Ripple Effect

Chapter Five: Ups and Downs

"Vere is Craig?"

Behind the desk, the receptionist flinched at the sudden intrusion and looked up to find no one there. Puzzled, she shook her head and returned to her paperwork.

"Vere is Craig?!" the voice asked again, sounding irritated.

She flinched again and looked around, still seeing no one.

"I am down here," the voice said, sounding even more irritated, and the nurse realized that its owner was shorter than the height of her desk. "Now vere...is...CRAIG?!"

Finally, the receptionist stood up and looked over the edge of her desk to find a Steenee glaring at her with its tiny arms crossed. "Oh, hello there. You said you were looking for...Craig?"

The small life-form sighed in exasperation. "Zat is right; now vere-"

"Blue!" a new voice interrupted, and a young man along with a Gothorita hurried up to the desk. "We were supposed to all come in together!" He quickly bowed to the receptionist, checking her name tag as he did so. "I'm really sorry about this, Miss Hawthorne. My name is Kevin Hart, and I received a call that my dad is here? Craig Hart?"

Relieved that the Steenee's apparent owner had arrived, the receptionist's mouth twitched in a smile as she settled back into her seat and consulted her computer. "Yes, he is. May I see some identification?"

"YOU VILL NOT QVESTION-"

"Blue!" Kevin barked. "I know you're worried about Dad, but this isn't helping!" He quickly produced his student ID. "I'm really sorry about that; she's been really upset ever since we got the call."

"I see," Miss Hawthorne remarked with a sympathetic smile as she accepted the card and quickly checked it before handing it back. "Thank you, Mr. Hart; your father is in room 239; that's on the second floor, north wall. Will you need help finding it?"

"I don't think...DAMMIT, BLUE!" Kevin shouted as the Steenee abruptly hurried away. "Wait for us!" With an apologetic wave toward the receptionist, he and Amour gave chase.

***

The situation on the second floor was almost comical, with hospital staff plastered against the walls at the sight of a Steenee with a furious expression tromping down the hallway while randomly barking out 'Vere is two-sree-nine?' and 'Vere is my Craig?'. Close behind her hurried a young man and a Gothorita, the former of whom kept yelling 'Wait up, Blue!'.

The trio finally found Room 239 and Kevin reached out and grasped the handle, then took a deep breath before opening the door to the darkened room, more than a little worried about how his dad would look.

Craig Hart slept peacefully in the bed, and Kevin quickly put his finger to his lips in the universal sign for 'be quiet'. "Let's let him sleep," he told the other two. He then took the opportunity to study his dad. For the most part, he looked fine; the devices that monitored his status showed that his heart rate and blood pressure were just fine and that he was breathing normally, bringing no small amount of relief to the teen. "Thank God..." he breathed, finally letting a tear slide down his cheek.

"Kevin?" Blue said quietly, gently tugging on his sleeve while pointing to the top of the bed. "Please put me up zere; I cannot see him from down here. I promise zat I vill not vake him."

Kevin was momentarily taken aback; neither Blue nor Amour liked being picked up, so for her to make the request... "Okay." He checked for a safe place to set her on the mattress, one where she wouldn't disturb its occupant, then carefully lifted her up and placed her toward the foot of the bed.

As he released her, he heard a stifled gasp. "Oh, Craig..." Blue whimpered at the sight of her favorite human. "Vhat happened to you...?"

"What's the matter?" Kevin whispered, his concern spiking as he allowed himself to move to his father's side and saw... "What the...?"