Chapter 4: A Torn World

Throughout the week there were multiple tests and each time Diem tried not to mention that a small winged man was sitting on his shoulder.

"The name's Kairo remember."

Diem did not want to remember. He had thought that the whole dream was just that. A dream. He did not want to be constantly dragged down by this extra baggage.

"I'm not that heavy."

The fact was Diem didn't have time for these witty battles and how could this little man be a reward? It was more like a punishment to make him even more of an outcast than before.

"Wait you're an outcast?"

"STOP."

The nurse in the room froze up on the spot whilst putting Diem's lunch on the table.

"Uh... Sorry, not you."

The nurse seemed to accept this as if she was used to hearing people shouting at thin air.

Diem tried to tuck into his meal but it was kind of uncomfortable having someone watch you eat.

"What do you want some or something?"

"Pardon?" the nurse said startled.

"Sorry, not talking to you."

"Right..."

"Actually I would but I can't." Kairo moaned.

Diem waited until the nurse left the room to reply.

"Why?"

"Well, you see this is not my actual body. More like an astral body with my mind within it. I'm not able to interact with anything in this world except through you. So even if I wanted to I couldn't."

Diem started to feel bad for this Kairo.

"You're way too soft. It's not like I need to eat anyway."

`Is he-`

"-reading my mind?"

"How?"

"It's not that hard since I'm connected to your mind dumbass."

Diem stared at Kairo with an intense gaze.

"What?"

"You cuss a lot for a supposed angel."

"That may seem like that to you but in my world, any word can be used as a form of praise. Humans put so much negativity into their words." Kairo sighed, nose stuck right up to the ceiling.

"Ok, tell me how you say "dumbass" as a way of praise, hm?"

Fortunately for Kairo, the hospital rooms door slid open as the doctor entered the room with two stragglers behind.

Even after a week, the two seemed like a shadow of their former selves. Rosalind's hair looked like a rat's nest whilst Diem's father was sporting a crumpled suit, leaning forward like the Huncheback of Notre Dome. For a second, Diem thought he saw his father look at him in fear but it quickly disappeared into a faint smile so he must have been mistaken.

"It was definitely a look of something." Kairo agreed.

The doctor carried in a clipboard and by this time Diem was convinced that all doctors in this hospital had to carry a board wherever they go. He seemed to be the only one who had a happy vibe with his sea-blue wrinkled eyes that twinkled every time he smiled. This old man seemed to actually enjoy his job because every time he came into check up on Diem he would always bring in a smile. Diem had not even talked to him yet even though he was the one leading Diem's surgery, he had not even received the doctor's name.

"Hello Diem." the doctor said tapping at the board with his pen, "Your father, Mr Nanon, and your sister are here to take you home. After all, your health's recovery actually exceeded our expectations after the successful operation."

He paused for a moment, sympathetically turning to my family before regaining composure.

"There is one issue with-"

"-Diem being a dumbass." Kairo interrupted.

"Oh shut up."

Diem realised his mistake as soon as those words slipped out of his mouth. He glared vengefully at the small man with the vendetta before addressing his mistake but the doctor held up his hand needing no excuse.

"Yes, that's the issue. We have had reports that you have been in long length onesided conversations with yourself ever since you've woken up after the operation. The reason why we aren't trying to do anything at the moment is that you are a living miracle."

"Huh?"

"I know it's hard to believe but the surgery should never have succeeded. Right now you should be lying in the hospital's morgue."

That was the other thing about this doctor he did not try to sugarcoat over the details the other doctors would hide and was honestly blunt. Diem liked that upfront way about him but unfortunately, his father and sister did not appreciate it from the sudden shudder and glare directed at the doctor.

The doctor didn't seem to notice or simply didn't care because he continued.

"The glass shard targeted a part of your brain which once something penetrates it all brain activity would eventually stop, leaving all your organs to stop. No amount of medical assistance can save you after this point."

The doctor paused and scratched his grey beard and looked through Diem rather than looking at him trying to see how he work but grunted distastefully like he was unable to figure something out.

"Through sheer will power, you were able to stay alive and even trudge along a dark empty road until you found help. All the doctors here can't understand it including myself. So we accepted the fact that the piece of glass could have made your brain go awry and make you see a hallucination."

Diem wanted to ask more questions but it seemed like the two in the back were getting quite upset over the conversation. The doctor seemed to notice this as well and said,

"That is all for today. I would like you to come back and get a checkup with me weekly just to see if any other issues pop up. I'm also a good substitute for a counsellor since I'll be free of charge for you."

"Thank you, Mr Throndsen." Mr Nanon said, shaking his hand.

"Don't thank me yet." the doctor said grumpily, " I still need to fix up your wife so until then don't thank me."

Diem knew this was the most comforting thing that the doctor could have said at that moment and for a moment it seemed like his father wasn't carrying the whole world on his shoulders. He wiped away a few shedding of tears and placed a bag full of clothes on the bedside table.

"We'll be waiting for you at the front desk downstairs," he said motioning for them to leave.

The door clunked shut behind the three of them and Diem was finally left alone with a stranger on his shoulder. He opened up the bag fully and could tell his sister had packed the bag because none of the contents had been folded at all.

"She has a sense of style though," Kairo commented as Diem pulled the clothes out.

Diem was about to put on his clothes before he realised something.

"Don't worry. I won't look."

Diem sighed and started to put his clothes on.

"Although there's nothing to look at."

Diem headed down to the reception area and everywhere he went the doctors and nurses strained to get a look at him like he was some sort of celebrity. he couldn't wait to get out of there when his father finally finished signing them out.

He was so relieved that he was out of that stuffy hospital and out in the fresh air. He couldn't believe how close his Dad's apartment was to the hospital and they took the walk home.

He could tell his father was anxious about getting Diem back inside the car and Diem didn't mind after his legs not seeing any time of action during his hospital days.

His sister and father wouldn't stop pestering if he felt sick or anything and after continuous questioning, they seemed to calm down.

Diem let out a gentle laugh after inhaling all this freedom.

"If only every day was like this."