Toffee's Trick

Chapter 36

Doctor Tina had had enough.

"Right," she said, taking charge. "That's it- I've listened to your mental story, now I want everyone out; I need to attend to my patient. Out. Out, come on, all of you-" and she uttered them away from Marco and out of the hospital, all of them grumbling along the way.

"Wait-" Tina grabbed Tom by the arm. "Not you, demon. And Star, I suppose you better stay as well- you need to explain this stuff to me."

They went back to the bed as she slammed the door on the king, queen and the Diaz's.

Marco was sitting up, looking nervous. He was of course still stick thin, his skin still darker than normal, and runes etched into his chest.

"Tom..." he said. "What's going to happen to me?"

Tom looked down.

"I... it depends. It's different every time, I think."

"You 'think'?" Star asked sharply.

"Well... I've never actually seen it happen before," Tom admitted sheepishly. "I've just been told about it. It's sort of a legend. An old story you'd get told as a kid. Y'know, 'a demon's tears will transform a human if ingested, and they all lived happily ever after'."

"Oh yeah," Star suddenly said. "I remember that. Fairly sure it isn't true though-"

But at that exact moment, the runes on Marco's chest began to glow.

Everyone gasped in surprise; Marco's eyes were a wide a saucers.

"What's happening?" He yelped.

"I don't know!" Tom cried, truthfully. "I've never actually seen this happen before!"

Marco yelled as they glowed brighter and brighter, the noise turning animalistic, then it became a drawn out scream of pain.

"Get out of my way!" Tina screamed, professionalism kicking back in. "I need an oxygen mask and gas and air! Move! Move! Go! Now!" And she jumped to Marco's side. Star looked around frantically for the items she has asked for. There in the corner of the room next to another bed was an oxygen mask. She sprinted the length of the hospital and wheeled it over. Tina took it from her without a word and shoved it over Marco's mouth. He was writhing with agony. Tom stood stock still, terror striken.

"Tom!" Star called. "Gas and air!"

He looked dazed for a second, then snapped out of it and looked at Star.

"Right," he said, and ran off to look for some.

Star inched nervously closer to the bed. Tina was holding Marco down on the mattress by his shoulders. He was kicking and writhing in pain, screaming through his oxygen mask. The runes on his chest shone raw against his skin, white hot and bloody.

But then...