His eyes opened to see a man's face within inches of his. "Don't worry Daniel this will only hurt a little." The man had a low voice.
Daniel looked and saw the man's hand holding a syringe with a long needle.
"No no no… that's not for me." He tried to move but felt powerless under the large man.
"Trust me. It will be okay." The man attempted to put a toothy grin on to try and calm him.
"What are you trying to put in meeee?" He began to cry in agony as his voice was the only thing he had control over. Daniel looked to his left to see another man restraining his arms. He was completely powerless. He was at the mercy of whoever these people were.
"Danny, my name is Edwin and this is Gabe. We are here to help you. Please close your eyes and count to three." The man was trying to negotiate with him. "Listen, once you have the shot you are going to feel a million times better." He gave a waving motion and the other man let go of his legs.
"A million times?" His eyes were wet with the tears that formed.
Daniel was only ten and had been battling a skin disease that caused him excruciating pain. He had been battling this condition that would eventually kill him if he wasn't saved.
"This is the shot that is going to save your life Danny. Do you mind if I call you Danny?" He was holding the syringe like a piece of candy now.
"Please call me Danny." He never liked being called Daniel. "Is it going to hurt?"
"We can count to three together and then you will feel a pinch and it will be all over. Deal?" He had a way of speaking to Danny that put him into ease.
"Deal." Danny sat up in the bed he had been laying in. He didn't remember how he got to this place. It had white tile floors and the walls looked plain. He could only see a mirror on the far side of the room.
"Sorry Danny. We are going to have to put the shot in your arm." He gave him the type of look that said that's just your luck.
"What??? Does the needle have to be this long? Can't you just do two shots?" He looked at his arm and the needle and couldn't imagine that entire thing in his arm. His eyes began to get red again as he was about to cry.
"No worries. Like I said it really won't hurt. It will feel like you got stung by a bee. You have been stung before? Right?" The man was very calm. Like he did this everyday.
"Stung… No." Luckily or unluckily Danny had never been fortunate enough to have a yard to play in.
"Okay it will be like someone pinched you really hard. It will sting for a few seconds and then be done."
Danny felt as though he could trust these men. He learned in his few years on Earth when people were lying to him. His ability to understand people had come from being abandoned just after he came into this world.
New Years Day just over a decade ago a miracle happened. Daniel Clarke, a captain at Station 13 Fire Department in Minneapolis had just pulled up in his car to the station house when he noticed something wrapped in a red blanket away from the entry. It was only 6 degrees outside. The air was calm that morning and the sun had just begun to rise above the buildings. As he walked towards the blanket he could hear a cry. 'What the heck!!' He put his hands around the blanket. The fire department named the baby after his rescuer. It was baby Daniel. Luckily he had only been out in the elements less than an hour.
He had been in foster homes since infancy. His rare skin disease kept potential parents from adopting him. People always told him how lucky he was to be alive. How lucky he was to be found. How lucky he was to have this attention. As lucky as he was he never felt loved. He had been living with the Budley's for two years. He thought they loved him. On his 9th birthday the Budley's didn't even celebrate his birthday. They celebrated the New Years and even had 'Aunt Becca and Uncle Jerry' over to celebrate. Danny went to his room he shared with another kid and cried for hours. The other kid that will remain as 'Nameless'. 'Nameless had just moved in exactly three days ago. 'Nameless' didn't talk. They only took half of his room away. The same room the Budley's had told him is his and he would never have to share.
Danny couldn't stop crying that day. It was his birthday and as 'Lucky' as he was he sure didn't feel that way. Danny's sadness turned to anger and he stormed out of his room and walked into the living room where they were both laid back in their personal recliners. Danny started yelling at the Budley's. He told them it was his birthday. They looked at eachother and gave a silly giggle like 'Oops our bad' Not even a sorry. They went from a look of sympathy to anger. 'How dare this boy that we provided shelter act out this way. We made a simple mistake and he's yelling at us. Oh we can't have this in our home.' They sent him to his room to let his anger boil.
Danny went to his room and didn't cry. He smiled. He felt proud. This was the first time he stood up for himself. He had always relied on adults to protect him. Now he knew he had to speak up for 'Danny'. Even if others didn't like what he had to say. He deserved to be loved.
The next morning he woke up to a social worker standing above him with two other adults.
"Hi Danny. We have a new home to take you to." She looked at him with sad eyes. Sandy had been his social worker since birth. She was probably the only person that truly loved him.
"Okay…" He was no stranger to the move. Six times in his short life and this would be lucky number seven. Her words didn't sound convincing but what choice did he have. He was now a 'DANGER' to the Budley's. He had talked to other foster kids before and heard rumors of what happens to the 'Dangerous' kids. He thought it was funny since he had never once been in a fight.
She sat next to him on the bed. Sandra Lopez known as Sandy to the kids had received the call last night about his 'violent outburst' and wanted to be the one to take him to a group home. It had been shocking to her how such a cute kid could be ignored by so many potential families. It seemed like every time there was a potential match they would learn about his disease and not want him anymore. This would be the first time Danny was in a group home.
"This place we are taking you to is not permanent Danny. Trust me. Soon you will be in a much better place." She said with eyes that made Danny feel closer to her more than anyone in his life.
He looked at her. His eyes filled with tears and he began to sob uncontrollably. Sandy put her arms around him and held him for several minutes. Waiting until he was able to stop.
"I trust you Sandy…" He looked up at her giving a look of trust he had never given anyone in his life.
Over a year later he was still waiting on her promise.
He stood up and let the man find an area to give him the shot.
"Close your eyes Danny and we are going to count to three….. Oneeee…. Twoooo… Threeeee!!!"
The pain was excruciating as the needle felt like it touched bone and then another pain began to emerge. A burning sensation from the left arm where the syringe was entered. The burning quickly traveled across his body then up to his head and down to his feet.
Danny let out a scream that could be heard for miles if he was in a place his voice would travel. The burning on the inside began to form a rash that spread quickly over his body causing bumps from head to toe. His body quickly turned red.
"Helppppp" He screamed out not knowing what was happening to him. The men were only a little concerned at his reaction.
"Danny you are going to be fine." He gave him a calm look as he took another syringe and put it into his upper arm. "Count to five Danny…" His voice tailed off.
"Owwwwww whaaaaa waaa.." He wasn't able to finish his thought as the tranquilizer quickly made him limp. Within seconds he had gone into a deep sleep.