Parallels

Chapter Seven: Groaning Pains Redux

"Now? Really?" I say, groaning at even the thought of PT. "Do I have to?"

"Do you want to be stuck in this here hospital for forever?" Doctor Paila asks. "If you do, well, then I'll bring you to the mental ward. If not, well, then, follow me, and let's get started."

"But I'm okay, really, Doctor Paila, really," I try to protest, but to no avail.

"Theo," she says. "I know, I know, you're afraid that this is going to hurt, and yes, you're right, it is going to hurt, but it's only going to get worse if you don't stretch the muscles out. When was the last time you actually used your chest muscles?"

"Um...," I say, trying to think about that answer. "Geez, doctor, I really don't know," I say, feeling sheepish. "Maybe three weeks? How long have I been in the hospital, anyways, because it's been about since then."

"It's been about a month, Theo. Come on, let's go." With that, we start in on a regimen that Doctor Paila says is supposed to be 'easy,' but for me, it gives personification to PT's true meaning being "pure pain and true torture." My ribs are screaming, and it's only been two minutes.

I have to give her credit, though: the longer we do this regimen together, the less my ribs cramp and ache from being busted, and instead, I just feel tired and sore, and yet relieved. That's one day down, and only twenty more to go.

"Hey, Theo, are you alright there? You seem kinda lost in the clouds there," Doctor Paila says, her voice breaking me out of my thoughts.

"Himm?" I ask, then realize that I've been staring off into space. "Sorry, Doctor, I got a little lost there for a second or two."

"It's fine, Theo," she says. "Are you doing alright, though, now that you're not lost and drifting out among the stars?"

"If you're not taking my soreness into account, then yeah, I'm fine, and thanks for asking."

"You're welcome. If you don't mind me asking, Theo, what put you here in the first place?"

"You mean on Earth? I'm an exchange student from Terra."

"No, what I meant was what put you here in the hospital?"

"You didn't read my medical records?"

"No," she says, "I didn't, I haven't had the time to yet. What with a war on, we've had more people coming in our doors every day than we have space to bed in this entire hospital. By the way, would you happen to know what the hell this whole mess is about, anyway?"

"I have no idea," I say. "Everybody keeps asking me, thinking that because I'm Terran that I might know why my planet would have started to pick a fight with one of the most powerful military forces in the entirety of the the Two Universes. Unfortunately for them, they always have to leave me disappointed, because I have no flocking idea why Terra's all of a sudden decided to up and take on Earth by launching a full-scale invasion."

"Hey, no worries, Theo, really," Doctor Paila says. "Just curious. So what got you plunked in the hospital here in the first place, anyways? You never did answer that particular question of mine."

"Well," I say, taking a deep breath and trying to steel my nerves, "I had a former principal here on Earth who found me walking around the school late one afternoon after all the buses had left (I was heading back to the cafeteria to talk with some friends who were staying after with their mom, one of the teachers) and I needed to get something for an assignment out of my locker. I think it was my Algebra textbook or something like that, I don't remember.

"So anyways, I'm passing by the main office on my way back down to the cafe, and I see that there's only one light left on in the hallway, the one that lights up the trophy case right outside the cafeteria, and before I can think that that seemed odd, which it did, I'm being lifted up by my backpack straps, accused of slinking around the building and all sorts of thievery, and then thrown down the hallway. As if that wasn't enough, the arsehole decided to kick my ribs in with the help of some steel toe boots. Wonderful fun, so yeah, that's what got me here. I never thought that my life would end up anything like it is right now, but it is what it is."