The Fox, Red

023 - From The Desk Of Madam Odette II

Red was airlifted from my home to the local hospital. I arrived another 4 hours later. Turns out that Red wasn't the only victim in Marcus' madness. Jeffery and Miller, who were standing guard at the front door were shot and killed. I had to leave someone else in charge while I went to the hospital. The ride was horrid. I sat in the back, alone, just waiting. I tried having a drink but it was a struggle to get a sip. I just feel so sick.

I keep running through the entire situation and all I can see is I should have had him removed when he walked in. I could have prevented everything from the start. As I sit in the waiting room of the emergency room I continue to roll his over in my mind. "Odette." A small otter calls my name snapping me up from my thoughts. The doctor saw me move and knew it was me, "Can you come with me please?"

The two of us go around a corner away from the waiting room, "I have no idea how to tell you this but Red will be ok." All my stress, all my worrying, just melted away. "But he shouldn't be. That's what we don't get. We removed one bullet that missed his vital organs and settled near his hip. He'll be walking funny for a while but that's not the weird part. One went through and through but the second went into his left lung and the third hit the lower right of his heart." I cover my mouth and feel the tears beginning to well in my eyes. "Calm down, that's where I cannot explain it. He should be dead." He beckoned me closer, "No manner of medical science or magic should have been able to save him but his body did it by itself. His heart was still beating with a partial hole in it while patching itself. His lung stopped working until it had a thin layer over itself. He's not normal."

"This may be strange to ask, but can I see him?"

"We're still stitching the wounds and replacing some of the blood he lost. I'll get you when we know he's stable but for now, just take a seat. If you need anything ask one of our nurses. We let them know what happened and they'll be sure to give you what you need."

I feel a lot better but I still got Red into this ordeal. It was another three hours of waiting before a nurse called me. She escorted me to a room where they had his name on the plaque. She knocked before opening the door for me. The room was cooler than the rest of the hospital. The window was wide open allowing some of the breeze to come in.

I slowly stepped in looking around. Sure enough Red was there, leaning against his bed that is propped up. He has his head forward, slightly to the side to look outside. He looks a little lost in thought.

I step in standing as still as I can continue to look at him. I can see a few of the bandages on his chest from the entrance wounds. I lean slightly over to try and get his attention but his eyes look empty. "Red?" He didn't move. "Red, are you ok?" He didn't move but there wasn't any inflection in his voice, "Are you scared?"

"W-what?"

"Are you scared of me?"

He asked me the same question at the house after he threw Marcus around the hallway. I can't help myself. I step beside him placing my hand on his shoulder. I move my hand to the side of his neck and then to under his chin. He closes his eyes as I place my head against his, "Red, I'm not scared of you." I can feel his body beginning to shake. I feel a tear hit my paw. Before he loses himself I grab him with both arms. One hand grabs his shoulder while my other goes across his stomach, "You, stop that. You shouldn't be the one crying. I almost lost you today because of my actions. You don't get to cry!"

I nuzzle his ear with my nose trying to stop myself from crying. He does calm himself down enough to talk again, "It's blurry but did I kill him?" I stop dead in my tracks. He doesn't remember what he did. I have to tell him something, "No, just badly burnt but he'll live."

"Why?"

I lean back to look him in the eye, "What?"

"Why are you lying to me? I can't lie to you so why are you lying to me?"