Game Boy

28 - MVP

Is he going to make it? He'll be fine, he's breathing. Just get him back on the respirator.

Kenneth turned his head when someone touched him and tried to gasp at the air that wasn't reaching his lungs. Someone was holding his shoulder. Plastic was pressing back against the skin of his face. He coughed and inhaled, choking on the cold air as he opened his eyes for the second time and peered lazily up at the people around him.

People. Real people. Not bots. His eyes widened some even though the world remain in a muted haze around him. One of them smiled at him.

Hey, he's awake. 

Her voice was slowly regaining volume as Keneth continued to inhale and exhale the bottled air. He felt the movement of wheels, the slight jump and tremble of the gurney underneath him. His eyes blinked slowly against the harsh white light of the hospital hallway. 

"Where. Am. I?" he closed his eyes, cold air rushing back down his throat again. The hand on his shoulder squeezed gently and Kenneth squirmed, wanting it off.

The same woman answered, at least she sounded the same. Her voice was no longer muffled, though, sound rushing in from all directions in the form of harsh clicking, the shaking of the gurney and the rattle of wheels on linoleum floors. 

"You're back in Central Austin Hospital," she said and finally took her hand off his shoulder--at least he assumed it was her hand. "Your name is Kenneth Dekker, correct?"

He lifted his arm slightly, peering down at the hospital band there. Of course, that had given it away. He nodded. They turned and came to a halt finally. He felt his stomach church slightly as he opened one eye and looked around. They weren't in the right wing for his room. This was different. ER maybe?

The nurse or woman or whatever she was came around front and smiled as she undid the gurney straps that had kept him from falling. Kenneth tried to focus on inhaling and exhaling.

"Your friend called. We'll be sure to let her know you're alright."

She gestured to one of the men that had been there silent the whole time and took from him a small grey plastic headset. "I think this is yours?"

Kenneth nodded and slowly pushed himself up. His body ached and strained and he laid back down, wheezing. Reaching out, though, he took it from her and pulled it to his chest. Byrd. She called them. He wanted to squeeze his eyes shut but the darkness behind his eyelids scared him more and he just laid there, holding it. She saved me. 

"T-Thank you."

"Of course. Lay there a moment and we'll let the hospital know you're okay." She turned and walked over to a large desk surrounded by bots and people. Kenneth looked away while she was busy talking and just glanced down at the headset. Even from who knew where she'd managed to save his life. He clutched the headset tighter. They'll take it back, I know that...in a sense, I never should've taken it. His fingers didn't want to pry themselves away, though, and he bit back a few tears. I'll see her again. When all of this is over I'll earn up money, buy one of these, and we can see each other again.

His lips compressed as he inhaled through his nose. But first I have to survive. 

The woman came back over with a small smile. She stuffed both hands in the pockets of her scrubs and leaned over some. "Good news, you're not suffering from major internal damage, at least it doesn't appear so. We'll need to send you through some scans once you're back and settled, though to make sure your lungs are not too damaged. It looks like you have a surgery slated in the next couple of days. These gentlemen will help you back to your room, alright?"