Tough situations make strong people ~ Unknown

          Bennett nearly fell off the hospital table as he woke. He was attempting to sit up but found his body joints were locked and not functioning. He then soon realized his joints were stuffed with cotton and his movements were causing it to grind deeper into his joints.

          "Calm down."

          Bennett jerked his head over when he heard the doctors voice. He would've darted to the door if he could move but he couldn't--properly anyways. He could feel his heart rate spiking as he started hyperventilating. His every instinct was telling him to get away from the doctor.

          The doctor was a man of indian heritage, his face was deeply tanned and his neck pale. He had dark hair and dark eyes. His skin was lined with leather-y creases but he looked young, around his mid-twenties. All that didn't matter to Ben, he wasn't paying attention to his white lab coat or his NIKE shoes. He was focused on the syringe he was prepping.

          He began imagining any single substance that was put in his body while he was out. His mind then turned to the papers. He looked down at his arm and found that the opening was still closed seamlessly like usual. His numb body could actually pinpoint any actual sensations so he couldn't feel if it was still there.

          He forced his body to calm down to a manageable flow. "What happened?" He asked shakily.

          "You finally had a seizure." The doctor said.

          He said finally as if it was supposed to happen. Were they just checking off a list of children that yet to have seizures? "Why finally?"

          "You are the only one that hadn't had a seizure yet." The doctor informed.

          The doctor was filling the syringe with clear liquid, it looked like water but Ben was freaked out of his mind. It was like when something you knew you were wary of suddenly was all around you and that was when you realize you are more than just wary, your scared to death of it. That is how Bennett was with shots or any foreign liquid at all.

          "What is that?"

          The doctor didn't answer, Bennett guessed that meant he either didn't know or he didn't want him to know, neither of those were good thoughts--Bennett wasn't big on good thoughts at the moment. If he didn't know then he could be injecting him with vitriolic acid or is being tricked into killing a poor patient. If he didn't want the patient to know then he could be trying to kill him or being forced to kill him.

          He walked close to Ben--who slinked away--and sent the injections straight into his bloodstream from the vein in what was there of his neck. The effects were immediate, his body tightened and froze, he was still awake and aware he just couldn't move whatsoever or make any sound. The doctor smiled at him and removed the pinching needle, that's when Bennett realized he could feel.

          Douglas gaped in amazement as the doctor set him on his feet. He could stand upright for multiple minutes and walk. He has started enhanced and eradication therapy. The focus was not to build his strength but to remove what was causing his loss of strength. He started around a week ago, not able to stand without a ton of support now he was able to walk multiple steps without any support.

          At first Douglas doubted the form of therapy because of all the injections and surgeries but soon began to feel his once before senseless body. Progress forced him ignore his doubts. He had never felt so happy in his entire life.

          His first step was wobbly but soon he got it. He giggled in excitement as his sore body fought to walk. He wasn't falling, he was very fatigued but not falling.

          "Take a seat Douglas." His doctor, Dr. Harley, said.

          He reluctantly set his less-twisted body into his wheelchair. He exhaled as the weight was released from his weak body. Dr. Harley checked his vital scannings and smiled at him.

          "You're good to go. Stay off your feet."

          "Har-ley fun-e." Douglas' speech wasn't improving as fast as his physical ability and appearance but it didn't really matter at the moment.

          Douglas wheeled out of the room happily. Telling Douglas to stay off his feet is like telling a bird not to fly. If he can do it he's going to. He happily rolled out of the hallway, anticipating his next event. He was going to show Bennett. He had a talk with him in a while and his body was jumpy with excitement to show his best friend his new upgrade. Douglas was already hearing Bennett's protests.

          Of course Bennett was going to be crappy about it because of the injections but surely he would be happy for his friend. He always stressed the dangers of foreign formulas being put in the body and how it led to where they were now. He made it seem like they were still in that phase of apocalypse--maybe they were. The effects of the Vax Outbreak were still very much there and reminded every time someone looked at another. Everyone had an ancestral scar from the Outbreak, hopefully Ben could see past it.

          Ben already had the papers laid on the ledge that protruded from the wall. His leg bounced in agitated anticipation as he waited for the one person that actually listened to him. Finally he saw him wheeling into the room on the other side of the glass. Something was peculiar about him though. He sat straighter and wheeled with more efficiency and he looked insanely happy. He shook the unease out of his mind and slammed the paper flat on the glass for him to read as he rolled up.

          "Get...it ouuut ma faace." He groaned and also pronounced the 'C' and he was speaking in the 1st person.

          As far as Bennett knew, Douglas' mental disabilities were not reversible.

          "Read it."

          Douglas' shoulders relaxed--something Ben had never seen him do in his entire life--as he obliged. It took awhile for him to finish reading the entire page as well as the sticky note, afterwards he didn't look so giddy.

          "Uur dying?" His words were definitely being ununciated better. Ben breathed out in relief that he actually was focusing on the fact that he was dying. "Annn sumwon s' triiiying to let u?"

          "Yes!" He ripped the paper from the glass, "Doug, we shouldn't be here!"

          "Speeeking tooo fas'."

          Ben repeated his words, slower this time.

          "But theeir dooin goood fur mi."

          "You're talking better." Ben couldn't ignore it anymore.

          "Therapeee." He said.

          "And your body." Ben mentioned.

          "Fixing...it."

          Ben watched as Doug did the impossible. He leaned his weight on his feet and stepped down from the wheelchair. Bennett may have actually screamed as a response. Slowly he set himself back in his chair but the image was printed into Ben's mind, his crippled friend no longer cripple.

          "You were cripple Doug! You could not move a week ago!" He was honestly freaking out. "You spoke in the 3rd person."

          "Ben...net not... hap-ee?"

          "I...I am." Bennett wasn't sure if he was or not. Bennett's happiness made him happy. "What...what made this happen."

          "Har-ley help...me."

          "Harley, who's Harley?"

          "My..doct...ooore." Doug set his jaw in defiance and looked down at the papers which Bennett had propped up  "What a-bout the pay-pers now."

          Bennett blew warm air from his nose. "Someone either wants me dead or doesn't care if I die."

          "Well...theees peepl want...to help...mi." Doug defended.

          "Listen, they are injecting us with foreign shit. It may seem like its working but something will happen, it is guaranteed."

          "Sumthin did...hap-en." He shakily stood again. "See?"

          Bennett breathed out his nose again and opened his mouth to speak but thought better of it. He and his friend stared each other down until Ben replaced the paper in his arm and eased the tension.

          "I'm happy for you."