Scandinavian Heartstrings, in Drop D.

Chapter 2.3 Waking Princess

Pickles woke to Murderface forcefully shaking him.

"Wha? What the fuc.." Pickles was cut short by his own coughing fit. He sat up coughing and the sheets slipped off to reveal a large bruise on his chest turning every shade of blue.

Murderface stared at it in awe and confusion. "What the fuck happened to you, man?"

"It's fine." Pickle's coughed. "Nathan punched me is all."

"Holy schit! Why!?"

"Accident," cough, "it was meant for blondie" cough, wince.

"Well I can undershtand that. What did that schmug asshole do to deserve it? You know, other than being a schmug asshole."

"It was....oh fuck. Toki!" Pickle's pushed himself off the bed and to his feet.

"Yeah! Fucking Toki! That messchage wasch from hoursch ago, my dethphone was on schilent. Why didn't you call?"

"Your phone was on silent?"

"Yeah!"

"So you wouldn't have picked up anyway?"

"That'sch not the point! What happened? Where is he?"

"He's still in the hospital wing, I think. Hang on..." Pickles lent over to check his phone. No new messages or missed calls. "He must still be unconscious. No one's contacted us."

"Unconscious'ch?! What. Happened. Pickles'ch?!" Murderface punctuated each word and threw his hands out imploringly.

Pickles groaned as he grabbed the packet of cigarettes off the bed side table. He wasn't truly awake himself. How about a cup of coffee first? He lit two and gave one to Murderface then inhaled deeply to begin his story.

"Nathan 'n' me found him in his room late last night. He'd taken a whole bunch o' Nembutal,"

"I know that name, what it is?

"It's a tranquillser, a really strong sedative. He'd also downed a bunch o' booze. He was barely breathin'. Doctors reckon any longer an' he would o' died." Pickles took a long drag of his cigarette which sent him into another coughing fit.

"So Nathan hit you, by accident?"

"Yep."

"But he was trying to hit Skwisgaar?"

"Yep"

"Why?"

"'cause he thought it was Skwisgaar's fault."

"What was?"

"You know... Toki tryin' ta.... Well it looks like it anyway."

"looks like what?"

"Well it sorta, kinda looks like Toki might o' tried to...."

"To what?"

Pickles brushed his hand over his dreads. "You know, send himself off ta hamburger time."

Silence fell. For a while the only sound in the room was that of burning cigarette paper.

"I'm not schuprised. The kid'sch been scheriously fucked up lately." Murderface finally said. Pickles looked at him slightly shocked. Only slightly though, this was Murderface after all.

"So that's all you got ta say about it?" Pickles said, turning away from him to find his jeans.

"Well it'sch true! He'sch been a complete baschket casche these lascht few weeksch and then he locksch himschelf away in his room for daysch on end. How could you guysch not see it?!" Murderface said.