The Despairing Tribulations of a Doomed Boy

Chapter 5

 Monday, Tuesday

Otto didn't go to school on Monday or Tuesday. The swelling went down, but the bruises still hurt when he put his nose casing on. He managed to take some naps on the couch while Mrs. Monet watched over him. Sleeping at night wasn't working.

Ruskin came by to visit each afternoon. Otto wasn't so happy about seeing him. He had too much of a headache to play video games and he didn't want to hear one more word about rogue anomalies in school. Ruskin tried not to be a bother. He brought Otto his homework and said that he had seen Lancret around. “She was asking about you at lunch,” He said. “She wanted to know what happened. I would like to know too.”

Otto sighed and told him the story.

“Oh man! That's crazy! Why didn't you just wait until he was gone to deal with the casing?”

“I don't know, Ruskin. It's hard to think straight when someone is threatening you with a gun.”

“Sorry. That's crazy, though. Can I tell Lancret?”

“Sure. Why not. Everyone will be wanting to know when I get back, anyway. Might as well get the gossip out.” Otto thought about how Reinhardt was harassed over his bruises. He wasn't looking forward to that kind of treatment. The thought of everyone in school looking at him, talking to him, and pestering him for the same story was starting to cause a twinge of panic to run through him. All of his worst nightmares were piling into reality in one big heap.

Nurse Vickers came by to visit on Tuesday afternoon. Otto was too tired to feel resentful, so he just laid on the couch and listened to her talk to Mrs. Monet.

“I talked to your husband yesterday,” said Nurse Vickers. “He told me about the discussion you two had on Sunday.”

“Please tell me you don't agree with him,” said Mrs. Monet.

“My life is based on hope. Your husband believes that since no one has been through life without pressing their nose-button, that Otto wont make it. I see it as an opportunity for Otto to set a precedent. Just because it hasn't been done before, doesn't mean it can't be done. And not everyone's life is documented, so who really knows? I choose to hope for the best.”

Otto got up and walked softly into the kitchen where the two ladies were sitting at the breakfast table. This time, Nurse Vickers's nose-button was mauve. It brought out the mauve color rosettes in her skirt. At her feet was a large, cloth bag. Inside, Otto could see her nurse scrubs. She had either just gotten off of work or was on her way to work where ever it was that she stole babies from. “What do you mean he doesn't think I can make it?”

The two looked up in shock.

“I'm so sorry, Otto, I thought you were upstairs. It's not that your father doubts you--”

“He's not my father,” Otto interrupted.

“Right. Foster father. It's not that he doubts you, Otto. It's that he doubts the world around you.”

“What does he want to do?” Otto sat down with them.

“I don't think he knows what he wants,” said the nurse. “He's just been worried sick about you.”

“About me? Or about everyone else?”

“It's all inclusive.”

“So why are you here?”

“I came to talk to your mother--”

“Foster mother.”

“Right. I came to talk to your foster mother about her take on all of this.”