A soft sigh emanated from the lone colt that lay resting on his hospital bed. The injured colt laid upon his good side, his mangled wing on display and becoming a daily reminder to everyone how lucky he was. But he wasn’t feeling very lucky being locked up in his room all day, not to mention the pain, loneliness, needles and his broken memory. He stared at nothing in particular, getting lost in his own mind.
Another sigh left his lips as he tried to disappear from the world, into the stiff platform that the hospital deemed a bed. His hooves tightened around the layers of cotton blankets that were piled on him, as he tried to escape the slight nip in the morning air.
Beams of light entered the room from the window behind him, casting long, golden rays across the room. The already blinding white of the room became even more intense, as she sun climbed higher in the sky. Outside, white puffy clouds effortlessly passed by, birds chirped happily in the early morning hours, and other pegasi like himself flew carelessly through the open air.
He was envious. Deep down, his heart ached to be freed of his white prison cell. His wings yearned to be stretched, and to catch the familiar feeling of air passing over them. Another sigh drew the conclusion that he’d never remembered flying, or having a single conscious moment off of the ground. But inside, like a natural instinct, he begged for the sweet careless release of being able to take to the sky.
A small smile graced his lips at the thought of being free to do as he pleased, by himself, without a care in the world. But as did his gaze drop from the window, his smile followed as he was brought back to the boring, sterile reality he was faced with. He didn’t know how long he’d been here. The only thing close to a day to him, was the amount of time he was able to remain conscious before his painkillers dragged him off into a comfortable darkness.
His eyes traveled up the wall to glance at the clock. Like the beat of his heart, the clock rhythmically ticked time away. All he'd ever do, was stare at the clock and watch time pass by until something happened. He became so desperate for entertainment, that he'd count the little hash marks on the clock in an attempt to pass the time. Sometimes he would be saved from his fate by a distant thought or a surprise visitor.
Maybe I'm going stir-crazy...
But it could also take a toll on him. He loved having visitors, but could become overwhelmed with questions and medical tests, to the point where he'd shut down from a sensory overload.
Maybe I'm broken…
Before he could continue his mental ramblings, the faint sound of distant hoof-steps drew his attention to the door. A quick glance at the clock showed that the nurse was right on time. As quietly as she could, Nurse Softheart opened the door and scooted in. Every morning he’d await her arrival, as most mornings started with him waking up early and waiting for his daily poking and prodding.
Upon noticing his consciousness, she gave up the act and slowly approached him with a warm smile, “How’re feeling today, buddy?” she asked, eyeing over her clipboard.
Ever since his arrival, the injured colt had had the pleasure of Nurse Softheart becoming his regular car taker. He liked her. She was caring and nice, and visited him as much as she could. While he watched her work, he could easily tell that she was quite fond of him as well, as were the Princess’ and their guard that visited almost daily. Even though he hid his emotions well behind a stoic mask, he enjoyed the company, which broke up the endless hours of staring at the ceiling.
The nameless colt carefully rolled over, before reflecting her warm smile and stretching, "Meh."
Softheart’s smiled widened as she carefully check over the few machines he still remained bound to, "Just 'Meh'?"
“Mmm-yup.” He said tiredly, closing his eyes and sinking back into the bed.
There was a small pause before he looked around. His tired gaze landed back on Softheart, who stood next to him, blocking out the morning sun. She concentrated intently on the devices hooked up to him, while periodically scratching something down on her clipboard.
“But seriously buddy, how are you feeling?” Softheart asked, her tone calm and gentle with a hint of seriousness, “No aches or pains?”
“I’m peachy,” He replied with a smile, “Just peachy.”
She smiled before turning back to her clipboard, before checking the clock. Seeing that she had extra time, she quickly pulled up a chair and sat down. The highlights of her day, and many of the other nurses days, was checking up on the nameless colt and chatting with him. Every time they spoke, small bits and pieces of his shattered mind were located and put together.
Some of his memories would stick around longer than others, but in the end he’d mostly forget them. While there were only a few memories he could easily bring to mind, he held on to them dearly. Though his mind healed more and more daily, he wasn’t entirely out of the woods, due to his impact with the ground. His wing still remained badly damaged, and would be for a great period of time, but his other minor injuries were healing up quickly.
But those were the cards that he was dealt, and Softheart vowed to help him through his predicament, and into some state of normality. Luckily she wasn’t alone in her endeavor, early on the Princesses and their guard took great interest in him, and tried to visit him as often as possible. Both Princesses also noted, the growing fondness between the hardened guard and the injured colt.
Softheart quietly let the colt speak freely, while she roamed her thoughts. Periodically she’d snap herself out of her trance to answer a question every now and then. Usually it was to keep the colt going off on a random tangent to possibly gain any more information about him. Thankfully he was her biggest priority, so she could get away with amusing him for a little bit without getting in trouble.
The clock ticked loudly, five minutes had passed. Softheart now conversed with the tired colt, happily wasting time with her favorite patient.
---
Sadly Nurse Softheart was called out to more important matters, leaving the colt to his own devices. The morning was still young, leaving him plenty of time to daydream and doze off before any visitors, meals, or testing arrived. Softheart had mentioned the possibility of the Princesses visiting again, which gave him something to look forward to for the rest of the day.
Though currently, his thoughts were occupied on what lay just beyond the window. Freedom. While he understood why it was necessary for him to stay in the hospital, he couldn’t help but feel like his time of healing was turning into a prison sentence.
His gaze remained locked outside, yearning to be let out of his sterile prison cell. In his head, a battle waged on whether or not to go for broke. The small nod and sigh to himself sealed his deal, as he ever so carefully began removing tubes from his body. His teeth clenched in pain as bloody needles were pulled out of his arms.
Now free of the machines that bound him to the bed, he carefully stood up as to not disturb his injured wing. As quietly as he could, he moved over to the window and peered out. He audibly gulped, he was on the second floor. Doubt ran through his mind, as he weighed his options of getting back in the bed.
But he committed himself to leaving. Carefully he opened the window, the wind immediately blowing in and knocking around the curtains that surrounded the colt. Being mindful of his wing, he shimmied out onto the sill of the window and took a last minute down to see where he’d land. Aiming for the bushes around the edge of the building, he let go.
Immediately his gown caught the sill, ripping and throwing him sideways. He spun through the air as the ground met him almost instantly. He barely caught the edge of the bush, and managed to land on his bad side. The air left his lungs as he writhed in agony on the ground, his mangled wing sending lightning bolts of pain down his spine.
A cross between a death noise and a wheeze left him as he slowly regained control of his breathing. Gingerly, he rolled over and did the best he could to stand up. Pain still radiated from his wing, as he balanced on three legs. His left hind leg sustained most of the force of the fall, and became useless as he slowly limped away.
He carefully checked his surroundings as he disappeared behind a hedge row, being careful to remain quiet as possible in his injured state. While he was in a great deal of pain, a smile remained on his face, as slight crazed laughter left him as he found a nice clearing to rest in momentarily.
He was free for the time being, he didn’t care how far away he got or where he went, just as long as he was free of his hospital room.
---
“He’s doing better, his spirits are still up.” Softheart said, glancing back at Twilight, Luna, and Moonlight.
“That’s good, especially somepony who’s had a traumatic injury, such as his.” Twilight replied, as they gathered outside of the room that held the colt.
Softheart carefully opened the door and entered, the others following suit, “Hey buddy, you’ve got some-...Uh....”
Her heart dropped, the bed was empty. The IV tubes and wires laid discarded on the bed and floor. The blankets thrown haphazardly off to the side, and a small dotted trail of blood that led to the window. The curtains flapped in the wind of the open window, skid to a stop and looked out. A small scrap of hospital gown laid lodged in the window sill.
Her heart managed to sink even lower as she peered out of the window. Below a small splatter of blood stained the ground, accompanied by a small trail that disappeared off into the bushes. As Softheart turned back, she could see the worry on the Princess's face as she quickly exited the room.
“Code red. Code red. Missing patient.” Softheart called over the intercom.
In a heartbeat, doctors and nurses scattered sporadically through the halls. Several waited near the room, as Softheart, Redheart, and the hospitals security guard headed downstairs to search outside for the colt.
---
Moonlight watched on in slight despair, as she watched the doctors and nurses scramble around. If it wasn’t for the Princesses, who also waited in the tense air of the now frantic hospital. With a deep sigh and a quick apology, she took off out of the room and down the hall to the stairs. She’d never moved so fast in her life as she found herself leaving the hospital.
Her chest was heaving as she moved around the building to where the colt jumped from, and began searching for the colt. Immediately an ear piercing shriek shattered her concentration, as she took off into the bushes towards the injured colt.
---
Softheart carefully made her way through the bushes and into the clearing. A small blood trail led the two nurses and security guard straight to the colt. As quietly as she could, she approached the colt, who laid in the shade of a small sapling.
A reluctant sigh and laugh left her as she spoke, “Hey, buddy.”
The colt turned his head to look at her with a smile, “Hello.”
“What do you think you’re doing out here?” She asked with a small smile, coming around and sitting in front of him.
“I wanted to go outside, it’s felt like forever since I’ve been out here.” He replied, as he took in his surroundings.
Carefully Nurse Redheart observed his injuries with a frown, “Oh dear…”
His injuries were considerably worse. His gown ripped and dirty, his fur, bloody and smudged. The stitches opened on his wing, and the bandages were hanging off, barely containing the bleeding.
The security guard watched on with a deep frown.
“Can I please stay out here just a bit longer?” The colt pleaded sweetly, much to the dismay of the nurses.
“Oh buddy, we have to get your stitches fixed.” Redheart tried to reason.
“C’mon, I promise I’ll take you outside more if you come with us now.” Softheart added with a smile.
The colt sighed and hung his head, “I suppose so...But maybe a minute?”
The two nurses giggled, “Only because you asked so nicely.” Redheart said.
“I don’t think so.” Said the security guard with a sneer on his lips.
“Oh, relax Nightwatch. He’s fine.” Said Redheart arguably.
“No, he doesn’t get any free time. He’s going back in.” Nightwatch stated, approaching the slightly cowering colt.
“Seriously?” Redheart asked, standing in his way.
“Yeah, some little punk isn’t going to get away with jumping out of a hospital window.” Nightwatch said seriously, brushing passed Redheart, “Now lets go!”
The colt shrieked in pain as his injured hind leg was yanked.
“Nightwatch!” Softheart and Redheart yelled in unison.
“Oh he’s just dragging this out. If he didn’t jump out of the window in the first place, he wouldn’t be in pain. Lets go runt-oof-” Nightwatch was cut off, as he was hit by a train of a guard-pony.
The next sound that left his lips was pained gurgling, as the force of the impact wrapped him around the small sapling with a sickening snap of bones. Moonlight stood above him, panting hard with a look of disgust on her face. The two nurses watched on with wide eyes, as the colts’ smile grew.
“So help you if you touch that colt again, you won’t feel me hitting you next time.” The menacing guard threateningly whispered to him.
“Moonlight!” The colt called out happily.
She stood back up and smiled, “Hello, buddy. Are you alright?”
He giggled, “Of course, but I have to go back inside now.”
“I don’t know if we can comfortably move you.” Softheart said, carefully trying to help the colt up.
“Here.” Moonlight said, kneeling down next to him and carefully pulling him up onto her back before standing, “How’s that, champ?”
The colt giggled again, “This is fun, bring me places, Moonlight!”
She joined him in giggling, “Oh I’ll bring you places, alright.”
Slowly they began hiking out of the small clearing, before the injured security guard caught their attention.
“What about me?” He groaned, still wrapped around the tree.
“What about you?” Softheart asked sternly.
“Aren’t you two going to help me?” He added, trying to untangle himself.
“Maybe if you weren’t such a dickhead…” Redheart trailed off, before turning and leaving the injured pony where he laid.
---
The duo had carefully made their way back inside, and up to the hospital room. The craze of ponies running around had calmed down, and were very happy and relieved to see the escapee back. Twilight and Luna patiently awaited his arrival, and were also happy to see him relatively unscathed from his journey. He was released back to his bed, before being cleaned up and reacquainted with the machines around his bed.
“So are you done jumping out of windows?” Softheart asked, taking a seat with the others.
“I guess. I just couldn’t handle not being outside.” The colt replied, his look sheepish as he remained under the gaze of his caretakers.
He wasn’t exactly proud of exiting the hospital like that in front of the Princesses, but they didn’t mind so much. They were more amused than angry with him.
“If you wanted to go outside so much, you could’ve told us.” Twilight started, “But if you can keep from throwing yourself out of the window, we’ll take you out on the town.”
He smiled, looking up at her, “I think I can handle it.”
* * *