Lost

Chapter 2

The next day I arrived at the hospital early, ready to do my best and help Theo as much as I could. I pushed open the door, walking inside and towards the front desk. I was about to ask for a pass when I heard the most heart wrenching scream from down the hallway. Without a second though I ran towards the noise, but as I turned the corner I froze.

There, huddled into a tight ball with his back facing the doctors and nurses I recognized Theo. He was shaking hard as well as letting out screams. As I snapped out of my daze, I rushed over to one of the doctors, demanding to know what was happening.

“We don’t know, the nurse was simply bringing him to the cafeteria when he fell to his knees and started screaming his lungs out.” He replied, looking at me with slight concern in his eyes.

I muttered a quick thanks and turned back to Theo. I suddenly felt panic and anger rush through me as I sped towards Theo and shouted out. “Hey! What the hell do you think you’re doing?!”

The doctor that had been previously walking over to the boy and was about to grab him turned around, looking at me with annoyance in his eyes.

“He’s disrupting everyone, he needs to be locked away in his room; It’s the only way they heal.” He practically spit out, glaring at the boy huddled against the wall.

“Excuse me?!” I exclaim, hands in fists by my side. “Do you really think that locking a clearly traumatized boy in his room by force is going to help him? I’m pretty sure that all it would do was make him worse! Now get away from him and I’ll take him to his room.”

With that I turned away and slowly walked towards Louis, crouching slightly and calling softly. “Theo?”

Slowly, his head lifted, scared and dull blue eyes stared at me fearfully.

“Hey Theo, it’s ok, no-one’s gonna hurt you, I’m just gonna come closer and we’ll just go back to your room ok?” I asked, making sure to keep my voice soft and comforting. But as soon as I mentioned going to his room, a loud cry came out of his mouth, before he hid his head in his arms again.

“Theo?” I tried again, hoping to get his attention again. This time, only his eyes were visible, the rest of his face hidden. “Ok Theo, we don’t need to go to your room, do you want to go eat instead?”  I asked softly as I took small steps towards him.

He nodded slightly and a small hopeful glint appeared in his eyes, though still clouded by fear and distrust. I smiled reassuringly at him and I saw a small tug at his lips. I extended my arm very carefully towards him, and he eyed it carefully before he seemed to understand what I was trying to do. Slowly, he sat up and reached out a shaky hand towards mine. As soon as he placed his hand in mine I carefully closed it, holding it softly, and rising to my feet, gently pulling Theo up as well. I was careful to stay a distance away, just in case it would make him uncomfortable.

I gave him a reassuring smile, which he shyly returned, before turning towards the hallway, coming face to face with a crowd of doctors and nurses staring at me, some even with their mouth hanging open.

“What?”

Silence followed, until a doctor on my right answered. “No-one’s even managed to calm him down before.” I gave him a surprised look before a whimper caught my attention. My head snapped back to Theo, who I found huddled behind me, peeking from around my arm, looking at something fearfully. I followed his gaze to the doctor that tried to grab him before, who was looking at him with a cold glare.

“Hey, stop looking at him like that, you’re scaring him!”

His eyes snapped to me for a second, and he turned around, pushing his way through the crowd, but not before sending a harsh glare at Theo.