Sonic Series Fan Fiction ❯ Second Chances ❯ Prologue ( Chapter 1 )

Sonia sat on her hospital bed, listening to music with her brother, Manic.

Today was her first good day in a couple of weeks since she was diagnosed with throat cancer.

Today was her tenth birthday and, though the doctors allowed her to have a party with her friends, a hospital isn't the best place to celebrate what should be a joyous occasion. Then again, they lived in a military base since the great Mobian war left parts of the planet an irradiated mess.

Surgeries to remove tumors from hedgehogs were only recently being done, but it was very rarely done as it was still considered highly experimental. If she didn't agree to the surgery, she probably wouldn't live to see Christmas.

Sonia sighed. "I really wish I could sing again." She said, her voice was hoarse.

"Don't strain your voice." Manic replied.

Sonia grabbed a notebook and pencil off of the bedside table. She wrote a message and handed it to Manic.

Manic looked at it. "Should I get the surgery?" He asked, reading the note. He set the note down. "You should totally get the surgery, Sis. It's better to try anyway."

Sonia nodded and wrote another message.

Manic read it over her shoulder and sighed.

It read that she really didn't want to die.

"None of us want that." Manic said. "I know the surgery is experimental, but I'm sure the doctors know what they're doing."

Sonia grinned and wrote another note.

This note read "I'll do it."

Manic hugged Sonia.

Manic and Sonic waited to hear news about Sonia's surgery.

Manic drummed his fingers on the floor. "How long has it been?"

"About three hours." Sonic said, looking at his watch.

"Three hours?" Manic asked.

"Some surgeries take several hours." Sonic replied.

An hour later, the doctor (who happened to be Sonic, Sonia, and Manic's uncle Chuck) came over.

"Hey, Unc." Sonic said. "How's Sonia?"

Uncle Chuck knelt down in front of the kids. "I'm sorry to tell you all this, but she didn't make it." He said, voice breaking. "We did everything we could think of to save her, but it didn't work."

Manic curled up beside Sonic, crying softly.

Sonic hugged Manic.

"It's my fault." Manic sobbed. "I told her she should get the surgery."

"We didn't know she wouldn't make it, Manic." Sonic said. "We all thought it was a good idea because she definitely wouldn't have lived long if she didn't get the surgery."

"It was worth a shot, Manic." Uncle Chuck said. "I know she really wanted to have the surgery anyway."

Four years later and Manic's pain over losing his sister was still as strong as it was the day it happened.

Though he tried his best to carry on with his life, he ultimately decided he couldn't take it anymore and made the hardest decision he ever had to face.

Sonic came into the room with a shopping bag in his hand. "Hey, bro, I got us- Manic?" He asked. He stepped closer to Manic's bed and noticed Manic's wrist was bleeding.

Sonic scooped his brother up and raced to find his uncle.

A few hours later, Manic woke up in the hospital section of the shelter.

Manic noticed Sonic standing over his bed.

"What did you do that for?" Sonic asked.

Manic turned over, his back facing Sonic.

"Sonia wouldn't want you to give up on life." Sonic said.

Manic pulled the blankets over his head. "I don't feel like dealing with this."

"You never feel like anything now." Sonic said. "It wasn't your fault."

Manic pulled the covers back and slowly sat up, scratching at the itchy bandages. "I encouraged her to get the surgery."

"We all did." Sonic said. "It was either surgery or she'd die slowly and be in a lot of pain."

Manic stared off at the wall. "Did I almost die?"

"They said you lost a lot of blood, but not that you came close to dying." Sonic said. "Why are you changing the subject?"

Manic shook his head. "I guess I dreamed it." He replied. "I saw Sonia."

Sonic walked to the other side of the bed and sat in the chair beside Manic's bed.

"She hugged me." Manic said. "She told me not to leave you and that she was okay. Then I woke up here."

"It doesn't sound like she's blaming you." Sonic replied.

"I guess not." Manic said.

Sonic patted Manic on the shoulder. "If she doesn't blame you, you really need to work on forgiving yourself."