Hospitalized [Closed to Nekro]

Sam was sitting atop his apartment complex, feet dangling above the street below, this was his regular thinking spot, the sound of the wind and birds were calming and made for a great place to reflect, the fact it was practically unreachable made him feel even more alone. He was still sore from the strange fight he was apart of a few weeks earlier, he had given in to his urges and had murdered a criminal and let a civilian bleed out next to him, all for his personal pleasure and the need to feel fresh Nether from the dead. The faces of the pair still haunted his mind, he felt dirty for doing it as he reflected on it now, but at the time, he did not see any problem with it, the feeling of nether was far too powerful to make him feel bad. That was when it escalated quickly, some kind of robot attacking him for no reason and someone else with what seemed like Titan powers deciding to help him out, it was certainly more exciting than he had first anticipated and the robot was well armed, he was lucky to leave with his life. The feel of euphoria he received when coming in contact with the Nether was an addicting sense, it was worse than his addiction for Salone's cupcakes, but it made him feel ten times better, if he did not have Zoe with him to constantly remind him that he is in fact still a human being, he would probably be roaming the streets, waiting for the next victim to fall to him so he can get the feeling one more time.

His mind started to wander off onto ways he could cheat the system and be around the energy without actually having to do anything, the first idea was a graveyard, plenty of dead bodies scattered all around there, but with some bodies being buried there for many years, the Nether energy has probably dissipated completely from them, he would need to find a place where there were people on the brink of death, but still clinging on to life, suddenly one place that could work had popped into his mind, a hospital. Sam shook his head vigorously, the fact he was even thinking about this so in depth scared him slightly, but he still wanted to go.

Sam finally stopped the argument in his mind and climbed down the side of the building and into an alleyway, he brushed off the dirt on his black and red hoodie before exiting the alleyway and heading towards the local hospital. It did not take him too long, around a 20 minute walk, before he had reached it and he was already feeling the effects of Nether energy, it appeared he had made a good choice. He took in several more deep breathes before walking up the stone steps and through the automatic door before hitting the white marble ground. He looked around at the several patients sitting in the waiting room and could feel small amounts of Nether from them as the coughed and moaned in pain, Sam stood by some pamphlets until the receptionist turned away to look at her computer, this gave Sam the opportunity to walk by with no issues as he neared the gold mine of Nether energy.

Shauna sat in the waiting lounge, sitting quietly and keeping to herself as the clock ticked the time away. She had flown in from Chicago, to visit someone at the Psychiatric Ward. All around she saw the same faces, the same families visiting their own relatives; she was her for a friend, though.

“The patient is ready to see you, miss Masters.” A nurse came into the lounge to call her.

“How is she...?” Shauna asked, standing up, still not at ease after so many years.

“Her cancer has advanced to a terminal stage. She won’t last beyond next year. But, she seems happy and well adjusted enough.”

“I’ll go in then...” Shauna nodded and went in.

The patient suite here at the psychiatric ward was furnished like a traditional southern home, complete with a dining and kitchen area. It was a warm, friendly place, and one could easily forget it was part of the hospital.

“Why hello there, young lady...I’m sorry, but I can’t see very well. You seem familiar. Do I know you?” A middle aged woman emerged from the kitchen, adorned in a flowery house dress.

“I’m... a friend of Joey’s. Nice to meet you, Jillian.” Shauna said, weakly. Every year they had this conversation, it seemed. She averted her eyes away from Jillian’s forehead, where two old and healed scorch marks remained. Marks left there courtesy of Laser Ladette’s lobotomy.

“Well, any friend of my brother’s is a friend of mine. Come and sit, girl. Do you like apple pie?” Jillian offered, taking out a pie cooling on the window.

“Yes.” Shauna answered, automatically.

“Well, you ain’t ever had apple pie like this. It’s a secret family recipe...” Jillian began slicing the pie and giving Shauna one.

“I know.” Shauna thought. Year in and year out, she’d have the apple pie, and each time she’d pretend it was the first time to have the tasty treat.

“So... how is my brother? Did he open that bar he was planning yet?” Jillian asked, pouring Shauna a glass of milk to go with her pie.

“Well...” Shauna paused, before beginning to describe once again, how Joey Ray’s Bar was now a place to be in Chicago.