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There was a feeling of pain. A dull, pulsating, prolonged pain. The being felt as if its head were dunked in a vat of ice, the chill bringing the static-like feeling of pins and needles.
The being felt like its eyes were sewn shut and its limbs were paralysed from the head down. No matter how hard it tried to will itself awake, it appeared that its body wouldn't resonate.
However, its senses were still active. It could smell the distinctly sterilised, medical air and beyond its eyelids, it was clear that some sort of light was on. It could also feel a debilitating thirst in its throat. How long had it been there? How long had he been there?
As he lay there, preparing to accept the fact that he wouldn't be able to move for a rather long time. A voice resounded throughout the vicinity. It was rather female-sounding with raspy undertones, and it resonated like the Christmas bells.
With the knowledge that someone else was there, his mind began to whir like an industrial appliance. With nothing else to distract from the pain, he began to decode his situation.
It definitely smells like a hospital; it's way too clean for it to be anywhere else. But why am I in a hospital to begin with? Everything hurts, and I can barely move a muscle. Did I get into an accident of sorts?
As he mused this, Inuwa– yes, his name was Inuwa- continued trying to extract any signs of movement from his extremities. However, they were all limp. If he could compare it to another sensation, it'd be like sleeping on one arm for too long, resulting in the cutting off of blood flow and losing all sensation and control in that arm.
Finally, the voice grew closer to the point he could feel her shallow and ragged breaths; it was as if she had been working tirelessly from morning to night. In fact, he felt like he could discern a hint of fragility within her voice. What could have happened to cause her to work for so long, and clearly with little support?
He was also finally partially able to make out what she was saying.
"The circulation in his body… it's returning to normal levels," she said with a bemusing hint of victory within her voice. It seemed like she was on a phone call to another, "But when we found him… he was practically dead– with a wound that deep, it was unreasonable to expect he'd survive. Yet, he's recovered to the point that there isn't a scar anymore."
A muffled voice resounded in response to that. This one, Inuwa should have found a much more daunting task, but for some reason he could hear the voice remarkably clearly.
"Interesting, very interesting indeed. I've admitted many o' em in this establishment 'ere yet never has one eluded me like tis' one," It replied.
It was a gruff, scruffy voice that clearly belonged to an alcoholic old man, to Inuwa's chagrin. If someone like that was working in a hospital, that meant it couldn't possibly be of good quality.
"Even amongst them, tis' case is highly improbable; it means he's got a lot of potential. Mayhaps we groom 'im right, we could become–,"
"Olfsen! That's enough! Clearly, you've had too much to drink! He's just a boy!" The nurse screeched back at him.
Yet this 'Olfsen' didn't let up a single bit. With a roar, he continued.
"The gov'nment want to practically kill us with all these damned duties! If we pawn him off to the Conglomerate, we'll get a crazy cash reward!" He continued, "Ye said yerself that ye wanted a damn diamond ring in this shitty economy!" he finished.
Inuwa could easily infer that the man was smiling just from the delighted tone alone.
The nurse went silent. She was contemplating. Upon realising that, Inuwa, who wanted to avoid being 'pawned off' to the 'conglomerate' as much as possible, had begun to access reserves of a strength he had never accessed before. He reached deep within in order to accomplish a momentous task. He needed to get her attention; this was the only way.
With the last of his strength siphoned, he managed to do it. He opened his eyes. Well, he managed to fully open his left eye, but his right eye was still partially shut. However, it was good enough.
Aggressively, he began to blink, trying to indicate to the nurse that he was in good health. However, since she was so involved in her argument with the man on the phone, she paid him little notice.
Isn't she a nurse?! Why's the service so bad? You're supposed to be looking after patients!
At that moment, Inuwa felt a sinking frustration build up within him. The thought that he could be sold off so easily made his skin crawl.
It was so uncomfortable that a strange, ethereal but nostalgic energy began to rise within Inuwa. It practically consumed him in its strangeness, yet he did not mind. For it filled him with energy– so much in fact that he found that any slight movement would have broken the bed.
He needed to be careful.
First, he tried to move his arm. But, robotically, it whirred at an industrial pace, slapping the bed an innumerable number of times. Frustrated, Inuwa decided it'd be a better idea to push off with his legs instead. With that option selected, he carefully shifted his legs inward. Fortunately, the strength that filled him seemed to amplify his reflexes enough that he could stop his legs before they shifted far enough inwards to actually cause damage. Which was both a miracle and slightly concerning.
Now Inuwa was sitting upright, his void-like irises absorbing the walls of the hospital room and the surrounding environment.
To his front, there was the raving nurse. She looked to be as young as 20, with a soft face bounded by forehead wrinkles. It looked like she didn't have enough time to put on any sort of makeup before leaving for work, as her skin looked far removed from anything that could be considered healthy. In fact, Inuwa could detect signs of acne and scarring on it.
Her hair was a mess as well. It was frizzy at the ends while straight initially; this led to her having the dishevelled look frequently observed in those who were homeless. Inuwa decided to assume the guy she was on the phone with was in no better condition, as he had gleaned that the man may have been drinking.
Inuwa deadpanned slightly.
What's up with this hospital? This is clearly not how I remember it!
He then scanned the four corners of the room, hoping to find anything of interest before he'd just get up and leave. Lying amongst the beds were several others. They all looked quite unrelated from one another aside from the shared common injury of scarring at their wrists. It was like they had been in some sort of experiment. In fact, Inuwa had begun to theorise that there was something sketchy going on in the hospital.
From the dark, gritty walls of the establishment to the strangely sterile, odourless odour of a room filled with sick people. It was highly unreasonable for it to be in such a state naturally.
Still, it's not my problem. There's stuff I have to figure out first, like where am I? What was I doing? Where are my parents?
With a slight sigh, he launched himself off of the bed and trotted towards the exit.
Finally, the rather ditzy nurse took notice of Inuwa's actions. Quickly, she moved towards the exit, a fierce glint portrayed in her rather heavily bagged eyes. She held her arms out, a phone in one hand and a balled fist in the other.
"You won't be leaving"
"-Ghk," Inuwa grunted. Were they about to pawn him off like Olfsen said they would? He was only 14! It wasn't fair!
Taking note of this, she sighed before motioning for him to come sit on the bed. She tried her best to crank out a smile, yet it only seemed to reinforce Inuwa's crooked perspective of her.
"Before you leave, I need to tell you a few things, please may you sit on the bed?" She said.
Inuwa nodded with apprehension. Seeing him nod, she gave a small grin of her own and then patted a spot on Inuwa's hospital bed. There, Inuwa sat, looking up at her.
"You may not remember, but you were out for around a week. It's now the 8th of June," she said, looking down at the floor in shame. "We originally found you knocked out in the woods, so we brought you here to recover. I then brought you here to recover and found your medical files. Inuwa Shantarra. I decided to look into your genealogy there; I discovered something. This may come as a shock, so please brace yourself," She continued, taking in a deep breath. It seemed like her eye bags couldn't bear to contain the weight of the news, or maybe they were caked from excessive coffee.
"Your parents have both been admitted to the hospital. In other words, they're both under our care," she finished, her voice croaked in her throat as her eyes went slightly glossy. She stared at Inuwa apprehensively. The boy's eyes widened.
"Come again?" Inuwa said.
"They suffered an accident after you were admitted… a break-in occurred at your residence; luckily, when teams arrived, they found them– injured severely, but still alive," She smiled. However, it quickly dissipated, replaced by a frown.
"Can I go see them?! I need to go see them! Now!" Inuwa demanded, clasping his hands over her shoulders while portraying an expression of desperation and insanity, but why did he feel so desperate? Why did he feel that they'd die if he just left them there?
"You can go see them, but they've been unconscious ever since they were admitted. Likely, they won't wake up anytime soon," she said, tears budding at the corners of her eyes. Studying her, Inuwa noted that her eyes appeared red and her skin looked dusty. It was as if staring at a patient themselves. How hard had she been working?
"Still. Is there anything I can do to help them? Please! I beg of you!" he pleaded with his hands clasped together in mock prayer. Inuwa had realised since that seeing his parents would only put him into a further state of disarray, confusion and frustration. With the way his mind whirred like a chainsaw, it would be safer to see them on a day that wasn't as stressful.
"Unfortunately, not," she said with a smile. Then, suddenly her expression lit up. She brought her phone close to her face and scanned the screen. Her expression soon contorted; it seemed to resemble that of pure horror and indignation.
"What?! But– but he's just a boy! And they've all been injured!" She exclaimed. Something about her reaction irked Inuwa, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
Then, something washed over her, and her tone went sombre. Reluctantly, she swished over to face Inuwa. Inuwa could already spot the seeds of doubt and pain sprinkled across her face. It was convincing.
"Inuwa– sir."
"Yes?"
"Your parents were unable to pay their Lease tax. So, you've been given a two-week notice to pay, or you will lose your home," she said, with shame engulfing her.
What?
The nurse closed her eyes with apprehension, waiting for the boy to react with violence or desperation. However, nothing came.
"What…? Parents unable to pay…? Lease tax…? B-but my dad's a businessman! He should be able to pay!" Inuwa exclaimed with confusion. He had begun to grip her shoulders.
'Why do you seem so confused?' the nurse thought.
"Your dad may be a businessman, but this tax can only be paid through monthly written statements–," She robotically repeated, betraying her more lively previous tone. The way she said it implied it was common knowledge.
What is this lease tax anyway? Is it some form of monthly tax? And lease suggests that they're being loaned something. Are they being loaned–
"–Bullshit! What are you talking about?! My dad and mum already own the property; why would they be loaned it? I won't be paying!" Inuwa exclaimed.
"Well then that would be in direct opposition to the government– no one wants that to happen," she shrugged, intrigued. "All homes and banks are owned by the government; people can lease out homes for certain prices; however, they have to pay taxes for it monthly. It's to raise money for 'R&D' or something."
Well, it can't be that high anyway; people only have to pay that tax.
"So how much do we have to pay?" Inuwa asked with a glimmer of hope in his tone. He figured that he could probably pay it immediately since it was monthly.
"65,000 Alumns," she said.
Inuwa paid no notice to the currency not being familiar; instead, his mind raced. A price that obscene should be paid annually, not monthly. His eyes bugged out.
Were my parents seriously paying this? Month to month?!
He shrank inwards. There was no way he'd be able to pay that amount within two weeks.
It was like the government had set that system up to forcefully 'pawn' off more people!
The swirling pit of despair emerged again; this time it proliferated within Inuwa's heart. However, something beckoned Inuwa, something pushed him forward. It was a cold warmth. Yet, it sent a jolt through his system.
Hurriedly, he closed that pit of despair and resolved to trek onwards.
He couldn't lose his home. That bubbly sphere where his worldview expanded, where his eyes met with the twinkling stars and luminescent moon. That sphere of the world where he and his brother would sit for hours upon hours and greet the sky with their eyes. Where he and his brother would–
His brother.
Anyasu.
He still didn't know where Anyasu was. He still didn't know what happened to his brother. Yet, something in his heart– no soul, resounded to him. He couldn't give up now, especially not his home, the site of all those wonderful memories and bonds.
Then, a childlike voice resounded from deep within the pits of Inuwa's soul.
"I never want to leave this place."
That was why–
The nurse's brown eyes stared deep into the void-like pit of Inuwa's. There, they were met with a fiery determination unlike anything she's seen before. Even before she asked the question, she knew what the answer would be.
"Do you want to be sold to the government? Or do you want to ra–,"
"I'll raise money! I'll take back my home!" Inuwa shouted, a hand firmly slapped onto his chest, "I'll find my brother! No matter what!" he said, pointing at himself with his thumb. While doing this, he ruffled his black hair and did a few stretches.
Then hurriedly, he shoved past the nurse, who bore a slight grin; however, her eyes didn't reflect that.
With alacrity, Inuwa dashed outside, ready to confront the world once again.
The nurse, who was finally left alone within the room of sick patients, began to speak; the room smelt of a mechanical death– as diseases and germs progressively tore away at the people left in the room. All that could be heard was the maddening groans and coughs of those who were sauntering between heaven and hell.
The nurse looked downwards, with a slanted smile. Her brown eyes lost their lustre, and she motioned to turn off the lights.
"Another bed freed. Another name off the list," she said, robotically. She smiled sickly; now she would hopefully get a pay rise, profiting off of the delusional confidence of the young boy.
She could only muse to herself how the boy's pyrrhic battle would unfold.
After all, in the end, even if the government were to be unsuccessful, surely, the conglomerate would make things nigh– impossible.