Walking towards the direction of where they are sleeping in, the head doctor calmly moved through the morning hall with a satisfied look on his face after having finished up most of the important tasks in hand from last night.
The man's mind is focused on waking those two knuckleheads up for a brand new day they were about to start. "Time to put these two back to work," his lips curled into a smirk as he headed towards the bedroom, expecting to find them still asleep while everyone in the hospital is preparing for the day.
Passing a couple of his peers and patients alike, some greeted the doctor warmly at his sight, others just gave him a nod or a wave. In return, he smiled and gave his regards to each of them, his heart filled with compassion and care for the people under his supervision.
"Good morning," he said to someone who recently passed him. "Sleep well?" the doctor asked, causing the other person to avert his own eyes as the child, who looked no older than ten, avoided the meeting of the doctor's gaze.
The ten-year-old boy, with his messy brown hair and freckled cheeks, wearing a faded red t-shirt and worn jeans, stood shyly in the hallway, clutching his wrist tightly. His big, innocent green eyes darted nervously between the doctor and the floor, betraying the anxiety and uncertainty he felt.
A faint scar marred his left eyebrow, a souvenir from a past injury. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, the soft squeak of his sneakers against the tile echoing in the quiet morning air. Despite his youth, there was a maturity and resilience in his demeanor, a quiet strength that spoke volumes about the hardships he'd faced and overcome.
As the doctor's gaze lingered on him, the boy's chest rose and fell with a deep breath, his fingers tightening around his injured wrist, a physical sign that something isn't right.
"What's the matter?" Speaking in a soft tone, he lowered his voice to avoid startling the child. "Did you have a bad dream or something?" Seeing an innocent child in distress breaks his heart as his expression softens before kneeling down to meet the young boy's eyes.
"I'm fine," the boy replied, his small voice barely above a whisper, "just...can we not talk about this, please?" His eyes darted away, avoiding the doctor's concerned gaze, a visible tremble running through his slight frame. He doesn't enjoy the attention, preferring to keep his troubles to himself.
"I'm okay, really," he insisted, his tone firm despite the quiver in his voice. "I just need to get going." However, Hansel didn't buy into the boy's words, his intuition telling him there's more to the story than what the kid is willing to share.
"What's your name, child?"
Then the boy revealed his name with slight visible aversion on his face, "T-Toby sir." His voice cracked slightly from the emotion he was trying to hide. "Now, if you don't mind..." Trailing off, he wanted nothing more than to distance himself from the doctor's prying eyes. "I should probably get back to my room."
Toby mumbled, edging towards a random door, his steps hesitant and unsure as a way to pretend he is just leaving to go somewhere else, but in reality, he's just trying to escape the situation from getting himself into more trouble.
Suddenly, Toby felt his hand grabbed firmly by the doctor's strong grip, halting his escape. "Not so fast, Toby," Hansel said, his voice firm but not unkind. "We're not done here." As the doctor stated those words, his eyes landed at the freshly infected cuts on the child's wrist, horror and shock flashing across his face.
"My goodness, what happened?" His eyes wide like saucers, he froze from seeing the terrible sight before him, a mixture of concern swirling within him. "Who did this to you?"
Instead of responding back with an answer, Toby quickly yanked his hand from the doctor's grip before fleeing the scene, leaving the shocked, horrified, and worried man standing all by himself in the hallway while people continued to pass through him.
"Toby, wait!" Hansel called out, clearly horrified by what he just saw. Running after him, he tried to stop the boy but failed. "Come back; we need to talk about this!" Pleading desperately to the retreating figure of the child, as seeing a terrible sight happening to a boy no less hurts his very being.
As a man who values humanity greatly, he hates seeing the sight of turmoil and pain on the face of an innocent soul, especially when it is inflicted upon a child, for he knows the depth of suffering and trauma that such a cruel act can bring.
"That poor child," he muttered under his breath before stopping in his tracks, forcing himself to catch his breath for a moment, pondering what could have happened to cause such a brutal act, concluding he needs to get himself involved, knowing full well that he must take immediate action to ensure the boy's safety and well-being.
If such a possible rogue patient or member of his staff is responsible for anything in regards to the malicious intention of harming anyone, he vows to find the truth and bring the perpetrator to justice, regardless of the cost, for he cannot stand idly by and watch as an innocent life is torn apart.
With this stored in his mind, he continued forward, running after him when he saw a glimpse of the boy disappearing around the corner. "Toby!" Sounding desperate to reach the young boy and offer him the help he so clearly needed, he needs to act fast before terrible things could escalate further.
It happened all of sudden, coming to visit Danny and Unity only to come across a child who is clearly hurt and in need of assistance, a stark contrast to the peaceful morning he had planned for himself.
"This is not how I wanted to start the day," he sighed, shaking his head while he continued to run, but there was no denying the gravity of the situation, his duty as a protector and caretaker of the innocent overriding any personal preferences. He knew there was something wrong the moment he saw the boy's expression.
He had many shares of suffering he learned from those who are under his care, and it hurts him every day to see another person undergoing the same pain.
An empathetic man he is, his heart ached at the sight of the boy's wounds, the fresh crimson lines etched into his skin, a complete display of the anguish he must have endured. The sight of the child's battered wrist made Hansel's stomach churn with revulsion and his hands clench into fists at the thought of anyone capable of doing such cruelty.
The scene unfolds in a flurry of motion and emotion as Hansel, his long strides eating up the distance, chases after the fleeing boy, Toby.
The hospital corridors, normally a place of calm and healing, are now a battleground of fear and desperation. Hansel's footsteps echo through the halls, a staccato beat that grows louder with each passing second. His face is set in a grim mask of concern, his eyes scanning the area for any sign of the boy.
Meanwhile, Toby darts through the crowded hallways, his small body weaving in and out of the shadows, his heart pounding in his chest. The cuts on his wrist, still oozing blood, ache with each step, a constant reminder of the terror he's endured.
As Hansel continues to chase after the boy, his mind races with possibilities and fears, his thoughts consumed by the need to protect and heal. He knows that time is of the essence, and he must act swiftly to ensure Toby's safety. With a surge of determination, he pushes his body to its limits, his long legs pumping as he closes in on the fleeing child.
Finally, he manages to grab hold of Toby's arm, spinning him around to face him, "Enough!" Tired, frustrated, and stressed by the ordeal, his voice raised in anger. "What's going on, Toby? Who did this to you?"
Demanding furiously, the doctor was mad by the sight of the child's abuse: "You're safe now; I won't let anyone hurt you again." His words were soothing yet firm, ensuring the boy understood the gravity of the situation. "Tell me everything, from the beginning." Filled with empathy and compassion, it conveyed a sense of understanding and support. "Just tell me, okay? I will make sure whoever did this will never lay a hand on you again."
But the boy insisted, "Your hurting me!" The boy said tearfully, Please, just leave me alone." Trembling with fear and distress, all he wanted was to be left in peace, to forget the pain and torment he experienced. "I don't want to talk about it, not in public."
Glancing around, he watches several people watching them from afar, talking amongst themselves from the unexpected scene unfolding before their very eyes. "Just let me go home," Toby pleaded, his voice cracking with emotion.
The head doctor let go of his arm but still remained on his spot, frowning deeply as he tried to understand the boy's reluctance to open up. "Okay, we can talk somewhere private," he agreed, "but you have to promise me you'll tell me the truth and not try to hide anything." Staring at the boy's face, he looked for any signs of deception or evasion.
"Can you do that for me, Toby?" Arms folded together as he waits the boy's response, his gaze never leaving the child's face, "I swear in my oath as medical doctor, I'm here to help, not to judge," reassuring him of his honesty, wanting to put the young boy at ease.
"Why? Why do all of this?" Toby could not understand the reason behind this unnecessary action. "I haven't done anything wrong," he said, looking down. "I just want to live in peace." His eyes welled with tears, he begged, shaking with sobs.
"I don't want to feel this pain anymore," the boy's voice broke. "I just..." Suddenly, he was embraced by the doctor, holding him close to his chest, allowing him to cry on the man's shoulder as Hansel whispered comforting words into the open.
"Don't be afraid, I'm here to protect you." Hansel exclaimed, looking ahead to see the growing crowd of people around them before continuing with a finishing tone, "All of you." The entire staff of nurses, doctors, and patients smiled warmly at the sight; others clapped to their beloved doctor, who he had taken care of them with all his strength and power just because he could.
A righteous, great, and honest man who is loved by everyone, "I know it's hard to talk about your problems, we'll get through this together, alright?" Smiling reassuringly.
When the two departed their embrace, the boy nodded his head shyly, "Why do you care?" Not understanding why this stranger would go to such lengths to help him, "You're just a doctor; you have other patients to take care of," Toby said, his eyes searching the doctor's face.
"I'm not important enough," carrying a tinge of self-pity as the boy continued. "I'm just a nobody," he wanted to feel some sort of justification for avoiding Hansel's compassion and care, but the doctor's expression didn't waver.
"Every life is precious, Toby, regardless of who they are." Standing up, he continued to explain, "As a doctor, it's my duty to heal and protect, to bring hope to those who have lost it." The gaze was steady, unwavering in his commitment.
"Anyone who is under my shoes would likely find you strange or not care about how you are acting," speaking directly to the boy's heart, "I still see beyond the surface; I see the pain, the fear, the loneliness," words spoke with deep conviction, "and I choose to do something immediately rather than standing idly and waiting for things to change whenever someone in front of me is in terrible distress."
Hansel's voice carried a depth of sincerity, a raw emotion that resonated with the boy: "You deserve to be heard, to be understood, and to be loved, no matter what," he emphasized.
"Don't you ever think you're a nobody. Because I will not hesitate to just let things go by the mere sight of something suspicious whenever there is life currently endangered in front of me."
With his speech alone, everyone cheered at the sight of the doctor's unwavering dedication to help and protect every single life.
Toby doesn't have much to say other than pure amazement as well as admiration. Most people he passed through would just ignore him, looking at him weirdly or concernedly and instructing him to seek help while pretending to actual care before focusing on other things in their lives.
But this man standing before him went beyond that; Hansel didn't ignore him, nor did some of the other people around them; instead, he immediately stopped what he was doing, came over to him, and showed how he was physically ready to solve the problem at a moment's notice while displaying his care for the boy rather than waiting for more things to escalate.
And by this alone, the boy felt a warmth spreading in his chest, a sense of safety and belonging he hadn't known in a long time. "Thank you," Toby whispered, his eyes widening from how unexpected this still is.
Nonetheless, it happened so quick, from simple greeting to chasing before reaching a peaceful conclusion. He expected the head doctor to just be in his merry way but did not do it, having completely changed his mind just for nobody like himself.
For the head doctor is truly what he claims to be: a kind, caring, gentle, and charitable soul, a man who values human life and dignity above all else. He even went so far to chase him throughout the entire building while not caring what happens to himself in the slightest.
His words were a balm to Toby's wounded spirit, a reminder that he was seen, heard, and valued, that his pain mattered, and that he was worthy of existing. By this very act, he wasted no time in preparing himself to open up to someone's problems, despite having just met this man once.
