FFM 2017 Day 20- Unseen and Unspoken

  Raphael’s first thought upon waking up was that he should not have been able to do so.  His second was that whoever had decided to save his life had used too much hydrogen peroxide.  Except, it couldn’t have been anyone but Michael, and Michael knew better than that.  And this bed wasn’t his, either: soft, silky covers and a firm mattress, things he had never slept on.  Where was he?

  He tried to push himself up, but pain exploded in his arms and his back and his sides and everywhere-

  -And the specifics clicked into place.

  Claws scraping.  A weight over his entire body.  Banging his fists on the floor so someone might hear.  Michael screaming.  Both of their heartbeats.  The words his older brother had said.

  “Stay awake for me, Raph.  Stay with me.  I’ll get you to the hospital, okay?  It’ll be alright.  Just keep breathing.”

  Oh, how his voice had shaken.

  Raphael fell back onto the bed and gasped, which turned into a coughing fit.  Not as much blood came up as he expected, but he spit it out.  Any hint of the taste was too much.

  Footsteps.  Not Michael’s.  He tried to shuffle backwards on instinct, but the motion brought a new wave of pain, and he went limp again, panting.  The door opened.

  “Oh, my goodness!  Are you okay?”

  “Try to stay still, alright, kid?  It’ll hurt less.”

  Hands grabbed his arms and shoulders.  He went rigid and waited.  They moved him back onto the pillows, readjusted the sheets, and… let go.  Was it a trick?  It had to be a trick.  He waited.

  “...You can relax, you know.  We don’t bite.”

  “Yeah, everything’s okay.  You’re safe.  There’s nothing to be afraid of.”

  They weren’t Michael.  But… they weren’t anyone else, either.  He hesitated, then lifted his shaking hands.

  WHERE IS MICHAEL?

  Silence.  Too fast?  Michael had mentioned that once or twice.  He tried again, with more time between each movement.  WHERE… IS… M-I-C-H-A-E-L?

  “What is he…?”

  “I think it’s ASL.”

  “Does anyone here even know ASL?”

  “No idea.  I’ll go check; you stay here.”

  “But I’m not good with-”

  Footsteps.  A closing door.

  “...kids.”  A sigh.  Some more silence.  “So, uh- wait, no.  Nevermind.  Frick.”

  Raphael decided not to try and figure out what she meant.  It wasn’t important, anyway; he just needed to find Michael, and then everything would go back to normal.  Though… did he want that?  Michael didn’t; it was half of what he talked about, fantasies of packing bags and leaving and never coming back.  Raphael should agree with him, he knew, and he did, he did, but… but packing bags and leaving for where?  What place was there where they would never have to come back?  What place where the past would never find them?  How strange would a place like that be?  How terrifying?

  He shook himself.  It didn’t matter where they went; they’d be together, and that would be familiar enough.