Chapter 17 part 2

Samuel

There was a bright light right on the front of Samuels eyelids, making him see red instead of black.

He didn't remember going to sleep, but now he was waking up in a bright hospital room, lying on the bed.

He tried to sit up but was met with an agonizing pain in his stomach before he moved an inch. It throbbed relentlessly as if someone was actively stabbing him over and over.

He heard multiple people talking louder than what seemed to be necessary, but he couldn't make out their words. His ears were ringing loudly and everything came muffled and distorted.

His vision was unbelievably blurry, him only seeing a mixture of different whites and grays.

That was until he saw someone's head moving just out of the corner of his eye. He tilted his neck very slightly towards the person, aching even with the slight movement.

He tried to say something, anything, but it came out as more of a whimper. His voice wasn't working and every time he tried to force his vocal cords to work they would shake, but not form words.

He could just barely make out another, higher pitched, voice. He still couldn't hear the words but he could tell the person was distressed.

He wanted to sit up or scream or ask what the hell was going on, but his body refused to listen.

His arms and legs were numb, he couldn't move his torso or neck because of the severe pain in his stomach, and his senses were pushed away as he tried to see or hear anything.

The only thing he could really recognize was the smell. It was the odd, indescribable smell of a hospital.

He had only been to the hospital a handful of times, but it had a unique kind of smell. He recognized it like a kid would recognize the smell of bacon early on Christmas morning.

He laid in that bed for what felt like days trying to regain his senses. He wasn't sure what he was doing, he never had to try to make his eyes work before, but it wasn't working too well.

His head pounded more and more the longer he was awake, but his vision had finally started clearing. The ringing in his ears faded, but didn't leave, and he was able to tell a bit more about his surroundings.

There were five doctors, maybe some were nurses, surrounding him. There was also a buff bald man in a police uniform standing in the corner.

All of the doctors were shouting about him being conscious and a few started spitting out some hospital terms that Samuel couldn't even begin to define.

"what?" Samuel just lightly breathed, his voice still fighting against him.

On of the female doctors shushed the other doctors surrounding him, gesturing towards his face.

Samuels lips moved, but he couldn't even whisper any words. They just wouldn't come out. He started to think he imagined speaking in the first place.

"You're perfectly safe, there is no need to worry" another doctor butted in.

They all looked at him as if waiting for him to process the information.

He tried, and failed, to speak once again.

"We have assured that nobody besides the doctors in this facility have seen you without your mask, there is no need to panic" the kind doctor continued in a soothing tone.

That wasn't what Samuel was worried about. Well, now he was, but he hadn't even thought of the fact that he was the hero right now. These people didn't know him as 'Samuel' at all.

A few of the doctors turned away, having a hushed conversation, before turning back a short moment later.

"Can you hear me?" One of them asked, slowly.

Samuel strained his neck, struggling to give the slightest nod. He failed at speaking for the third time, nothing but air leaving his mouth.

"Do you remember what happened?" The same doctor questioned

Samuel took longer to answer this one. He hadn't really thought about it.

He remembered the new villain attacking, and he remembered all of the bodies.

His fingers twitched a bit, he could feel his heart speed up. All of the twisted, mangled, bodies of anyone who was unfortunate enough to be around when the explosion happened popped onto his head.

That was another thing he remembered, the explosion.

Thinking so hard made his migraine worsen, but he needed to remember. He had to remember.

He remembered Matias showing up. Hell, he wished he didn't, but he did. He wished Matias would've just stayed away, kept himself safe.

He remembered being in the alley, alone.

And then he remembered being in the alley with Matias.

Matias wasn't in good condition, but he didn't seem bothered by it. He just seemed worried about Samuel.

And the last thing he remembered was pinky promising Matias that he'd be okay before he kissed him.

Samuel finally nodded, answering the doctors question.

It was no time to be getting flustered, but his face grew hot and he felt butterflies in his stomach.

"Alright, that's good" the doctor continued

"You're going to have to stay here for a while. We are keeping the door closed and the blinds down to protect your identity, but that's all we can do. There's..."

The woman kept talking, but Samuel had already tuned her out. He already knew he couldn't stay in this hospital. Not until he knew that Matias was okay. And that Ellie was safe.

Oh shit, Ellie

He had left Ellie with Amanda during all of this. He trusted Amanda to take care of her, but they both must be worried sick. Do they think that Samuel dead? Does Ellie think she lost her father?

He couldn't even get anyone to tell her he's okay since the only person who knew the hero and Samuel were the same person is gone.

Samuel was puzzled as to where Matias could be. He didn't leave Samuel in the alley after he kissed him, did he?

His heart ached a bit. Surely Matias wouldn't do that. But then where is he now?

Was he so disgusted with Samuel kissing him that he just dropped him at the hospital and left?

The doctor waved her hand slowly in front of Samuels eyes.

"How are you feeling?" She asked kindly, though concern coated her voice.

His vision cleared some more so he could make out some of her features.

She had blue eyes that contrasted her dark brown hair and she had a dark freckle just below her eye.

"fff.. ine" he stuttered, the word not sounding like anything more than a breath

But the doctors must've had experience understanding people in these situations. They all nodded and the woman continued.

"We need to transport you to another room, but we will probably need to cover your face first"

She talked slow, like she was talking to a child. Though it was probably for the better. Even with her talking slow Samuel was still having a bit of trouble processing her words.

"We have this for you to wear, but it might make you feel a bit humid and winded" she held up a light blue hospital mask.

Samuels heart skipped a beat. Where was Matias's mask? It was probably silly to worry about that, Samuel knew that, but it still upset him.

Better yet, what was Matias doing without his mask? Is he hiding, or did the police catch him?

"Hero?" A different doctor asked

Samuel snapped back into reality, though his mind wouldn't leave Matias.

"Is that okay with you? That we put the mask on you and transport you to another room? It will only be on for a short moment" The doctor asked sweetly

Samuel could only nod. One of the doctors gently, too gently almost, put the mask on Samuel's face. They got him ready in a bed to leave, though Samuels mind was universes away the whole time.

His eyes locked onto a chair that sat towards the corner of the room. He thought he noticed a few drops of blood around it, but he must've been hallucinating.

The doctors rolled him out of the room, moving fast, but gently. There were many other doctors and nurses around, even police officers, but none of the paid Samuel any mind. They probably didn't even know he was the hero.

The hospital was overcrowded and there were people running in all sorts of directions. He wasn't sure why he hadn't thought of all the people who must've been injured in the explosion before.

His mind flashed back to the bloody street, but he refused to let himself dwell on it. But the only thing that could take all the bodies off his mind was the thing he didn't really want to think about.

Matias.

There were just too many awful possibilities of where he could be. At the worst, he could be dead. The new villain had made it clear she wasn't afraid to kill, and the police weren't exactly on good terms with him.

He felt his heart pound harder and his palms grow sweaty.

No, Matias isn't dead.

He tried to reassure himself. However, the other possibilities of where he could be weren't very good either. Better than being dead, but still awful.

He could've even arrested. He might be sitting in a cell alone right now. Or he could have ran away. That was probably the best option, but it still made Samuel devastated.

He couldn't have just left, could he? Not while Samuel was in this condition, right?

Samuel began to doubt if they were really as close as he had thought. Matias was always kind of distant. And he never seemed too exited about things. Not to mention how terrible Samuel was to him in the past.

Could Samuel really blame him for leaving?

"Hero?" A voice spoke up in the silence that filled Samuels ears, despite the noisy hospital.

He snapped back into reality and looked up at the doctor.

He had started to feel a bit better now. He could see much more clearly and he was sure he could at least manage a short conversation now.

"We are now in room 213, it's on the second floor" a man spoke up

Samuel wasn't sure why he needed to know what room he was in, but he figured it was some kind of think doctors had to tell you. He didn't bother dwelling on it.

"You have been unconscious for two days" the doctor explained "and you will have to stay here for at least a month, probably longer"

Samuel knew they'd say he had to stay for a long time, but hearing them say it was a whole new situation. He hadn't even fully processed how long he was sleeping, him being too busy thinking about saying I'm the hospital. Not for a few days, or for a week, but for over a month,

He shook his head as hard as he could, which wasn't very hard, but still hurt him a bit.

"There is a high risk of injury and maybe even death if you leave too early" the same man continued

Samuel continued to shake his head, less aggressively as to not hurt himself any more.

"I can't" he croaked

He was surprised he spoke, and by the looks on their faces the doctors were too. His voice was hoarse and sore from not speaking for a while, but he did his best.

"I have to.." he took a deep breath

He couldn't say he had to get to his daughter, though that's what was now on his mind.

Between Ellie, Matias, and basically the whole city, Samuel had too much on his mind to stay on one topic.

"I assure you that anything you think you need to leave for isn't as important as your life" the doctors continued to explain as if Samuel didn't know the risks.

Samuel wasn't usually one to get annoyed at workers, especially not nurses and doctors, but he couldn't help but become a bit agitated.

"The villain" he quietly said, his voice still raspy.

He couldn't ask about his daughter without giving away that he had one, but he could still ask about Matias. He didn't care if they knew the two were close.

All the doctors stayed silent, all glancing around and one another.

"Do you know something?" The officer spoke up

Samuel hadn't actually realized that the bald officer had followed them to the new room. Though Samuel hadn't been paying attention to much of anything.

"No" he lied

Samuel debated asking about him. It wasn't them knowing the two were close that bothered him, but it might put Matias in danger.

Then again, they caught him on camera didn't they?

"Where is.." he struggled "..the villain"

Another wave of silence passed through the room.

"We took him to prison. You don't have to worry"

Samuel could feel his heart punch at his chest. A machine beside him beeped a few times, probably saying his heart rate was up.

He took a few deep breaths and the machine quieted. The doctors shoulders slumped with relief and their faces relaxed.

"He's not going anywhere, I assure you" the officer continued.

"He's not.." Samuel began

He wasn't sure if he should continue. He could easily clear Matias's name, but who knows what kind of position that would put them in. Besides, if things went south Samuel was in no position to defend himself.

The officer stepped forward before Samuel made up his mind, interrupting the stretched out silence.

"He's not dangerous right now. We have taken precautions to keep him in place, and he's hurt from the fight anyways"

Samuel could've swore he heard the officers voice change when he said 'the fight' but he chose to ignore it.

Everyone saw Samuel get his ass kicked. And everyone saw Matias jump in to help. Neither of the two were safe now, and Samuel couldn't begin to think of what that meant for the city.

Nobody asked him any more questions, and he wouldn't be up to answering anyways.

The doctors continued to work on him and assure that he was okay. And slowly, but surely, Samuel drifted back to sleep.