That Week At Patches

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"Michael!"

he heard Henry whisper through the darkness.

"Michael!" he heard again.

Michael was half asleep. Half of him knew what was going on, the other half was off somewhere else. He heard footsteps and quiet mumbling. A huge figure towered above him. His instincts kicked in and he began tossing, turning and kicking in an attempt to get the figure off of him. Something grabbed his legs. He writhed, something was pulling him. SHE was back, Michael was going to die. He heard a voice.

"Michael... it's ok, it's just me." The figure said calmly.

Michael opened his eyes and took a deep breath. He was on the verge of tears. His heart was racing.

"D... Don't do that!" Michael said softly.

"You scared the living daylights out of me."

Henry nodded. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..." He started.

Michael cut him off.

"Why the hell are you here so early?" he said yawning and rubbing his eyes.

Henry quietly pointed to Charlie who was leaning against his leg half asleep.

"Oh," Michael answered with understanding.

They stood outside the hospital in front of Henry's blue car while he fumbled for the keys while carrying a sleeping child. Michael opened the back door for Henry and watched him carefully placed Sammy and Charlie into the back seat. Michael hadn't been in a car for several months. It felt like coming home after a long trip. There was silence as Henry started the car. He sat there for a few moments before backing out of the parking lot.

They silently drove down empty streets dimly lit by the pale orange streetlights that lined the streets in neat equal rows until they hit a red stoplight. Henry sighed.

"Michael, they haven't found your father yet, we reopened Patches." He said solemnly.

Michael didn't say a word. Chris already told him the whole story, what was the point of hearing it again.

"We all decided that you're going to stay with me..." Henry continued.

Michael watched a dog jump against a fence barking at the car as they drove slowly down the street.

"So, that means we're going to have to lay down some ground rules."

They pulled up to another stoplight.

"Michael?" Henry turned his gaze to Michael who was leaning his head out the window listfully, watching the houses as they passed by.

"I'm listening." He answered.

Henry continued.

"We can talk about specifics later, but I want you to know that I love you and that the only reasons I want you to follow these rules are because I don't want you to get hurt again."

Michael sighed, he'd heard this speech before. They pulled onto the highway.

"Ok," Michael said tiredly. The rest of the trip was taken in silence. Henry focused intensely on the road. Michael fell asleep.

He felt a gentle prod on his shoulder. Henry was trying to wake him up as gently as possible. Slowly he opened his eyes.

"Grab your stuff and let's head inside," Henry whispered.

He was now holding both Charlie and Sammy.

"He must have killer upper-body strength," Michael thought to himself.