Page 78 of Hello, Listener
"Please don’t go." Her wide eyes look into mine.
"Listener, you know I have to." I would stay here forever with her if the nurses let me.
"Please, just tell them I'm better. Take me home." Her tears now fall fast down her pink cheeks.Home. My home. Soon to be our home.
"You're not ready." I kiss her lips and lay her down in her bed and cover up her weak body. "I'll be back tomorrow. I love you." She gives a small, upturned smile through her silent cries.One day, she'll say it back.
A part of my heart aches as I walk out of her room and quietly shut her door. "Goodbye, Mr. Jones. See you tomorrow." I give a small wave to the nurses and walk towards my car.
Artemis greets me at my door and rubs his white fur along my dark brown slacks.
"I just visited Mommy. She's got a little while to go, but she'll be home soon." I pet our cat between his ears. He purrs with approval and follows me close behind as I walk towards the newly remodeled kitchen to fill his empty food bowl.
I walk over to the black restocked cabinet with dishes that I know Thalia will love when she officially moves in and take out a black mug to make myself a cup of coffee.
My hot mug nearly burns my lips as I take my first sip. I scroll through my phone while I take in the caffeine and open up social media. Pictures of a mysterious fire at the local storage facility flood my news feed.
It's a pity. Jace and Ashley have been missing for the past couple of months, and the police still don’t have any leads. While I take another sip of my hot coffee, I continue to read through the many posts on my social media pages. There are many images of the units going up in flames.The fire is on everyone’s mind this evening.It makes me question if our police force even really knows what they’re doing when they search for clues and other forms of evidence.You know, it’s the little details that matter.Maybe they were all incinerated. I grin while setting my mug down on the new granite, wondering how the jar of Ruben Ara's eyes looks in the red and orange light.
Wake Up
“Hurry, get him in the ambulance!”What the hell is going on? Where is Thalia? Why can’t I see her or hear her voice? She was supposed to go get help.
“Sir, can you hear me?”Who the fuck are you?“Shit, he’s lost a lot of blood.”Fuck. You think you could ease up on the tight bandage? My head is already pounding.Where did that bastard, Alan, take my girl?
“T-thalia! Sweetheart, where the hell are you?!”
“Sir. Try not to yell, okay.”Shit, these lights are bright.“Everything is under control, just try to stay calm.”I can’t be calm. He’s got my girl.
“Y-you h-have to s-stop him.”Why can’t you understand me? Don’t worry about me. You need to find her.
“Sir, you were the only person here when we found you.”Damn it. The fucker got away. Fuck! What the hell did they just stick in my arm?
“Y-ou n-eed to s-top A-lan…”I can’t talk.Why can’t I say anything?Their voices are muffled, but I can still make out a fewwords.
“There. That should help with the pain. Just relax and we’ll get you to the hospital.”
“Damn, this guy is big. Help me lift him on the gurney.”Shit that hurts.“Don’t worry, Mr. Reynolds. The hospital isn’t too far. You’re in good hands.”I couldn't care less about myself. Where’s Thalia? Someone please find my girl.
Fuck, my head is killing me.
That annoying beeping sound is a constant ringing in my ears. My vision goes from dark to blurry. All I see is bright fluorescent overhead lighting. Moving my head and the rest of my body seems nearly impossible.
My arm is hooked up to an IV with God knows what pumping into my veins. I do my best to scan over the machines wired to the sticky pads on my chest.
"I'm in a fucking hospital," I mumble to myself as I rub my eyes and my blurry view starts to get clearer. My realization is confirmed when I notice an older man walking into my room.
His long white coat hangs just past his knees. Thick-rimmed glasses fall slowly down his long nose before he pushes them up with the bottom of his pen. He looks down at his plastic clipboard and then at me. His thin lips turn into a tight smile.
"Hello, Mr. Reynolds. Welcome back to the land of the living."
