Broken Promises (#4 in the 'Outcast' series)

Chapter 17

Chapter 17:

Mike's Point of View:

"C'mon, c'mon," I said to myself. "C'mon, don't do this."

I watched as my parents talked to the doctor in charge of Vic's case. Mom kept looking over at me as dad spoke to him, and I just looked back sadly, hoping she knew I was completely against this.

They'd allowed me along after school, as it was most likely the last time I was gonna see Vic. The doctors were convinced that he wasn't gonna wake up, and so mom and dad were talking through their options and decisions. They'd been talking for a good half an hour before I decided I needed to say something.

"Excuse me," I said quietly, the sadness in my tone as I stood next to mom and they all looked at me. I looked to the doctor they were talking to and he looked back at me. "Is my brother gonna be ok? He promised."

The doctor looked back at me, and I saw a hint of sadness in his eyes as he looked at me and saw how upset I was because I knew what they were planning to do.

"I'm sorry, but at this point it doesn't look like your brother's going to make it," he said to me.

I hoped the look on my face was killing him inside.

"But he promised he wouldn't leave me," I said, feeling as a few tears threatened. "He made a promise, and he never breaks his promises."

The doctor and my parents kept looking at me, and I hoped this would help change their minds; clearly playing the slightly not all there card was working.

"Please sir, just give 'im another week," I said. "He's my best friend and I don't wanna lose him. He promised."

The doctor looked at me for a bit longer.

"I'm sorry, but the decision isn't mine to make," he said. "This' for your parents to decide."

I looked to mom and dad, but neither of them said anything. I just gave a nod and went back to sitting down where I'd been before. Mom looked over at me before looking to dad and saying something to him quietly. Dad looked over at me briefly before looking to the doctor.

"We'll give him another week," he said, making me look over at him. He returned the look. "We're only giving him a week Mike. If he's not awake by this time next week, I'm sorry."

***

Andy's Point of View:

"So are you alright?"

"I dunno Ash. Just not feelin' it again," I said with a sigh as I sat at the kitchen table and wrote in an answer to the work I had to do.

Connor wasn't home yet, as he'd been hanging out with friends 'til late, but I was dreading him getting home. He was always one to hold to his word, and he'd said he was gonna make my life hell, so I didn't doubt it.

"Aw, c'mon man. Don't be like that. What's gotten ya so down this time?" Ashley said from the other end of the line.

"I'm just sick of getting hit in the fucking face all the time," I said, scribbling out an answer and beginning to get frustrated. "I'm always getting bashed and hit in the face, and I just wanna go home. I hate it here."

Tara went past me and began going through the cupboards, clearly after something to eat.

"Well I dunno Ando. Connor hit you again, right?"

"Yeah," I said bitterly as I scribbled out another answer and Tara looked over, clearly seeing something was wrong. "He practically broke my nose today, and I'm still in fucking pain all the time 'cause of the prick."