Chapter Text
X-Ray Room - Day
Tommy lied on the bed, the X-ray unit poised over his pelvis. There's a whine and a flash as it takes a shot.
"Turns out, I'd had, like, nine operations or something insane"
The radiologist entered and moved the unit over for another shot.
"I hurt all over. I felt weak..."
"Good job Mr. Simons you can get changed now"
"And coming off the morphine was a pisser... but all things considered I was getting back to my old self"
Hospital Room - Day
An X-Ray photograph with a big metal plate in it. Now another - an arm with elaborate pins. Now a metal-studded leg. Tom studies these as his Dad packs away Tommy's hospital things into a bag.
"How cool is this? I look like wolverine"
"Do they still have that metal detector at your school?"
"I know! It's gonna have a meltdown!"
Suddenly Toms Dad looks series and turns Tom towards him "Tom, I need to ask you something"
"Go on..."
Silence fills the air for a couple of beats.
"The police report... They found you naked. You said you didn't remember why. The muggers... they didn't...?"
There wasn't any silence but the air still felt muggy and disgusting to breath in Tom supposed he could see where the worry stemmed from, I mean he'd probably ask the same questions too. But it didn't feel any less disturbing.
"What? No! Jesus! I wasn't even... In the ambulance, they had to throw my clothes away! Cos of the blood."
"Right... Because the medic said you were naked."
"Great."
Maybe the shorter the response the quicker this conversation would end. He could only hope.
"But... Nobody...?"
"Of course not!! Oh my god."
Suddenly his father threw his arms around the blonde sobbing with relief. Maybe if Tommy hadn't been sidetracked with gross images in his head he'd have the energy to focus and reassure his shook up father. He patted him awkwardly on the back though, that took plenty of mental energy than he probably had left.
I should have quite, of course. But you can't just re-programme yourself: what you want, who you are... your purpose in life. Drop a laptop and it'll break. But when it's fixed it's not gonna be a fucking George Foreman grill
It is what it is.
Tom stands beside a DDR DANCING STAGE unit. A huge queue of kids waiting their turn while two HULKING teenagers end theirs. Their feet just a blur, you get the feeling they play a lot. One leans forward to put in another handful of coins
My hardware was fixed now.
Tommy leaned in and stays the boy's arm, stopping him from inserting the coins. The teens stare at the costumed freak in shock. As Tommy indicates the line of little kids and gives the universal thumb-jerking gesture for get-the-fuck-outta-here. Amazingly, the two guys comply, walking away, confused. The crowd of kids CHEER, and the first two in line climb on.
Rooftop - Day
Tommy's sprint towards the edge of the roof was chilling, rocks crumbling and dust sprouting from where his feet had just kicked off.
I was back and running kickass version 2.0
His steps reach bigger strides as the edge starts to come closer...