How long has it been since Ashly got shot? Lucas thinks to himself, "Just a while longer Ashly, you'll be treated soon." Lucas says, more to reassure himself than Ashly. The horse is breathing heavily, it's reached its limit. He get to the gates and is stopped by a few guards.
"Lucas you're back already" said one of the guards. He's one of the two guards that got familiar with him since Lucas frequently left and returned on his work hour. "Oh my, is that girl alright?"
"No she isn't" Lucas says "Let me in I have to get her to a doctor" the guards let them in quickly and escort him to the hospital. They arrive and enter quickly asking for a doctor. Lucas runs to the receptionist "Is there a doctor available!"
"Yes, just one at this moment. We'll get her to a room and call him in" the receptionist said. They get inside a room and rest Ashly on the hospital bed. "The doctor is on his way, be patient"
"I can't wait any longer , she's been bleeding for a while. I don't know how long but please" Lucas sits down on a chair outside and the doctors arrives.
The doctor is a tall exhausted man, his eyes were baggy, his face looked drowsy. His hair was short yet messy and his cheek were hollow. He looked like he was a walking corpse. "So… this must be the lady I suppose" he said "I'm Dr. Zkwysh"
"Zkwysh?" Lucas said "That's weird, never heard that name before" he said
"Well my parents were poor, and we were from a town that wasn't registered. So my parents decided to renamed me." Dr. Zkwysh said
"Oh sorry but-" Lucas is then interrupted by the doctor who enters the room
"Any ID, heard this was urgent, but I need her identification." Dr. Zkwysh said
"She doesn't have any, but please help her" Lucas pleads, Dr. Skwysh turns around and looks at Lucas with his tired eyes
"Sorry but I can't help her without any Identification, that's the hospital's policy" he said
"What why, this makes no sense. You're a doctor you're supposed to help people out!" Lucas yells at the doctor "You can't just let some policy get in the way"
"Sorry kid but I have a record to keep clean, can't make a mistake." He said "I could get fired for this, and I won't let 12 years of medical school go to waste."
"Listen if it's money" Lucas takes a deep breath "I have it, if it's not enough I'll work for it" Lucas says
Dr. Zkwysh looks at Lucas then at Ashly, he knows it's not right to let some girl die. It's wrong yet he can't risk getting fired, he worked to hard for this "I have a home and purpose kid, my parents sacrificed everything for this. My education, my wellbeing, my place in society. Can't let all of those go down the drain"
Lucas gets on his knees and begins to plead "Please Doctor, you can't just let her die here. She's a patient, why does some dumb rule get to decide who lives and who dies? A doctor helps people that's their job, nothing should prevent it." Lucas begins to cry
Dr. Zkwysh thinks of how pathetic Lucas is, but knows what he is saying. With a sigh "Alright I'll help her, don't get the floor wet it's unsanitary. I'm only doing this because I can't stand men being pathetic at all" Lucas raises his face
"Thank you, I promi-" Lucas is then interrupted by the doctor
"Leave now, I don't like it when visitors see me working. It's something that gives me unnecessary stress" Dr. Zkwysh says and Lucas nods and leaves. Dr. Zkwysh walks up to Ashly and some nurses enter the room "You must be special to this man if he is willing to let go of any dignity he has" Dr. Zkwysh puts up a slight smile
——-
In the middle of the street Lucas is walking with his head low. He is happy that Ashly is getting help but… he feels more scared for her than before. He doesn't want to think bad of the doctor, but he can't stop thinking that way. His stomach feels weird, mushy and heavy. He can feel his stomach shifting around, his heart is beating fast. He can almost hear it clearly as well as feel every beat
Lucas makes it back to a familiar street, some of his neighbors are chatting. "Good morning" Lucas says as they greet him "I came back earlier today" Lucas doesn't want to say why as just thinking of Ashly makes him feel as if he is dying. He walks up a pathway and is in front of a wooden door. This is where he lives, he knocks on the door "I'm back" he says and waits for the door to open
The door creaks open and there is an older woman one of his foster parent, she is shoulder height compared to Lucas. She looks at him with happy yet disappointed eyes "Come on in Lucas, I'm happy that you are ok" she said as Lucas enters the house, "You know, you should really put that gun away."
"Yes I'll put it away" Lucas walks to a separate room in the hallway, the storage room. He puts his gun in a holder and returns to the living room. He then sees his other foster parent, he is old and is carrying a cane. "Good morning sir, I was only gone for-" Lucas can't remember the exact time.
The older man just sits down on the couch "Listen Lucas, you hear this many times but-" he gestures for Lucas to sit next to him and as Lucas sits down he continues "We worry for your safety, you can't just keep on doing this." He says as he rubs his eyes "Lucas isn't this enough for you? This place has everything needed."
"It's just that my friend, they don't live like us. They are poor, they as much as I was told don't eat properly" Lucas says "I'm trying to help them out, I tried telling them to live here. I said I will convince you but still, they don't want to." Lucas says "Listen, they lived a hard live and can't imagine living normally"
"Lucas, I get it… I too would do anything for my friend but-" he is then interrupted by knocking on the front door "Sorry but we can talk about this later" he stands up and begins to walk to the front door.
Lucas stands up and begins to walk to his bedroom. He walks upstairs and passes a hallway and turns left to the second door. He opens the door and enters, he then closes the door and locks it. He sits on the edge of his bed, he looks around his bedroom. There's a book shelf with seven books on the left wall. In his right wall there's a window that looks directly at the street, there is also a closet. "I'm sorry, I don't want to worry anyone" Lucas says as he sinks into his bed. He closes his eyes and repeats "I'm sorry… I'm sorry… I really mean it I'm sorry for worrying people…"
——-
Later on the day Lucas is sitting down in the table "Lucas, listen you can go out. You're legally an adult, we can't stop you from making any decisions." The old lady says "But that doesn't mean we can't try, you're still young and inexperienced. You don't understand the world yet, and I'll take you years"
"I understand, but my friend…" Lucas then looks down at his plate
"We love you Lucas, don't ever think otherwise. And since we love you we worry for you, just think more thoroughly next time. We aren't asking you to never leave understand just…" said the old lady
"I understand what you mean and I'm sorry. It was stupid of me to expect nothing wrong to happen. I don't have a job anymore. What else should I do? I tried every location and nothing" Lucas says as he looks at the two elderly people "You already know why I'm saving money, I love you both I do."
Lucas and the two elder couple begin to eat. It's a bit awkward, Lucas is feeling many emotions. He is scared, nervous, worried and sad, but he can't let it be shown. Once Lucas finishes eating he goes to his room again. He lies down and falls asleep. The next morning Lucas leaves the house, some of his neighbors are chatting
"Good morning Lucas" said one of his neighbors "I noticed you have been looking a bit stressed, care to tell me on what's wrong?"
"Oh yeah my friend is at the hospital, I'm going there right now actually. What are you two talking about?" Lucas asked
"Oh you have to hear this, George that drunk bastard said another crazy rumor" he said trying not to laugh "He said that there is some secret government organization that goes out. He says that their purpose is to kill undesirable people like criminals and stuff. He says that they are named after flowers and stuff." He and the other neighbor can't stop laughing
"Yeah that sounds very funny" Lucas says
"Yeah I know right? Don't know where he heard of such rumor, or what made him make that up. Crazy drunk and his babbling tales" the neighbor says
"Well I heard of the rumors before" Lucas says "It was a few months ago and well, I do believe it might be true. Call me crazy but doesn't it make sense for them to do that." His neighbors laugh even more and Lucas says he is leaving "Well I'll se yall later"
Lucas walks to the hospital and enters, he goes up to the receptionist "Hey can I visit my friend, she came here yesterday."
"I'm sorry but Dr. Zkwysh doesn't allow any visitors, not even family are allowed. He has some form of anxiety when people who aren't professionals watch him." She says "Don't worry about your friend Dr. Zkwysh is one of the best doctors in the hospital and a capable one at that"
"Alright but I'll be back tomorrow" Lucas says, but the receptionist says he won't need to. She says that he will only be allowed to visit once it's all done "Well alright then, tell the doctor to send me a letter when something critical happens alright" she nods and Lucas leaves
Lucas decides to not walk home, instead he is going somewhere different. This place is were he usually goes when he is stressed and needs to dump all his worries when he's not outside. Lucas keeps on walking and makes his way to the cemetery of Iriage.