//------------------------------// // 1: The Call // Story: Somepony Lost // by ContagiousCreation //------------------------------// It was Saturday, 24th of December, (yes that’s right Christmas was on a Sunday). I was sat in my large, leather chair, reading the new book of the ‘Duckdective’ series because I had read the first one as a joke a couple weeks ago. Anyway, I got a call on the landline, it stunned me at first, I hadn’t heard its chime in over 4 months. I got up, went to pick it up and stubbed my toe on the table leg, crippling the rest of my trip to the phone. It was my sister. “Hello? Is that you, Nathan?” “Yes, yes” I looked down to my pulsating toe and hissed “What do you want?” “It’s dad” “What do you mean ‘Its dad’?” “He’s dying” The phone dropped to the floor. I was racing over to the hospital. I actually broke the limit in the desperate chase across town. I pulled into the hospital car park. Forget the pay & display, I had to see him. Ward 27, ward 27, ward 27, where was it!? It took me a lifetime to find it but I did, eventually. I ran in, and threw open the curtains separating his bed form the other 3 in the room. “Hi, Dad” I feebly murmured. I noticed Amy sat on the chair and joined her. She had clear mascara streaks down her face that indicated crying. “I… I… I came as fast as I could.” “I know, just sit” I sat. “He kept asking for you as the nurses tried to calm him” “Well I was about to come see him just before you called… wait, calmed him?” “He had a heart attack and now… now he’s... he’s- he’s-” She couldn't continue talking. Her tears overpowered her speech. “He’s asleep, they put him to sleep and he was just constantly asking ‘Where’s my son?’ over and over again! You should have been here!” She started to yell. “Amy calm down,” I grabbed her shoulders and sat her back down “I had no idea this would happen, I know your upset, but there was nothing I could have done to prevent this, even if I was here” “I’m sorry, I’m overreacting” She barely managed to splutter that phrase over her tears. “The doctors say he’s going into cardiac arrest" My father lay, breathing softly on the bed. I sat there, staring at him, helplessly. I couldn’t do anything. We just had to wait for the drugs to wear off. It was 3 hours later and dad was just waking up. I instantly jumped at the sight of his eyes opening and knelt down beside him. “Ah, Nathan my boy, you’re late” “My apologies” I thought for a second and suddenly something triggered “Wait, Amy, why were you here in the first place, you never visit Dad” I turned and looked at her. “I don’t know I just wanted to wish him a merry Christmas” She claimed. I turned back to dad and continued. “So, did you finish ‘The mystery of Roadlane Avenue’?” I asked him. “Yes, it was a horrible ending” “Exactly my thoughts” I replied. We both laughed for a while and I pulled out Duckdective 2 from my bag and handed it to him. “This is my most recent read” I told him. “I expected something more mature of you, Nathan” My smile dropped. “Hahaha! You should see your face!” He exclaimed. I began to laugh too and I heard Amy chuckle slightly. Dad began to furiously cough and splutter so I lay him back down. “You need to rest, dad” I thought about what my sister told me earlier “You need your strength” He lay back down and closed his eyes. I watched him as he slowly fell back asleep. The room was eerily quiet. All I could think of was how this could have happened. He was in here for liver disease, not cardiac arrest! I thought to myself and tried to piece together what was going on. It was 2 hours later and Amy had just gone downstairs getting food etc. from the built-in Costa when Dad began to get back up. I walked over to him and accompanied him. He slowly raised himself and spoke to me. “You know, Nathan,” He began “You don’t have to be here” “Dad,” I started to protest. “No really, I insist, you should leave. My time has come.” “What do you mean? You can’t be-” The heart monitor began to rapidly beep. I looked over to the machine and back, then back to the machine and then back at him. I was so confused. Then I saw him slowly reveal his hands. He had removed his life support drip. “Dad! What've you done!?” “It is my fate, son, you have to understand that” “Please, no! You have to stay here! You’re all I have! Don’t go!” He began to shake and shudder. I desperately tried to keep him still and replace his drip. “Please! Come on, work! Work! WORK GOD DAMN IT!” I furiously entered and re-entered the drip until his hand was mutilated. He stopped shaking. Tears welled in my eyes. “Look after your sister” The heart monitor stopped. Silence filled the room. I began to weep.