The Magic Drink
Orphaned

At the hospital, the group arrived at Mungo’s room. Mungo was still asleep; his slow, but steady breathing moved the blanket.

Mári walked forward and spoke, “...Mungo...my dear son...it’s your mother.”

She gently licked Mungo’s pale cheek. Eilish placed the tiny white kitten onto the bed next to Mungo. Something strange happened next; the once completely cowardly kitten stared at Mungo and purred, kneading his arm.

“Wow! I think the kitten likes him!” Jamie remarked.

“Yeah, this is so sweet!” Eilish said.

Mungo stirred slightly.

“Look, Mungo moved, he might wake up,” Pàl said.

“Really?” Eilish asked.

Pàl nodded.

“Then what will he do?” Mári asked.

“We’ll just have to wait and see,” Pàl said.

Mungo weakly attempted to lift his head off the pillow, he managed to do this. His eyes opened and he gasped.

“WHERE AM I?! WHERE’S FATHER?! DID SCOTTY KILL HIM?!” Mungo asked.

“Mungo, you are in the hospital, your friends saved your life,” Mári said.

“Mother? Where are you?” Mungo asked.

“I’m here; Scotty turned me into a dog,” Mári said.

“Scotty must be stopped! He killed my father!” Mungo cried out.

“Actually, Eilish kinda killed him already,” Pál said.

“And, Scotty was your father,” Mári said.

“Who are they?” Mungo asked, pointing to the McNeills and Eilish.

“Your friends, and they gave you this kitten so you better thank them,” Mári said.

Mungo noticed the kitten. He gently strokes its fluffy white fur.

“What’s his name?” Mungo asked.

“You get to name him!” Jamie said excitedly.

“A-alright, I think I’ll name him Spirit,” Mungo said, “Thank you, random strangers.”

“I suppose we should reintroduce ourselves!” Malcolm said.

“Good idea,” Fraizer said with a nod.

“I’m Malcolm, the best of the group!” Malcolm introduced himself.

“I’m Jamie, one of the sweetest in the group!” Jamie said, looking at Eilish. Eilish blushed.

“I’m Pàl, the brains of the group,” Pàl introduced himself.

“I’m Fraizer, the group leader,” Fraizer introduced himself.

“And I’m Eilish, the one who stayed with you in the ambulance,” Eilish introduced herself.

“...my mother is a dog...” Mungo said.

“Mungo, eventually your life will return to normal,” Mári said.

“...normal...?” Mungo asked.

Mári nodded her head.

“You aren’t alive...are you...? I’m just imagining all of this...” Mungo said. His eyes were wide with fear.

“I’m sorry, Mungo... I guess you should know what has happened to you,” Mári said.

“TELL ME EVERYTHING! WHAT IS GOING ON?!” Mungo asked, shaking. Spirit sat next to him with the exact same facial expression.

“I’m not so sure you want to know everything...there are parts that are better off forgotten,” Mári said.

“I think I remember something...” Mungo said.

Mungo then gazed off into the distance, his mind showing him what happened when he was five years old, but nothing more afterwards...

In his vision, Mungo saw himself running through a door onto a roof top that was above the clouds. There in the clouds was his mother, Mári and Scotty was with her. Scotty was about to hurt Mungo’s mother!

“Stop, Scotty! I cannot allow you to hurt my mother, you already have killed my father!” young Mungo cried out.

“Heh heh heh, you can’t stop me! You are just a pathetic little boy!” Scotty replied.

Mungo rushed forward with his sword drawn. It was too late; Scotty used his sharp claws to tear into Mári’s chest and punctured her heart. Mári screamed and Mungo cried.

“And you, you will be my slave!” Scotty cried out.

He hit Mungo over the head leaving him unconscious.

Mungo then returned to reality, where he sat bewildered.

“Mother...if you are dead and so is my father...doesn’t that mean that...” Mungo said.

“I’m so sorry dear...none of this was supposed to happen...” Mári said.

“This is so sad...” Eilish said, she looked as though she was about to cry.

“Mungo...I know we are mere strangers to you now...but would you like to live with us and our uncle?” Jamie asked.

Mungo was speechless.

“Mungo, go with them...I am a dog and I cannot care for you as I should’ve been able to. With them, you can learn everything you have forgotten,” Mári said.

“But mother...what about you?! I need you now more than ever!” Mungo said.

“My dear...I will come with you...” Mári said.

“I guess it is decided, I’m going to live with these boys I just met...but mom...how old am I really?” Mungo asked.

“You are 10, according to what your friends say. Although, you were 5 years old a long time ago...” Mári said.

“Don’t worry about it, Mári. Not even I can figure it out,” Pàl said.

“Maybe it was a spell casted on you by Scotty...” Eilish suggested.

“Spirit...I know you are just a kitten, but do you know anything about this?” Mungo asked.

“Mew!” Spirit mewed.

“Let’s tell the nurses that we are all going home,” Fraizer said.

“Good idea,” Eilish said.

They all walked out to the main lobby and told the nurses that they were ready to go. They signed the papers and left the building to start their journey home.