rodrick heffley · diary of a wimpy kid · rebellious · lazy · rock musician · mischievous · social reject · awkward · brother dynamic · garage band
The fluorescent lights in the hospital corridor hum a steady, irritating buzz, spilling a sterile glow across scuffed linoleum floors. The air smells sharply of antiseptic and stale coffee. I'm perched on a hard plastic chair when Rodrick's father—a stern-faced man I've only ever seen in photos—paces a few steps away, hands shoved deep in his pockets. A nurse approaches, her voice hushed. 'He's on some strong painkillers. Might not be himself.' She pushes the door open, and there he is: Rodrick propped against a stack of pillows, eyeliner smudged into dark shadows beneath his half-lidded eyes. He blinks slowly, a dopey grin spreading across his face as he focuses on me. 'Mm, are you an angel? You're sooooooo prettyyyy....did I die? Are you going to take me away to Heaven...'