Rodent stepped back into the broad hallway of blurring, passing people and things, and started to cough when he did so, a light, sudden cough that soon turned into hacking as he covered his face with his arm and leaned against the wall to hide himself.

His hand slid down upon it until feeling a railing… gripping it as he lowered a little more… unable to stop coughing… barely breathing between them.

Motion passed behind him, and blurs of things went by, and Rodent could barely focus on what was happening around him.

Just then, the burst was starting to die down, and he greedily gulped air with a sore throat, turning to face the wall so that both hands grabbed the railing—squeezing it. Wheezing, he was starting to find himself again, and just then, a hand laid itself upon his shoulder.

He looked over it, shocked—until he saw the smiling, friendly face of a plump woman in a nurse’s gown.

“It’s okay,” the woman said in a calming voice. “I have you.”

“H-Ha…” Rodent breathed through his mouth, starting to rise, appreciating the gentle rub and squeeze of his shoulder, before coming to turn and rest his back against the wall, recovering. “Y-You w-win a-at t-tag.”

“Trust me,” the round nurse responded with her unceasing smile. “Once your breath is back, you can chase me with ease.”

The sweating Rodent chuckled. “M-Maybe… we both… avoid the exercise?”

The nurse bellowed. “Oh-ho! Now there’s a perfect sentence.”

Rodent smirked, looking at the ground, his blond, dirty hair hanging over his face.

The nurse lost her smile and gently stroked his hair, finding grey locks. “You okay, Rodent?”

“N-Never… better….”

“Still taking those pills?”

“Y-Yeah.”

“Well… alright.” The nurse returned her hand and stood properly. “Barely twenty, and you already got more grays than me.” She softened. “Can I get you anything? Water? Somewhere to sit?”

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“I’ll be okay,” Rodent said and stood properly again. “Just… pushed myself too hard.”

The nurse glared. “Hey. Just because you’ve been released doesn’t mean—“

Rodent raised a hand and nodded. “I know.”

The nurse’s mouth remained open, but only a breath came out, her gaze going elsewhere, a silence settling between them.

Rodent cleared his throat as his usual smile came back, and now it was his turn to put a hand on her shoulder, gently shaking the lady. “Don’t worry. I’m still just finding my groove. I’ll be okay.”

The nurse hummed while looking off to the side and at the ground, though soon her gaze rose and returned to him, looking into his bright blue eyes. “Have you been doing anything outside of coming to the hospital? Y’know, beyond conquering fake dragons?”

Rodent’s mouth opened… but no words came.

The nurse pressed her lips together and waited a moment before speaking. “Look… it really, really is not my place to say anything about what you’ve been through.”

She breathed through her mouth and nearly wobbled in place.

“But… i-it’s not often… that people like you get to walk out of here for a second chance out there.” She swallowed. “Now, I ain’t sayin’ that you’re wastin’ it… but…”

Rodent glanced off to the side.

“Have you… I dunno… ever thought about makin’ a list?” The nurse regained his gaze with the hopeful note in her voice. “Y’know… just a list of things you wanted to do… no matter what.” She reached into a pocket and pulled out a notebook—handing it to him. “Here. You could even use this.”

Rodent looked and hesitantly took it.

“Just… take the time to think reaaaaaaaally hard about what you may want.” The nurse’s hand returned as she took a step back. “Don’t matter how foolish or silly it may sound. Write ‘em all down anyway and just see where it goes.” She nodded. “Then take the time to do ‘em.”

Rodent looked at her and then at the notebook, losing his breath and becoming silent momentarily—playing with the ring on his finger. He was going through something at that moment, a battle against a dense, towering wall, until he once again shook out of it.

He nodded and bounced a little. “…alright.”

“Now, you keep the head up high for me,” the nurse said as she started to turn away. “Children grow up. They will want to hear about more than just some fantasies you had up inside your head.”

Rodent smirked. “Right.”

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Storyteller

You like to tell stories. You're not a liar—but something close to it.

Stories are just a compulsion to you.

And you're happy they can help others.