Chapter 4

4: 4

4

The voices faded away, and I slipped back into darkness.

I don't know how long it was before I came to again.

The first thing I saw was the same pale hospital ceiling.

The wound in my belly had been stitched up again, wrapped under thick layers of gauze, and every breath tugged at it with a stabbing pain.

The door swung open.

Louis Morton walked in, the gloating plain on his face.

"You're a tough one to kill, Marlin." He stood over the bed, looking down at me. "Bled that much and still didn't die."

I closed my eyes and said nothing.

"I'll be honest with you. Erica kept me over last night. We went at it, over and over, barely slept a wink." He leaned down and dropped his voice. "Near dawn she lay there next to me and said she finally didn't have to smell your sweat anymore."

I gripped the sheet, my knuckles white, but I stayed silent.

"She likes it when I hold her while she sleeps. Says it's so much warmer than you."

The door opened again. Erica Henson came in with the head nurse.

The moment she saw Louis standing by my bed, her face changed. She rushed over in a single stride and pulled him behind her.

"Marlin! What are you trying to do to Louis this time?"

She glared at me, her eyes full of suspicion.

Louis instantly put on his fragile look. "Ms. Henson, don't misunderstand."

"The AC in my room broke. The repairman says it won't be fixed until tomorrow."

"It's so hot, so I thought I'd come cool off in Marlin's room for a bit."

Erica let out a breath.

"It's still too dangerous for you to be near him."

"Let's just do this. The two of you should switch rooms."

She said it without a moment's hesitation, not even bothering to ask what I thought.

"Ms. Henson, that's absolutely out of the question." The head nurse objected at once. "Mr. Gilbert has just come through a second surgery. His wound is badly torn. He needs to stay completely still right now. Any movement could put him in danger."

Erica frowned and looked me over. "It's just moving him a little. How serious can it be? Louis is at risk of a concussion. He needs the rest more."

"Ms. Henson, this really goes against medical protocol—"

The head nurse was still trying to explain, but Erica already had her phone out.

After a short call, she handed the phone to the head nurse.

The head nurse took it, listening to the instructions on the other end, her expression darkening more with every word.

"...Yes, Director, I understand." She hung up and lowered her head, resigned. "Ms. Henson, I'll arrange the room change right away."

Erica nodded, satisfied, then said gently to Louis, "Louis, go sit over there for a moment. I'll handle things here."

Louis nodded obediently, and from an angle Erica couldn't see, he shot me a mocking smile.

The head nurse called in two orderlies, and they moved my body with great care.

Every slight sway brought cold sweat to my forehead, and the wound in my belly burned like fire.

Just as they were shifting me onto the gurney, Louis suddenly stepped up.

"Let me help."

He pretended to steady the edge of the bed, and in the instant no one was watching, he drove his elbow hard into the wound on my belly.

The pain exploded, and I couldn't stop the scream that tore out of me.

At almost the same moment, Louis staggered back several steps and slammed into the wall with a dull thud.

"Marlin! How could you do that?"

He clutched his shoulder, his eyes going red on the spot.

"I was trying to help you. Why did you shove me?"

Erica rushed over to steady him and whipped around to glare at me. "Marlin! Have you lost your mind?"

"Louis just wanted to help, and you raised your hand against him again?"

"You really are a violent maniac. I must have been blind to ever fall for you!"

The pain left me unable to speak. I could only gasp for breath, cold sweat soaking through the hospital gown.

"I've had enough of you!" Erica went on scolding. "Hurt this badly and still can't behave. Just how vicious are you willing to get?"

The head nurse hurried to check my wound and found blood already seeping through the gauze.

"The wound is in danger of splitting open. This has to be dealt with immediately!"

Erica acted as if she hadn't heard, focused only on whether Louis was hurt.

"Louis, are you all right? Did you hurt yourself anywhere?"

Louis nestled against her and gave a soft shake of his head. "I'm fine, just startled."

"Maybe Marlin didn't mean it. He's just... too impulsive."

"You're still defending him, even now!"

Erica held him closer, aching for him, then shot me a cold glance.

"Get him out of here already. I don't want him in my sight."

That one look put out the last little spark left in my heart.

The orderly wheeled me out of the room.

As we passed through the corridor, I gathered every bit of strength I had and forced out the words, trembling.

"Please... where is my phone?"

"I want to call my family."