Home (A Red Band Society Fanfic)

Chapter 2

        I head to Leo and Jordi's room but get blocked by Brittany on the way in. 

"Um, excuse me? Brittany? Can I go in?" I asked.

"Hey Emma! How are you doing?" she said.

"Fine I guess, can I go in?"

"Hey Emma, maybe you can come to your room, we need to chat."

"I'm fine Brittany, just please let me go in." I shoved her out of the way, but she wouldn't let me.

"Look Emma, you probably don't want to hear this but..."

"BRITTANY ARE THEY OKAY?" 

"Well here is the deal. Someone in their room, either Leo or Jordi had a thermometer. It was apparently one of their Grandparents. You know about the earthquake last night?" I nod recalling a quick shake I felt last night. "The force knocked the thermometer over and it broke. Jordi or Leo must have noticed and vacumed it up. They then went back to sleep. In the middle of the night, Jordi came telling us something was wrong and there was a mercury leak. Since they went back to sleep, it affected them both. Jordi, however went out to the couches for some reason, but Leo was left in. Jordi has minor lung damage, so he'll have some assisted breathing but Leo..."

"WHAT HAPPENED TO LEO?" I yelled.

"Leo has Minamata Disease." Brittany said looking down.

"What is that? What does it do? How will it affect him with his cancer?"

"Ok, here is what happens. Minamata Disease causes muscle weakness, weakening vision, weakening speech and hearing, and if really bad, he could be paralyzed or in a coma within a few weeks, or even death." My heart sinks. "But that is only in extreme conditions. He will be tested now to see the level of the disease." 

I nod and then run to my room. I lay down on my bed and begin to cry. Why would this happen to him? Hasn't he dealt with enough crap in his life? Now he'll have lifelong effects because of this dumb thermometer. Who the hell even brings a thermometer to a hospital? I can't believe this happened.

I hear a knock on my door and see Jordi. He has a cannula. Jordi walks in and takes a seat next to me on my bed. 

"Hey Emma," Jordi said.

I whipe a tear from my face. "Uh um hey Jordi"

"Look, I get your pissed at me and I'm so sorry for everything that happened."

"Slow down Jordi, what did you do?'

"You know my grandma?"

"Crazy one, non believer in hospitals?" 

"Yeah that one. So anyways, she gave me that thermometer. I thought I didn't have it with me. It was filled with mercury and it's all my fault I brought it. Something felt wrong so I left the room after the earthquake. I didn't wake up Leo, so it's all my fault."