Chapter 1:
Is it true that cats can't go to space?
I analyzed my surroundings, no one was looking at the emergency exit, it was my chance to make a quick and silent run. It was Friday night and visits stopped coming. I opened the door that separated this depressing scenery with one full of joy. Outside this very hospital I'm staying in, the parking lot number 3 was ‘the spot’. I knew that because I spent the whole night yesterday moving discreetly from parking lot to parking lot.
Finally, I'm free. The fresh breeze of November welcomed me as if it was waiting for my arrival. I looked up at the sky to admire the beauty of stars—just stars on a moonless night.
It’s been a while since I could truly appreciate the simple yet complicated things that life has given to me. Stargazing made me feel comprehended, It was kinda like the very gods were tuning into my heart. Sometimes stars would sparkle eagerly, other times they weren’t so shiny. It's an amusing view that I never get tired of.
People often talk about constellations and star names but I kinda haven't researched enough to tell which is the ursa major or orion or how to identify them even, I wish I did back then just so I didn't have to do it now.
I felt a cold shiver that made me look at the horizon, the tall buildings of the city weren’t more than tiny bulges of light, not as bright as the stars yet somehow it got me back to reality. Ah yeah, right now I'm at the hospital up the hill, I'm no more than a mere patient, an aberration of my past self.
My sense of urgency is low but… ugh that nurse will scold me just like these past few days. That woman really takes her job way too seriously—but honestly, I admire her. I’ll just hurry and get back, there’s nothing I can do about it.
“Huh? Are you insane or something? If I ever get off this wheelchair you will know what I am capable of! ya hear, old man?!”
“Ah, I see that it’s not only your legs, but also your brain does not work!”
“What are you trying to say, you old bast–?!”
As I was trying to get back, two people were fighting in the same parking lot, just a few meters away. What a nightmare this is, it’s better I don’t get involved and start walking toward my room before that workaholic nurse gets me again.
“See! your screams disturbed that poor homeless man!” said the old guy while pointing at me, screaming, his accent somewhat very remarked. I evaded further eye contact and reminded myself to shave once in a while, that’s my bad I guess. I continued walking, not for long actually as the woman in the wheelchair rushed moving her wheels with her whole arms frantically to my side and grabbed me by my hospital gown.
“He is no Homeless man, He is the patient that is always being scolded by my sis–.” She stopped a bit clearing her throat. “ahem– by Kiwi the nurse!”
Am I that much of a nuance?
“Who cares who this guy is!” He responded bashfully. “The only thing that matters is that you won't be working anymore, anywhere and that's that!” The now very angry man got some type of certificate out of the hands of the woman and ripped it apart while walking away and getting up into his car.
“Noooo!” she tried to reach for it even though there was an extremely long distance in between them, she was about to fall and instinctively i reached for her but– Bam! we fell together, yeah I did forget the reason why I was hospitalized, I didn't have my arms anymore.
Apparently he didn't see we fell because he drove away while us being on the ground, I guess somehow I got involved with these two, Sigh.
“Are you okay? Can you get up?” I asked while her body was crushing my back, she didn't respond, she was kind of in a shock state. “Um… Miss?.”
“How strong are your legs Mr Delinquent.”
‘Mr… delinquent?” that shock state didn’t last long if she’s putting me names, ungranted by the way.
“Yeah after all, the nurse that is in charge of you always says that you look like one and act like one.”
Does she really? That's kind of hurtful, more than a nuance I'm just an annoyance.
“Whatever, now what's important is to get up” I said brushing those thoughts away.
“Say no more Mr delinquent! I got the perfect plan.” She grinned and showed me her thumbs up.
“What's your plan?” I asked.
“Ok so, I will do a handstand to lift myself, next you look for my chair, after all I'm pretty sure you can get up normally right?”I nodded and she continued. “Then just push it to my side and Ta-Da! I'll be rolling again no problem, although I might need help to adjust myself, we will figure it out!.”
“That sounds like a good idea… it might work, Ok let's give it a try!” I underestimated her, even if the idea sounds a little over the top i can't object to a well-thought plan even if we have to improvise a little to flip her over.
“Wait! there’s just one problem”
“A problem? what is it?”
She paused for a second there, I was getting a little anxious, what if a car rolled us over? wait, don't tell me this girl—.
“I don't know how to do a handstand!” said cutting my thoughts with a very serious tone.
I sighed, I already was getting a feeling that the plan was way too over the top for it to work, but thanks to her now impossible idea, I got one better. I will need her to move out of my back first or she will injure me further.
“I have a plan for us but I need your arms.” I replied half annoyed by the situation.
As I explained the plan, she nodded. “Got it, leave it to me!” said enthusiastically.
She rolled to my side, with her now off me, now all left to do is try and get both of us up, I sat and then she approached and grabbed herself to my neck. Here comes the difficult part, the good thing is her chair is now near.
“Come on Mr Delinquent, I believe in you!” giving me somewhat of a strength buff, my stats were rising up like no one has ever seen before. <+50 strength, +50 agility, +50 defense>, numbers started popping up and… well not really, only in my imagination. Someone cheering for you really makes you feel like that though. “Uh… Mr delinquent?”
“Oh, ah sorry I was just getting mentally ready!” I blushed a little after getting caught fantasizing and started trying to get up, from a sitting position no less, this seemed a little easier in my mind i'm not going to lie.
I just needed to fully get up and then place her in the wheelchair. Holding my breath, gritting my teeth and with all my might i tried once more, sweat ran across my forehead, she kept cheering on me with a gleeful voice while making herself as lighter as possible, without noticing i was standing up, not wasting time i placed her on the wheel chair, the task was far from being accomplished because as soon as she let go off me i lost my balance, i was about to fall but in quick succession she skillfully catched me in her wheelchair.
Sweat ran over my forehead, I was panting and I couldn't help myself but feel relieved. “We did it!”
“We are amazing aren't we Mr delinquent!” she said, clapping with a very happy tone.
After some seconds in silence, I noticed I was sitting on her, I quickly got up and apologized. Finally I got a glimpse of the very problematic woman of the night, a blue haired beauty sitting with her hands resting on top of her legs, some more seconds went by and we kept looking at each other awkwardly and as reality was hitting us.
“uh… It was nice meeting you, I'll go now.” I said regaining the far lost urgency that I had 5 minutes ago.
A very audible sniff and teary eyes saw my face. “I just lost my reason to smile.” her trembly voice was directed at the very urgent me who could only freeze upon hearing that. “The man you just saw was my Dad.” She continued, “Could you believe it? He got all the way here from Mexico just to treat me like a child and destroyed everything I worked for.”
“uhm yeah that isn't very nice… " I said while trying to end the conversation to go to my room before–.
“I know right! that bastard will see, I'm in perfect shape, yeah two legs less than before but at least i have the desire to keep going, you know? but he just doesn’t understand a lady like me!”
I stood in silence looking for words, I really didn't care but if I go now I will be looking like a jerk. Paper pieces reached my feet, the same paper her Dad just tore apart, upon squinting my eyes it said “Forklift Certified”. This whole thing is just a clown show. Isn't a forklift certification like 35 dollars? even free in some companies, also how is she supposed to use it without functioning legs? You shouldn't expect the company to buy a forklift for crippled just for you.
“This is very unfortunate all around but um… I believe in you, okay?” I said while walking again towards the exit I came from.
“D-do you really believe in me?” she rushed in front of me almost getting my feet with her wheels. Really what is wrong with this girl?, i'm gonna give her a piece of my mind and– oh, she's smiling at me as if waiting for a reassuring answer.
“Even though I don't know you, I believe you can do it.” I replied not even sure of what else to say, if I'm being honest I just spewed something very generic like ‘go on’, ‘life is beautiful’ the kind of things you might find at an old people's facebook post.
“I would have never guessed you were kind Mr. Delinquent, I was wrong about you.” No, I don't think you were, I could not help but chuckle at how absurd she was.
“I'm being serious you know, after all you are in the same position as me, are you not? ” she added.
“I would not say that, you seem to still want to keep going, as for me,I rather imagine I'm completing a quest in space or something.”
“Are you giving up?” she asked seriously, the meaning of those words had somewhat of a heavy implication, her gaze followed mine up to the sky.
“I’d love to, when I had my 2 arms I wasn't even above average. Now without them… just what am I supposed to do?”
“Don’t give up, I believe in you!” She said, grabbing my hospital gown and showing me a very bright smile. Everything I've seen in that hospital has been depressing until this moment. This wheelchair freak showed me one kind, warm and debilitating smile, so kind and genuine that it almost hurt to look at.
“I can’t even if I wanted to.” I admitted. “I still have things to get done before giving up. I appreciate your words, though. Sorry for venting all of the sudden.” I showed her my previously practiced fake smile.
She looked at me weirdly, her expression unreadable. What was with that face? Did she need to use the bathroom or something? And why wouldn’t she let go of me?
“Even so!” she continued exploiting with energy. “If the limit is the sky, that doesn't mean you can't be happy trying to reach mountains. They are still quite far you know! and even if it's not a mountain but a little hill of sand, at the end of the day it’s progress. Cats go to space every Day! So try to get to space little by little… just don’t get yourself into a hole!, be a cat and get to space! I believe in you!” all this said while gesturing frantically.
Her words of encouragement were stupid and out of nowhere, I would not be the one to tell her, though a part of me wanted to. I hate it when people try to encourage me. It’s not their place to tell me what to do, and her timing didn’t help either. Honestly, it made me a little mad. I just didn’t want to hear it, what does she know about it?
I inhaled and exhaled, to brush the bad thoughts away. I felt pathetic just getting mad over a girl's delusional words.
“I'm pretty sure cat's don't go anywhere near Nasa.” I exclaimed dismissing her whole talk intentionally, I just wanted to get over this problematic situation, she was a cute girl but that doesn't mean she doesn't seem problematic.
“Little one, don't you know? Cats go to space every day.”a very creepy smile emerged from her face and it seemed as if she was now looking down at me. “It's scientifically proven that cats were made to live on the moon!”
It is not.
“just what are your sources on that?”
“sources? I don't need any of that to know!” she said laughing euphorically as if she just won an argument.
She made it up. I didn't bother to continue talking and we both kept walking while she was noisily laughing in a victorious fashion. We both entered the building once again after she regained her paper pieces, as I entered my room, the atmosphere was quite unnerving. “What's with this cold?” I asked while looking around just to find the gaze of the Devil herself.
“So…. How was your night… Mr patient? Did you find yourself… a girlfriend?” exclaimed the Devil with a fatigated smile.
“UAH! N-nurse, Miss Kiwi! what a surprise, i was in the bathroom you see um…”. Well, this is where I will meet my demise. I got caught by the workaholic nurse, her gaze was giving me shivers, <-100 strength, -100 agility, -100 defense> I almost could see my stats reducing once again after all the cheering outside.
She scolded me once again.
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