Episode 29: Overcharged

***Alastair***

Alastair woke up the next morning with tears in his eyes. Why did his head feel so heavy? He could barely lift it.

Honey licked his cheek. 'You okay, Coco? Is your owie hurting?'

"No. It's not my wrist. My head hurts. I'm gonna go back to bed. The door should be unlocked in case you need to go potty."

The puppy whined. 'Coco, I can't leave you if you don't feel good."

Alastair stroked his puppy's back until his hand fell back on his bed. "What a good puppy."

His eyelids fell shut.

Alastair's head still hurt when he opened his eyes for the second time that day.

"Collin, are you awake?" Maggie asked after knocking slightly.

The boy groaned.

"Cy made you some waffles."

'Coco, you should eat breakfast.'

Honey pawed at the door, so Maggie opened it.

Alastair felt like he had blocks on his neck and legs as he trudged downstairs.

"Did you sleep well?" Cyan asked.

Alastair shook his head before rubbing his head. The boy grabbed his fork and lazily ate his waffles.

Honey snuggled silently against her human. The puppy yelped.

He turned and saw that she was twitching. Had he shocked her?

"Sorry, Honey," he whispered.

She jumped off his lap and scuttled off.

He frowned. Was she mad at him?

Alastair stood up and went after his puppy. He looked around. Where had she gone?

"Good pup," Maggie said, smiling as she patted the dog. Honey was just eating from her bowl.

He stared at his hands and sighed. His powers were acting strangely.

Honey barked and looked up at him. 'Do you still feel yucky? You still have human food, don't you?'

It didn't taste like anything. He really didn't want to eat right now.

"Do you want to go into the living room or back upstairs?" Cyan said, frowning. "I can see it in your face that you feel lousy."

His body was so heavy… Too bad Del wasn't around… He would carry him when he was tired or felt bad. He was even strong enough to carry him and En at the same time even though En was so tall.

Alastair dragged himself into the living room to lay down on the couch. As soon as he made it there, his legs and arms felt like someone put dozens, even hundreds of tiny pins and needles in them.

"If you feel antsy, maybe you should try to go upstairs," Maggie said. "You're a little too big for me to help."

Alastair scowled at her.

"I'm not trying to call you a little kid. If anything, the opposite. Plus, me carrying you might make your wrist worse."

That was true…

"Want me to help?" Cyan asked, smiling gently at him.

He shook his head. 

"Leave him to me," Maggie said. "You gotta head to work."

Cyan sighed. "Okay, but please be gentle with him."

Maggie scoffed. "I can handle him. Don't worry too much." She spun her friend around. "Now, do your stuff."

Cyan smiled slightly. "Okay. I'll leave him in your capable hands."

Maggie grinned.

Alastair whined as he got himself up again. It was gonna be hard to get up the stairs feeling like he was. 

Maggie turned and followed after him. She stayed a step or two behind him on the way up.

Once they made it into his room, Maggie spoke again. "I know you feel bad, but can you tell me how?"

What did she mean by 'how'?

"Other than your wrist, does something hurt? Do you feel hot or sweaty? Do you feel like you're going to lose your waffles? Do you feel like the room is spinning?"

Why was she asking so many questions?

She sighed. "Wish Cy were here."

He smiled slightly. She really reminded him of Vi. He sighed. He missed her. If only she was with him. Vi knew how to make his pain go away.

***Cyan***

Graham grinned. "Hey, Cyan! Got any cookies for me?"

Cyan frowned. "Sorry, Graham, not today. This was a bit of an unplanned trip. I'll make you some next time."

The little boy sat back down on the stool. "Okay!"

Cole had snacks in his arms. "Cy? What are you doing here?"

Cyan frowned. "Came to get some painkillers for Collin. He has a pretty bad headache right now. Maggie's trying to get him to sleep it off, but the guy's been jittery."

Cole scrunched his face. "Wonder if last night set his autism off..." He turned away. "Cyan, be careful. That boy's dangerous."

Cyan whispered. "Is he, really?"

Cole clenched his fists. "He hurt my friends. He can hurt you and Maggie too, even if not on purpose."

Jamie came out of the bathroom, rubbing her wet hands on her apron. "Did you need something?"

"The boy I'm caring for has a headache, so I need some painkillers."

"Does he have a cold?"

Cyan frowned. "We're not sure. He's not been able to tell us what's wrong."

"How old is he?"

"Seventeen."

Jamie smiled. "The extra goodies are on me. It never hurts to be prepared."

Cyan smiled as she paid for the painkillers. "Thank you for all of this."

"Have you contacted his mom yet?"

Mom... Should Cyan call Ame? Something was wrong with her godson.

"My friend is at home with him. Not sure if she's tried contacting her."

Cole followed Cyan out of the store.

"Let me go with you. Eiran said that boy can be like a wild beast. Now that he's sick, he could be as dangerous as a rabid dog."

"You really think so?" Cyan asked.

"You didn't see Eiran when he was in the hospital..."

"Fine... But please try to not make him feel worse. He doesn't want to be talked to." Cyan put her hand up. "Hang on. I need to call his godmom. I think he was laying on the couch when I left."

Cyan then dialed Ame's number. She was kicked over to the answering machine.

"Ame, I need you to get back to me. Collin isn't feeling well."

When they got inside, Cole followed Cyan upstairs.

Collin was laying in bed with a dazed expression.

Cyan smiled as she squeezed his hand. She set the painkillers on the table.

His eyes widened. The boy put his pillow over his face.

Maggie motioned for them to follow her into the hallway.

"I don't think Collin will take the painkillers. Shoving one down his throat will just traumatize him."

"Didn't you just say this kid is seventeen?" Cole asked.

Maggie sighed. "He acts like my twelve-year-old brother if not younger."

"Still, shouldn't we try?" Cyan asked. "It makes me sad to see him in so much pain."

"We put my brothers' in food. Still, he only had like two bites of the waffles earlier."

"What kind of food do you use?"

"Ice cream mostly. Sometimes other favorite foods."

Cyan smiled. "He might eat soup. That usually still tastes good."

"You're certainly more optimistic about this than I am."

After she prepared the soup, Cyan went back into Collin's room.

"Came back with the soup!" She placed the bowl on the nightstand. "Though, it still has to cool down. Speaking of cool down, let me check your temperature, Collin."

He turned away.

"Please try," she whispered.

Maggie went to check Collin's terminal, but he slapped her hand away.

"I just want to make sure you don't have a fever."

Cole glared at the boy. "I knew that you were dangerous, KK."

The boy's cheeks sparked.

"What? Are you going to hurt me like you did my friends? Go ahead."

Collin stopped sparking. "I... I... didn't mean to."

Maggie, who was in the doorway, gasped. "Hurt you... Wait, are you saying that..." She turned to Cyan. "Cy, we got to get out of here!"

"Both of you." Cyan spoke just above a whisper. "Get out."

Maggie sighed. "Fine. I'm leaving the house."

Cy turned around and watched her trembling friend walk away.

Cole turned around and followed behind her. Had she done the right thing? Pushing away her friends for the sake of a strange boy?

"G-go with them," Collin said, grumbling. "I don't need any of you but Honey."

Cyan furrowed her brow. Was he just saying that for her sake? Or did he really want her gone?