Ghost in the Roses

Chapter 3.

We're the last ones to arrive and a lone medical team mets us. Kai is passed out and without addressing us, the nurses with horns peeking out from their white caps load my friend on a stretcher with a fire fox leading the way. Nina and I follow them. I have a million questions, but keep my mouth shut. That would only delay things for Kai.

"He's a mortal man! Get the appropriate medicines ready!" the doctor gives the orders.

I linger like a lost puppy, a pathetic pet that's left behind in the waiting room. Feeling useless, I sit on one of the lined-up chairs and pray for a doctor to come back with hopeful news. The weight shift in a chair next to me.

"Hey, he's going to be alright," Nina sits down.

"For how long was he unconscious?"

"Pretty much most of the way. He passed out a few minutes after take-off," her lip cringes with regret.

I let out my frustration with a growl. My hands rub my face as if trying to erase what happened to Kai.

"Thank you for all your help," I look up from the depths of my palms.

"Noir Jakins," she says.

"What?"

"It was Noir Jakins. He hit your friend."

"Why?" it's the biggest 'why' I've ever asked about anything.

"You two were one of the first ones in the air. He saw you as a threat."

"You know him?"

She signs, "Yes, I do. We went to same school. He's really competitive. He tried to knock me out of the sky first, but failed. He went looking for someone close who wouldn't see him coming. I followed him, but I was too late."

"I'm going to kill him," the thought slips out effortlessly.

"Don't kill him. Report him. Those drill knights will do much worse."

"It will be our word against his. I don't know how we are going to prove that this was his fault."

"We'll think of a way," Nina seems to have much more faith in justice.

"Either way, I just hope that Kai will come out of this."

"Agree. That's the most important part."

All of a sudden, a scream comes out of those doors.

My cold hands squeeze the chair's hand rests. What are they doing to him?

At last, the swing doors move and produce a doctor. As he walks towards us, his orange pointy ears switch and his wet black nose sniff the air. He is studying us. Nina and I spring from our seats. I'm about to say something, but the doctor is much quicker than me.

"You must be Kai's friends. I'm Doctor Orlov. I'm in charge of his case. Kai suffered a concussion and that would take some time. Also, a dislocated shoulder. As you might have heard we already fixed that. He's conscious now, but I must insist that he gets rest and no excitement. We'll be keeping him here for couple of days and if tests are good we'll discharge him by the end of the week. You can come see him tomorrow morning."

"Thank you, doctor," I say.

"Now excuse me please. I must write his parents and I'll have a nurse retrieve his placement ribbon for him. I think it will be a good idea if you go down to the West Lobby and get yours," he nods at us to leave.

"Of course, Sir. Thank you."

"Very good. Good night then, I'll send word for you if anything changes," the doctor put his hands in his pockets and turns away to leave.