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Post by Skittles on Mar 5, 2009 22:03:40 GMT -5
Yeah! I got chapter 9 finished even though it took for ever A Tale of Courage Chapter 9: Ali’s Decree
He opened his eyes, mind still foggy. For a moment he couldn’t remember where he was, until he turned his head and saw Dr. Trent sitting in a chair by the bed.
“Well Cliff, we did all we could to fix your spine. It’s up to you now. You won' be able to bend until the brace comes off,”
“Ugh…fluk…is...blurg” Cliff mumbled, he felt strange, like his mouth was rubber. Trent didn’t know if the somewhat conscious young man even understood him. Eli walked in with a tray of food.
“Good morning Cliff, I see you’re finally awake,” Her cheery voice could brighten anyone’s day.
“Ughh…shu…up” Cliff groaned, eyes closing.
“Or maybe not,” Eli giggled. The way Cliff sounded was kind of funny.
“Don…laugh…at…me or I’ll…ugh. I…smell…food!” The young man eyes opened, as if the food woke him up. “I’m stlarving,”
“Ok. I hope you like oatmeal and orange juice,”
“I don’t really like oatmeal,” Cliff moaned, rolling his eyes. His mouth, more awake now.
“Too bad, you’re eating it,” Eli snickered. Cliff just dropped his head and groaned.
******** “Cliff, what’s this I hear that you won’t eat your breakfast. You won’t get any better if you don’t eat,” Ali said crossing her arms over her chest. Cliff just stuck his tongue out at Ali. “I wouldn’t be that way to me. After all I’m paying for you to get better and I expect you to work for me for payment,”
“I know, I know. Prisoner,” Cliff growled.
“You’re certainly acting different and childish,” Dr. Trent said as he entered the room. “You always seemed so shy before, now you’re acting a little cranky,”
“Yeah, I thought you’d be shyer or kinder. Now I see you’re just crabby,” Ali chimed.
“You’d be irritated too if you were in this much pain,” Cliff snapped.
“What hurts,” the doctor asked glancing over from where he was checking some x-rays.
“It’s a melody of pain,” Cliff said then leaned against the pillow. Ali studied his face closely. He was pale, eyes distant and pain filled. Disheveled brown hair spread out on the pillow behind his head. His hair was greasy in dire need of a wash. Cliff’s body was tensed up and unmoving. From this angle Ali couldn’t see the frame keeping his back straight. ‘He must be in pain. To act this way, not shy at all…’
“Good morning Cliff,” Ali smiled as she entered the room. She came every day to bring some herbs and sometimes crops if they were grown, to the clinic for a small fee. It had been two weeks since Cliff’s surgery, and he was still feeling it. He was lying on the bed without the blanket on, looking very grim. A damp cloth was on his forehead and he was groaning. The window curtains were drawn closed with the fan on by his face. Ali was in shorts and a T-shirt and was still boiling in the summer heat.
“Ugh…” was all Cliff said.
“Or not. Are you ok? You’re here in a room with a fan, I have to do farm work outside. Do you know how hot it is out there? So don’t be complaining,” Ali snapped. The heat seemed to be making everybody cranky today.
Cliff opened his eyes glaring at her. Ali had an idea; she walked over to the light switch and flicked it on. He groaned, closing his eyes.
“Turn the light off. I have a really bad headache,” Cliff said quietly, he seemed to have regained his shyness, giving her a dirty look.
“Cliff um… you look like you want to kill me. If your headache is sooo bad, why don’t you take a pain killer?” Ali asked, sarcastically.
“Can’t, Trent says I’ve had my limit for today” Cliff growled. Ali saw the sadness in his eyes as he glanced in a different direction. He was so depressed, she felt sorry for him stuck in bed all day. The curtains were never opened. Quickly she walked over to the window and opened the curtains.
“Close them please,” Cliff asked sorely.
“Too bad, from this day forward no more depression. No complaining either. You’re a man so act like one or do you like being pushed around. You’ll never make it anywhere with that attitude. So… cheer up or else” Ali decreed with a smile on her face and an evil look in her eyes.
“Question,” Cliff asked looking up, his eyes pitiful.
“What, soon-to-be slave boy?”
“Am I allowed to use sarcasm?” he asked with a puppy look to his face.
“No. You now have your very own peppy parade to cheer you on and your own slave master to beat you to a pulp if I have to, to get the message through to your thick skull” Ali laughed.
“I should hope not. I think once he’s out of here, Cliff won’t want to be in another hospital ever again” Dr. Trent said as he walked in.
“Do you always walk in on people’s conversations?” asked Cliff. Trent just smirked and continued on his checkup. Ali left to go home, hoping she helped in some way.
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Post by Pickle on Mar 6, 2009 21:28:23 GMT -5
Awesome chapter!
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caspis
Medium Milk
[M:1]
Posts: 84
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Post by caspis on Mar 7, 2009 16:13:14 GMT -5
Good work! You've improved a lot with identifying the characters, especially.
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Post by Skittles on Mar 8, 2009 13:33:53 GMT -5
thanks, I don't know when chapter 10 will be done though.
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Post by Skittles on Apr 26, 2009 20:54:06 GMT -5
I'm working hard to finish chapter 10. I've been away fro a week and not been online forever. But i have to catch up on a weeks worth of school though so it could be awhile :_(
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Post by Skittles on May 8, 2009 16:16:05 GMT -5
I'M FREEE!!!!!! I fianly finished all my homework and chapter 10 is almost finished!!!!
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