Colin's posts

"It's natural to be scared." Ryker responded.

"And you won't go to jail." he then assured him.

"All this does is force you to get a shrink." he told him further.

"See, this little stunt has convinced them that a court-ordered psychiatric evaluation is needed." he then explained.

"Meaning you can't put it off now, no matter how hard you try." he added with a smirk and a chuckle.

"Ah, SHIT!" Ryker cursed, as he saw Eke fall.

"Crap, crap, CRAP!" he exclaimed as he got under Eke and tried to catch him as best he could... which ended up with both of them in a heap on the ground.

"...least I cushioned his fall." he mumbled.

He then lifted Eke up onto his back, used his arms under his legs for support, and started to hike on out of the forest.

"Eke, you're... a mess." he commented.

"...but I still love you." he then added quietly.

Ryker froze where he was... and looked straight up.

"......." he was silent, before looking around and sighing.

"Eke, come down!" he told him.

"There's wolves here!" he said.

"And it's starting to get dark!" he then added.

"EKE!" Ryker called back, his voice getting closer now.

After a bit, Eke looked down, and saw Ryker walking on the forest floor.

"Eke!?" he called out, as there was another howl.

"Oh, not again." he growled.

"MORE wolves!?" he asked.

"Damn it all, EKE!" he then called out again.

The medic looked at her for a moment, and sighed.

"And you almost lost her." he said.

"It was nothing short of a miracle that you managed to find that formula that saved her." he told her, showing his ignorance to the real truth.

"Why is this not such a big deal?" he asked her.

"Is it simply the difference between a child's immune system, and an adult's?"

Sharp narrowed his eyes when she said that.

"We'll see." he said.

"I'm getting Zeke to take you home." he told her.

"And YOU." he then said to the medic. "If she tries to leave, or do anything akin to anything close to work in the meantime... pick her up when she inevitably collapses." he told him.

He then left, clearly still unimpressed.

"Sometimes that man cares a little TOO much, methinks." the medic commented quietly.

The howling continued to grow louder, but still, that was all he heard.

Until he heard something else, in the distance.

"...ke!" he faintly heard.

"....eeke!" it grew louder.

"EKE!" it was Ryker's voice.

"Eeeeke!" he called out further, almost drowned out by multiple howls now.

The medic looked at Angela, and sighed.

"Her attitude is still the same..." he mumbled.

Sharp was silent, and then sighed as well.

"Uh-huh." he said.

He then paused for a moment, and then shook his head.

"Seriously, Angela?" he asked.

"Is a DAY going to fix it?" he asked her.

"Why are you so insistent on trying to work through this?" he asked her further.

Ryker didn't answer.

He wasn't there.

And the howling continued... but it was starting to get a little louder.

And now Eke was hearing rustling sounds all around him.

They seemed to be coming from everywhere.

As he sat there, sobbing, he heard something.

Something in the distance, but it was still fairly close.

A howl. A wolf's howl.

Eke was in the woods now, and this was a hunting ground for the lupines.

And who knew when they would come after him...

"HALT!" the officer yelled... but it was too late.

Eke was soaring into the sky.

The officer was getting smaller and smaller as he rose into the air.

And so was Ryker.

Ryker, who was just standing there, watching Eke flee.

There was nothing he could do for him... it seemed Eke didn't want to listen to anyone now...

"........." Sharp was silent as Angela said what she did.

"That might be the best thing for her." her the medic said.

"Seems so..." Sharp responded sceptically.

"...but?" the medic asked, sensing his scepticism.

"...but I have a feeling Angela knows more about this than she's letting on." Sharp said. "And no, I have no proof of this. It's just a combination of a gut feeling, and knowing her." he added.

As Eke ran, he passed Ryker and an officer.

"Eke! Wait!" Ryker called out.

"STOP!" the officer ordered as he started to give chase.

"Stop where you are!" he demanded as he followed, signaling to other officers.

"Do not make this worse for yourself!"

"Eke!" Ryker called in.

"......." there was then silence, before he heard some more talking.

"Please. You have to understand that he didn't mean it. Literally." he said to... someone.

"He's been under a lot of stress, he hasn't been eating properly, and we're both pretty sure he has some undiagnosed mental issues... that's what he was leaving to do. Find a doctor that can help with that." he said further.

"Hmmm." another, deeper male voice responded.

"I understand, but a statement WILL be needed very soon." he said.