Markus was very fascinated with the knowledge that the book has to offer especially on the tricks on how to connect a cheat with another. He stared at the filled pages with all excitement as he turns from one page to another.
"Have you read the history part of that book, kid?" Ned asked as he flipped a page on the book he had opened entitled
Markus was holding a book as thick as an almanac with a title
"Yeah, it's all in the first chapter," Markus exclaimed. "I mean, that story was amazing, right, uncle Ned?"
"Though I was not sure if that really happened." Ned frowned. "I mean, we never have any evidence to prove it true. All of it was just written in books."
"But, to think of it as an elaborate lie," Markus said. "This was very nicely stitched."
"If that's what you wanna think." Ned turned into another book. He grabbed the one with a title
"Really?" Markus took the book from Ned and started reading it from the cover. "This one really looks amazing, don't you think?"
"Ahh...It was amazing that that book made me cry during the first pop quiz." Ned hanged his head on his shoulder. He heard the kid giggled.
Markus was exhilarated. They talked about everything they can until the sky is red.
"Damn kid, falling asleep on the floor." Ned sighed. "Now, I have to carry you to my room. I should really ask for pay this time. Pay me some cash, Charlie." he muttered as he entered his room and dropped the kid on his bed. "Sleep well, idiot."
He stared at the kid for a few minutes and a sudden thought slipped on his mind that made his feet cold. "Ahhh,,," he exclaimed. "I didn't finish what I have to do now." He wrapped the kid with his blanket and ran downstairs "I'm already behind my schedule! Damn Markus, that idiot!" he stared at him and gave a smile "I will make you pay next time. Now he sleeps soundly on my bunk while I have to pull a whole day through without sleep, again. Thanks for the bother."
He rushed to his workplace and immediately started what he left off last night. He worked until the sky turned Yellow-Orange.
The streets turned busy as the crowd kept passing by his shop and Charlotte knocked on his window.
"Hey, Ned, have you seen Marky?" She walked towards the fixing guy.
"Oi, Charlie. good morning." Ned waved his soldering iron.
"Is Marky here?" Charlie asked again. A slight knit on her forehead appeared.
"Yeah. He's sleeping in my room." Ned replied immediately to ease her worry. "What have you given that kid that he became that smart?"
"What are you talking about?" Charlotte felt confused. She is still in her IIP uniform and her eyes were tired from work. Her red hair was pulled behind her in a bun and her face looked so tired. "Anyway, why is he here?" she went straight to the kitchen door and went inside the house.
Ned picked a cloth to wipe his hand, followed Charlotte to his room, and said, "He picked-up a fight last night and was beaten really bad." He opened the door and show Markus inside.
"What?!" Charlotte exclaimed. She grabbed Ned's collar with a trembling hand. "A fight? How, why did that happened? This is ridiculous."
"I know," Ned said throwing his hand up in the air. "I've given him a good scolding last night so don't worry. He promised he will avoid that from now on."
"Is he hurt?" she went inside Ned's house with heavy feet. She went straight to his room.
She was not always by her son's side. Because of her work, she can't be always with him to protect him.
"Poor Markus." Charlotte murmured.
"I gave him a change of clothes and something to eat. And I treated his wounds as well." Ned said as he followed her upstairs. "How did you know the whereabouts inside my house?"
"I'm an agent, idiot." She kneeled beside the bed with a heavy heart.
"I patched his wounds last night but, to make sure, you should bring him to a doctor." Ned said.
Charlotte was just silent. She reached her hand to Markus' face and whispered, "He's hot."
"Oh wait, don't go doting on your son, Charlie." Ned laughed under his breath. "He's still a kid and declaring he's already hot defeats the essence of puberty."
"No, I mean he is HOT..." Charlotte exclaimed. "He is burning with fever."
"Wae, what?!" he felt a sudden skip beat and placed his hand on the kid's forehead. He felt a burning sensation like holding a hot cup of coffee. "You're right, we need to rush him to the hospital."
"Ned, could you get my car." She felt dread. She brought her son to her chest. "It's in the front yard. I'll go bring him downstairs."
"Okay." Ned rushed downstairs and went to the opposite house and turned the car to his shop.
"Get inside..." Ned manning the wheels exclaimed.
"Please... make it quick Ned!"
"I'm on it."
Ned stepped on the gas, he drove as fast as he can and instantly arrived at the hospital at the Eastern part of Zone 4. They rushed to the emergency room and place the kid on the bed.
"What happened?" asked the nurse who attended to them immediately.
"He has a very high fever," Charlotte said. "Please, do something."
"This is bad, call the doctor right away," the nurse said after she laid her hand on the kid's pulse. She hurried to call the doctor. "Leave it to us, ma'am... we'll take care of your son."
"Why bad?!" Charlotte exclaimed. "Hey, nurse. What's happening?"
One of the nurses brought them outside the emergency room.
"Let's just let them do their job, Charlie. Let's calm down." Ned tried to convince her.
"But it looks like something other than fever has happened to him," Charlie exclaimed. "When I held him in the car, I felt him twitching on his side and..."
"Shhh, calm down calm down." Ned held her shoulder and brought her's to his. "He's going to be alright."
They went to the glass wall watched the doctor and the nurses attending to Markus.
They were not that far from the kid's bed so they were able to overhear what they're saying.
"These are serious wounds for a kid." The doctor gestured his hand asking for injections and medicines "...these are what make his had fever like this," he injected medicine for fever ... "but we have to check it further just to make sure." He checked his arms and legs and even turned him to his back to see more wounds and he saw a cut on his left shoulder "this is..."
"What was that, why did they become silent for a while?" Charlotte panicked.
"I don't know, but I guess it is something..." Ned said
"...BAD" the doctor continued. "Prepare the operating room now, we'll have to take it right away or the infection will even spread more. We'll conduct a surgery!"
The nurses rushed to get the things they need. They transferred the kid from the ER to the OR.
Charlotte ran towards Markus but Ned caught her arm and make her sat still on where they are sitting.
"Don't interfere with their job, Charlie. You will only make things hard for them. Let's just pray this will turn out right."
"But my son is suffering! You saw him, right?" her tears dropped like a grenade. "I need to..."
"You need to be strong for Marky. Be there for him when he wakes up. But, for now, stay still and stay strong. Believe in him. He is a strong child. He had endured so long, he can still do it now."
They sat there patiently in waiting. After about an hour, the doctor went to talk to them.
"He's fine now. His fever is still there but it will be gone after a few hours of sleep." The doctor took off his gloves. "We'll have to give him medicine for his wounds".
"That's great... Thanks, Doc" Charlotte said. "But, what happened out there?"
"There was a piece of tin junk that was stuck in his left shoulder. It might have pierced him when he fell somewhere."
"Ahh. It might have been on the ground where he fell." Ned said.
"That's it." The doctor replied. "That pierced in his back shoulder and was infected. You see, the junk we have in the area was prone to solar radiation exposure. Even if we have the Hraschina's Veil and the ORION's shield, the immense solar radiation still affects all other things here in the New-Earth."
"So, you're saying that his fever was due to the exposure of a huge amount of radiation?" Ned asked.
"Exactly. Not to mention, he's just a child." the doctor replied. "There are many cases like this around the city for more than a month now. I've heard that it was the peak of the solar radiation this year, so we better be careful."
"Markus..." Charlotte stood in the doorway, ready to rush to her child.
"Thanks for everything, Doctor," Ned said. He reached the doctor's hand and shook it sincerely.
"You're welcome, but he will not wake up for the next 2 days at most. That will be due to the anesthesia and the stress that those wounds brought on him. Just be there when he wakes up and comfort him." the doctor replied.
"I thought I've patched his wounds last night, I'm so sorry Charlie." He patted her shoulder. "I haven't seen that stupid junk on his shoulder."
"It's not your fault. You've helped him at that time. Sometimes, this kid just keeps a lot of secrets especially when something hurts." Charlie explained.
"That just shows that he's your son," Ned said with a weak laugh
"Thank you very much, Doctor!" Charlotte said.
"It's my pleasure to help, then, I guess I should take my leave. I still have to do my rounds..." and the doctor went on his way.
Charlotte went to her son's bedside and held his hand. "You're still hot Markus. Why do you have to be such an idiot? You keep me worried all the time."
"He'll be fine soon Charlie. I told you, he will be alright. He's a strong kid."
"I know. That's why I worry..." she moved her hand onto his face "hot..."
"Worry about?"
"I worry that he won't need me anymore because he can do things for himself." she kissed her son's hot hand.
"What?! Don't act so dumb Charlie. He might be strong but he is an idiot. He needs an idiot mom like you to find his way through his idiot way of life, you know."
"Am I that an Idiot Mom? That hurts..." her tear continued to fell "But if that's the case, I will remain like this to be needed by him."
"Yeah, that's it. Be strong for him. You have endured 11 years alone now, turning 12 as he said, you can do it longer. I know you can." Ned said. "Besides--"
"I'm still hoping I can count on you though." She gave off a small laugh.
"Ahh, that was what I'm about to say, hahaha. But this time I'll ask for compensation."
"It will always be free when it comes to Marky, I know that." She wiped her tears and sneezed on her handkerchief.
"Ha!" Ned looked away and muttered, "I guess I will always lose to Marky."
"He's strong, right? You said that."
"I wish I can take that back..."
They laugh with each other as they watch the sleeping Markus on the hospital bed.
"I guess I should be going. I still have parts to finish for tomorrow's order. I'm totally behind my schedule now. If he wakes up, tell him I need a pay for everything."
"I will give you a call. I will also tell him about that but I guess he will not pay you either." She looked at Markus' face "I will give you updates about him.... And.... Thanks for all the help." Charlotte smiled.
"Of course, a family helps each other. You two are my family now as well, so it can't be helped." Ned brushed her hair.
"Thank you very much!" her eyes started to form tears.
"Ma...ma... don't cry anymore. The others will think that I'm hurting you." he made a defensive stance.
"Ahh, my bad." She wiped her tears away and laughed a little.
"Stay strong, okay?"
"Hai!"
....
Markus woke up after a long day of sleep. He looked pale after wearing out himself of that fight and the infection. He slowly opened his eyes and he saw his mom waiting for him to wake.
"Mom?...." he said slowly, he raised his hand trying to block the light from the window
"Hai,, This is Mom right here... thank God, I'm glad you're awake now. I'll go call the doctor."
She went outside to call for the doctor in the lobby and went back immediately.
"How do you feel?" asked the doctor.
"Ouch..." he tried to move his body but stopped it on the process "...it still hurts."
"At least your fever has worn off." The doctor removed the thermometer from him "...when you feel a lot better, you can be discharged from here."
He faced his mom and said, "Sorry for making you worry."
"It's alright, Marky." She looked pale after hearing that "...but you really get me worried, my idiot son.." she tried to keep her tears
"That's why I'm saying sorry." he looked away in shame.
"No, it's me who has to apologize. Then, don't do dangerous things anymore, okay?" her tears fell. "Moms tend to worry a lot."
"Hai,, I'm really sorry Mom" he cried and cried hugging his mom.
The doctor went outside and left a note on his bedside,
Approved to Discharge
"Let's go home?" his mom asked.
"Uhm, let's go home."