Chapitre 14: Escape From The Paranormal
Nothing had happened to the hellhound. Ru ran again and again.
"It is playing with me," he said in a tearful voice.
He was right, it could have caught Ru ten times if it wanted to.
"Why," he shouted. He must have known the answer himself. "Why me? God damn it!"
A familiar voice ripped through the stillness, "Rui, quickly, bend down!"
A thunderous BAM! echoed through the forest, sending a flock of startled birds squawking into the night sky. Ru whipped his head around, searching for the source of the shout. There, amidst the flickering shadows, he spotted Vaelan – or someone with glowing red eyes that pierced the darkness.
"Vaelan?!" The word escaped Ru's lips in a panicked gasp. Fear, cold and sharp, clawed at his throat. He lunged forward, his heart hammering a frantic rhythm against his ribs. But his legs, heavy with terror, betrayed him. He tripped over a gnarled root, sprawling face-first onto the damp earth.
A second BAM! sliced through the air, even louder than the first. Ignoring the sting of scraped knees, Ru scrambled to his feet, his voice thick with desperate urgency. "Vaelan!"
Vaelan was a newbie shooter, but one of the bullets hit the creature. That made it even angrier.
The hellhound jumped over Ru. Its target was Vaelan.
"No! Vaelan," Ru shouted as he stumbled to his feet and began to run once more.
It was so close. As the jaw was about to close on Vaelan's throat, the area was illuminated with strong lights.
Suddenly, it felt to Ru as if this whole situation were part of a movie, soon to come to an end. He expected a production assistant to materialize on set, clap his clapperboard, and at that very moment, the director would call out, 'Cut!'
And then it would be over. It had to end...
Ru's wish came true. As the lights of the camp lanterns appeared one or two at a time in the woods, the demon quickly turned to smoke and disappeared.
In the scene illuminated by people's flashlights, Vaelan was seen falling to the ground, and Ru jumped onto him.
The next few seconds were all about the solidly realistic trouble that was about to befall Ru.
One man grabbed Ru by the scruff of the neck and pulled him away, holding him like a kitten.
Another man checked Vaelan's pulse and said, "The boy's alive."
"Thank God," another man replied.
"Call his parents. Have them come get him."
"Demon dog! Hellhound! It was here! It tried to kill my friend! It tried to kill him," Ru cried.
Ru, a small and delicate boy, was trapped in the man's grip, causing him discomfort and pain.
"Oh! I beg you, be more gentle," Ru cried.
"Okay, I'll give the injection," a woman said.
"For what," Ru had just asked when suddenly he felt the needle of the syringe pierce his flesh.
"Why," he passed out as he asked the question.
When Ru opened his eyes, he found himself in a hospital room. He was handcuffed to the bed.
"What? Why? I didn't do it! I didn't attack Vaelan! Listen to me, please! I'm not guilty! It's not my fault!"
Ru could scream as much as he wanted, and cry as much as he wanted, but no one would listen to him. Only someone would enter the room where he was locked up, give him an injection, and leave.
This went on for three days. On the fourth day, while Ru was sitting on the sill of the iron-barred window looking out with unconscious eyes, there was a knock at the door.
"Hello, is anyone here? May I come in," asked a voice as soft as cotton, as sweet as sugar.
Ru smiled and swallowed a tear that had slipped out of his eye and was sliding down the side of his cheek.
When the door opened, he was still watching the doves in the hospital's healing garden, acting as if he didn't care about the visitor. In the same second, Ru succumbed to his curiosity, peering at the visitor's reflection on the glass.
Ru averted his gaze and frowned as soon as he saw the white coat.
"Hello," waved the doctor who realized he was being watched through the window. "I'm Claude Leblanc." As he introduced himself, his voice carried a subtle French accent, adding a touch of elegance to his words.
"Hi, get me out here," Ru said fast.
"That's exactly why I'm coming to see you, I want to discharge you more than anyone else, Lirui," said Dr. Claude Leblanc.
"Am I sick that you want to discharge me?" Ru asked, glaring at the doctor's reflection.
The doctor looked young enough to make Ru think, "He must have just turned sixteen." He was also slim. And he was cute, with neatly combed short white hair, big-rimmed glasses, and eyes as colorful as a rainbow.
Ru couldn't stop looking into the doctor's eyes. He felt like he was looking at a magical being, but what kind of being?
The doctor stepped further into the room, his white coat rustling softly. His eyes, a vibrant mix of green and blue, held a curious warmth that seemed at odds with the sterile environment. Even though he was dressed for work, he was just a teenager, and he had a certain boyish charm that made him look more like a high school student than a seasoned doctor—and it was adorable for Ru!
His delicate hands, adorned with a simple silver ring, moved with a graceful precision as he adjusted his glasses. His one diamond earring was a sign he was doing well financially. A tiny, adorable smile tugged at the corners of his lips, revealing a sweet little dimple on his left cheek. There was something undeniably captivating about him, an aura of mystery that drew Ru in.
As he spoke, his voice carried a gentle cadence, like a soothing melody. It was clear that he possessed a natural ability to connect with people, a quality that was rare in the often detached world of medicine.
"You're not sick, you're not insane. You may be a bit confused," said Dr. Claude Leblanc as he sat on the edge of the bed.
Ru gave him a dirty look and said, "Then don't make me get injected!"
Shaking his head no and flapping his hands like a bird's wings, Dr. Leblanc exclaimed, "This is the professor's treatment, not mine!"
Ru found the doctor's panic amusing: "I like clowns," he said, "especially the ones who don't give injections."
Dr. Claude Leblanc chuckled and replied, "I'm glad you find me amusing. Now, if you like, let's talk about what happened in the woods. Do you remember?"
Ru turned to face the doctor, crossed his arms, and leaned back against the window frame, "Yes, I remember. I had a run-in with a hellhound. I thought I'd be dead, but then Vaelan shot it. The thing disappeared and here I am, trapped for some reason."
"Mm-hmm," Dr. Claude Leblanc nodded. Perhaps Claude had believed Ru, perhaps Claude had tried to deceive him by pretending to agree with him.
Ru had a strong card and was ready to play it: "Look, Doctor, Vaelan was there and not only saw the demon dog, he shot it. Why do you keep me here and poison me instead of asking him?"
Dr. Claude looked up and said somberly, "You can be sure that I asked Vaelan about what happened the other night. And I am sorry, Lirui. Vaelan told me that he didn't remember any of it."
"That's how it always happens," Ru said tearfully, standing up from where he was sitting with his head bowed.
Dr. Claude Leblanc watched him walk around the room for a few seconds and then calmly said, "Don't get upset for nothing, Lirui. The good news is that Vaelan and his family said that the instructors at the camp overreacted to the incident. They are not complaining about you."
Ru turned his back to the doctor and then stopped walking. He clenched his fists and probably his teeth. "Is that it? There are no complaints from Vaelan and his perfect father," he grumbled.
Dr. Claude Leblanc stood up and walked slowly, taking note of Ru's body language. The poor child was probably crying. Claude remained calm and let the birds break the overwhelming silence in the room by opening the other sash of the window.
Yes, the boy was shedding tears, but not from sorrow. His clenched fists and furrowed brow revealed the intensity of his anger, the tears serving as a release valve for his pent-up emotions.
"You're done; you can go, Doctor," Ru said.
At that moment Claude said, "How about a walk in the garden? We can drink lemonade and pet the cats."
"I am not a child anymore. If you want to buy me a beer, fine," Ru said in a half-relaxed mood.
"Alcohol is not available for purchase in the hospital cafeteria, but we will find a solution," Claude said, his voice brimming with joy.
Ru quickly adjusted his appearance. Then he turned to the doctor and said, "Let's go."
Cadeaux
-- Cadeau
reçu État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone