A Doctor's Words

"Can I treat you to some apples?" The doctor questioned, the sweet Swedish accent was strong in his voice

With slight hesitation, the pink haired boy nodded his head in acceptance so as precisely as possible Dr Jans, plucked an apple from a basket he brought with him and sliced into it neatly with a knife

Peeling back its skin, moulding it's shape with skill and dismantling it into nicely shaped pieces before placing them into a plate he had with him beforehand

"You heal quite fast," He spoke softly expecting no real answer from the boy who's head seemed to be full of delirium, "From your injuries I'd expect you to wake up around 2-3 days but here you are"

Finally finishing the slices of apple he had prepared, he gifted the platter to the boy to whom happily dug into

"Thanks!" The boy showed his appreciation and as if in seconds devoured the plate entirely

With a gentle hum, Jans appraised the now conscious pink haired child before him curiously with a feline stare, "..Got a name huh?"

His voice carried along by the sterile air to the boy, who's eyes had already dilated with the tempest of thought

"..A name?" A frown etched onto his face, "I don't have one."

Nodding his head in acknowledgment, the bespectacled doctor questioned further, "A family I can contact? Father? Mother? Sibling?"

"...I," The boy began but felt words eluded him. Once again memories of the dead black haired woman clutching his legs when he awoke flashed by in a blur, "..Don't know"

Jans hummed again once more, his mind playing back the boy's words sympathetically, '...Amnesia? Caused by the stress and or trauma?...A reasonable conclusion, of course I don't need a reminder of that alien invasion that occurred just a couple of nights ago'

"Apologies, that was very insensitive of me," Drawing himself up from his seat nearby he began again, "From my estimations you'll be up and ready to leave from here in around two days...give or take

And I know you're itching to get moving but until I deem you healthy enough to leave you're stuck here so get comfortable" He turned to the door with a wave before departing

Leaving the room in complete and utter silence with a doe eyed pink haired boy to delve into the void of his mind

--------------------------------------------------

A day had passed

The wounds that had ached just a day ago were no where to be seen, neither were the bandages that now draped the floor by the boy's bed side

He was up. Pain now non existent. Questions still muddling his mind.

His bare feet graced the cold stifling floor of the room making his leg recoil slightly in displeasure

But in the end he accepted its embrace whilst putting on an oversized black shirt and trousers gifted to him by the Doc.

A day to mull over feelings of guilt and overbearing confusion. 24 hours.

Might not seem like much but it allowed him to grow more accustomed to his situation and get to sorting the riddles in his mind

He had come to one conclusion

He lacked both purpose and identity.

He lacked what was fundamental to being a human and he despised it thoroughly

It pained him to not know who or what he is... to not know where he would go from here. 

If he kept running and running how long would he be able to do so until he burned out

"...I need to speak to the voices" He muttered reluctantly as if just evoking their name made them appear, "..No. Not yet"

This hesitation. Whether it be born out of fear or something even greater he wanted to keep this emotion for longer.. it would not end up like last time

He gripped the handle to the door, its cold hard oak gripping back until he heard a light crushing sound which confused him. His rational mind jotting it down to the weakness of aging wood

The boy opened the exit to the room only to see a bare bone white tinted clinic on the other side with the familiar Doctor reading at his desk

"Leaving so soon?" Jans questioned with an inquisitive gaze, taking note of the boys newfound resolve. The very same demeanour of guilt paraded his body.

He still felt like a lost spirit with no guidance

..And yet even then, his eyes looked clearer, more focused…more unwavering

'A new purpose?' The doctor posed a question, 'No. He's not quite there yet…more so a desire for something more that will help find purpose'

Smiling at the boys fast growth, he grew more impressed at his willpower and resilience

He threw a folded pamphlet which the unexpecting child caught with ease

"What's this..?" He opened it up to see the acronym F.E.A.S.T plastered on top with handmade directions to get there

"A charity organisation that can provide shelter and food for a while. I'm sure it's packed to the brim now due to.. recent events but you'll find help there"

In shock the boy hesitated before reciprocating with a broad smile in gratitude, "T-Thanks!"

But before he could turn the Doctor placed another cold item in his grasp something more lethal - a blade

"Hu-?"

"Protection. I don't expect to use it, just purely for self defence," Jans said, "Don't forget how you ended up "

Abstinence of sound

Only broken by the loud gulp of the boy doubtfully pocketing the knife, "..Aren't you a doctor>? Shouldn't you be discouraging this?"

With a smirk the doctor ruffled the rose tints of the boys scruffs, "Perhaps. Now get going before you develop more cheek in front of me"

He took a final glance to the clinic before walking towards where the wind blew most - the outside world full of mystery and answers that eluded him

A certain whisper of destiny called to him beyond the walls of clinic that he couldn't refuse.

He wouldn't refuse or ignore

"Stay safe kid, come here anytime you need something - you know where to find me..."

.....

.....

....

...

...

...

.

The city streets seemed quiet. Quieter than usual

Even after the events of two days ago, this part of the city seemed relatively unharmed by the blast radius of Shrine and alien invasion

Eerie. Lacked the sincerer serenity one would expect from a city descended into complete silence

Desolate. Aside from the occasional rat and other rodent like that scuttered by of course - this was New York after all - it was silent

The boy trudged on taking great care to follow the direction given to him by the Doctor with complete trust in the labels and turns described

Unaware. Too Unaware. To see that the web of silence that engulfed the city was a trap laid bare by and he was caught in it already

He felt the cold blade cling to his inner thigh in which it was pocketed, a reminder of the weapon he carried giving him a better sense of security

A false sense of security

Signs of looting and death littered the streets and yet nobody to trace them to

His hair pricked with warning as his eyes darted around for the source of the sound and yet all he found was lead that pierced his limbs at the same time in brutal fashion

"Grah!" He collapsed to the ground in pain. Befuddlement, fear, agony and anxiety entwined together to form a sickeningly bitter concoction

His blurring gaze searched as his eyelids began to droop, peering into the now steel veiled masks of the soldiers that surrounded him

"Target has been apprehended. Proceeding with extraction now"

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------