In The Blink Of An Eye

Blood Disorder

"Hello?"

It was silent for a few seconds, so I thought he didn't hear me. I repeated it again.

"Ummm, hello, can you hear me?"

"Hi. How are you?"

That voice sounded so familiar, but I don't know why. I couldn't pick up on who it was right away. Until he said the next few words.

"I saw what happened on the news..."

I cut him off without even letting him finish. I knew it was him. That's why he sounded so familiar.

"JAKE!!! IT'S YOU. OMG!"

"I am so glad you're alive. I'm so sorry for leaving you all alone."

"You didn't. It's not your fault. I can't believe you're in there. How are you???"

"I'm okay."

"Jake, come on. Be honest with me."

"Honestly. It's hard. But mostly because I feel guilty for..."

"You didn't leave me alone. They took you away. You didn't do anything, and I promise you, as soon as I get out of here..."

"No. You will do nothing. You have done more than enough, and you have been through so much all because of me."

"I haven't done anything until I get you out of there. I won't stop until I do."

"This is my first call they allowed me to make. I have been going crazy in here knowing you were in trouble, and I had no way to contact you."

"Thank you for calling me. You have no idea how happy you made me."

"I don't have much time left. I do have a favor to ask."

"Anything you want."

"I want you to go back to your hometown. I want you to leave and get as far away from Duskwood as possible. I will find a way to get out of here, and I will come find you."

"Jake, no!!!"

"If something happens to you, I have nothing to fight for. I will not care about anything else. But if you're alive, I will find you no matter how long it takes."

Just as I was getting ready to answer, he hung up. He must have run out of time.

I know what Jake wanted, but it was not going to happen. I was not giving up until I found a way to get him out. I couldn't believe that I was hearing his voice for the first time while I was in the hospital and he was in jail. I never imagined this would be the way we would talk, not in a million years. Now, with Michael gone, Phil and I having the address, I had to focus my whole attention on finding the proof to get Jake out. I wasn't going to let anything or anybody else slow me down. Or, so I thought...

Evan had come back with the food, and just as I was eating, I saw blood. I'm not sure where it was coming from, but it was dripping down my face. I figured it was from my head stitches until Evan looked at me and saw it.

"You're bleeding from your nose a lot."

He rushed to the doctor and the nurse. They ran to my bedroom, and as soon as the doctor came by my side, I got so dizzy and nauseous that I passed out. I was feeling fine until I wasn't. All of a sudden, the whole room went dark, I was trying to call out Evans name, but I couldn't even speak. Something was wrong, I just didn't know what. I don't know how long I was out, but when I woke up, I saw the doctor, a nurse, and Evan standing by my side. As soon as I saw the doctor's face, I knew I was about to receive news I wasn't going to like.

"How are you feeling?"

"I... I'm..."

"It's okay. Take it slow. When you came in here, we did an MRI scan of your head. We saw a fracture from the hit you received. However, it wasn't serious enough for immediate treatments."