Oblivion

13

Kyle watched Dan from afar. The change in him was amazing. Just a few weeks ago it had been hard to make him crack a smile. But up there on that stage, as he sang to himself, this was the Dan he knew had been hiding in there all along. And Kyle felt all the confidence in the world that his friend was going to be ok. He was going to be in massive trouble when he got back to the ward, but it seemed worth it.

'Time to go.' Kyle called.

'Five more minutes?' He begged. Kyle shook his head.

'No. Let's go.' He couldn't let Dan call the shots. Kyle was very much responsible for him. He'd taken him on like a third child. Dan climbed back down and practically skipped across the empty room. He threw his arms around Kyle.

'Thank you.' He whispered.

'You're welcome. How do you feel?'

'Amazing. Seriously. Oh man. We need to do this. We need to get Will and Woody and do this.'

'Baby steps.' Laughed Kyle. 'They're busy men. Woody has his drumming school and Will's...well, I'm not sure but I bet he's up to some trouble somewhere.'

As suspected, when Dan walked back into the hospital, it was as if he was an escaped prisoner. He was greeted by security and marched back to his room. There was a nurse stationed outside the door permanently. Kyle had explain the situation to Mrs Turnbull, how he'd found him just outside the hospital and it had been his idea to go on a little trip.

'I have serious concerns about you being his guardian. I thought you, of all people, with such a vested interest in Daniel's wellbeing, would take this more seriously. How can I trust that you will be strong enough to hold him back when he is begging to go out and abuse substances?'

'As if I'm going to let him do that? He was desperate to get out and I don't think an hour away from here is going to do him any harm.' Dan sat in his bed the whole time, watching the conversation unfold. He kept his tongue, scared to get even deeper in trouble.

'Are you a trained phsycologist Mr Simmons?' She asked. Kyle stammered a no. 'Then maybe you should keep your ideas to yourself in future.'

'He needs to get out of here. He has a room at my house, we're waiting for him so we can help him get better. And I think that if you don't let him go, we might just discharge him ourselves. You can't keep him here unless he's been sectioned. Which he hasn't.'

'Are you forgetting he tried to kill himself only three months ago?' The words stung at Kyle's heart. They'd both hoped that would never be bought up again.

'Of course I haven't forgotten.'

'Then we have every right to hold him here under Section 29 of the mental health act. If I have concerns that he may harm himself-'

'He won't harm himself.' Kyle laughed. 'Will you?' Kyle looked down to Dan. Dan threw his hands in the air and shrugged. 'See!'

As seriously as the situation was, Dan couldn't stop smiling. Which was not helping his cause. He just felt so happy! And the way Kyle was battling Mrs Turnbull was the icing on the cake.

'You know what Mr Simmons, seeing as you obviously know best, take him. Take him home.'

'What?' Kyle and Dan said at the same time.

'Pack your bags Daniel, you're being released.' He did not need telling twice. If he had bags to pack, he would've, but all he had in the world were the borrowed clothes he stood in. 'You know where to come if you need help. Make sure you pick up your prescription from the nurses before you go.' Mrs Turnbull left the room without another word.

The two boys stood confused, staring at each other. What just happened?