Recap
In the last instalment. Cutter went out with Kart to celebrate his birthday and after one drink too many he staggered home with a girl, who lead him into a trap. He was shot, but, luckily it wasn't fatal.
Vivid hallucinations filled Cutter's mind. He saw Kart, picking him up over his head with both hands and wailing like some kind of feral beast. Then the dream shifted, Cutter was ridged like a plank of wood and Kart's face morphed into a Trisken. He swung Cutter by the legs, using him as a weapon to attack a horde of angry men in rags. He could hear a woman crying, while all this chaos was going on.
Then he felt like he was floating. High above the ground, looking down on the world. It was his home-world. Around the time of the uprising. Tiny angry people raced around frantically and then he saw the huge ship, as it was destroyed and crashed into the ground. As soon as it made impact, a dust cloud blew into his eyes and everything went black.
He couldn't see, but, he could hear beeping. As well as muffled voices in a panic. He couldn't remember anything, he just took each of these things as they came. To say he was confused would be an understatement.
Cutter finally opened his eyes, the room was calm, but it took a moment for his eyes to focus. He could hear movement to his right, he felt like he was unable to turn his head, no matter how hard he tried.
"Doc, he's waking up." The old gruff voice of a man came in softly, but he couldn't place it. Was it his father? He wondered to himself. Another dream?
"Try not to move Cutter." A woman's voice told him. Her face appeared, looking down at him. With a soothing worried look. It was the doc. He was back on the ship, no doubt about it.
"What's?" He managed to ask, but he was quickly silenced by shushes. "Don't think about anything now. You're safe. That's all that matters." She said, then everything slowly went black once more.
It was a dreamless sleep. Cutter woke up once more, this time though he felt like he could move. He sat up in the bed and a searing pain shot through him. His side felt like it was on fire. He gritted his teeth managing not to let out the slightest whimper. He looked around and saw Kart in a chair beside his bed, sleeping. "Kart!" Cutter shouted. He didn't mean to shout so loudly though. As his voice echoed around the room, Kart jumped out of his sleep.
He rubbed his eyes and looked at him. "Cutter. You're awake." Kart said through a yawn. "I am. What happened?" Cutter asked, still in a slight bit of pain.
"What do you remember?" Kart asked. "I don't know. Did you use me as a weapon to beat back a mob of angry people?" "No?" Kart said in a confused voice, as he creased his forehead.
"Not much then. It all just feels like a dream. A weird one at that." Cutter said as he rubbed his forehead with the palm of his hand.
"It was an eventful night. Can't remember too much myself. You left with some girl and I followed you two. I knew something wasn't right. Something about the way she carried you out. I remember shouting at people through the streets and kicking in some doors. Eventually, I found the right one." Kart shook his head. "Rotchi Blasters. Never again." Kart said through squinted eyes and face contorted in disgust.
Never again was right. Cutter could barely remember anything. Then it hit him. He was being robbed. He was shooting and then got shot himself. Explains the wound. He could have lifted the blanket to inspect the damage, but he knew that it was a bad idea, so left it covered. If it looks as bad as it feels I'll get sick. He thought to himself.
"How long have I been here?" Cutter asked. "Not long. A few hours maybe." "A few hours!" Cutter thought it would have been longer. He assumed it had been a few days, at least. Strange.
The door opened and the Doc walked into the room behind Kart. "Cutter, what are you doing. You need to rest." She said with a worried look on her face. As she rushed to his bedside.
"I'm fine Doc. It's okay." Cutter said slowly, to calm her down. "Hey. I told you I would be in this bed the day after my birthday." Cutter said with a light chuckle, which he regretted once his stomach jiggled.
"I wish it was under better circumstances. Try not to move." She said as she lifted the sheets. "You'll open your wound." She said as she began to lift his gown. Cutter was looking at Kart over her shoulder as she leaned in to inspect his wound.
He wanted to look, but, he didn't want to, at the same time. He saw Kart move to get a glance at it and with that turned his eyes around to see it as well. Distorted, twisted, burnt up flesh. His side was mangled by the blast. Stupid laser weapons, Cutter thought. He felt himself gag and quickly looked away.
"That's a good one kid," Kart said in awe of it. Then gave him a smile. "You're a man now Cutter." He continued.
"You might need a follow-up surgery to remove some of the leather. It seems to have melted and fused with the wound." "Doc!" Cutter shouted. "Hiding from it won't do you much good." She replied, still busy poking at it.
It stung with each Prod she gave. The pain was excruciating now that he had actually looked at it, before it was just a mystery. Anything could have been lurking under there, but, now he knew. A twisted up mangled mess that used to be his side. Maybe it looks worse than it feels, he thought to himself. Trying to take his mind off it.
"That's the last time I go out drinking with you!" Cutter said through gritted teeth while glaring at Kart.
Kart threw his hands in the air. More so in gest, rather than being frustrated Cutter though. Then the door opened behind him. Hackett marched in, with a face of thunder.
"Thank god. You're alright." Hackett said. "I told you, Hackett. Cutters tougher than he looks." Kart said as he sat back in his chair.
"Shut it Kart! Rotchi Blasters? Don't you know they're not for humans?" Hackett said as he turned to Kart.
Kart was dumbfounded and averted his eyes, as he rubbed the back of his head. "It was my idea," Cutter said. "I decided to get them. Since it was my birthday and all." Hackett turned around slowly. "Well. Kart should have known better."
"He did. But, I insisted." Cutter said, this time in a more solemn tone. Hackett looked at him shaking his head in disbelief. "You're an idiot." He said. Turning then to leave the room. "Get better soon Cutter." Hackett said as he stopped before leaving.
"I think everyone should be going now. Cutter needs his rest" The Doc said confidently. Gesturing for Kart to leave.
He stood up as she waved a hand at him. Cutter watched him, as his face turned from sorrow to bewilderment. Then with a cheeky smile, he winked at Cutter before turning and leaving the room as well.
Cutter felt like defending Kart in that instance, was the right thing to do. He did buy all the drinks after all and apart from being shot it was a good night.
End of Part 1
Here's a link to part 2 -
@killerwot/the-bedridden-blaster-victim-part
