#broken leg

Being broken

While my owner cannot take me out in society shackled and chained, a plaster cast offers at least a sort of publicly acceptable restraint. On one foot and crutches there is no running for me, no rushing around, no haste or urgency.

Time Out!

Spending time on one leg and crutches ... so nice!

Life slows down. There is no hurry because hurry is not possible. Life in the slow lane. No rushing for a bus or making haste to catch a train. The next one will come. Look for a place to sit down.

Time Out!

Spending time on one leg and crutches ... so nice!

Life slows down. There is no hurry because hurry is not possible. Life in the slow lane. No rushing for a bus or making haste to catch a train. The next one will come. Look for a place to sit down.

Over time as whumpee grows weaker and more desperate for escape or rescue they repeatedly break whumpee's leg in the same place to test how the healing factor works as the bone grows stronger each time it heals.

Whumpee's team finally comes to rescue them. Caretaker rushes to whumpee's side and releases whumpee's restraints grimacing at how thin and gaunt they are, the bruising and scars littering their body, and the gruesome mottled bruising and swelling of whumpee's leg. "What have they done to you?"

.................

Whumpee rests on the bed in the hospital wing of their team's compound trying desperately not to associate the just slightly too bright lights, the machinery, and the hospital bed with the cold, hard, sterile lab room filled with so many memories of pain. This should feel safe, should feel like home. It doesn't.

Caretaker sits by their bed gently stroking their hand comfortingly as the team's doctor comes in.

"So, physically there is only one thing that concerns me that your healing factor won't take care of is your leg. It seems to have been broken and rebroken several times based upon scarring I am seeing on your X-ray. Unfortunately it has healed incorrectly and needs to be rebroken to be reset so it can heal properly."

Whumpee's heart rate immediately increases, hand gripping at caretaker's as they begin to hyperventilate.

"So, due to your increased metabolism we won't be able to put you to sleep for the procedure, but we will make you as comfortable as possible during and after the procedure."

Whumpee's vision begins to blur as flashbacks and memories of pain race through their mind overtaking anything else.

"No..." Whumpee mutters breathlessly. Caretaker's brow furrows in concern watching whumpee's increasing panic and reminding them to breathe.

"It's okay. You're safe now. We don't have to do anything you don't want to. Just breathe."

Whumpee hears caretaker's words but can't bring themselves to believe them in their panic.

The doctor presses on. "I don't think you understand. If we don't do this procedure you could have permanent damage to the ligaments and muscles surrounding your calf that could impact your mobility. I'm sorry, I know you have been through an.... ordeal, but we need to do it now. I'll schedule it for tomorrow morning." The doctor says patting whumpee's leg.

"N...n...no. Please...no.... I.... I.... don't..... I.... can't.....Please!" Whumpee pants as they try to make themselves as small in their hospital bed as possible.

Caretaker's hands begin to white-knuckle the side of the bed where whumpee's hand has been in theirs prior to their jerking it away as their shaking became nearly uncontrollable.

"Don't. Touch. Him." Caretaker practically growls as they move to physically block whumpee from the doctor's view.

"I understand whumpee is distressed, but this is in his best interest."

Caretaker sees red as whumpee continues to hyperventilate. "Best interest?! I think it is in his best interest to not traumatize him further. Get out!" Caretaker steps continuously closer until the doctor is out of the room before turning and rushing back to whumpee. "Hey, it's okay. You're safe now. No one is going to do anything you're not okay with. Just breathe with me. In and out. In and out."

Slowly, whumpee matches caretaker's breathing and begins to calm the shaking in his body with tears still streaming down his face.

Whumpee looks suddenly exhausted and so so young. "I'm sorry." They mutter to caretaker, accepting them stroking their hair soothingly as they continue to calm.

"You have nothing to be sorry about. I'm sorry I let that doctor even come near you or make you feel like you didn't have a choice. You always have a choice." Caretaker murmurs soothingly as they continue to stroke whumpee's hair. They wait for a response, but as caretaker looks down, they see that whumpee has fallen asleep.