CHAPTER 48: DIS-EASED

Marco's POV

I wake up to find myself in a hospital.

How did I even reach here in the first place?

Where am I?

I try to shake my head to remember but that only gives me a headache.

I have bandages strapped all over me and tubes coming out of different parts of my body.

What the hell?!

I didn't even get that much hurt.

Just a bullet in my arm.

I bet Leo's the one breathing borrowed air right now, after all, he got more hurt than I did and if one bullet makes everything so serious then two would be make it one's doom's day.

I try to get up but I can't as pain shoots up my arm and I see yellow spots in my vision.

I look for the nurse-call-button and press it.

A moment later a nurse rushing in.

I'm pretty sure I've seen her before.

Isn't she--

"Hey Marco, remember me?"

Sophie Hills.

"Uh ya of course. You took me to the hospital"

She just grins at me and moves towards all the medical equipment around me.

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm a nurse here in Nashville. I live with my uncle and my cousin here. I went to your hometown for a course and now that's finished I'm back here" she says and grins again.

She's way too happy in life.

Not that she shouldn't be.

"So I'm in Nashville?"I ask.

"Yes you are," she says and I nod.

"Why did you call me?" she asks.

"Oh ya. That. Why are there so many tubes coming out of me and I'm strapped in bandages? I just got shot by one bullet so--"

"The situation you're in is very serious. Medically. Your body has so many scalpel scars on it indicating that you've been through a lot of surgeries just because you were shot. It's a lot to take in for the body remember?"

"So that means?" I ask her.

"I'll call the doctor so that he can explain to you more clearly," she says and goes out of the room.

"Sure," I say and look towards the window of my room. It's sunny outside. I just hope whatever it is isn't serious after all the last thing I wanna have is a super serious medical problem.

The doctor struts in and gives me a grim smile and says, "Anyone from your family here?"

"No. Whatever you have to say you can say it clearly to me" I say and he looks unsettled for a moment and then he finally gives in, "You have lead poisoning"

"What? How? I just got shot by a bullet and that thing gives me lead poisoning?"

"It's not the first time you've been shot is it?"

"It isn't"

"You see a handgun bullet enters the body in a straight line. Like a knife, it damages the organs and tissues directly in its path, and then it either exits the body or is stopped by bone, tissue or skin. Once they enter the body, they fragment and explode, pulverizing bones, tearing blood vessels and liquefying organs. Lead poisoning from gunshot wounds is unusual. You were also found to have high blood lead levels. Lead intoxication is a rare but fatal complication of gunshot wounds"

"Hunh?" I reply.

What is happening in my life right now?

Lead poisoning?

Seriously?

"Why did this happen to me?" I ask him.

"You've been shot a lot of times. I say so because I myself saw those surgery scars on you. Bullets have entered your body a lot of times and this resulted in high blood lead levels which resulted into lead poisoning"

"I've never heard about anyone having lead poisoning due to being shot a lot of times"

"Lead intoxication is a rare but fatal complication of gunshot wounds." he simply states.

Yeah, I just heard that in your medical speech.

"So what am I supposed to do now?" I ask him.

I'm horrified with these turn of events.

"You're obviously supposed to not get shot. Ever. And in your case Chelation therapy is recommended" he states.

Seeing the confused look on my face he adds, "In this treatment, a medication given by mouth binds with the lead so that it's excreted in urine. Chelation therapy is a medical procedure that involves the administration of chelating agents to remove heavy metals from the body."

"Explain in simple terms please"

Can this doctor stop showing off his medical knowledge and speak in layman language?

"The use of a chelator to bind with a metal such as lead or iron in the body to form a chelate so that the metal loses its chemical effect such as toxicity or physiological activity," he says and smiles.

"Okay. So do I have to get that treatment here or something? Because I don't live here and I'm supposed to be in Italy right now"

"You aren't taking this seriously are you?"

No, I have other important matters than lead poisoning.

"Of course I am," I lie.

"Well, we're gonna start the treatment then. You'll be here for a few days. We'll inform your family members if you wish"

"Few days? I don't have that much time!" I raise my voice at him.

"Your lead levels are very high and if not treated it can turn to cancer"

"Cancer?"

What the fuck?

Is this some kind of a prank or something?

Cause it ain't funny.

"Yes. Lead poisoning leads to kidney cancer which ultimately leads to death"

I'm in shock.

Literally.

This is not happening right now.

Cancer?

Lead poisoning?

Hearing my silence, the doctor instructs his nurse to inject me with some fluids and says something about this being about of that therapy he just told me about.

I just nod and he leaves.

Sophie Hills enters a second later and I see pity in her eyes.

Pity.

I hate pity.

That's what everyone gave me when Luca died and now I'm about to die.

She puts a chemical in one of my tubes and says nothing.

I look at her and ask, "Am I gonna die or something?"

"If you won't take your treatments then yes you will"

Damn, she's straightforward.

"Do you want me to call someone?" she asks as she reaches the door.

"Is my phone with you guys?"

"Yes"

"Then call my mother, please," I say and disappear under my sheets.