Zootopia - Blurring Lines

Chapter Eight - Judy

A/N: Sorry ladies and gentlemen, this is gonna be a short one. Unfortunately it's been exam time here in Australia, so I've been busy studying (or so I tell myself...) I may try this format of posting shorter chapters more often, just to see if it works better. Let me know what you think!

I teetered on the edge of panic, struggling to keep myself from breaking into a flat-out sprint down the stairs. I had to find Nick, there was just no way I could stand not knowing what had happened to him. Had he been taken to hospital in time? Stabilised? I didn't know. I couldn't know, unless I got there as quickly as possible.

The thoughts chased each other unbidden around in my head, each followed by another, more awful possibility. I jumped the last few steps and hit the ground running, my mind racing still faster than my body. I was fully aware that I was sinking into a panic, but I didn't have the luxury of time to calm myself.

'Judy!'

At first I kept running, so focussed that I didn't register the exclamation of my name.

'Hey! Judy!' It was Clawhauser, sitting behind his desk and looking surprised. I skidded to a stop, almost losing my balance as I spun on the floor.

'Oh! Hey, Benjamin!' I smiled, but only out of politeness. I probably looked more terrified than pleased to see him, and it didn't escape his notice.

'What's wrong?' He asked, his ears lowering slightly. 'I haven't seen you or Wilde for a while.'

I paused for a moment, getting my thoughts in order. 'We've been... suspended.' I could feel the time pressure bearing down upon me like a vice, and wondered why I'd even stopped for Clawhauser.

He looked shocked. 'Suspended? But why?'

'Don't worry, it was just a mistake, it's okay now,' I said, rushing to end the conversation. 'Anyways, I have to, got stuff to... I've gotta go, bye.' I started sidestepping away.

'Well... okay then. Bye.' He looked slightly hurt, as if he wasn't quite sure why he'd been shut off so quickly. I turned fully around and power-walked the remaining distance, twisting my paws in an attempt to relieve some of the stress that had been building up inside me. Downtown Hospital was only a short tram ride away, after all.

I walked out to the stop and waited, hoping that one of the less-frequent night trams would arrive soon. The fresh night air was a change for the better from the recirculated, stuffy office air. I slowly ran my claws through my ear fur, the soothing motion relaxing my agitated state of mind. Within five minutes an older, tired-looking tram rattled to a stop on the rails, the door opening with a snakelike hiss. I jumped aboard, and the doors shut again. I sat down in the closest seat to the door, wanting the best view of where we were going, and the carriage lurched off down the tracks. Chewing at an index claw nervously, I tried to keep my mind blank. There was no point in panicking. I couldn't control what had happened, but still... it didn't stop me from being afraid of the worst.

The tram trundled along for another few minutes, following the curves of the track as it twisted around the central streets of Zootopia, before it slowed to a halt at the stop outside Downtown Hospital. The doors opened, and I jumped out onto the pavement. The tram groaned as it pulled out and away, and I made my way inside the lobby.

The receptionist was very helpful, looking Nick up on the computer system and giving me the ward number. I took the elevator up to the twelfth floor, then paced along the corridor. Each door had two small plaques; one with a number, and the other with the name of a doctor. I moved with ever-increasing urgency, counting up the numbers, 10...11...12... 13. The name emblazoned on the plaque read; 'Doctor Yves R. Slippton'.