The Mute Reporter

38- Present Day

Jensen Blackwell

It took me until the next morning in order to get another call from the prison.

It's not like I could really call the number back. They reached me only using an outbound one.

Sam was sleeping behind me in my bed, and I was sitting on the edge of it, my feet touching the floor.

We did end up doing three rounds, and I most definitely exhausted Sam, but in the best way possible.

After this call I'm going to go get him some pain killers and orange juice.

"This is an incoming call from Colorado state prison. To accept, press 1, to decli-" I give it no thought as I press one, and the automated voice goes on to tell me it's connecting to the person who called.

"Is this Garrett Blackwell I'm reaching?" A voice sounds, and I can only assume it's the officer on the other end.

"Yes, just call me Jensen." I look back at Sam, and he wasn't awake yet.

He looked really peaceful while he was asleep. One of his arms was tucked underneath both his head and the pillow, and another one was reaching out to me, his hand limp.

My eyes trailed over his bare chest, the scratch mark scars still a light pink against his skin, which they will always be that way.

The biggest scar on him was one on his shoulder. It was one he should've gotten stitches for, but he didn't. So the skin permanently looked like it stretched itself to heal that part about him.

"I'm calling regarding your father-"

"What does Hayford want now? I'm not going to give him any money for medical treatments." I reach my hand out and I brush a pale strand of hair out of Sam's face.

"It's not regarding any of that. I'm just calling to let you know a bad fight broke out last night, and Hayford was caught in the middle of it. Another prisoner took his life."

Oh.

I drop my hand away from Sam.

"He's dead." It doesn't come out as a question, more as a realization to me.

"Yes. His body is in the morgue right now. You are the only person we can contact over what to do with his body." The unfamiliar voice tells me.

Sam's eyes open, probably woken up by the call I was on.

"Just cremate him."

"Is that what you would like? I just need official confirmation for legal purposes."

Sam props his head up with his hand that was previously under his pillow.

I reach out and brush another strand of hair out of his eyes.

"Yes. I don't want to see him again unless he's ash."

"Understood. We will let you know when the process is done and you can pick up the remains." The response is immediate, cold, and professional. Like they've done this a million times.

"Thank you." I say, and the general response is given before the call is dropped.

I turn off my phone and set it aside. Once I do that, I lean back over sam and press a delicate kiss against his temple.

"Good morning." I whisper, and he turns his head up, catching my lips with his.

Sam attempts to sit up, but I pull away when I feel him wince at the pain.

"Are you hurting?" I immediately ask, worried that I went too far and too fast with him last night.

Sam pouts, and I can tell he was embarrassed about that question.

"Or are your legs still shaking?" I continue, giving him a small smirk.

He reaches out and hits my arm, his face red from even more embarrassment.

He ducks under the covers again, only his eyes really peering out beneath the sheets.

"Fine, I'll stop teasing. Don't move. I'll go get you some pain killers." I get up, throwing on a pair of boxers and putting on my knee brace.

Right before I leave the room, I manage to steal a glance back at him. He's looking at my back.

Still attracted to my tattoo I see? A grin tugs at my lips with that fact.

I walk out to the kitchen and grab some orange juice and advil before walking back into my room.

I'm relieved to still see Sam on the bed, and I hand him everything.

'Thank you.' He says before taking the medicine and downing the orange juice.

Sam looks beautiful in the mornings.

I mean, he always is beautiful. But the morning light on him makes him seem more at peace. Like he is able to prolong that one split second after you wake up and your thoughts haven't caught up to your consciousness yet.

'Who was that.' Sam asks, setting down the now empty cup of orange juice.

I look back at my phone, silent on the bedside table.

"Colorado state prison."

I see Sam pale.

'Was it him?'

"It was about him. He's dead."

Sam looks surprised, and also looks back at the turned off phone.

"Want to go get ice cream to celebrate?"

Sam looks back at me, giving me a ridiculous look.

'Seriously Jensen?'

"You're right. Ice cream doesn't do it justice. I should get a legal name change."

Sam doesn't look happy at that either, but to me it sounds like a fantastic idea.

'I get he was a horrible person Jensen, but let's try to not be happy about a person dying.'

I shake my head, and take his hands in mine.

"I've never known a more horrible person than Hayford. To say how much I hate him would be putting it lightly."

Sam just frowns.

"He was arrested for stabbing me. He couldn't explain himself to the paramedics and cops."

'Why did he hurt you?' Sam puts his hands back in mine after using them to sign his question.

"I found out that day, when I was fourteen, of him doing an unspeakable thing to someone. I didn't know the person at the time, but man I was behind myself.

I asked him about it when he was chopping something up for dinner, and the conversation leaded to yelling, which made it lead to a physical fight. He grabbed the knife and dug it down my hip to my thigh. Almost died of blood loss. But at least he was arrested, because he couldn't harm anyone anymore, no matter who they were."

Sam's blue eyes are showing patience and sympathy. His hands squeeze mine in reassurance.

I hate Hayford. I hate having his name. I hate what he's done.

I refuse to cry over him though. He wasn't someone who deserved anything from me, even in death.

He almost took my life, and guess who's still here and who's not?

I just can't wait for him to be nothing more than ash I can throw in the wind.

———
(QOTD: sun or moon?

I keep almost forgetting to post these dang chapters on time bc I'm so busy my b yall. Don't work two jobs, it ain't worth it.)