Animalia by Cristian Johnson (free novels to read txt) 📕

“Hello there….uh- doc,” Chris says to him.

“Ah...yes you, the patient's friend may I ask you some personal questions? I promise they won’t be time-wasting as I told Reginald.” Dr. Ling says in a calm tone walking up to Chris.

“Ok...what do you need to know?”

“Has Luke ever been in contact with these newly found mutants recently?”

“Yes,...he was in a scrimmage with them and was almost killed-'' Chris was cut off by Dr. Ling’s question.

“Was he cut in any way shape or form?”

“He has a scar on the back of his neck that was reopened and some small scratches.”

“Ah… I see..” Dr. Ling says under his breath.

“So is my friend going to be alright?” Chris asks, optimistically.

“I really can not say for sure what he has sadly. I will have to watch him more to fully understand it. He does not have rabies or any sign of fungal or parasitic infections. If it was bacteria or any type of virus I would have noticed this immediately from field testing. This is a very difficult time for you, and right now all we can do is just wait for the moment until I get clear evidence of what is going on with him.“ Dr. Ling replies.

Chris tenses as he hears his words coming from his mouth. “Aren’t you smart...you should know about this already...just please help my friend.”

“I am doing….all I can do for now, so please leave my job and be patient.” Dr. Ling looks down. Chris leaves the room as Dr. Ling looks outside at Luke walking with his head lowered. “Repetitive patterns…..excessive salivation…lustfulness for water, and little to no food consumption….the evidence is all right there..” Dr. Ling’s eyes widen for a moment as his breath grows faster talking to himself. “I can not help him…..I can not heal him….What do I do?….what do I say to them?….. That your friend is terminally ill??...I knew his condition was poor but I did not know his condition was extremely poor to the point he is about to die...I will tell his companion Chris, was it…? Yes I will tell him and then it will be easier than telling his guardian Reginald of this tragedy. Dr. Ling paced back and forth as he awaits Chris’s arrival back to the building.

At the time Chris is with Luke as he struggles to tell him to eat some food. He tries hand feeding him some grass but struggles as he grates his teeth constantly. Reginald reassures Luke that this is food and it's good for him. Only moments later Luke’s eyes blank into eternity as he falls to the ground. He convulses as his head shakes violently vomiting out mucus and dark red blood. Chris and Reginald are shocked and frightened by this as they panic over what to do.

“CHRIS CALL OVER DR. LING!!!WHAT’S HAPPENING TO OUR LUKE!!!” Reginald honks loudly.

“I DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO HE IS NOT HERE HE IS OVER THERE SOMEWHERE WITH OTHER PEOPLE!!!” Chris shouts as he continues to stare at his buddy dying.

Dr. ling comes into the scene outside as he tries to make the best of the situation. “Ok, what we need to do is to get Luke inside so we can treat him. Reginald! I need you to grab Luke by his legs and lift him over. Chris I need you to support Luke’s head so blood can circulate correctly to his brain.”

Reginald does what he is told as he grabs Luke fast and gently on his bottom legs and lifts him followed by Chris leaning below to support Luke’s neck and head. They take him in with no struggle at all and lay him on a table for Dr. ling to inspect. The peace lasted for a short time as he began to convulse more now.

“YOU HAVE TO CALM HIM DOWN!!!” Dr. Ling screams as he holds down Luke with all his might.

“HOW DO SUPPOSE WE CAN DO THAT IF HE CAN’T LISTEN TO US!!!” Chris shouts back at him.

Reginald looks upon the chaos as some herbs are nearby as he grasps the herbs with his trunk and force-feeds it into Luke’s mouth. He grunts, snorts, and his breathing soon grows slowly until a steady rhythm of breathing is in place. Everyone in the room is panting in relief as they look at each other and then back at Luke. Emma joins the room as she is also anxious about what happened.

Dr. Ling looks at the ground and back at the gang with their forlong looks and sighs to himself. “There is no easy way of saying this but since everyone who cares for him and that is close to him are all here I might as well tell you what I have found.

“What do you mean by that?” Emma asks.

“Yeah, did you find out what he has now?” Chris asks.

“Is my boy….dying Ling?” Reginald asks.

Dr. Ling looks at them struggling to not tear up inside and sighs. “Reginald I am afraid to tell you this but, your son will not be seeing the end of this week. He has a condition that makes it not easy to be living… I do not know this disease but it is incurable at this state. He had this for a very long time, and from looking at him he seems to be at his last days of the disease.”

Reginald lowers his head and turns around as he tears up. Emma goes and comforts him from his sadness.

“I'm sorry… I did all I could. “Dr Ling says softly.

“You're a doctor….is it not your job to fix my friend???..Aren’t you certified to do surgery and take out a disease from him..” Chris says with rising anger walking to him.

“There was nothing I could have done to help him….His condition is too deep into his brain. The only thing we can do is just make him feel more comfortable with what he is living right now and so he can be happy and be in peace when he rests…”

“Do not...say that word…Do not test me and say he is dying...Or I will make you feel what he is feeling right now…” Chris says as his face closes in on Dr. ling’s face.

“Please do not yell at me...I am just a doctor and he just contracted this disease somehow and I do not know. Not even the smartest doctors, or veterinarians can cure this or catch it on time to kill the disease...Just be happy none of you had contracted it after all….you predators eat about anything you can get your hands on.”

Chris begins to growl and lunges at him with his mouth open only to be stopped by Reginald as he grabs hold of his tail with his trunk. “Chris stop! This is no time to fight now...Just calm down for a moment!” Reginald says as he struggles to hold on to Chris.

“HOW YOU SUPPOSED TO KNOW HOW I FEEL HUH!! MY FRIEND IS TERMINALLY ILL AND YOU ARE JUST GONNA SIT HERE AS A SO-CALLED PROFESSIONAL IS JUST A FRAUD THAT CAN CURE FOR CRAP!” Chris yells out in his mental pain for Luke.

“Calm down Chris...I know it looks bad right now but we can just sit down, eat some cake and drink some tea ok….I brought some tea leaves... You like??” Dr. Ling asks pleading with enraged Chris.

“YOU THINK I CARE FOR SOME DAMN TEA AND CAKE JUST RELAX FOR A BIT. WHAT ARE YOU HIGH ON SOME CRACK INFESTED TEA YOU STAINED CHIMP!!!” Chris yells again at him.

“Please work with what is going on Chris. I know it is hard to think of this happening and with everything happening with Roberts and Cole we just have to stick together as a family understand...We will find a way to take care of Luke and there will be a way to cure him. I know it.” Reginald yells out as he struggles to stop Chris from trying to make harm out of Dr. Ling.

Chris’s jaws snap closer just barely touching Dr. Ling's fur as he runs away only backing himself to a wall. Emma jumps in front of Dr. Ling and tries to persuade Chris.

“Chris we can find her again...We can find Claudia again and she will be able to fix Luke like she fixed you and me. Just please for the sake of Luke our friend and not for me please just calm down so we can handle this situation understand?” Emma desperately tries to calm her friend down with some tears going down her eyes.

Even so Chris still has nothing but anger and sadness inside as he just turns to a side and gets loose from Reginald’s grip. He walks away to take away a small breather as he curses under his breath. Emma hops along with Chris airing out words to Reginald he will watch over him for a while. As they leave Reginald has a stern look on his face as he walks up to Dr. Ling.

“Chris is right, what are we going to do with my grandson Ling?” Reginald asks him.

“Well we have two choices right now we can do. One is the wrong and inhumane way of letting him live until the disease runs its course and he expires from aspiration pneumonia which is quite painful for him in the end days if not die from hunger. The second choice is…” Dr.Ling stops speaking for a moment to catch his breath.

“Yes, what is it?... Come on spit it out.” Reginald snaps at him.

Dr. Ling humbly looks down as he wipes down sweat from his forehead. “There is the other option of putting him out of his misery. Of course we do not have access to traditional painkillers so….the process will have to be a severe yet quick injury to the head or heart. It is sadly not the best way of doing it, but if you want you can end it right here and now to make the pain go away…” Then hands a sharp rock toward Reginald’s trunk.

Reginald peers over Luke still lying on the table along with his fur now stiff with dry blood. He strokes his fur with his trunk gently as he looks deep into his dark blank eyes still breathing heavily with each breath exposing more of his ribs that are peeking their way more.

“It’s your choice...if it makes you uncomfortable we can get someone else to do it.” Dr. Ling says as he looks away.

Reginald grabs the rock with his trunk and aims down at Luke’s skull as he then slowly raises the rock. His trunk vibrates and shakes with emotional pain as he struggles to gain a grip. He raises the rock to a certain height as he then drops it down to the ground. “I- I just- I just can’t do it….” Reginald says as his voice shortens with small moans.

“Even a militaristic life can not break the mind of a gentle giant, and I thought you would have no remorse still in you...Maybe you just retired a little too early.” Dr. Ling says to Reginald.

“It’s called being part of a family, something you won’t understand. I know I am not what I used to be in the war but I can not lose another person I care about. I will also not allow you to kill my precious boy.” Reginald says to Dr. Ling.

“Ok, if I can not do anything apparently I am going to leave your premises then.” He then walks out of the building.

“You do not have to leave fully...It is dangerous out these days and I know a couple of animals inhere who need some medical checks. You may have not been able to help Luke but I know some others really will appreciate your help.” Reginald says to Dr. Ling.

“Thank you Reginald I am