The Ex-Con

Chapter 20: Delusions

Tuesday February 5th, 2008

6:15pm

Roderick

{Flashback}

"Wow, so this is what it's come to, huh?"

"Well Roderick you said you wanted out of the gang didn't you, you know you just don't walk away from this."

"Maurice i've been nothing but loyal to you man, this is fucked up!!"

"What's really fucked up is that you thought you had a choice. Once you're in you're in it for life." He smiled. "Boys, take care of him."

{End Of Flashback}

"He's got a broken jaw, bruised eye, bruised ribs and from the looks of it his neck was strangled, it's surprising that he's still alive, it's no doubt that whoever did this wanted this man dead." The doctor said. I groaned and i heard the doctors stop talking. "He's moving, someone get me a flashlight." I heard him say. "Hey Roderick can you hear me? My name is Dr. Nelson." He said as he flashed the light in my eyes. "His pupils are dilated, they are bigger than they are supposed to be, it's most likely that he has a concussion. I need y'all to get some equipment in here, i need to monitor his body fluids as well. Roderick, can you tell me how many fingers i'm holding up?"

"I think it's two." I said, I felt dizzy. "Doctor, where am I?"

"You're in St. Bernard's hospital. Okay now how many fingers am i holding up?"

"Three."

"How about now?"

"Two again. Ugh doctor I'm feeling woozy, Is there anything that I can take to help?" I asked as I tried to sit up.

"Yeah, we have something for you to take, but don't try and sit up right away." He said. "I'll be right back." He said. He came back with some water and a few pills. "Here are some painkillers, take two now and take two later on in the day, you can't take more than four in a 24 hour period and you have to put at least four hours in between doses. Once you take the pills, it should take a hour for the effects of it to kick in." He told me.

"Hey thanks doctor Nelson."

"You're welcome. I'll send some nurses to check in on you in a little while." He said as he left the room. A little while later some of the nurses came in and checked my IV and took my temperature and then they had someone help me up while they changed my bed sheets.

"Where is he? I said where is he?" I heard somebody say. I could have swore the voice on the familiar. It sounded like the DaQuan. "Is he in here?" I heard the person say.

"Excuse me sir, you can't be in here?"

"Is Roderick in here?"

"Who are you?"

"I'm his brother."

"He don't have...."

"How do you know who or whom he isn't related to? Just move out of the way." I heard him say. "Roderick, roderick are you okay?" He saw the IV's in me.

"DaQuan...."

"Yeah man it's me."

"I'm okay...."

"Sir if you don't leave i'm going to have to go and call security!" The nurse said.

"Bitch i wish you...."

"DaQuan!!" I shouted. "It's cool...Linda he's cool." I told her as I turned and looked at her. She nodded and walked out. I looked back at him.

"Look at all of these IV's hooked up to you man, what happened??"

"I told Maurice i wanted out, i wanted out and he did this to me, well not him but 3 of his boys jumped me as i was leaving his place then the next thing i know is i was here, i don't know what happened in between." I told him, with tears in my eyes. "I just wanted out."

"You had to be delusional or have DELUSIONS if you thought he was just going to let you walk away."

"Fuck you, you're going to come here and lecture me? Lecture me while I'm in this hospital bed fighting for my life?"

"Nigga you seem fine to me, the Roderick i know wouldn't let a couple of punk bitches think they could get away with doing this to you, i know you want to change but this, you got to do something about this. But don't do it in a reckless way, do it the right way." He told me.

"How? Now how am I supposed to go about that? You know Maurice have some cops on his payroll right?"

"Yeah i know, but when i say the right way.... Well I'll explain to you what i mean when you get out of this hospital, too many prying ears you know, but trust me in order for this to work you have to come up with something good and trust, it'll be good." He said.

End Of Chapter 20