Ego Stories

Overworked

Jackie pried his eyes open, quickly shutting them to block the light above him. Everything hurt, his senses were way off. If there was one thing he could pick it, it was the burning sterile scent of medication.

The hospital

He then remembered, he was flying home. Jackieboy had been on patrol for days, a wet yet painful cough rattle his chest making it so much more difficult to breathe. No, he couldn't let be seen, his identity. He'd put his brother's in danger if they found out.

"Hng— No..." he croaked, his voice weaker than what he anticipated. He made an attempt to lift himself from wherever he was laying on, but to his surprise, everything felt too heavy. Another coughing fit seized him, unabling him to do nothing else other than to focus on breathing.

"Thank God." He heard a relieved voice from his side. "You have been out for a good time, Jackie."

"He-Hen..." Jackie whispered, also relieved to know he was safe. "What— Why are we...?"

"You collapsed right in front of the door." Schneep explained, looking at the monitors as he wrote something on a clipboard. The sound of the pen scribbling sent a chilling wave through the hero, making him nauseous. "You were running a very high fever, I had to bring you here."

Schneep removed his glasses to only rub his exhausted eyes. "I thought heroes didn't get sick." The doctor joked, but the smile quickly disappeared as he sat next to the hero's bed.

"You have to stop overworking yourself." Schneep said, worry and concern leaking on his voice. "For you to get this sick... it is not normal."

"Hen, you know I can't..."

"You can." Schneep cut the hero off, "You are choosing not to. Please, listen to me. We cannot lose you too."

Jackie signed, Henrik knew him too well. But what was he supposed to do? He couldn't sit down and wait around until Jack woke up; if he ever— but if he didn't find Anti, they would never be safe. A wave of nausea washed over him, cutting his train of thought. When Henrik noticed the hero lurching to the side of the bed it was too late to put a bucket underneath him.

The burning sensation on Jackie's throat and nose disorientated him even more. He flinched when he felt the rather cold hand of the doctor rub soothing circles on his hot, tender back.

"That's it, let it out..." Henrik whispered softly, noticing that the fever had not dropped since he brought him to the ER. This was going to be a long night.