The Forgotten Child

3

beep...beep....beep

Zayn's eyes fluttered open only to be met with a bright light. The boys whimpered as he felt a pain surge through his stomach. He felt a bucket under his chin and he immediately began to empty the contents of his stomach.

"There, there. You are okay now." a woman voice says, patting Zayn's back as the boy tried to open his eyes. When he finally adjusted to the light he immediately noticed the nurse and doctor standing around his bed and the police officers in the corner.

"W-what happened?" Zayn stuttered looking around.

"You passed out, probably from malnutrition and shock, now you are at the hospital. I am Dr. Robins, the pediatrician at the hospital." the doctor says softly as she writes some things down on a metal clipboard.

"M' fine, want out, to much." Zayn said pulling at the wires connected to his arm and bare chest.

"Zayn, Zayn you have to relax buddy. You had surgery on your stomach, you have to let us help." Dr. Robins says, holding Zayn down while the nurse made sure all the wires were still in tact.

"I-I, what?" Zayn asked exasperated and she gave the boy a sympathetic smile.

"Good, now how is your stomach feeling?" Dr. Robins asks.

"Hurts." Zayn mumbles.

"That's expected as you just had surgery, but if it doesn't stop within the next hour, tell a nurse and I will have them bump up your pain meds."

"I want my mum." Zayn demands and Dr. Robins smiles sadly.

"Why don't I let the police talk to you about all that, yeah?" she nods towards the familiar officer in the corner and Zayn gave a hesitant nod.

"Hey bud remember me? I'm Alex." the man asked and Zayn gave a small nod. "Awesome bud. So two nights ago you passed out and we called an ambulance and you had to go in for surgery because your stomach had some serious bruising that needed surgery to repair it." Alex explains and Zayn nodded for him to continue, "Now we were at you house because there is a warrant out for your mums and her boyfriends arrest. Do you think you can answer some questions for us?"

"Yeah." Zayn muttered and Alex smiled.

"Great so did you have any idea your parents were heavily involved with drugs?" Alex asked and Zayn's eyes widen.

"I know Yasser was, but my mum wasn't." Zayn says confused. "She wasn't right?"

"Well not exactly buddy, she helped Yasser make deliveries or at least that's what we have been told by our informants." Alex says sadly and Zayn shakes his head, worry filling his eyes.

"No, b-but she said she w-wasn't." Zayn says, fiddling with his fingers as he looks around, a thousand thoughts running through his mind.

"Okay, okay, you are alright. Do you know where they could have gone to?" Alex asked and once again Zayn shook his head and Alex smiled. "I think that's it bud, get better soon." Alex said before patting Zayn's leg and leaving with his partner who had been writing down Zayn's answers.

Zayn sighed and slumped back in his bed. He laid there for a bit not really having much to do except mess with his bed remote and read some magazines that were laid out next to his bed.

"Zayn, this is Lou Teasdale, she is your new social worker." the same nurse from before says, entering with a woman. Zayn skeptically looked at her as the woman introduced herself and pulled up a chair.