Monsterhearts:Poor Judgement

Monday August 18th, 10:35 PM
Wildomar, Inland Valley Medical Center
**The sound of hospital intercoms, and the quiet shuffling of feet has become nothing but background static in passed two and a half hours. Odie's mother is still sitting in the exact seat she was after they spoke with her hours ago, and the boy that showed up with her is sitting in the corner playing Pokemon, a sophomore boy, who Shane, Chris, and Liam recognize from Swim Class, is sitting next to him, he has raven-black hair and is wearing a blue t-shirt and jeans, he has two piercings below his bottom lip. He's been watching Odie's brother play Pokemon intently for the passed hour, since he arrived with his parents, though his parents seem to have left about a half-hour ago.**

**Shane**: **Despite taking that short nap earlier, where they ended up in that bizarre shop, he's starting to get tired. He rubs his eyes to keep himself from dozing off again as he thinks back to Leo and how he projected lashes of unnatural flame at Odie and lashed him to the ground.**

**Chris**: **He's gotten dressed in his normal clothing, though the staff threw out his jacket. He hasn't said much and keeps dozing off every few minutes, having trouble staying away because of the medicine. He keeps thinking about that shop. Wondering how they got there, the liquid he drank. He can almost taste it in his mouth. That young boy's strange smile. He tries to keep his mind from wandering to Odie. Despite Shane's attempt to convince him otherwise, this is his fault.**

**Liam**: **He's been uncomfortable since they came back out into the waiting room. The earlier illusions of Shane practically sexually assaulting him are continually forcing their way back into his thoughts, and he's having trouble keeping his mind from being flooded by hormones despite the solemn atmosphere.**

**A few more minutes pass, and a female doctor, along with a nurse, walks out into the waiting room. She looks very tired, as does the shorter nurse next to her.**

**Doctor**: Claudia O'Dwyer? **She looks around the waiting room.**

**Claudia**: **She immediately stands up.** That's me, I'm Claudia! **She hurries over to the doctor.** Please, how is my son?

**Doctor**: **She looks down and to the side.** ...Your son has suffered deep tissue damage to his upper chest and lower back... **She lets out a long sigh and looks Claudia in the eyes.** The burns are nothing like anything we've ever seen before. Though they're not extensive, the tissue damage within the... Lacerations, **She seems unsure if that's the right word to use.** is... For lack of a more benign word, catastrophic. Five of his ribs, along with his sternum, and four vertebrae of his spine appear to have been cut into and scalded, down to the marrow in certain spots. It's as if he were assaulted by a heated blade, or some kind of high-powered industrial laser...

**Claudia**: **Tears are starting to run down her face.** What does this mean? Is he going to be ok?

**Doctor**: **She looks to the side for a moment, pausing before she responds, she looks back at Odie's mother.** We've managed to stabilize him, but he has slipped into a coma. We think it may be caused by an inflammation of nerve tissue in his spinal cord. I believe the coma can be lifted if inflammation is the cause, however... I must tell you Mrs. O'Dwyer, even if we do bring him out of the coma it will only be for a few, very short, moments. The pain of his injuries means that we will need to medically induce a second coma so that we can continue to treat his wounds...

**Claudia**: You're going to cure his coma just so that you can put him into another one?! **She sounds confused an angry.**

**Doctor**: It's the only option we have when presented with burns this extensive. Keeping him awake would be so painful that he would be in perpetual agony, and it would be too difficult to treat him. **She lets out a long sigh.** I'm sorry that there's nothing more immediate we can do. If you want to see your son now is the time, we're letting his body rest for now, but at the end of the hour we will be taking him back into surgery, and then we'll have to place him in a hyperbolic chamber. **She turns and leads Odie's mom out of the waiting room and down one of the halls.**

**Chris**: **He's looking down at his arm.** I guess that's it then...

**Shane**: **He drums his fingers on his knees and stares at the floor in silence.**

**Liam**: Poor Odie... **His stomach starts to hurt as he thinks about how much pain Odie must've been in.**

**Shane**: **He isn't showing any emotion. It's like he's been emotionally exhausted for the day and he just can't feel anything else.** ...Let's go. **He gets up and walks over to Chris, grabbing the back of his wheel chair, he starts pushing him towards the door.**

**Liam**: **He gets up and walks after them.** There has to be something we can do.

**Chris**: I'll pay for all his medical bills... It doesn't really... Make anything better... But it's my fault this happened. **He keeps looking down at his arm.** ...So maybe it's a start.

**As Shane pushes Chris out into the smally lobby-area that leads to the waiting room, two nurses stroll nearby at a very slow pace from the entrance, a young man and a short older looking woman.**

**Male Nurse**: **He's chewing on a slim jim and speaks almost like some stupid stoner/sufer type.** ...Heard some big black horse carried him to the front of the hospital on its back and then when they went out to find it, was already gone. Heard the thing had glowing purple eyes too. We get the strangest shit after dark.

**Old Nurse**: That poor young man lost an arm and all everyone cares to do is make up ridiculous tall tales to impress the graveyard shift... **She's carrying a small bag of food from an AMPM station.**

**Male Nurse**: Hey it's true... **His voice trails off as they walk into the waiting room Shane and them just came from.**

**Shane**: **He slows down.** ...A young man missing an arm? **He looks at Liam.**

**Liam**: You think it's Leo? **His solemn tone is fading to a serious and more angry one.**

**Chris**: **He looks back slightly and then back down at his arm.** Means he's still alive... **He shakes his head a little.** We can't do anything about it in a hospital...

**Shane**: **He sighs.** You're right... **He pushes Chris towards the exit.** It's been a long day. We can come back tomorrow after school. Check on Odie, find out if Leo really is here.

**Chris**: I'm probably going to be out of school one or two days... You can keep my car while I'm out... Hell... I'll buy you a new car if you want. You guys saved my life, you deserve compensation for the mess I dragged us into...

**Liam**: **He doesn't say anything but he looks at Shane with a raised eyebrow and a look that says "Damn right we deserve something."**

***About twenty minutes later, at Chris's house...***

**Chris**: **He's hobbling through the foyer very slowly. His pain medication ran out on the way home from the hospital, and he can already feel his arm beginning to hurt more. He looks forward, towards the long flight of stairs, and then up to the right at the next flight and he lets out a tired groan.** Why don't we have an elevator...

**Natalya**: **Her voice slithers through the dark interior of the mansion, echoing from every direction. She sounds angry, a tone that Chris has never heard from her before.** You were to accompany Agatha *home*. **He can't see where she is.**

**Chris**: **He freezes up when he hears her voice.** ...We-I wanted to wait for news on one of my friends, to know if he was alright...

**Natalya**: **She interrupts him halfway through his sentance, her voice booming through the house and drowning out his.** *You were to accompany Agatha home*! **There's a low hiss at the end of her words that seems to build into her next sentence.** *Hellfire*, as if a neonate could understand, let alone *combat*, a wielder of such power... **She suddenly walks out from behind him and circles around him in a quick gliding motion. The darkness hides her features, and he can only make out her silhouette against the dim startlight filtering in through the windows.**

**Chris**: **He remains in place, almost afraid to move. His mother is obviously scaring him.** I had others with me... I thought...

**Natalya**: **Despite him being able to see her, her voice continues to come from all directions.** Challenging dim witted schoolyard *cretins* is one matter, humans are not but flimsy *prey*, however combating the wielder of a demonic flame is the *entirety* of something else altogether. **She stops circling, standing in front of him. Her long black gown has trailed behind her as she walked, and it now rests in a circle around him like a great silken tail. Though he can't see her features due to the darkness, she seems larger somehow, and appears to be tall enough to look down at him.** I will *not* suffer such audacious idiocy from my own flesh and blood.

**Chris**: **He looks down in defeat and fear.**

**Natalya**: **She lets out a long hissing sigh that warps to a deep rumble. It sends shivers up Chris's spine and causes his teeth to quietly chatter together. It's as if his whole body is shivering uncontrollably for a few seconds and it makes his arm sting as the muscles in it spasm slightly.**

**Chris gains the conditions** ***Terrified***, ***Pained***, ***Admonished***, **and** ***Trembling*** **and Natalya gains a String on him.**

**Natalya**: **The warped hissing sound flows beneath her next words.** Even with our family's capabilities... **She tilts her head and her eyes flicker green in the darkness like an animal's.** ...Demonic power inflicts greater wounds than that you would receive otherwise. It will take a great deal of time and effort to fully recover from your injury. A fitting lesson for your ill-thought *actions*... **The hissing leaves her voice, and she speaks softer and more quietly, but with a malicious tone.** As is the fate of your friend...

**Taylor**: **(Rolling to** ***Hold Steady*** **4 + 5** **+2 Cold** **is 11.** **Choosing to remove the condition** ***Terrified*** **Marking Experience.**

**Chris**: **His anger boils up at her remark.** You leave Odie out of this!

**Natalya exploits each of Chris's three remaining conditions, he rolls at a disadvantage, and she spends a String on him, reducing his roll to 6.**

**Natalya**: **Her voice booms through the entire house.** I will not entertain insolence! **She seems to grow taller, and she hunches over him.** He was one of our most *powerful* assets, and now he lay upon a bed, *USELESS* and *BROKEN*! **As she finishes speaking the many windows of the mansion can heard rattling for a second as they stop shaking.**

**Chris**: **He freezes up in fear as he looks up at her.**

**Natalya**: **She seems to shrink down slightly, and backs away from him.** I expected much better judgement of you... Perhaps I've expected... *Too much*. **She turns and glides away up the stairs.**

**Chris**: **His eyes start watering, and he falls to his knees as he emotionally breaks down.**

***The next day, during Swim Class...***

**Just as Chris said he would be, he's been absent all day and isn't here for Water Polo. Coach Boomer has the class doing laps. He doesn't seem to keen on watching them though, as he keep walking over to the other pool and speaking with Ms. Lara, who seems to have quickly become irritated with him. Most of the students are practicing, but not as diligently as they should be, with several of them stopping and talking after swimming a few laps. The only guy really swimming as he should be is Kyle.**

**Shane**: **As he reaches the end of the pool he stops to catch his breath and he spots Tate , the boy that was sitting next to Odie's brother at the emergency room last night, who is swimming in the corner taking a short break between laps. He looks around for Liam.**

**Liam**: **His head suddenly bursts from the surface of the water a few feet away, he's breathing heavily. He rubs the front of his goggles and looks around for a moment before he sees Shane. He spits some water from his mouth and swims over to him.** ...Please tell me it's ok to take a break... **He shakes his head back and forth to get water off of him, and then rubs his hand through his hair to brush it back.**

**Shane**: **He nods towards Tate, who is swimming in the corner, facing one of the walls of the pool. After a moment he swims over to the boy and calls to him.** Hey Tate!

**Tate**: **He turns to look at them. Despite his small thin frame he's uncannily fast over short distances when in the water, and he doesn't seem to tire easily either, though his long game is nearly as bad as Liam's and his lap times are nearly worse. As he turns and looks at Shane and Liam he pulls his black goggles off.** Yeah?

**Liam**: What were you- **His mouth falls below the water for a moment before he's able to grab onto the wall and pull himself above water. He spits out more water.** Why were you in the emergency room last night? **He wipes water from his goggles again.**

**Tate**: Friend of the family was hurt, lost his arm. **He seems to be very good at stationary swimming, his head doesn't even dip below the surface as he speaks with them, despite the fact that he's not even holding onto the edge.**

**Shane**: You talking about Leo? **He looks at Liam for a moment, though neither of the other boys can really tell due to his goggles fogging up.**

**Tate**: Yeah. You know Leo? **He tilts his head slightly, and eyes Shane almost suspiciously.**

**Shane**: Played football with him Junior year before I joined the swim team. **He pulls his goggles down around his neck.**

**Liam**: Family friend? That's kinda weird...

**Tate**: He dated my sister before she, well you know, was *murdered*... He gives me a ride sometimes. **He looks between the two of them. He seems very cautious about the conversation.**

**Shane**: So he's alright?

**Tate**: Doctors said whatever cut off his arm cauterized the wound. He'll live, but he's gonna be in there another couple days. Weren't you guys with Odie and Chris when they got whipped with that powerline? **He still sounds kind of suspicious.**

**Shane**: Yeah. Chris's arm got burned pretty bad, s'why he's not at school today. Odie got the brunt of the injuries though... **He looks away from Tate.**

**Liam**: It was terrifying...

**Tate**: What were you four doing around a downed power line anyway?

**Shane**: We stopped on a dirt road to light up a bud, and a tree snapped and fell over. It pulled the line from one of those big transformers and it landed on Odie. Chris was able to pull him away, but got lashed himself. It was really sudden, happened so fast, you wouldn't believe it. **He looks over to Liam.**

**Liam**: **He nods really fast.**

**Tate**: I heard that you guys were daring each other to touch it.

**Liam**: What!? No we weren't! Who said that!?

**Tate**: Heard it from a girl in homeroom. One of those gossiping cheerleaders. You know how they like to spread rumors...

**Shane**: **He lets out a quiet groan, immediately knowing who was likely the source of the rumor.** Well that's not what happened. Odie really got hurt, and it wasn't because of some stupid ass dare.

**Tate**: Well no shit is wasn't, Odie's not stupid, so it's not like I believed the rumor or anything. Just thought I might give you a heads up... Since you got the ear of the Swim Team captain and all. Need to try and get on your good side...

**Shane**: **He smirks.** Cool.

**Liam**: So did Leo say how he lost his arm? Do they know?

**Tate**: **He shrugs slightly.** He's been out since he got there, they got him so doped up he probably didn't wake up until today. No one knows how it happened yet.

**Liam**: That's crazy... **He looks at Shane, a bit of nervousness on his expression.**

**Tate**: **He grabs his goggles and puts them over his eyes, immediately ducking under the water afterwards.**

**Shane**: **He watches Tate suddenly vanish under the water with mild surprise and annoyance.**

**Coach Boomer**: **His voice sounds out from behind them.** Hey you two knuckleheads in the corner, this isn't tea-time social, it's Water Polo! Since you wasted the whole class playing dollies I'll see you afterschool! You're stayin an hour late to practice and clean up the pool equipment!

**Liam**: **He lets out an exasperated sigh and turns to look at Coach Boomer.**

**Shane**: **He turns and looks towards the center of the pool. Tate is swimming backwards with his hands up in as best a shrug he can muster while swimming. Shane rolls his eyes and looks to Coach Boomer, there's nothing they could do to get out of this, and whining about it would probably just make things worse.**

**Coach Boomer**: **He blows his whistle.** Alright everyone! Out of the pool! It's that part of the class again, where everyone awkwardly diverts their eyes to the floor or ceiling and undresses in the darkest corner of the locker room they can find while they scramble to pull their cloths on! Let's go, chop-chop! **He claps his hands together to punctuate the "chop-chop" part.**

**Shane**: **He gets out of the pool and pulls off his goggles, he turns to look back at Liam and help him get out of the water.**

**Liam**: **He grabs the edge of the pool and pulls himself up on his own, just to show that he doesn't need help, but as he stands up the back of his feet aren't quite on the edge of the pool and he starts to fall backwards as his eyes go wide.** Wha-!

**Shane**: **His eyes go wide, and he laughs as he quickly steps forwards and throws out his hand to grab Liam's.**

**Illiadius**: **(Rolling to** ***Turn Shane On*** **6 + 4** **-1 Hot** **is 9.**

**Shane takes a String on Liam.**

**Liam**: **His hand reactively darts forward and grabs Shane's hand, and in his half-panic he pulls himself forward with more strength than he means to, and he ends up crashing directly into Shane, causing them to stumble back a few steps as Liam presses up against him. It almost looks like they're hugging. He looks up into Shane's eyes and smiles innocently, but the smile immediately fades as he realizes what's happened, and what he's doing, and he quickly steps backwards, only to stumble on the edge of the pool and fall back into the water.**

**Shane**: **He doesn't show any outward signs of embarrassment at all, even though he is, as he looks down into the pool to Liam.** You alright?!

**Liam**: **His head pops out from the surface and he spits out some water. He just nods and then swims for the ladder at the far end of the pool, feeling too embarrassed to get out near Shane again.**

**Shane**: **He smirks and shakes his head slightly, as he turns to get his towel and head for the locker rooms, he stops and looks to the far side of the pool area. Just outside the fence is brother, Coty, ominously standing there with his hands in the pockets of his leather jacket, watching him. His brother smirks slightly and turns away from the fence, walking towards his next class.**

***Nearly an hour after school...***

**Shane and Liam have spent the last half hour winding up pool dividers and helping the janitor clean out the pool filter. Shane is currently helping Mrs. Lara roll the pool covers out over the pools, while Coach Boomer stands over the other pool making Liam swim a few last laps before he lets them leave.**

**Ms. Lara**: **She's on the opposite side of the pool from him. She reaches down and adjusts the large pool cover several times and then stands up.** That's good enough Shane. **She points to the second cover near the pool shed.** Go get the other one for the second pool.

**Shane**: **He's already dressed, not having gotten in the water at all. He yells out a response to her.** Alright. **He walks over and grabs the next cover, picking up as best he can, even though he's decently strong, the cover is heavy as hell and he slowly drags it over to the next pool. He lines it up to the edge and drops it.** We're close'n up Coach!

**Liam**: **He hears Shane and stops swimming, panting heavily from being forced to swim so much. He turns to look at Shane and then to the Coach to see if he'll let them leave.**

**Coach Boomer**: Alright, you get off early, but no more chatty cathy in my class, capisce? **He turns and walks over towards the pool office.**

**Shane**: Help me put on the pool cover Liam. **He unrolls the large blue cover and it falls into the pool.** Just grab the end and drag it over to the far side on your way out.

**Liam**: Alright! **He swims to the edge of the cover and grabs it, then does his best to slowly swim to the opposite end of the pool while he's dragging the cover out behind him. He climbs out of the pool using the ladder, and the beds down pulling the cover square with the pool's edge.** That good? **He looks to Shane.**

**Shane**: Yeah that looks good. Go get changed. I'm gonna go get Chris's car and I'll pull it around the back of the school. **He heads towards his backpack.**

**Liam**: Alright! **He grabs his towel and quickly makes his way towards the locker toom.**

***A few minutes later...***

**Liam**: **He's walking towards his locker. Despite him being the only one in the locker room he's still acting awkward, and has his towel wrapped around his waist tightly, as if he expects someone to suddenly barge in and see him naked. He walks as quickly as he can over the wet tile without slipping, making his way towards his locker.**

**As he nears his locker someone grabs him and throws him against the lockers opposite to his.**

**Coty**: **As Liam turns to see who it is, he recognizes Coty from last night. He still has the thick horizontal lines of eyeblack under his eyes, and his football shoulderpads, with no shirt over them, exposing his muscular torso, and all he has on below the waist is a black jockstrap. He's also slightly sweaty, like he just finished football practice.** Word is you're the nerd already passing all his classes with perfect scores...

**Liam**: **He can help but let his eyes dart over Coty's body once, very quickly.** ...Y-yeah.

**Coty**: **He smirks as he catches Liam looking him over.** Good, good... Mean's I've got a *generous* proposition for you. **He moves closer to Liam and puts his left hand on the locker right next to Liam's head and leans forward.** But first you're gonna answer some questions, and you *better* answer truthfully, or my generous nature is gonna disappear *real quick*.

**Liam**: **He gulps, looking to the side.** Quest- **His voice cracks.** -ions? **His hand shoots up over his mouth and he clears his throat.**

**Coty**: **His smirk widens into a devious smile and moves closer.** You like my brother?

**Liam**: **His eyes dart to the side a few times and then he just nods yes really fast, his hand still over his mouth. He's becoming increasingly uncomfortable and aroused by Coty's appearance and proximity to him, especially since bot of them are wearing very little.**

**Coty**: Yeah... Like him a *lot* don't you? Like to *look* at him. **His voice turns into a deep sultry whisper.** *Don't you*?

**Liam**: **He's starting to feel really uncomfortable now and he keeps looking around, like he's trying to find a way out.**

**Coty**: **His other arm slams into the locker on the other side of Liam's head.** C'mon... It's alright... He's a pretty good look'n guy... **He raises an eyebrow at him for a moment.**

**Liam**: **He jumps as Coty's other hand slams into the locker on the opposite side of his head. He's starting to breath heavily, and he just nods in affirmation very quickly.**

**Coty**: Bet you've taken a peak at him. Seen him in his bare naked glory... Bet you sneaked those peaks right here in this very spot... Didn't you? **He inches closer.**

**Liam**: **For a quick moment his eyes dart to where Shane's locker is, and then back to looking at Coty.**

**Coty**: **His devious smile widens into a grin.** So here's the deal egghead, and since you told the truth, I'm gonna make it *real sweet* for you. **He gets really close to Liam, moving his lips just an inche away from Liam's ear.** You see, I've got a problem... I want a free period next semester so I can ditch this dump early... But Hammer's class is a real pain in my ass. To make matters *even worse*, a man like me's got *needs*. **Liam can feel Coty's lips softly brushing up against his earlobe as he speaks.** As the star quarterback I'm *knee deep* in pussy that's just begging for my attention... **He lets out a shallow sigh of fake distress.** ...But a man of my considerable *appetite* needs so much *more*... You see... I *really* like boys... Like all their parts... But the last time I got to play with another boy was *months* ago...

**Liam**: **He freezes up and starts trembling. He can't even process what's happening right now.**

**Coty**: That's where you *come* in. You do *all* of my homework for this semester... **He moves even closer, pressing his shoulderpads against Liam's upper body.** ...And you get to play with me. **He moves his leg forward and grinds his bare thigh right up into Liam's crotch.** However you *want* to play...

**Liam**: **He lets out an uncontrolled breath as he feels Coty press his thigh up between his legs. He's staring at the football player with lust tempered terror.**

**Coty**: **He contines to whiper into Liam's ear.** So you've got a choice... You can either keep at your little kiddie games to try to get a taste of my brother's peashooter... **He moves his right hand away from the locker and grabs Liams left wrist.** Or you can get a load from the magnum swing'n between *my* legs. **He shove's Liam's palm against the considerable bulge in the front of his jock.** Without having to deal with all the bullshit... 'Cause I'm *always* ready to play, whenever you want... No questions asked. **He lets go of Liam's wrist and suddenly backs up. His devious smile fades to a tough seriousness.** I'll give you some time to think about it. **He turns and walks behind a row of lockers, leaving Liam's sight.**

**Liam**: **He lets out a high-pitched quivering sigh and he slides down the lockers until he's sitting on the floor. His face is flushed and hot as his mind tries to contemplate everything that just happened. His eyes slowly wander to his left hand, which he opens and closes several times.**