Wiccan Act One: Occult

34 | Ashes to Ashes

Aiden

XXXIV

Entering the hospital felt like swimming through a sea of pumpkin guts. The air was thick and fought its way to enter Aiden's lungs while his heart hammered against his chest and the hairs on his arms stood up right. Though he couldn't remember ever stepping foot in a hospital before, he already knew he never wanted to come here again.

'Oakwood General' had been written in big bold illuminated letters outside the building while on the inside, the lobby was beaming with blinding white lights as nurses and doctors rushed around frantically.

Christian entered first, with Aiden trailing closely behind, carrying a bit more energy than before.

There were a few people waiting around as well, sitting on chairs neatly placed off to the right. Some of their faces were blank, staring at the large television attached to the wall while others had looks that made Aiden's heart turn. A mere glance revealed the despair and anxiety in their eyes. Christian darted around the building, his impatience manifesting in him, bouncing from one leg to the other.

Earlier he had woken up Aiden in panic, going on and on about how they needed to get to the hospital immediately. He never said why, and Aiden, too dazed to ask, instead of questioning it however, bit his tongue.

Christian ran from one end to of the room to the next, looking through the hallways off to each side. He bolted to the front doors when they flew open, but stopped in his tracks when he saw it was a mother entering with a coughing little girl. The receptionist picked up on his behavior and leaned over her desk to ask how she could be of help.

Christian flashed her a smile before saying that he was awaiting someone. Aiden continued to shrug it off, walking over to the nearest wall and using it to support his weight while he continued to trail Christian's movement.

Christian looked down the right hallway one more time, getting an irritable response from the receptionist, who was clearly growing tired of him. Aiden rolled his eyes at her. Wasn't it their job to be patient?

A dark-haired boy with blue eyes and way too much hair gel suddenly stepped out of the elevator, looking under his shirt. His skin was incredibly pale, as if they had locked him in someone's basement for months. When Christian noticed the boy walking, his eyes widened nearly tripped over himself. That caused Aiden's interest to peek, paying particular attention to the boy when he smiled at seeing Christian standing in the lobby.

Was he who he was waiting for?

The boy approached a nervous Christian saying hi to which he responded a very shy 'hey'. Aiden had gotten pretty used to seeing Christian's shyer side. He always got a quiver in his voice before his face turned a heated red. Seeing him act that way with this stranger, however, made Aiden uncomfortable.

"I was meaning to ask you something," the boy said. He was taller than Christian, standing with a piercing gaze. "Did I do something to upset you?" He asked. Aiden struggled to hear their conversation without selling himself out.

Christian, taken aback, immediately responded with the shaking of his hands " no, no, no."

"Oh." The boy sighed in relief. "It's just that the last time I tried to talk to you at the school, you acted like there was something I did that made you mad. I thought it was because I told Veronica to ask you out for me and you got weirded out." The boy paused, slamming his mouth shut. "You were not supposed to hear that part."

His face grew redder than Christian. Aiden scoffed at the sight. It was like everything that left his mouth was a badly worded line from a tv show.

"You told her what now?" Christian gasped. His expression jumped from confusion to realisation, finally putting together what the boy was saying.