blurry face - phan

chapter eight

dan

Dan can hear voices murmuring, but his eyes remain shut.

The voices are muffled, as if Dan is submerged underwater and the sound is partially blocked. He can't make out what anyone is saying. Moments pass and Dan still cannot find it in him to so much as move, but the voices are growing clearer by the minute.

"I had no idea."

That was Dan's mother.

"Why would he have done this?"

That was Dan's father.

What was going on to make them both be here at the same time? And as soon as Dan realised what had happened, he suddenly never wanted to wake up from whatever state he was in.

They have found out about his alcohol addiction - he'd finally had just too much and must've passed out somewhere. Great, Dan thinks, what's going to happen now?

"I recommend therapy, his condition may be effecting him even more than you originally thought," a gentle, female voice says, probably the doctor, "he has obviously been drinking a while, but his health is still stable."

"I see, thank you," Dan's father says, "can we please have a moment alone?"

"Of course, call me if anything happens, or if he wakes," the doctor says and then Dan hears the door click shut and he knows that he is alone with his parents.

"What do we do now?" Dan's father asks with a sigh.

"I'm not sure. Therapy I guess," his mother replies.

"I just- I can't believe we never realised."

"We must've left him alone for too long."

"Yes, well you'll have to take some time off work so you can watch him."

"Me? Why don't you take time off work?"

"Because you should! It's your fault!"

"How's it my fault?"

The arguing continues until Dan is well and truly forgotten. The argument ends with a 'fine.' followed by a final 'fine!'. And then they walk out, Dan knows because he hears the slamming doors. He sighs, finally cracking his eyes open to a blinding light, and after his eyes adjust, an empty hospital room.

There are tubes sticking out of him and an ache in his stomach and head. They must've pumped the alcohol out of him. Dan doesn't even try to sit up, he just lies there, staring at the ceiling until he hears the hospital door open again and he shuts his eyes and steadies his breathing.

"Can't believe the parents just walked out."

It's the doctor again.

"I think they're both pretty caught up with work," another familiar voice says - Phil - much to Dan's shock.

"Yes well that is still no excuse," The doctor says, "I hate work orientated parents. If they chose to have a child they should at least look after them!"

"Yeah," Phil says quietly, "they should."

"Who are you again?"

"I'm Phil, I'm Dan's friend," Phil says, making Dan want to snort.

"Ah yes, you're the one who told us about the alcohol. Thank you, knowing that it was much easier to find out what was wrong. An ongoing alcohol issue is something to be taken seriously, even if his parents hardly seem to care," the doctor says, making Dan overcome with shock and anger.