Stats: Written: 1/6/18; Prompt: Daily Character Question (Only Human); Time: 30 min. max – 26 min. taken

Prompt: How does your Antagonist deal with making mistakes? Write a scene where they realize they were cruel to someone who was innocent.

All too soon, the door reopened. He heard wheels screech across the cement floor. Most likely a new machine.

He cringed as hands unbolted him, gently lifting him from the confinement and onto a stretcher. He couldn’t not believe that this was some sort of trick. A new sick method to make him talk of things he knew nothing about.

One of the many people, dressed as doctors, put a mask over his face as another assessed the damage done to his hands. The next time he awoke, he was in a hospital room, his son next to him.

“What happened?” He could barely croak out his question.

His son, his boy, jumped from the chair, startled by his father’s wakefulness.

“You’re up! You’re actually awake!” The joy on his face couldn’t have been any more real… or refreshing.

“Where am I? Is this another sick game?!” Enraged, he tried to tear himself from the bed, but to no avail. He was simply too weak.

“Mr. Tadashi, I assure you this is no game.” Sitting in a corner of the room sat a man in a suit and tie, a teenager by his side with a small, red notebook. “While I know there really isn’t anything I can do, not for so much damage I caused, I’m terribly sorry.”

“You torture me!”

“I know-“

“You think sorry makes any of this better?! I told you over and over I knew nothing! Still, you continued!” Face red, he collapsed against his pillows, out of breath.

“No, sorry makes none of this better. Mistakes, try as I must, happen.” He stood from his chair to hand him an envelope. One with a letter congratulating his son on his acceptance to a prestigious college. “Your son is a very intelligent young man. I did nothing to sway the university’s decision. However, his tuition, books, transport, and living are paid for. As are any debt you previously had and several thousand dollars to help you start anew.” The man could on gape in surprise. “All hospital bills are covered along with a therapist for ten years.”

“Why did you even bother. I knew nothing…”

“Excuse me, Mr. Tadashi, I have many who’d tell me the same. Yet, they all did know something. I had received bad… information from… a previously thought secured source. That matter is being dealt with appropriately.”

Leaving the room, the young man beside him waited until safely away to ask, “how can you fix those mistakes?”

“You can’t. Not really. I can only help him to recover and even then, that is, not really, ever enough.”