The Immortal

Three days. It’s been three days since I had told Rachel everything. And we haven’t spoken a word to one another since. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve tried to talk to her. But every time I attempted to she’d make up some excuse about being needed somewhere else and run off. This morning she didn’t even come into the room at all. It wasn’t Friday so I knew that she had to be in this hospital somewhere. She was avoiding me, and I knew it. But I had to talk to her. I had to make her see that I was telling the truth.

The bones in my legs were healing so fast that it surprised even me. Over the course of three days they had healed the same as normal human bones would heal in three months. At least, that’s what I estimated; no one had looked at my legs since they had been bandaged up. I’m pretty sure I can walk on them again though; but I haven’t quite had the chance to test this theory just yet. I’m pretty sure I’d give some poor nurse a heart attack if she saw me up walking about when both of my legs were supposed to be broken. I don’t Frank would be scared; he might be a little pissed that my legs had somehow miraculously healed faster than his though.

If I remembered right, the normal human femur takes about six months to heal properly once broken. It being the biggest bone. So I estimated that mine would be good as new within another three days. I could tell the lower bones on my left leg were already better; I could move that leg whenever Frank or the other nurses weren’t looking. If I could just get Rachel alone though. Then I could show her. If me being able to walk again in only three days time isn’t enough to convince her I’m telling the truth then I don’t know what is.

I looked over to my right from my position on my hospital bed. Frank had fallen asleep while watching cartoons on television and his head was tilted back while he snored loudly. The remote was still grasped in the hand he had resting atop his chest and went up and down as he breathed in and out. To my left, my wheelchair was against the wall.

I kicked my blankets off to the foot of my bed and swung my legs off the side of the bed. The top of my right leg twinged a bit but I expected it to so I shrugged it off. I looked cautiously over at Frank to make sure he was still asleep before I stood up. I was right; the bottom legs of my left leg had healed all the way and they didn’t hurt at all as I walked over to the wheelchair.

It felt so good to be able to walk again. I know it had only been three days, but when those three days had been spent bedridden any sort of movement is great. I sighed heavily when I remembered I had to sit back down again before going out into the hallway; After sitting down in the chair and wheeling myself to the door, I sucked in a deep breath before rolling out in search of Rachel. I had only just gotten to the nurses’ station when Donna’s voice stopped me.

“And just where do you think you are going Gerard?”

I stopped the wheels of my chair abruptly and turned to see her looking down at me from her seat at the large desk. Damn. Only been out in the hall a minute and you’ve been caught. Nice going Gee. I smiled innocently up at her before answering.

“Hello Donna, I was just looking for Rach- I mean Doctor O’ Connell.” I said, catching myself. “You wouldn’t happen to know where I can find her, would you?”

She smiled knowingly and tapped her chin as she paused to think. “Doctor O’Connell? Hmm…you know the last time I gave you information regarding Miss Rachel you fell down a staircase.”

I reached over and knocked lightly on the side of the large wooden desk. She laughed loudly at my anti-jinxing action and tucked her pencil behind her ear before continuing. “She’s up on the fourth floor.”

“Thanks Donna.” I said brightly before I started wheeling myself in the direction of the elevator.

“Use the elevator this time!” She called after me.

“I will!” I laughed as I coasted to a stop in front of the large elevator doors. They opened within a minute of me pressing the up arrow button and a few nurses got off before I wheeled myself backwards on so I was facing the doors.

I leaned forward and pressed the button for the fourth floor as the elevator ascended. I was trying to work out just what exactly I was going to say to Rachel when the lift stopped and the doors opened. Of course. Of course as soon as the doors opened, Rachel was standing right there in front of me. Brilliant.

She looked equally, if not more surprised to see me there as I was. But her surprised expression was short-lived and was soon replaced by a hard look before she turned on her heels to walk in the opposite direction. I groaned loudly in frustration before I started to wheel myself after her.

“Rachel come on.” I said as I trailed after her. “I really need to talk to you.”

She ignored me and continued walking ahead of me down the hall. A nurse in the hall eyed the both of us curiously before walking into another hospital room. Even when I caught up with Rachel, she still ignored me. I sighed and looked up at her.

“I’m not going away until we talk.” I said stubbornly. “So you can stop pretending I’m not here.”

Again she ignored me but she turned sharply to go through a door marked ‘Supply Closet.’ In a flash, she had walked through briskly and slammed the door in my face. I didn’t hear a lock click though. I’m guessing it must not have had one or she would have locked the door. I sighed heavily and reached out a hand to open the closet door. With one hand I wheeled myself through the door and slammed the door shut again. I quickly wheeled the chair back up against the door to block the only way out.

The supply closet we were in was tiny, with various, of course, supplied lining the shelves pushed against the side walls. Rachel was standing against the opposite wall as me with her arms folded across her chest and an impatient look on her face.

“What?” She demanded harshly.

“We need to talk.” I said.

“Actually I think we’ve talked enough.” She said coldly. Great, she’s already angry. This is going to be harder than I’d hoped.

“I told you something three days ago and you haven’t said one word to me since.” I said.

“Gee Gerard,” She drawled sarcastically. “I wonder why that could be.”

“You don’t believe me.” I said. It wasn’t a question, more of a statement really.

“You told me that you can’t die.” She said throwing her hands up in frustration. “How the hell is anyone supposed to believe that?”

“It’s the truth.” I replied simply. “I can prove it if you want.”

“Mhmm, sure.” She said skeptically.

“Have it your way.” I shrugged before pushing myself up out of the wheelchair.

Her eyes widened in panic she reached out a hand instinctively as she stepped forward. “Wha- what are you d-doing?!”

“Getting out of this stupid chair.” I said before standing up straight in front of her. She was obviously waiting for me to fall over or something because her eyes never left my legs.

“They’re not broken anymore.” I said pointing the lower bones on my left leg.

“Y-yes they a-are.” She stammered with her eyes still transfixed on my legs. “It’s only been three d-days. It’s…not…tha-that’s not possible. They’re b-broken…they have to b-be.”

“Really?” I mused. I lifted up my right leg and started hopping up and down on my left. It probably would have looked highly amusing to an onlooker of the situation but Rachel looked as if she might have a heart attack.

“Think I could have done that with a broken leg?” I asked, smirking with satisfaction after I had stopped. She stumbled backwards and clutched the wall behind her to steady herself.

“Whoa, easy.” I said, walking forward to help her. “Are you alri-”

“Stay back!” She said shakily.

“Rachel I’m not going to hurt you,” I said. “I just want to-”

“Get back!” She exclaimed and reached beside one of the shelves for something to help her fend me off. The idea seemed slightly comical and I couldn’t help but laugh at the weapon of choice. She was now clutching the mop in her hands and brandishing it out in front of her like a baseball bat.

“Hey I was hit by a semi truck, remember?” I laughed. “I really don’t think that mop’s gonna do anything.”

“H-how?” She asked shakily, still clutching the mop.

“I already told you.” I said, rolling my eyes at the obviousness of her question. “I’m immor-”

“Bullshit!” She exclaimed, tossing the mop carelessly to the floor beside her. “You’re lying! This is not possible! You’re legs…they’re not supposed to be…dammit Gerard tell me the truth!”

“But I’ve already told you the truth.” I sighed. “I’ve been telling you the truth. My bones heal a lot faster than normal humans’ do because I’m-”

“Stop it!” She shouted, running her hands through her hair in frustration. “Stop saying that! I can’t- Gerard I don’t know what kind of sick joke this is but its not-”

“Rachel this is not a joke.” I said seriously. “This is my life.”

“But what does that even mean?” She asked, dropping her hands to her sides to look at me. “What are you?”

“I’m immortal.” I replied.

She sighed heavily and slid down the wall to the floor, putting her hands back in her hair as she went. I looked down at her awkwardly for a moment before sitting down on the floor as well.

“Gerard I’m a doctor.” She said, looking up at me with tired eyed. “I believe in science, I believe in things that can be proven. I believe in facts.”

“Some things can’t be explained my science or proven with facts.” I replied quietly. “I mean look at me. How could I possibly be able to heal as fast as I do if I was merely human?”

She looked down at my legs and then back into my eyes. “Gerard…I see you. I just…I just don’t know how to believe you.”

“Seeing isn’t believing.” I said as a small smile spread across my face. “Believing is seeing.”

“Did you just make that up?” She asked, lifting her head to look at me suspiciously.

“No.” I laughed. “I saw it in a movie once.”

“It’s stupid.” She said, drawing her legs up to her chest to wrap her arms around them. “-but it makes sense.”

“Does that mean you believe me?” I asked, raising my eyebrows in surprise at her.

She was silent for a moment as she rested her chin on her knees but finally she looked up again. “I don’t want to…” She said slowly, choosing her words carefully. “-but I think I do.”

My face broke out into an ear-to-ear smile and I could have leaned in and kissed her right then and there. I didn’t of course; I didn’t want to scare her more than she already was. A small smile started at the corners of her mouth at the sight of mine and she laughed lightly as she reached up to pull her hair out of her face into a ponytail.

“Okay…” She said slowly as she wrapped the elastic band around her hair. “So if you’re telling me the truth-”

“I am.” I interrupted.

“Well…there’s something I’ve been wanting to ask you.” She said. “Three days ago when you told me about…what you are. You said something…”

“What is it?” I asked.

“Are you really a hundred and thirty one years old?”

I laughed loudly at her question and rumpled the back of my hair with my hand. “Yep.” I said. “Born April ninth, nineteen oh two. Well…I guess I wasn’t really born, I just kind of woke up that day.”

“Whoa.” She said, looking me over. “Damn for a hundred thirty one you look pretty-” But she stopped herself before finishing what she was saying.

“I look pretty what?” I asked, a sly smirk spreading across my face. Her cheeks flushed bright red in embarrassment and she bit her lip.

“Um…well I…I was just- I mean you…” She stammered, tripping over her words. “-you don’t look your age.”

“Well I would hope not.” I laughed.

“Wait a minute, you said you just woke up? What do you mean?” She asked. “Are you saying you don’t know where you came from?”

“Nope.” I replied. “Haven’t a clue.”

“Does anyone else know?” She asked hesitantly. “About…what you are that is.”

“No, and I’m planning to keep it that way if it’s alright with you.” I said. “I’ve already got you thinking I’m completely nuts. I don’t need the whole world thinking it too.”

“I don’t think you’re crazy.” She replied quietly. “I mean I might be a little off for going along with all of this, but you seem to be telling the truth.”

“That’s probably ‘cause I am.” I laughed, leaning back on my arms.

There was an awkward silence between us for a few moments before she finally broke it.

“Can I see that leg?” She asked, indicating my left leg. I nodded and rolled up the leg of the pants I was wearing.

“Where are the bandages?” She asked, looking at the bare skin of my lower leg.

“Took ‘em off yesterday.” I replied.

She reached out a hand cautiously before pausing to look at me. “Is it alright if I…?”

“Hey, you’re the doc, Doc.” I laughed. “Doctor away.”

She gingerly touched my leg with one hand, poking in the spots she knew had been previously broken. The tips of her fingers tickled my leg and I involuntarily jerked my leg back. She gasped and withdrew her hand, fearing she had done something wrong.

“That tickles.” I laughed.

She gave me a crooked smile before reaching out a hand again to touch my leg. But before she did, I grabbed her hand. She looked up at me in surprise and before I could stop myself, I leaned in and kissed her. My eyes widened in surprise and I pulled away quickly.

“Oh! God Rachel I’m so sorry!” I exclaimed, completely appalled at what I had just done. “I’m really sorry I-”

But before I could finish apologizing she laughed and pulled me by the shirt collar closer to kiss me back. It wasn’t quite the reaction I had expected but I welcomed it nonetheless. Her hands moved from my shirt collar to my face and her fingers twisted themselves in my hair.

The moment would have been absolutely perfect, if such things as perfect moments actually existed. But as always, God has a sense of humor. Well, that or he just hates me. I haven’t actually decided which it is just yet. Because in that moment, Rachel’s beeper went off.

She pulled away groaning loudly and reached into the pocket of her white coat. “Seriously?!” She exclaimed looking angrily at the device in her palm.

“Duty calls?” I laughed.

She rolled her eyes and smiled at me before stuffing the beeper back in her pocket. “Unfortunately yes.” She replied irritably as we both got to our feet. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright.” I laughed as I walked over to pull the wheelchair away from the closet door. “Go save lives.”

She laughed and pulled open the door of the closet. “I could get fired for this.” She said, pausing in the doorway.

“Doing what?” I asked, tilting my head to the side in confusion.

“This.” She replied before pulling me down for a kiss again. I smiled against her lips and kissed her back eagerly.

“You rebel you.” I laughed as she, unfortunately, pulled away again.

“That’s me.” She grinned. She kissed me once more quickly before walking briskly out of the supply closet. I smiled crookedly at her as I watched her walk down the hallway and shut the door of the closet as soon as she turned the corner out of sight.

What the hell was I doing?