Cosmic

Chapter 2: Doctor's Orders

[Ben]

I opened my eyes to see a giant meatball floating above me. I jolted upwards, startled by the strange object, only to hit a hard surface before falling back down.

"Ouch!"

I looked up to see a girl rubbing her head. "That hurt!"

"Who are you?" I asked as the girl continued to complain about her 'injury'. 

What? Aren't I the injured one here? 

From a brief glance, I could tell she wore the standard-issue Gazer uniform, meaning she wasn't a nurse but rather a Healer—a mix between a Gazer and a medic. Her light skin was dotted with freckles while her brown hair was tied back into two pigtails. The scowl on her face told me I already hadn't made a good first impression with her.

"A little thank you would be nice," The girl squinted her eyes at me before sighing, disappointed. For a healer her patience sure was thin. "You don't look as tall as you were on TV. I'm Mia." She stuck out a hand, gesturing for a handshake. I slowly reached out my hand, sceptically while also still thinking about that 'tall' comment she made.

Suddenly, I remembered that my hands were burnt and quickly pulled away, slightly wary of the pain I would feel if I used that hand again. I held them up and examined them closely. Miraculously, they were virtually unscathed. The last time I saw them, my left hand was badly burnt while my right hand was covered in blisters. For my body to be able to heal in such a short time span kind of amazed me.

"You're welcome."

I glanced at Mia. At first, I felt grateful but that feeling quickly evaporated. She wore a proud smile on her face while her head was pointed towards the sky, her hands firmly pressed against her hips. Moments passed as we both awkwardly waited there. When it became apparent I wasn't going to shower her in praise, she began a long rant on 'manners' and 'proper etiquette'.

In hindsight, I regretted not giving her the attention as now, I was stuck in a lecture.

Rolling my eyes as she droned on, I scanned the unfamiliar room around me. Although I had never been here before, the polished red-and-white striped walls were a clear indication that I was in the Gazer Medical Centre.

The hospital beds around me were empty, signifying that we Gazers were doing our jobs properly. As people often said, a good hospital is an empty hospital. What was weird, however, was the fact that Mia appeared to be the only Healer currently in the facility.

The rest of them must be on a lunch break or something.

"Are you even listening to me?!" Mia asked angrily.

"No."

Mia groaned, probably annoyed at the lack of attention she was receiving.

"The administrators just summoned you," she mumbled, staring at the floor in defeat. I checked my watch, suddenly remembering the fierce battle between me and James. It was 4 pm. That meant I was only unconscious for one or two hours.

I hopped off my hovering bed and rushed out of the nearest door I could find, only to realise that I was completely lost.

"Um...Mia, was it?" I asked awkwardly, as I turned to face her while also attempting to avoid eye contact. I struggled to find a way to ask Mia for help without damaging my pride.

"Now you need my help, huh?" she glowered, staring daggers into my soul.

This was going to be fun...

[James]

"Interesting..." muttered Doctor Andrews as he readjusted his glasses. He held my arm closer to his eyes. "You said your arms felt numb?"