Fatigue

After spending a pleasant weekend at Skyview Hotel, Nick and Serena escorted Aiden back home. Before parting, Nick shoved a handful of blood supplements into Aiden's hand.

"Remember to eat properly. If you plan to sell more blood regularly, you need to get used to eating a lot in order to replenish the lost blood."

"I understand. Thanks, Nick."

Nick patted Aiden's pale cheek fondly.

"See you again, Aiden. Take good care of yourself."

It was Sunday afternoon, and Grandma Thompson was not back from her poker games yet. Aiden threw himself to the bed and scrolled through his emails on phone. There was a reminder for a weekly report that was due on Monday. Aiden groaned softly. He had forgotten all about it. After checking the remaining mails, he dragged himself to the desk and started to work on said report.

In Riverdale, lectures were given in the morning hours from Monday to Friday. Afternoon time was filled with lab work and group seminars. Aiden's Tuesday afternoon was reserved for his part-time work as Rosa's assistant. Friday afternoon was used to tend to the student union work and anything else that required Aiden's attention.

The first three weeks were quite uneventful and rather peaceful. It could almost be described as the honeymoon phase for the unsuspecting freshmen. The fourth week arrived like an unexpected storm. The professors rushed to finish the course materials so that they could include them in the upcoming mid-semester exams.

Homeworks started to pile up.

Even Rosa had to catch up with her paperwork to the point that she had to sleep in the office a few nights of the week. As her assistant, Aiden often had to work late into the night from home. He tidied up Rosa's experimental data before sending them to her through e-mails. This would not have been too difficult to do if Rosa did not come up with more requests after Aiden was done with the data compilation. She apologized many times for the inconveniences. Aiden kept saying that it was alright, but the lack of sleep and lack of blood caused him to get tired easily during the day.

Dr. Hunter was pleasantly surprised to have Aiden appear at his office one afternoon to get a reference letter from him for admittance to White Chapel hospital in Dominion.

"You have the money? Aiden, that's wonderful!"

Dr. Hunter was curious, but he felt that he should not pry into the private matters of his patients. He quickly wrote the reference letter and handed it over to Aiden.

"Aiden, please send my warmest regards to your grandmother. White Chapel is the best. I hope she enjoys her stay there."

"Thank you, Doctor. Thank you for the help until now."

"Don't mention it. You are looking quite pale. Aiden, are you alright?"

Aiden gave him an exhausted smile.

"I am alright, Doctor. Don't worry about me."

"When are you planning to take your grandmother to White Chapel?"

"This Friday."

"Oh, that's good. The earlier the better."

After getting the reference letter, Aiden rushed to go back to Riverdale. It was Thursday. He had a group seminar for an hour and a half, and then he could finally go home to rest for the day. The next day was Friday. He only had lectures in the morning, and then he was going to take his grandmother to White Chapel.

A wave of dizziness came upon Aiden when he arrived at the bicycle parking lot. The young man had to lean at a nearby tree and bask in the sun for a while to regain his strength.

The reference letter was in his bag.

He already booked a hotel at Dominion for the weekend.

White Chapel was not a traditional hospital that kept its patients locked up.

With proper permission, Aiden could take his grandmother out every weekend.

He needed to find a church near the hospital.

And also find good places that his grandmother would like to visit in Dominion.

Aiden's eyelids felt as heavy as lead. He raised his hand to rub at his eyes, but his view suddenly rotated ninety degrees to the left. And then, everything faded into black.

Someone screamed. The sound of footsteps quickly approached. A pair of large hands grabbed Aiden's shoulder and lay him on his back.

"Hey...! Oh God, it's you! Hey! HEY! Can you hear me?"

Aiden opened his eyes slightly. His view was blurry.

He wanted to say that he was fine, but he only managed to part his pale lips and no words came out.

"Mary, he is not looking good at all. I am taking him to the Medical Centre."

"Oh... Yes, you should... Poor boy."

Aiden wanted to refuse, but he had no control over his body at all. He was lifted off the ground easily as if he were as light as a feather. The man carried him in his arms. Aiden's head was pressed against his warm chest. When he took a deep breath, he could smell the earth on the man.

Jerry Tanner?

That was all Aiden remembered before he fell unconscious again.