No Clue

Never Again

Michael sat silently in the bed of the emergency room, a pair of handcuffs on each wrist, connecting him to the siderails. He stared at the open door intently, glaring at the two police officers that stood guard outside his room. The boy he was obsessed with was nowhere to be seen, and he wasn't sure what was happening to him.

Meanwhile, Luke lay heavily sedated on a surgical table with tube down his throat to keep him breathing as the surgeons removed the large piece of shrapnel from his side. When he wrecked the car, all he was thinking of was escape... in any way possible.

"Hello?" Michael called, pulling at his handcuffs. "C-can I get a doctor in here?" He asked, feeling his stomach beginning to tighten. It started to become an unbearable pain. "P-please?" He begged, doubling over and laying on his side. One of the officers glanced nervously at him.

"Ignore him," the other said. "He's just manipulating." Michael groaned loudly before leaning over the bed and vomiting up blood.

"Oh my god!" The first officer said. "Go get the doctor!" He demanded, running into the room. Michael laid back against his pillow, suddenly very pale and drenched in sweat. He began muttering quietly, yet the cop couldn't understand him.

"What's going on?" The doctor asked, rushing in with a nurse at his side. He saw his patient and lifted the boy's shirt, seeing large bruises settling on his abdomen. "He needs to be prepped for surgery, immediately. Bring him to O.R. four," the doctor demanded. "Page Doctor Montgomery as well to let him know."

"Yes sir," the nurse said, running out of the room.

"Get these cuffs off of him. I'll need two guards posted in my operating room, two outside the doors. My doctors will not be at risk to save this man. Come on, let's move!" He demanded.

"We'll remove the cuffs when he's sedated," the second officer said as the doctor administered a shot of morphine.

"Then guide the foot of the damn bed," he said, kicking off the brakes. "Michael, I need you to stay with me," he said, pushing the bed out of the room and towards the elevator. "We're going to help you. Just lay still."

"Luke is dead, isn't he?" He whispered, looking up at the doctor.

"Just hang on..."

~~~

Luke played in his front yard, giggling as he watched a bumble bee fly between flowers. The four year old boy loved exploring the world, and finding every little detail about the things around him. His brothers, who were eight and nine years old, were in their rough and tough faze where they wanted to destroy everything and wrestle. In the meantime, Luke would sit in the garden, admiring the flowers.

Luke heard shouting from inside and looked up to see his father storming out of the house in tears. He didn't understand why his mummy and daddy constantly fought, or why his mummy blamed his daddy for everything wrong that happened; but he did understand that the two adults no longer loved one another.

Luke carefully examined his flowers that he had worked so hard to plant with his mum before selecting a light pink carnation and standing up. He walked over to his father who sat on the patio with his head in his hands as he cried softly. Luke placed the carnation next to the older man before hoisting himself up to sit on the bench beside him. He picked up his flower again and tuckked on his father's sleeve.

"Don't cry, daddy," he said, offering it to him. Andrew liked down at his four year old son and saw him offering one of his favorite flowers. He smiled softly and took the flower, tucking it behind his ear before letting the boy sit up on his lap.

"Thank you, boyo," he whispered, playing with his blond hair. "I'm alright, Luke."

"Why is mummy mad at you, daddy?"

"Oh, my love. There are many things you have yet to learn in your life. Mummy doesn't mean to get angry. I'm sorry if she scares you sometimes... she loves you very much. You know that, don't you?"

"Yeah, but why don't she love you anymore?" Andrew felt his breath catch in his throat.

"Everyone has a soulmate, my sweet boy," he said, still hugging him. "Sometimes you love the wrong person first, and that's okay. It just helps lead you to the person you're meant to love."

"You and mummy aren't soulmates?" He asked, looking up at the older man.

"No, buddy... I'm not hers..."

~~~

Luke lay motionless in the hospital bed, his room around him empty. Everything he once knew was changed. His life was once happy, now he didn't even know what to do. His blue eyes opened slowly and he winced from the sunlight that filled the room with a soft glow. He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, feeling the tube that was down his throat. He opened his eyes and saw the tube taped to his mouth and he began panicking as he reached for the remote on the side of the bed. He quickly pressed the nurse call button multiple times, beginning to choke.

"Someone is coming, just stay calm," someone spoke from the little speaker on the remote. An abrupt knock sounded on the door and a nurse walked in quickly with a doctor close behind.

"Good morning, Luke," the doctor said, putting on a pair of gloves quickly and hurrying to his side. "Just remain calm, you're alright. I'm just going to remove this tube so you can breath on your own..." Luke's eyes were wide with fear as he watched the doctor closely. He felt the tube being lifted from his throat, and once it was clear he coughed slightly. "Your throat will be sore for a while, I'd wait a bit to talk... Don't worry, son. You're safe now. There are police officers posted outside of your door, security here is high, and your parents are on their way."

"W-what happened to Michael?" Luke asked, feeling as if his throat was being torn apart.

"Don't worry, Mr. Hemmings... he can't hurt you anymore..."

"Where is he?" The doctor took in a soft breath and gave the boy a sympathetic smile.

"He died last night in surgery." Luke felt his heart skip a beat. "Get some rest, Luke. Your family will be here soon." Luke rested against his pillow, feeling at ease for the first time in... he couldn't even remember how long. Michael Clifford could never hurt him again.

Michael Clifford was dead.