Air Hero

The loss

The nurse then checked about Max’s detail as she inputted the data into the computer. After reading the details, she looked troubled, and she glanced at her colleague to ask for advice.

“What is it, Jane?”

“Tina, take a look at this. The boy who was found near the United Heroes headquarters wake up earlier, so I managed to get his identity. After I input it to the system, this comes out.”

“Let me take a look.”

Tina takes a glance at the information on the screen, and she understands why Jane is in such a predicament.

“Max Air, five years old. Father, Gale Air, missing. Mother, Miriam Air, missing. Both are last seen at the United Heroes headquarters as they have an appointment for Max Air’s ability appraisal. While the son is found not far away from the location, both parents have gone missing. There is a 90% chance that they got caught in the explosion.”

Jane looked at Tina as if she is waiting for her advice.

“Well, for cases like this, you better tell him the truth. I know that the truth is something you want to hide from the boy, but he will know about it sooner or later. Also, as we have secured his identity, we can report it to the police so they could track down his family and relatives. With his parents gone missing, probably he will need to stay with his relatives from now on.”

“But what if he doesn’t have any relatives? Not to mention he seemed to love his parents very much.”

“The orphanage is always open. Since the time’s villains appeared, the facility and welfare of the orphanage have greatly increased. That’s because there’s a lot of cases like Max’s where the family member fell victim, and the remaining survivor is below the legal age to live alone.”

Jane has heard about it previously, but this is the first time she directly handles such a case. She was a bit hesitant, but Tina gives her the push.

“Do you want me to do it instead?”

Jane was about to agree, but she knows that she will need to experience it sooner or later, so why not just do it herself.

Max, who is already waiting for the news, is delighted to see the nurse coming back.

“Big sis nurse, have you told my parents? Where are they? I bet my mom is worried sick.”

Max is anticipating for Jane to answer, but after some time, there’s no reply. Jane finally takes a deep breath and speaks.

“Max, there’s something that I need to tell you.”

“What is it, big sis nurse?”

“Max, your parents have gone missing since the day of the accident. I’m afraid that they…”

Max can only hear Jane's voice halfway before his mind goes blank.

“No, it’s impossible! It must have only been because the place is so chaotic, and they didn’t know that I am here in the hospital. If someone called them, they would come here immediately. How about checking my home or calling their cellphone? I remember my mom’s number. She told me to remember it just in case something like this happened. My mom’s cell is 836292394.”

Jane does not have the heart to let Max down, so she takes out her cellphone and dials Max’s mother's number. However, the call couldn’t connect through, and the voicemail answered.

“Big sis nurse, please try again.”

Jane looked at Max’s eye, which full of expectation, and once again pressed the dial button. The result is all the same. After trying almost fifty times, Max now has to accept the truth; however, he isn’t willing. After all, who is willing to accept the fact that they are now an orphan after waking up from a stupor?

“Big sis nurse, how about you check my home? I also remember my address. It is at the royal crown road, apartment number 36.”

“Max, the police have come to your home and checked the situation. They did this all to the people that visited the United Heroes headquarters yesterday. After that, they updated it to their system, which connects to the hospital network. Max… You have to accept it. There is only a slim chance for your parents to survive the explosion of the United Heroes headquarters. Seeing that there is no news about them from the police or other hospital, I’m afraid…”

“No! They must still be alive. They…*hic*.”

Unknowingly, tears already streamed down Max’s face. As naïve as he can be, as small as he could be, he knows what happened to his parents.

“*hic*…*hic*… Mom... Dad… I’m sorry. I don’t want to be a hero anymore. I just want you both to come back.”

Despite his sorrowful wail, Max knows that his parents won’t be coming back. Max remembers the last moment they have together. Yesterday morning, it was full of smiles, yet he threw a fit of rage at his parents in the afternoon. Knowing that it was his last word to his parents, Max feels as if he is the world's stupidest boy.

“I’m sorry. I never meant to say all those things to you. It was all only out of my anger. Mom, Dad, I am here. I miss you.*hic*…*hic*.”

Jane watched all of this silently on the side. Although she still has other patients to see, she needs to make sure that Max won’t do anything stupid, like running away from the hospital to search for his parents or going to wander around the streets and get into an accident because of his absentmindedness.

However, she didn’t need to stay for long before once again; Max falls asleep because he couldn’t handle all the stress. Jane looked at the young boy with pity, but there’s nothing she can do about it. She is neither his relatives nor family. Although he is pitiful, Jane’s condition isn’t that good either. Everyone has their own story, and everyone has their own hardship. What Jane can do is make sure that Max is taken care of well during his treatment.