All Medics To The Stage

forty

Josh woke up from what was supposed to be a nap but had turned into full-on sleeping. It was refreshing though because on tour he could never really get a good nights rest what with the late-night shows, "energy" drink, and his up-late talks with Tyler about things he wants to do or planning their next day out. He got up and stretched and went to take a shower and brush his teeth. Then going back to his bed, he decided that today he wouldn't sit in the room and watch the same boring shows on the same boring tv. He noticed a while ago that the hospital had a really nice garden. He wanted to check that out and ask Nadine about when he'd be able to go home.

After he had eaten breakfast, he headed out his room, navigating his way outside. He found the door to the garden by the cafe and exited, finding a bench near a pretty sky blue flower bed. He sat there in silence, admiring the noise of the outside world which he hadn't heard in a while. The sound of cars driving past, the birds chirping at one another, occasional airplanes flying across the sky. He loved nature's beautiful aesthetic.

"Hi," said a small voice. Josh looked over and seen a small boy who looked to be about 9 years old. Josh smiled, "Hey bud," he responded. The kid climbed on the bench next to Josh.

"You're sitting in my spot..." he said. The smile was wiped off Josh's face, the kid noticed and laughed. "It's okay though, you can sit there."

Josh nodded, "I would have given you your spot back," he said. The kid looked up at the sky, holding close a small brown paper bag.

"Have you seen any birds around?" The kid asked.

"Yeah," Josh answered. The kid nodded, opening the bag and throwing breadcrumbs onto the ground.

"So what's your name?" the kid asked.
"Josh, you?"
"Akira..."
"That's a cool name."
"Thanks, mister."

Akira smiled, "I've never seen you out here before..." he said.
"I felt suffocated in my small gray room. I needed to get out. What about you? You come out here often?" Josh asked, looking over to the boy. By this time the birds had started coming over to eat the food given to them. Akira shrugged, "I come out every day to feed the birds." he says. Josh nods, watching the kid closely.

"Why are you here?" Akira asks, looking up at Josh with his big round green eyes.

Josh looked up, "I'm here because I fell and hit my head."

Akira frowned, "That's not a really good reason to come to a hospital, a lot of people fall and hit their heads every day and they get right back up again. You're taking up room, mister."

Josh smiled, "It is a reason if you fall from a really high distance onto a really hard floor and hurt yourself really bad. That's why I have stitches."

"In your head?"

Josh nodded, "In my head," he looked over to the small boy, "Why are you here?"

"Me? Oh, I'm dying."