Additional Information

Highlighted words are referenced in several questions.

Read the following excerpt from Rachel Madden’s Flash Fiction: Four Mini Stories (“Fortune of Lighting”) and answer the following questions.

When he saw the flash of lightning, he felt extreme pain all over his body. The authoritative figure fell to the ground grasping his chest. “Help,” he called out in the middle of the dark parking lot. However, his voice was muffled out from the heavy rain, and rumbling thunder. He knew no one would hear him. After telling everyone they had to work through the weekend, they all walked off the job.
It was why he stayed, to get the job done. Except now that his vision was blurring, and he was sure to pass out. It looked like he wasn’t going to get the truck unloaded. If people just did as he told them, he won’t even be out here.
“Boss?!” A voice called out before everything went black.
Slowly opening his eyes, he could see the hospital room. He wanted to ask who took him there, but couldn’t. There was something in his mouth keeping him from speaking. The man tried lifting his arm, but was unable to move it.
“You’re awake!” It was the same voice that called out before everything went dark. “You’ve been in a coma for months. Everyone was starting to think you would never wake up.” The scrawny man sat down next to him.
He recognized him. The man was his assistant. What was his name? Michael, Mitchell — he couldn’t remember. He never bothered remembering anyone’s names. He only cared that they did their jobs. They didn’t listen last time, and now he was in the hospital.
“You were hit by lightning. I saw you when I was driving by. Ted told me everyone walked off the job,” he paused. “Your sister told me you would be immobile if you ever woke.”
That can’t be right. He knew if he didn’t have all of these things attached to him; he would be able to sit up, or move his arms. He wanted to tell his assistant to take the thing out of his mouth. However, he had no way to do so.
“I called your sister. She’s on her way, as soon as she finishes some things.”
Why wasn’t she on her way there? This was terrible; he was the top priority. He wanted out of the hospital now, and get all of these things off him. He tried again to move, but nothing seemed to work. Now that he was more awake, he realized he couldn’t feel anything below his neck. That familiar pain in his chest was gone. Now, everything just felt numb.
The doctor said the same thing his assistant did, he was never going to move again. He wasn’t going to listen to the doctor. He was going to walk.
He couldn’t do it alone, and had help from his sister and Mike. At first, he didn’t want anyone’s help. Except being immobile wasn’t an option.
“Everyone cheered when they heard about the raise.” Mike patted his boss on the back. "I guess that lightning strike wasn’t a bad thing, you’ve really changed over these two years."