"Where were you two?" Doctor Hansel stood with his arms folded together, his frowning expression deepening at the sight of the pair. "I was looking everywhere for the both of you," he scolded, his tone stern but tinged with a hint of concern at having to search every crook and cranny in his building.
"Well? Do any of you have an explanation for your disappearance?" Growing impatient with the lack of answers he was receiving, he turned to tapping his foot continuously on the floor as a way to ease himself from the stressful hours of searching.
Standing before the young head doctor within this calm, spacious room full of patients and staff alike going through their daily routines, Danny let out an awkward smile before finally giving out a reason for his excuses.
"You see, she was a little curious about exploring around the place, so I decided to occupy her," he told, hoping that his words would be enough to satisfy the question. "And we ended up getting lost for a bit," he explained further, "but we managed to find our way back," his eyes flickering to Unity, who was standing beside him.
To his relief, the doctor let out a let out a sigh of acknowledgement as he stopped his foot from tapping further. "Oh, I see," he muttered under his breath. "Exploring," he said, narrowing slightly as he studied the pair, "and you're certain nothing else unusual happened during your little adventure?"
Wanting to see more of this story, he continued, "because from the looks of things, you've two been through quite the ordeal," his eyes roaming over Danny's disheveled appearance. The distant look in his eyes was all he needed to comfort his suspicious, "You seemed a little shaken when you came to me," his voice softening with genuine concern.
Shaking his head in response, "no, I'm fine really," he answered confidently, showing how much he was able to hide the truth of what he and Unity went through, "just a bit tired, that's all," downplaying the situation in order to avoid further questions.
"We're okay; I was just frustrated at the thought of losing her, you know?" Danny said with a sheepish grin, lightening up the mood, "She's always getting into trouble, that one," chuckling awkwardly from his own joke before nudging Unity playfully in the shoulder.
Turning his gaze to the girl, Hansel watched the young woman tilt her head in confusion from what her caretaker had tried to do. "Unity," he called softly, his voice gentle and warm, "what do you think happened when you were with him?"
While he already expected to receive nothing in response, the head doctor still held hope she could properly form words from her journey of taking insight into her surroundings, a one-way trip to discovering new things without physically having someone teach her all sorts of things.
As Unity turned her gaze onto the doctor, she suddenly began to drool blankly at the man, "Mrrrrrrr." A simple, primitive sound escaped from her lips, causing Hansel to furrow his brows in pity.
"Mmmmm..." repeating again, she tilted her head a little more, studying the meaning of the question being asked of her. "nnngh..." She mumbled once more, her eyes glazed over, unable to provide a clear or coherent response to what she experienced during their time together with him.
"I think she has enough," Danny coldly said in response to her behalf. "Unity's not really good with words, Doc," he reminded the head doctor, "you know how it is with her," quickly glancing at the girl on his side. His attention then switched back to Hansel, "so, we're good to go, right?"
Expressing his readiness to leave the place and return back to their room, he tells the other man that they've had enough of the conversation, as it feels like a burden for someone who cannot properly care for themselves without someone's aid.
A look of regret appeared on Hansel's eyes. "Your right," he sighed again, understanding the limitations of his patient. "I apologize for prying," his tone soft. "You know how I am? Worrisome by nature," he chuckled wryly. "I just want to make sure you guys are alright," his gaze lingering on Danny for a moment, searching for any sign of distress that could tell him something else from the young man's story.
"I apologize for pressing matters on the girl; she doesn't deserve that," he added. Empathy and remorse filled the air. "She's got special needs, and I'll make sure to keep that in mind next time."
Calming down, he nodded his head in acceptance. "I want to apologize as well," Danny said before continuing, "for being overprotective," admitting his harsh tone to his only friend, who was simply worried about them.
"I..." he trailed off, searching for the right words. "I worry about her a lot," his eyes drifting to Unity, a soft, tender look on his face. "She's my responsibility, you know?" I was hoping he would clear some air between them after this conversation they just had together.
Laughing mirthfully, "Ahh, it's fine, Danny!" Hansel reassured him, placing a comforting hand on the young man's shoulder, "It's admirable; you're a remarkable caregiver, and she's lucky to have you," his praise sincere and heartfelt of the words he spoke to him.
"We all need someone to worry about us sometimes." smiling at the person before him, he then asked, "now, why don't you two head back to the room and rest for a while? Its almost midnight," suggesting the idea of heading back to their room for the night. "I'll check in on you both tomorrow; sound good?"
"Is it already midnight?"
Danny glanced around him, noticing several of the patients asleep and a few nurses or doctors checking on the others. "Time flies when you're having fun, or in this case, when you're getting lost," he chuckled, shaking his head from losing his time of self.
"Yeah, I suppose it's better if we get back," he agreed, nodding in response. "What about you? Should you also be resting as well?" I wondered if the head doctor also needed a break from his duties once in a while through his long working hours.
Waving his hand dismissively, "nonsense," responding back with a small smile of his own, "I'm used to the late hours; it comes with the job," he said matter-of-factly, "plus, I have a few more rounds to make before calling it a night," eyes flicked to the hard-working staff who are still present, "patients sleep soundly when I'm around, not until I give them permission to dream," teasing himself lightly with a joke, "you know how I am, always ready to put in the extra work," his tone serious, but his eyes sparkled with mirth, "but I'll catch up with you two in the morning, deal?"
Smiling in return, Danny shrugged with acceptance all over him. "Alright, you win this time," he laughed. "We'll see you in the morning, Doc," he stated with a nod.
"You are going to sleep to, right?" Knowing how much the head doctor loves his job, it is always best for a hard-working person to deserve a reward for their compensation for helping people in their time of need.
A soft request, but an important one nonetheless. "I don't want to see you overwork yourself," warned him gently at the prospect of not taking care of himself.
Raising a brow or two, "I'm made of sterner stuff than falling victim to exhaustion," Hansel retorted with a playful smirk, "Besides, I have my trusty coffee to keep me going," winking at the young man, "Now, off the two of you, go, get some rest," dismissing them with a wave again. "I'll see you bright and early, Danny," letting out a beaming smile at them.
"Including you, young lady," he said, turning his gaze at the girl, who, in return, scratched at the side of her own face from the attention he had given her.
"See you later, doctor," grabbing her hand, Danny walked over the man's side as the two of them headed towards the exit leading to their destination as the long night unwinds before them, leaving behind a trail of promises, unspoken desires, and the quiet understanding that come with shared secrets.
They had 24 hours to themselves, a brief respite from the chaos of their world, a reminder of the dangers and wonders that lurked in every shadow that would always stand watching them from the darkness.
Gazing at their fading forms as they moved away, Doctor Hansel felt a pang of envy, a longing for the simplicity of their bond, the freedom from the burdens of his profession, and the comfort of companionship in a world that often seemed too cold, too cruel, and far too lonely.
Seeing the two of them hand in hand reminded him of the time when he had his sister with him when they were just children. Life back then was normal and plain, filled with laughter and joy, but now he is left with memories of her, reminding him of his own loneliness and pain that he wishes to forget but can't.
"Head doctor!" A brown-haired nurse wearing white scrubs hurried into the room, his expression urgent. "There's been a commotion in the east wing; we need you to calm the situation down," he informed his boss, his voice laced with worry.
"One of the patients is suffering PTSD episodes, and the other nearby rooms are starting to get agitated," his hands clasped together in a pleading gesture. "We can't afford to have a full-blown panic attack here, doctor," stressing further from this conflicting situation.
For a brief few seconds, Hansel didn't say a word from the sudden news he received, as his entire face was obscured from complete darkness due to his deep contemplation of the situation at hand. Time seemed to slow in his mind as his troubling thoughts resurfaced about his lost sister.
The pain of losing more people than he can save, the guilt he carries in promising loved ones only to receive bad news, and the constant struggle to keep his sanity intact from the daily horrors he witnesses in his line of work are taking a toll on his mind.
"Doctor?"
How long does he have to endure his failures? To many deaths from diseases or injuries that he couldn't prevent, to the countless lives he couldn't save and the families he couldn't comfort, ashamed of his inability to save everyone from the cruel world, telling him that he is not doing enough, that he should be able to do more, but the harsh reality is that his limits are real, and he can only do so much. Being human is what makes him vulnerable, and it is this very vulnerability that makes him fragile altogether.
Breaking away his worries, he swiftly turned around with a forced calm expression on his face and said, "Hurry!" Hansel commanded, "I'll take care of this." He assured the nurse, "you get the sedatives ready; we may need to tranquilize a few patients to keep the peace," instructing him with urgency, "I'll handle the rest."
Firm and strong as what a leader should expect from their workers, his stance gave his worker a sign of hope and relief in always seeing the doctor taking charge of the situation.
With a nod of understanding, the nurse quickly exited the room, leaving Hansel alone with his racing thoughts, the weight of his responsibilities bearing down upon him like a physical force, threatening to crush his spirit, to snuff out the light within him, reducing him to a mere shell of the man he once was.
And by the look of things, he doesn't know how long he mentally can continue this. The more horrors he has to witness in his work, the more he feels he is losing his grip on reality, the more he feels he is drowning in the sea of his own despair, and the more he fears that he might not make it through his life without succumbing to the demons that haunt him.
