Star Killer

Chapter 11

We're slowly getting somewhere with this story!!

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      With shaky legs I slowly approach the broken body laying in front of my eyes. At first glance the thing in the bed seems to be made solely of bandages and wire, but upon closer inspection the face of a young man can be seen buried beneath the gauze. His left eye is swollen almost completely shut and dark red gashes sewn closed with string peek out from behind his ragged bangs. Cautiously, I let my eyes wander over to his left side where his shoulder is wrapped in multiple layers of the white cloth. His arm is truly gone.

      At first I think he is asleep, and then his one good eye blinks open and I'm faced with starring into the forest green pit. It holds unknown emotions, some of which at first I think are confusion, but quickly show themselves to be fear. His mouth cracks open and he whispers something too quietly for me to make out.

      Stumbling over to the chair next to his bed, I heavily sit down and avoid his gaze. "Ajax..."

      No one speaks. The beeping from my own room seems to have traveled here and I concentrate on its steady rhythm to keep from going insane. With every second the pain meds start to dull and I can't help but unconsciously press my hand against my wrapped side.

"You... aren't...."

      My head tilts up and I watch his mouth as each word forms.

"Supposed... to... touch... those... idiot." He finishes between ragged breaths.

"No, I suppose I'm not," I chuckle darkly, "but then again when have I ever listened before?"

      The corners of his mouth turn up and I can tell his own pain medication have put him in a sense of calmness for the moment being. The nurses probably don't want to know what will happen when he is fully awake. Will he be consumed by fear, or will he be damaged mentally?

      Taking advantage of his current state, I lean my elbows on the armrest of his bed and take a closer look at his face. His pupil is dilated and looks around lazily, as if what he sees is way more interesting than the reality surrounding him. After a few seconds, it comes back around to stare up at my face.

"Tell me... something... Mekhi." He begins slowly while his facial features turn cold and he glares at something behind me. "Am I... still... better... looking than... you?"

"Considering you took a claw to the face, your eye is swollen to twice its size, and nothing happened to my face," I gently explained with a smile on my face, "yeah, you still look one hundred percent better than I do."

      My words seem to be the ones he wanted to hear, because after I finish he smiles slightly and closes his eye. His actions cause warmth to fill my chest and I can't help but wonder if in some other world we might have had the chance to be friends.

"We should go Mekhi. You're skin looks flushed."

      Looking towards Adler, I give him a small smile and lean back into my chair tiredly. In retrospect, maybe leaving my bed minutes after I wake up from anesthetics wasn't the best idea. The headache from before throbs and I clench my eyes shut for a moment to keep from throwing up in my rival's hospital room.

      As if reading my thoughts, Adler places a hand on my shoulder and says, "Mekhi, stand up so I can take you back to your room."

      I nod and force myself to my lead-like feet. Grabbing my arm to keep me from falling over, Adler steadies me and gently guides me towards the curtain.

      As my fingers brush against the silken material it is yanked forcefully open and I'm suddenly face to face with an angry blonde man. The one and only James Mickeral, and he doesn't seem too happy to see me.

"What do you think you're doing in here orphan? I'd think that it'd be pretty obvious that you are never allowed around my son again." He sneered while poking a long delicate finger at my chest.

"I'm pretty sure I'm allowed around anyone I want." I throw back over my shoulder as I shove past him and march uneasily towards my own curtain.

"Then you're as stupid as you are dangerous." He hisses quietly beneath his breath, but not quiet enough for me to miss it.

      Choosing to ignore it though, I yank the machine with my wires closer to me and slip into the tiny secluded room. Instantly my breath turns ragged with anger and I can't help but kick the bed to keep me from turning around and letting loose on the middle aged man. I can faintly hear Adler talking quietly with James, but I can't make out their hushed words.

"I don't care if he is injured! He caused my son to be physically and mentally scarred! I never want to see his face in the same building as my son ever again!"

      Well I defiantly heard him this time.

"James, I'm sure Ajax will be fine over time. He shows n-no sign of being mentally scarred and h-he will learn how to l-live with his disability." Adler stutters back, obviously not sure how to fix the problem that I have caused.

"Exactly! He has to live with the consequences of Mekhi's mistakes. I'm sure Mekhi can live with his own mental disability, but my son should never have to. It should be Mekhi in that hospital bed facing the ugly reality of his dumbass choices." James seethed loudly.

      With shaking hands, I tear down the curtain in front of me and storm towards the red faced man. With full intent to make him feel my own pain, I reach forwards and clamp my hand over his throat.

"Do you really think I don't regret going into those caves? Do you think that I enjoyed laying on a metal table while they sewed my body back together? Do you think it will be easy for me to live everyday knowing that because of me a man is dead, and another has to live with scars? Do you want to know what I think? I think that out of all of us, you are the one that needs to have his head checked out, because sir, you are fucked up." I growl between my teeth as I release him from my hold and clench my fists.

     James places his hand on his now red throat and looks up at me with fire in his eyes, "I may not be able to get rid of you, but just know that that wierzen's days are numbered. Once the council find out that it was the one that killed the boy, it will be shown no mercy."

      While keeping eye contact and smiling with barred teeth, I snarl, "Just expect the same treatment for yourself sir when you finally make it to hell."

      My statement seems to finally hit its mark and he grabs the front of my shirt. "Who do you think you are?"

      With a graceful step backwards and a flash of my favorite finger, I turn on my heel and walk towards the entrance of the hospital ward.

      Before I walk through the open door, I swivel around cluck my tongue.

"Tsk tsk James. I am the one that will be welcoming you to the inferno, so prepare to burn."