Holiday @ The Genetic Park 5

I woke up in the medical bay. That's how I knew I wasn't dead.


The nurse, that… doe, I tried to remember her name… Millie, right. Nurse Millie came in and told me I had suffered a couple of fractured ribs, some cuts, and a probable concussion. I didn't respond, I just lay there, staring at the ceiling. I didn't even have enough energy to tell the nurse that my name wasn't Kelly.


I thought about what had happened last night, replaying the events over and over in my head. How could this have happened? And this was only the third day! I had less than two weeks to go… before the nurse could leave, I managed to stop her.

"How was I found?" I asked. "How did Dave know to come back?"

"The tiger? He said he heard shouting and came over to see what was going on," She answered. "Looks like he got there just in time." The nurse left, and I
continued thinking.


What if the others though I had provoked Frank?

What if they sided with him, and not me?

What if they tried the same thing?

What if they blamed me?

What if…


What if Frank was right?


I stared at the ceiling, and emptied my mind. I'd just have to avoid everyone, that's all. The nurse returned.

"Kelly, a few of your friends are here," She said, and I cursed. Was this place out to get me? I really didn't want to see them right now…

Imagine my surprise when Mitch and Joe walked in, concerned looks on their faces.

"Keegan, we came as soon as we heard," Mitch said, her ears drawn back in worry. "Are you hurt?"

"Who did this?" Joe asked.

"Was it that Dave guy?" Mitch continued. "I bet it was, he was eyeing you up
all day yesterday!"

"Where did this happen?"

"Are you going to press charges?"

Eventually, Rosie came in, soon followed by Marcus. I felt immense surprise and appreciation; these were the last people I had expected to be concerned about me. I raised a hand, stopping their questions.

"I'm only going to say this once," I said. "I'm not repeating myself." And so, slowly and solemnly, I told them what happened during and after the party, leaving out the feelings of helplessness and despair, as well as the depression I was feeling right now. When I was finished, they looked at me with shock on their face.

"Did… did he do anything?" Rosie asked. I shook my head.

"Frank banged me up pretty good, but he didn't rape me," I said. "There wasn't enough time for that."

"Did you kill him?" Mitch asked her hands clenched in fists.

"I don't know, and I don't care, though I blinded him with some coffee grounds," I added. "That didn't stop him, though."

"So, what are you going to do?" Marcus asked. I shrugged.

"Well, I stay here until they let me go, and after that… I don't know," I admitted. "I don't think I can go back to my group… not after… this" I nearly said,
"What I did", but I kept that to myself. I began to feel that pit of despair opening up once more, and I struggled to keep it together. The others must've seen this, because they came closer. Joe took my hand.

"We'll be here for you," She said. "All of us."

"Really?" I asked, my eyes watery. Damn my hormones! They nodded.

"Really," Marcus said.

I smiled. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.


The nurse came back in.

"All right, make some room, please! I've got a patient to talk to!" She exclaimed. The others left.

"We'll be right outside," Rosie said.

"Go!" Nurse Millie exclaimed. Once everyone had left, she turned to me.

"Now, Miss Kelly, we've just looked at the results of your tests, and you're
free to go," She said.

"What?" I exclaimed. "You said I had a concussion!"

"You had a concussion." The nurse corrected me. "We got rid of that."

"But… how?"

"Healing serums," The nurse said, beginning to help me out of my bed. "They work wonders, don't they?"


I gathered what little was brought with me and walked slowly into the waiting room, where the others were waiting for me.

"Well?" I heard Mitch say. "What'd they say?"

"They said I'm free to go," I told them. "A clean bill of health."

"That's great news!" Joe exclaimed. I nodded, feeling teary eyed again.

As we walked out, I knew who I could turn to, and I knew who my real friends were. And that… that was enough.


Five minutes after Keegan and the others had left, a female mouse anthro rushed in and stopped at the receptionist.

"Excuse me, but is there a tiger here by the name of Keegan?" She asked. "I'm a friend of his." The receptionist went through the computer.

"No, sorry, the only tiger we have listed from this morning is an anthro named Kelly," She said.

"Fine, is she in right now?" The mouse asked, impatient.

"I'm afraid not, she was discharged… ten minutes ago." The receptionist told her. "You just missed her."

"Damn it!" The mouse exclaimed. "Keegan's making a horrible mistake!" She turned, running out of the medical bay.

She had to find Keegan, before it was too late.