Between Master and Slave (Manxman, Mature)

Night at the Hospital

I finally pack all the tools and tractor back in the shed. My chest hurts. I Raise my shirt and I look at a nice big bruise the same purple of a ripe eggplant in the middle of my left pec, just below the shoulder.
"Nice, how did I manage to hit there, it must have been a rock." I tell myself. I was stupid, I am mad at myself. I should have listened, I should be in the hospital not him. He is there because of me.
"I hope master is Ok." I whisper to myself as I take the medical kit to clean and bandage the cuts and scrapes I have on my arms and knees. Now I have to face the next dilemma. I want to go to the hospital to see master, but how. I could call a friend to bring me, but the problem is that I don't know where the boundary of my movement is. Finally, after giving it some thought, I decide to walk. It will take about an hour, but if I cross the boundary and get shocked, I can go back toward the Masseria once I recover.  So, without further delays, since it is already afternoon and it gets dark earlier these days, I put on my jacket and start the walk toward Ostuni and the hospital.

Every step I am afraid I will cross the boundary and find myself flat on my face spasming. As long as I was walking in the fields toward the city I was worried, but overall fine. If I crossed, all I had to do was go back after I could walk again. In the city however I am terrorized of crossing that invisible line. How am I going to explain that to passers by, especially if they will want to take me to the hospital when all I need is go back in the opposite direction pronto.

Eventually, I make it to the hospital without being zapped. My relief is short lived. When I ask about master they tell me he is intensive care. They tell me he is stable but still unconscious. The tests show that there are no internal damages, except for the concussion to the head. The doctors decided that they would keep him in observation until tomorrow and then decide on what to do If he does not get better. When I see him I am shocked. Except for the machines beeping at regular intervals he does not show any signs of being alive. I am suddenly afraid, what am I going to do without master? I realize how much I depend on him. He gives me everything, he takes care of me, he constantly restrains himself not to hurt me even if it costs him a lot.
"Oh God," I whisper to myself, "it is all my fault, I should be the one on that bed. Please master be better, I promise I will be a better slave." Lately I have been thinking more about the efforts master has to do to leave me alone, the long bathroom breaks where I know he must be busy doing other things and not just poo. I often think what it would be like if I let my guards down and let him have his way with me, I know he would be gentle. Without realizing I whisper a promise, "I will gladly let you touch me if you just come back home safe."
Finally visiting hours are over, the nurse tried to kick me out, but after some debating, she allows me to stay by his side. Thanks to the money I grabbed before leaving I am able to buy supper and now I am sitting in an uncomfortable chair trying to get in and out of sleep. Suddenly I hear a shifting of covers and in the penumbra of blinking lights of the machines connected to master and the light from the corridor seeping in the room, I see that master is shifting. I am instantly awake and by his side.
"Master," I whisper in his ear, "are you alright?"
"What? Francesco? Is that you?"
"Yes master." Instinctively I reach for his hand. He grasps it tight.
"Francesco, where am I?"
"In the hospital. You were hit on the head by the tree branch that was falling."
"The tree? Ohh yeah I remember. How are you? Are you hurt?"
"No, nothing major master, just some scrapes." Than on second thought I add. "I am sorry master."
"Sorry, for what?"
"I should have listened to you. Now we would be home and not here."
"Ohh, don't worry Francesco. It was an accident."
"It is all my fault. I should have obeyed you."
"Francesco, calm down. I told you. It was an accident, that's it. Nobody's fault. The important thing is that you are ok."
"You always take care of me, I don't know what I would do without you."
"You are strong Francesco. You would do fine, even without me."
After a brief pause, he continues, his voice is worried and almost panicked, "Francesco, Francesco, where are you?"
"I am right by your side." He turns his face toward me.
"How come I cannot see you?"
"It is pretty dark in here. It is still night. But if you want I can turn on the light."
"Ohh, that must be it then. No it's fine." More relaxed he adds as he just realized something. "Middle of the night? Francesco, what are you doing here, and how did you come?"
Ohh God, Master is mad at me, better apologize.
"I am sorry master. I was worried and wanted to make sure you were alright. But if you want I can go back to the Masseria to wait for you."
"No, no Francesco I am not mad, stop thinking that I get mad all the time." He takes a deep breath. "I am worried about you. So how did you make it here. You don't have your license yet."
"I walked."
"Why didn't you call one of our friends to pick you up and bring you here if you wanted to come so badly?"
"I was... I was afraid I would cross the boundaries you set for me, and I would not be able to explain the seizures and that I needed to go back."
"Ohh Francesco, I am sorry. I should have told you that your boundary is set at most of Puglia, I think it is basically anything south of Bari Airport or maybe even Trani. I just did not want to take the risk of us doing something and you being hurt just because I forgot to set the proper limits."
"You mean that I can go anywhere in Puglia?"
"Most of it, yes. If you want I can make the boundary bigger when we get back home."
"No, that would not be necessary." I say stunned, then add. "Thank you master."
"Thank you for what?" He asks baffled.
"For trusting me."
"You deserve it." Then after a brief pause he adds. "Do you have a place to sleep?"
"Yes there is a couch in the room. It even lowers down, like a plane seat."
"Ok, see if you can get some sleep until tomorrow. Then we will call someone to take you home and get some proper rest."
"What about You master?"
"I am fine. Now go sleep."
"Yes master."

The chair is still very uncomfortable and while I am more relaxed now that I know master is alright, my sleep is restless at best. I keep dreaming of master touching me. Sometime I am grossed out and I wake up in panic. Sometime I feel the gentle touch and I am actually comforted by it, as if I actually enjoy it and I wake up wondering how I can actually feel good about it.

"Francesco, Francesco are you there?" Master's voice wakes me up again. Even if he is not yelling I hear his voice quite well in my light slumber. But there is more to it than that. It was not just the fact that he called me, it was something else.
"Francesco, please answer me." Panic! Master is in panic! Instantly I am awake and by his side.
"Master, I am here. What can I do for you?"
"Francesco," He adds somewhat relieved but still edgy, "Is it daylight yet?"
"Yes master."
"Something is wrong, I cannot focus everything is fussy. Call a doctor, please."
I leave him and look for a doctor, a nurse. Soon a doctor goes to see Master and they ask me to wait outside while they visit him. In the hallway, I am a nervous wreck walking up and down.
Finally, the doctor comes out.
"Doctor, what is wrong with Mr. Romano?"
"Who are you?"
"I am his ... Friend."
"I will let him tell you. You can go in now."
"As I step in a nurse is bandaging his head covering his eyes."
I stay by the door silent while the nurse finishes.
"Bene, sig.  Romano. Ho finito. Rilassatevi per il momento, ritornerò a prendervi per fare i test. Il dottore ritornerà a vedervi nel pomeriggio. Non dimenticate le medicine.°
°Grazie. Sa se il ragazzo che era qui questa mattina è ancora in ospedale.°
°Si, è qui in camera. Abbiamo dovuto farlo restare vicino a voi questa notte, non voleva andarsene. Anche con il suo italiano mezzo rotto, potrebbe essere un avvocato tanto gli argomenti che ha messo in tavola affinché non lo cacciassimo.°
The nurse is clearly amused while talking with master.
"Non mi dite. Grazie ancora." Master seems just as amused as the nurse.
She leaves looking at me sideways, but clearly amused. As she closes the door I run to his bedside.
"Master, what's wrong?" I ask worried.
"I cannot see."
"What do you mean by 'I cannot see?'"
"My vision is very unfocused and fuzzy."
"Then you can see."
"No I only see shades and... and shapeless objects, and I have a splitting headache."
"What happened?"
"The doctor thinks that the concussion has irritated the optical nerve. They will run some tests later."
"Is there something I can do?"
"Honestly no. They bandaged my eyes so that I can rest them for now and gave me some medicine to help with the headache. We will have to wait until the tests are done." After a brief pause, he adds.
"Maybe you can go home now. There is not much you can do here, and I would rather you are there to look after the masseria."
"But I want to stay here with you."
"Francesco, here you will not be of any help. I would really feel better if you go to the masseria and make sure everything is in order."
"If you think it is best. Will you call me to tell me what is going on?"
"Yes, I promise. Call Domenico to take you back."
"Yes master."
An hour later, after Domenico spoke to master to enquire on what happened and how he was doing, I am finally on my way to the masseria. I will have to take the olives we picked yesterday at the press. Hopefully they will not be spoiled.