Imagine Chaos [Imagine Dragons Fanfic]

Stupid things we do

Ben:

Friday, wich means it's been three days since Dan got out of the hospital. By itself, that's a good thing because he is no longer in a life-threatening condition. But the bad thing about it is that he has slept a total of five hours.

Five hours in three days. He always says that he isn't even tired but the bags under his eyes say something different. Right now is one of the rare moments where he is sleeping. Wayne, Platz and I sit together in the kitchen to discuss the fact that he can't continue like this.

"He has to sleep more. His body needs the energy and rest." I state. "Yeah, but we can't make him sleep. He will when the time has come! We just have to wait." Wayne answers.

I sigh. Platz responds: "We have to try something. What gets him sleeping normally?" "Well, normally when he can't sleep because of his back he stands up and does some stretches. If that doesn't help he doesn't sleep that night. You know that." Wayne answers.

"And we already have tried so many things," I add. "Maybe he sleeps a few hours now. I mean he can't go forever without sleep." The others nod. Then I hear something from the living room. I take a glance and see Dan rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. I look at the clock. He slept for about one hour, not enough but better than nothing.

We walk to Dan and discuss what we should do now. "You know that I can just simply read a book or something. You don't have to play my babysitter!" Dan says after a few minutes. "Don't worry." Platz answers. "We'll go if we don't want to do something but, at least for me, it's fun. I mean we're just playing video games or watcing movies. We don't get a lot of time for that normally."

I nod. We decide to do something different. Dan was writting a lot for the past days and we look if we can make something out of it. After a few hours, we have a couple pretty good demos and I decide to cook something. I could already hear Platz's stomach rumple. It was so loud that we all stopped and started laughing.

After forty minutes I nearly finished cooking, while the others continued to play. Suddenly Platz stands next to me. I look at him as he hands me a bottle of pills. As I look at them I can identify them as sleeping pills.

"Should we really do that?" I ask him quietly eventhough the others are still playing guitar. "He won't sleep otherwise." Platz whispers. "We're only helping him." "Yeah, we are. But it feels wrong. I don't know."

"I understand you. But the bags under his eyes are so big and he looks tired. I just want him to feel better." Platz's voice sounds worried. "Okay. I'll crush them and put them in. Luckily I've seasoned it pretty much. I think he won't taste them."

A few minutes later Platz and I carry the plates to the couch. I hand Dan his plate and take one by myself.

Once we've finished eating Platz and Wayne do the dishes and I wait for the pills to kick in. I don't have to wait long, after about ten minutes Dan yawns and rubs his eyes. "I know eating is tiring." I say with a grin, hoping that he doesn't recognize the doubts about what I've just done."

Dan smiles back. "Yeah. I guess I'll take a nap, I think I need it desperately anyways." With that said he lays down and closes his eyes. "Sleep well!" I whisper and stand up. But he is already out.

I go up to the others and tell them that Dan is sleeping. Wayne is surprised. "I personally didn't think that our problem would be solved that fast. But I told you that he will sleep and that we only have to wait." With that said he turns around and sits down on one of the armchairs near Dan.

Platz wants to say something but I shake my head. "He doesn't have to know that we helped a little," I whisper. Platz nods and we continue to clean the kitchen. While doing that we both glance at Dan from time to time. He is moving a lot, more than normal. Maybe he has a nightmare or something I think. But I can also see Wayne taking a worried glance at Dan.

After twenty minutes we finished cleaning the kitchen. Platz and I decided to dust the whole room because we haven't done that in a long time. One and a half hours later I can hear soft whimpers coming from the couch. I stop cleaning the shelf and look over at Dan.

Platz also stopped dusting and with concerned looks we watch Wayne stand up and crouch next to Dan. As the whimpers get louder and his breathing faster Wayne shoots us a concerned glare.

Suddenly Dan shoots up in a sitting position and looks around the room. Right after that, his hand goes down to his hips and he sinks back. His breathing is really fast and I can also see tears coming out of his eyes.

I exchange a concerned look with Platz and we both rush to the couch. Dan covers his eyes with his arm but that doesn't stop the tears from coming out of his eyes. He is shaking and still holding his hips and clenching his teeth. He isn't breathing right because he is crying that hard.

As he gasps for air his hand goes from his hips to his stomach. Wayne strokes his arm and says: " Hey bud it's alright. Calm down. We're here. Tell us whats wrong so that we can help." Dan shakes his head. Wayne places himself next to Dan and hugs him.

Dan flinches at first then he takes the arm of his face and rets his head on Wayne's chest. Slowly his shaking decreases and his breathing gets better too but it's still far from normal. Wayne rocks themselves for and back but he stops immediatly as Dan whimpers and cringes.

"What's wrong bud?" Wayne asks softly. Dan mutters: "My back and my stomach...it hurts so much. As if they're on fire and dunno...like someone is drilling in my nerves. And...and...it just hurts so damn much. I've never been in such pain." He starts shaking again. "Make it stop. Please. Make it stop." He gets quieter till the end and his crying increases. "Sssshhh" Wayne tries to calm him down." But his breathing gets ragged again, it sounds like he can't get air into his lungs. Wayne looks at us.

"Call the doctor. Now!"