The Miracle Clinic

xChapter 15 - Too Old To Be Able To Believe (3)

Author's Note: For this chapter, dialogue that is spoken entirely in italics will be Sally Everst in the present explaining the events of the past to Marcus & Ronnie. If you guys like that style then I might reuse it when I do another backstory chapter. So for an example of that text.

"I'm talking about text like this. Just picture this text as narration. Cool? Cool. Hope you enjoy the chapter."

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"It all started back in the 90s, a lot of things were different back then but the main difference was that..."

A teenager with white skin, long shaggy brown hair that's all over the place, and bright brown eyes is making his way to school through a dark alleyway. He's wearing a white bomber jacket that has an eight-ball design over his stripped button-up flannel shirt, black pants, and white shoes. Behind the teenager is a group of several people that were all knocked out.

"...if you wanted to survive, you needed to be able to fight."

The young student exits the alleyway and walks up the steps toward Starlight High, as he does so he notices that a teacher stops him, that teacher being Aken Amnestor.

"However there was one person who not only was a decent fighter but had a talented mind..."

"Oh hey Amny, got all the homework done that you asked of me," the young student says.

"...and that man was Ivan Turnip."

Ivan Turnip smirks at Amnestor while Amnestor just sighs.

"I didn't assign any homework today," Mr. Amnestor states.

"Oh that's right, I guess I just confused tomorrow's homework with today's," Ivan cheekily replies.

Amnestor smirks as the two head into Starlight High.

"Back then, everyone knew that Ivan was the smartest student at the school and already had several scholarships lined up for him due to his work in several clubs. He was someone many people had their eyes on."

As Ivan is walking down the halls of the high school, he can see several other classmates glaring at him as he passes by.

"And some of that attention was from people who didn't have the best intentions with him."

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Amnestor is sitting in a classroom supervising detention where several students, including Ivan Turnip, are spending their time listening to Amnestor lecture them.

"Now I see a lot of familiar faces in here, which is something I'm not too proud of. Hopefully, you've learned your lesson by now."

"Amnestor was one of the only teachers at the school who tried to stop the ongoing fights, however, most of his suggestions were ignored by everyone. Anything he tried to do to change the school..."

Amnestor looks to see that everyone present, including Ivan, are all uninterested. He sighs as he decides to stop talking.

"...would fall on deaf ears."

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"But then one day, Ivan fought with the wrong person and..."

Mr. Amnestor is walking down the hall and turns the corner, as he does so his whole body freezes. Laying on the ground is Ivan Turnip -- unconscious, bruised, and bloody -- with his legs bent in a way that can't be bent.

"....it would cost him."

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As the days began to turn into weeks, then months, then years, and then decades go by, Amnestor sits in his office drinking coffee as his optimism, his joy, and his passion are stripped away. With the only thing he has left is a feeling of bitter regret.

"The incident left Ivan permanently in a wheelchair, he soon dropped out of high school. Ever since then, Amnestor's been the person he is, someone who might just seem distant on the surface, but in reality, is carrying the weight that is regret."

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In the present, Sally Everst finishes her story by saying, "I'm pretty sure Amnestor still blames himself over what happened. But yeah, that's all there is to it."

Sitting on the couch is Ronnie & Marcus who both are processing the information they've heard.

"What happened to Ivan?" Ronnie asks.

"Oh him, he's still kicking around," Sally Everst replies before regretting her choice of words.

"Where exactly?" Ronnie responds.

Marcus looks over to Ronnie and notices that Ronnie's eyes are lit with an idea. An idea that he plans on seeing through till the end.

"I can take you guys there if you want," Mrs. Everst says.

"Yes please do!" Marcus begs.

Sally Everst smiles as she stands up and walks to the front door. She begins to put on her coat and grabs her purse before saying, "you kids better hurry up then because we're going shopping."

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Marcus & Ronnie look a bit confused as they look at the building that Sally Everst took them to.

"Are you sure we can find Ivan here?" Marcus asks.

"Of course, because he owns the place," Sally replies.

Marcus & Ronnie's confusion only grows as they enter the run-down shop that has cracked windows, a smell of old furniture, and graffiti sprayed on the front of the shop. The name of that shop is "The Starlight City Bookstore".

See You Next Chapter!~