stitches running from below the right of my ribcage to he start of my right thigh, just visible through the large bandage wrapped around my midriff.

I lean my head back against the pillow. It feels a little better to be sat in a real hospital, but at the same time I miss the familiarity of the asylum. That's a weird sentence. I wonder what's going on back there. I hope Vik's feeling happier. I hope Ethan's feeling sane. I hope Lux is feeling more sociable. I hope Rita isn't feeling anxious. I hope Simon... I hope Simon's alright.

Seems like an awful lot of hope for one person to hold on to. But all the same, I'm refusing to let go.