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As Lucus ran off the stage, he was swarmed with more whispers than he had heard in his life. The cameras followed him on his way out, with the host of the speeches stepping forward and calling after him. Lucus didn't listen. Where were they? What hospital? Lucus closed his eyes as he ran, trying to recall whatever conversation Ben had made with the medics. Had Ben told him already? Lucus couldn't remember.

"Focus, Lucus. You need to focus. For Allicia. What did they say? You weren't listening. How could you be so stupid? Think, Lucus. THINK." He was searching his brain for answers. It was like a maze of memories and knowledge. Lucus calmed down and imagined himself walking down a room he had memorized the layout of perfectly. Not a step could be misplaced. What had he heard? Nothing could be truly gone. Everything can be found. Every word of every test. Yes. This was just a test. A multiple choice question. He knew what hospitals there were. Seven in the large community. Lucus rubbed his temples. This was giving him a headache. Lucus turned the corner and sat down on the park bench he had waited with Allicia on. Three of them were all the way across town. Three down. Four left. One was being renovated. Most of the hospital was closed off. Three left. What was it? What made one any better than the others? All were of equal distance. None further than the other. What did he know? What had he heard? Lucus thought back to his memories at the house. Any house. Any room with the TV. What was that? Tens of thousands of nostalgic memories of hearing the mindless buzz of the people called celebrities but aren't really. Where was the broadcast he needed? Lucus shifted his consciousness onto these memories and pushed his way through. Sorting through the insignificant ones. The flies in a room full of cockroaches. He filtered out the news services. The hospitals. Healthcare. It clicked. All of a sudden, it all made sense. Two, both of them were recently involved in the news. Not for anything good, either. Even their reputation had taken a huge nosedive. A notorious politician had decided to sponsor them. He had a dirty track record. A womanizer and a lot of alleged abuses of power. Allegedly. Many times had been made, accusing him of threats and illegal use of government secrets, however, as most wealthy, influential people do, none had made it past a few days of trial. It was an unwritten fact that this person had lied and cheated their way into power. The sponsorship was put in place in order to recover his own reputation. A power, and kindness display. Needless to say, it backfired. Not only did the entire internet come after him for this fake grasp at straws, but a new scandal broke out. Something about drug abuse at the hospital. Both, hospitals. They had both of their reputations dragged to the ground, and their funding was cut. At that point, the hospitals had already put down a payment on a lot of new, state of the art equipment. When the funding was withdrawn by the politician, they were put in a lot of debt. The government being the government, still hadn't helped. In the end, half the hospital rooms were shut down due to lack of funding for them. Overflowing with patients, they were now not accepting too many people. It was a stretch. Somebody might have taken her somewhere else. They could have accepted her into one of the better hospitals. For all Lucus knew, he was remembering wrong. Lucus focused on the facts. Trust in his memory. It hadn't led him astray yet. Lucus got up, and took a breath. He memorized the directions, and began to run once more.

It wasn't a long run, but it wasn't short either. It was one that would require about half an hour or so to walk at a brisk pace, however, Lucus was running. Lucus was never great at running, but right now, he felt zero fatigue. It could have been the perfect temperature of the air. It was warm, but cool enough that nobody would think to shield themselves from the sun. It was also night. There were crickets chirping in the well defined shrubbery and even an owl could be heard singing from a nearby tree. It might have been an immensely relaxing walk, if not for the speed at which Lucus was required to go. Being blind, he could not witness the beautiful flowers decorating archways and flickering, warm lit lamps hanging from them, however, he could smell and feel them. Flowers were Lucus's favorite. Perhaps it was from endless hours in the orphanage greenhouse, but it felt welcoming. If not for the cold, modern architecture of wealthy people and families to ruin the atmosphere, anyone could feel at home. The sidewalk was cobblestone, and perfectly clean. No cars were driving by. There were only pinkish clouds. It pulled Lucus to sit down and enjoy this time, but when he felt the blissful peace of the surrounding area, he could only feel longing and a sense of guilt. What a beautiful night, yet he could not share it with anyone. Was it right to enjoy such pleasure without his friends? Friends who were waiting in perhaps the most uncomfortable place ever, a cold hospital room. Crinkly, thin sheets and cold tile floors. The constant sound of wheels pushing and cries from the unwilling children. Yes, this was not to be a night of joy, but one of sorrow. His joy could wait. Right now, it wasn't him that deserved it.

Lucus crossed street after street, hardly listening for cars. He could have been hit, yet the universe seemed on his side. Seven blocks away now. Lucus's resolve didn't waver, nor did his stamina. Ben, and Allicia. He wanted to be with them. His first ever friends in this world. This cruel, cruel world. One that he only wanted to share together. Minutes too long creeped by, until he was met, with the cold embrace of where dreamers die.