Medication (boyxboy)

XII

Daniel froze, not knowing what to do.

"That's impossible," Daniel told Dr. Joseph. "CJ is right there." Daniel pointed to his right, where CJ stood, bewildered.

However, Daniel knew that this was in fact very possible. He thought back on all the times he'd imagined people, realizing hours or months later they weren't real. The only difference was this time, CJ was real and Daniel knew him. He just kept seeing him after he left.

"There's nobody there, Daniel," Dr. Joseph told him, growing more and more concerned.

Daniel didn't speak or move. "But I've been seeing him," he whispered eventually. He could barely be heard.

"He left," Dr. Joseph repeated.

Daniel's breathing became rapid and shallow as he went into panic mode. He didn't want to believe Dr. Joseph was right, but a part of him knew he was. He just didn't want to face that part. He didn't want to face reality.

"Daniel, are you alright?" Dr. Joseph asked, even though the answer was an obvious no.

Daniel looked to where CJ was standing, only to see nobody was standing there anymore. "Where'd he... fuck..."

Dr. Joseph didn't even scold him for swearing.

"He was right there," Daniel muttered, barely audible, not tearing his gaze away from the spot where CJ had stood moments ago.

Daniel started panicking. He felt numb, and didn't feel like he was in control of himself. He didn't even feel like he was in his own body.

He didn't know for sure how he reacted, but whatever he did it was bad enough to get him sedated and taken elsewhere.

×××

When he came to again, Daniel found himself in a smaller room. He made the conclusion that he must be in the ICU. He groaned.

"Fuck," he muttered to himself.

He moved over to the door, peering out the small barred window in it.

He could hear people screaming and crying, begging to be let out. It was an awful sound. One person that sounded like they were next to him was sobbing.

"Please, please... let me out!" they cried.

Everything was dimly lit and white, like the rest of the hospital. His room (that was really more like a cell) was cold. His bed (a cot on the ground) didn't look at all comfortable. There wasn't anything else in there.

Everything made him feel sick. Both physically and mentally. How fucked up was he that he landed himself in the intensive care unit of a hospital?

He backed away from the door as a girl screamed at a nurse to let her out.

He didn't belong there. Was he that messed up? Surely not...

"Are you okay?" a kind and familiar voice asked from behind him.

"You!" Daniel yelled, whipping around. "What the hell are you doing here?!"

CJ looked taken aback, like he'd just yelled at the real CJ and Dr. Joseph was wrong about him being a hallucination.

"I'm sorry, I was just-"

"Get the fuck out!" Daniel hissed.

This time, the taller boy looked hurt. He seemed so real... Daniel thought to himself, what if this is the real CJ?

He decided that was it. He hadn't left at all, he'd been here the whole time. Dr. Joseph was simply wrong. CJ was right in front of him.

"I'm sorry. I thought you weren't real," Daniel apologized. "Dr. Joseph told me you left last week, but I didn't think he was right."