Walking Corpse

chapter five

February 2, 2004

"His progress is really just all over the place, some days he'll do amazingly well but other days we can't even get him to move out from his room," The doctor tells Dakota.

"How soon will he be able to get out?" She asks.

"If his progress over the next few months shows that he's been trying and everything is great. I'd give an estimated time that he'll be released in a year," The doctor gestures with unbalanced hands.

"I hate having him here and I know he hates it," She sighs, "Can I see him?"

"It's family visits only," The doctor rubs his jaw.

"He would consider me like a close family member," She returns with a slightly irritated voice.

"It still doesn't matter, you're not biologically related."

"I'm only asking for at least five minutes," She rubs her temple.

The doctor breathes out, "Okay, five minutes, but you never saw me. We're not allowed to do this."

She lets go of a small smile, "Thanks."

They leave the main lobby as the doctor takes her to Kai's room. The place was much homier than what she thought it would be. The walls were painted a vivid color, decorations were placed in some spots so it felt less empty, and it was pristine. They reach Kai's room and the doctor indicates for her to go in. He notifies her that he'd be outside if she needed anything. She nods at this then steps into the warm, small room. Kai lays motionless on the bed as she wanders around the room. He didn't even glimpse over at her.

"They finally let me visit you," She sits on the chair against the wall while Kai remained lying on the bed, "I've really been wanting to say that I understand you don't want to be here, but it was for the best. They tell me some days are great for you and others days could be better. If you cooperate with them more then maybe you'll get out of here sooner."

He doesn't say a single word and continues laying still. It was like she wasn't even there to him.

She stands up and walks over to him, "I miss you too, life is dull without you. I've tried managing without you on the schedule but it's just odd."

Nothing from him. It pained her.

"I'll be going now. This may be the last time we see each other until your treatment is over. Would you say something?" She sighs.

Silence.

Dakota breathes out heavily and brushes away her emotions for now. She walks out of the room and asks the doctor to escort her out.

The treatment building Kai was taken to made him apprehensive and uneasy. He didn't know what they would do to him or why he was there. He was given medication every day but were they even working? He was examined and observed on a daily basis. Dakota didn't come back as she had said. He wasn't bothered by his condition since he's dealt with it his whole life. Although, he was bothered by the thought of losing her. He was frightened of losing what they had. Other days, he wasn't in his right state of mind and he would distrust the ones closest to him. He suspected that Dakota could've possibly been plotting something against him. The doctors worked on this problem with him more than anything else. After a few weeks of treating that main problem, things were more at ease.

~

Dr. Finley, the main doctor that worked with Kai, contacted Dakota on his progress within a couple of months. She was already worried just assuming how things were going.

"Kai has been extremely cooperative with us so he might be released within a year. As the days pass, he shows various symptoms of the illness he has. We've been focusing on treating each symptom by itself since it seems to work better that way," Dr. Finley explains hastily.