Chereads / MORTALITY / Chapter 29 - Hero

Chapter 29 - Hero

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"C'mon girls, you're getting late, the school will close if this continues!"

"'I'm almost there Dad, wait for me....'"

""Me too, I just need to pack my bags, I forget hehe....so just be patient I'll be right there!""

"It's always like this with you Delilah, now hurry."

Palmer residence had once again become lively, after the passing of Mrs. Palmer, both father, and daughter realized something was lacking, and this couldn't carry on; by welcoming Delilah as a new family member, that empty feeling was finally filled, the Palmers and her found happiness, which in turn brought me a feeling of content as well, although, the same couldn't have been said about my health...

"You girls make yourself ready in the wagon, I'll go check on Robert.", as the girls obliged, Doctor Palmer made his way to the feeble and wrinkled me, lying in a disgraceful sight, I couldn't bear myself to show my face to anybody. "So? How is everything....Feel any better?"

""You make me chuckle sometimes Doc, look at me, do I 'seem' better, trust me I'm as sick as it can get.""

*cough*cough*cough*

""Well would you look at that, didn't see the sight of blood for a while, and it actually started giving me hope, but here it is, this beautiful yet repugnant crimson color. Death doesn't seem far Doc.""

The Doctor crouched and grabbed my hand, he stroked his white napkin right over my bloody hands, staining the perfectly clean cloth. He said, "I have good news, hope doesn't seem to give up yet, Robert. We might have a potential donor....."

"....."

Those words, those were the words I had been wanting to hear all this time, I don't know why, part of me couldn't be bothered to care, but at the same time, I knew, this was something I had longed and prioritized more than any other thing for this whole unnecessarily long and tardy period.

"Woah, the moment I thought I wouldn't get a reaction from you, you broke down crying."

""Thank you Doc, truly, I couldn't be more grateful, I truly truly thank you-""

*cough*cough*cough*

*cough*cough*cough*

"Hey, hey! Calm down, just rest, let's talk after work shall we."

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"So, are you ready?"

The Doc slams a huge binder on the table and asks me to analyze it 'thoroughly', I peruse it as he said, and found it to be quite peculiar, "These are.....medical records? Why are you showing me this?"

The Doc wore a grin, and said, "They are all potential donors Robert, all of these people are willing to help you, don't you see how remarkable that is. Albeit, we just have one problem, we need to match-"

""Woah woah, hold on Doc, this is all too quick, where'd you get these records, do the people even know about this, how did all of them oblige so easily.""

"That's what makes this remarkable Robert. These past few weeks I have been making trips to See Green City to check up on the aftermath of the incident, and, to search for a donor, for you. You see, usually we would ask the family of the patient or friends of the patient, but since you have no recollection of your memories it became even more difficult to find a suitable donor, and since I don't work in a professional hospital here, I don't have any access to medical records or blood banks, so searching in Oceanica was not possible, that's why I went to See Green, and you won't believe what I saw....."

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The place once known as the 'City of Wonders', pushed to such a pitiful state. It seemed the rebuilding had progressed a considerable amount, I better meet the one incharge here-

"Hey! You there! Stop for a moment, I have something to ask!"

A young man, wearing a beige cardigan over a white tank top, and a beanie, looked to be in his 30s approaches me with a troubled expression, panting heavily he asks me, "Are you...Are you the one...who was with that.....uhm....injured gentleman....at the harbour, during the explosion incident?"

"Calm yourself young man, catch a breath and come over to the side, we'll talk."

The worried boy finally regained his composure and developed a much more relieved expression. I ask him for his name to which he replies, "Brandon".

"I'm sorry if I disturbed your travels, but there's just something I must ask, and I won't rest until I don't."

I pat the young man on his shoulder and reassured him, "No problem Brandon, go ahead, I'm all yours."

"The thing is, majority of the people who were witnesses to the explosion incident want to thank the man who saved them, the man who stopped the ships from setting sail that day, last time we saw him was during the incident at the harbour, later we got to know from some esteemed indivisuals that it was because of his planning that people were able to evacuate. I also remember seeing you that time, and I want to ask, if you could make an oppurtunity for us to meet him, to thank him, to check on his health. Like others, I am also indebted to him profoundly, he saved my family. He's a hero in our eyes."

Seemed like Robert had became quite famous, "Brandon I am truly pleased to hear all this praise, and so will be the man who saved you, but, I'm sorry to say, the state he's in right now, it isn't.....it isn't right. He's enduring as much as he can at the moment."

"I don't understand, what are you trying to imply Mister."

"It's Doctor...and...the man whom you call hero, is currently bed-ridden and suffering from a terminal illness called cirrhosis, if action isn't taken, he will die soon of liver failure. I am travelling to every place I can in seach for a donor."

Brandon's expression became stale as he said, "Doctor....I would like you to meet some people."

I obliged quietly as Brandon booked us a cabriolet to the suspicious place where he wanted to introduce me to these 'people', I trusted the boy due to his innocence, and gratitude shown towards me and Robert, although I definitely was a little dubious and cautious regarding this sudden detour. 

"Here we are!"

Before me stood the once majestic colossal headquarters now brought to ruins, I ask Brandon of to what purpose did he drag me along with him to this wasted settlement, completely ignoring me, he looks ahead and commands me to follow along.

As we tread our path, I confront him, "Brandon son, for someone who expressed such high regard and esteem just moments ago, you sure seem to have developed a change of attitude won't you say?"

"I'm sorry if I showed any sign of disrespect Doctor, but trust me, we can help, and I'm taking you to the right place, really trust me, these people will give you what you want."

Beneath some rubble appeared a cellar door which Brandon approached and opened exposing a large set of stairs leading to a dimly lit landing. "Well then, I presume this is it...."

*creak*

"Seriously, an assembly hall, I never knew this existed down here. Anyhow, this doesn't looks to be so lively, what have you brought me here for kid?" 

Our voices echoed as we talked; See Green never ceases to amaze me, the hall was truly an architectural masterpiece, almost like fiction, it was hard to believe it was made from the hands of man.

"I would like you to meet someone."

An unusual firgure sat on a wheelchair, enveloped in bandages approaches us and begins speaking, "Greetings Sir, I hope our Brandon has been of good service to you. I'm .̶̢̗̬͕̠̲̜͇͂͌̈́͒̌͘͝.̴̧̢̥̞̖̮͔̤̮̃̔̋͐̓̓̈́͘͝.̷̢̛̘̯͚̳̦̪̂.̶̮͚͙̣̘̄̓̋̆͠ , the one leading these people, I suppose Brandon has brought you here because you're aware of the wherabouts of our hero.....Sir, my only request to you is to let us meet this messiah, he saved families of every single person here and majority of the people outside, what we only want is to ask him to rely on us whevener he wants, what we want is to thank him from the depths of our hearts, what we want, is to let him know he'll forever and ever be welcome here and that his hardships and sufferings were not in vain."

This woman was definitely one devoted to her cuase, and she also knew how to present herself, I feel like I know her from somewhere, unfortunately she had to know the truth, Brandon broke it to her, I closed my eyes because I couldn't have beared to see her reaction-

"So a donor you say? Very well. EVERYBODY? GATHER ROUND!"

All the people present huddled together and started whispering. 

The leader came towards me and did something unexpectedly rash, with all her power, she stood firm on her feet, and says to me: "We can help."

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