Zombie Aftermath
"What do you mean, no one's come forward?"
The paramedic shrugs. "I'm sorry... I don't know what to tell you. No one's reported any missing baby." He scratches his head. "I mean... we can find a place to hold him for the time being... until the parent or guardian comes forward. You didn't see the parent?" The paramedic holds out his hands to take the child.
"No," Hal shakes his head. He doesn't immediately hand the child over. "There was a stroller rolling down the street. I grabbed him before the undead hordes could. No sign of anyone caring for the child." He looks down at the baby and frowns. "Where would he be... um... 'held'?"
"We'd find someplace," the paramedic offers, reaching out for the baby again. "There's temporary shelters, of course, and then foster care... I mean, they're usually pretty crowded, but it's just one baby, right?"
Hal looks down at the baby, who looks up at him and burbles, blowing a spit bubble.
And abruptly, a thought enters his head which refuses to leave.
I must be crazy.
"I... could keep an eye on him," he offers. "I mean... it'll only be for a couple more hours, right?"
"Most likely," the paramedic nods, blinking a little. "We'll still want to check him out... make sure he's okay... but sometimes, it's just a case of the mom getting over her fear of cops, or cleaning up before she comes to get the kid." He reaches out one last time.
"Oh, right," Hal nods, letting the paramedic take the child and look him over. "They'll send CPS out, right? Make sure he's being taken care of?"
"It'd be pretty standard in a case like this," he admits, starting to check his eyes... then pausing and looking back at the Green Lantern. "You've already checked him out with your ring, haven't you?"
Hal nods, and gives a little grin with a wink. "I didn't want to make you feel like you weren't contributing."
"Yeah, thanks," the paramedic rolls his eyes and hands the baby back. "I've got a lot more people to check out. We'll contact the League if anyone comes forward looking for this kid, okay?"
"Thanks," Hal nods, looking down at the baby again as he creates a green energy sling to hold the baby against his chest. "Come on, kid. Let's head home."
As he takes to the sky, he sniffs. "...though first perhaps a diaper change is in order... and someone to show me how to change a diaper..."
Oh, hell, what have I gotten myself into...
The paramedic shrugs. "I'm sorry... I don't know what to tell you. No one's reported any missing baby." He scratches his head. "I mean... we can find a place to hold him for the time being... until the parent or guardian comes forward. You didn't see the parent?" The paramedic holds out his hands to take the child.
"No," Hal shakes his head. He doesn't immediately hand the child over. "There was a stroller rolling down the street. I grabbed him before the undead hordes could. No sign of anyone caring for the child." He looks down at the baby and frowns. "Where would he be... um... 'held'?"
"We'd find someplace," the paramedic offers, reaching out for the baby again. "There's temporary shelters, of course, and then foster care... I mean, they're usually pretty crowded, but it's just one baby, right?"
Hal looks down at the baby, who looks up at him and burbles, blowing a spit bubble.
And abruptly, a thought enters his head which refuses to leave.
I must be crazy.
"I... could keep an eye on him," he offers. "I mean... it'll only be for a couple more hours, right?"
"Most likely," the paramedic nods, blinking a little. "We'll still want to check him out... make sure he's okay... but sometimes, it's just a case of the mom getting over her fear of cops, or cleaning up before she comes to get the kid." He reaches out one last time.
"Oh, right," Hal nods, letting the paramedic take the child and look him over. "They'll send CPS out, right? Make sure he's being taken care of?"
"It'd be pretty standard in a case like this," he admits, starting to check his eyes... then pausing and looking back at the Green Lantern. "You've already checked him out with your ring, haven't you?"
Hal nods, and gives a little grin with a wink. "I didn't want to make you feel like you weren't contributing."
"Yeah, thanks," the paramedic rolls his eyes and hands the baby back. "I've got a lot more people to check out. We'll contact the League if anyone comes forward looking for this kid, okay?"
"Thanks," Hal nods, looking down at the baby again as he creates a green energy sling to hold the baby against his chest. "Come on, kid. Let's head home."
As he takes to the sky, he sniffs. "...though first perhaps a diaper change is in order... and someone to show me how to change a diaper..."
Oh, hell, what have I gotten myself into...