The Cloak Guard

One Problem to Another

All Luke could see was darkness. He felt like he was sinking into it, like at any moment it would consume him and that that would be it. He couldn't remember how he got here. There were...flashes. Pain. That he remembered. And...someone else there. Someone he had wanted to save? To stop? Both? He wasn't sure.

"...how is he?"

Something came through. A brief distortion in the darkness.

"...not sure...running more tes..."

The sinking feeling was fading, being replaced with something else. He could suddenly feel things around him as his mind became more aware. He could feel his body, feel the dull aches across it, especially in his chest.

"...but he can't...it's just..."

He recognized that voice. He wasn't sure from where. But he knew he had to get back to it, right now. He forced himself to move, in any way. He felt his eyes move slightly and then, all of a sudden, there was a crack of light that nearly blinded him. But it felt good so he kept going.

He blinked and slowly felt the fog of darkness lifting as he woke up. He blinked again, getting used to the light, and looked around, taking in his surroundings. He was in a bed. A hospital bed. But what was he...

It all came rushing back to him. The fight with Swarm, Gabriela in danger, him being stabbed. He gingerly touched his chest, wincing. He'd also been stabbed across his body. But he was alive. He'd made it through, somehow. But...did that mean...

He almost shot up out of the bed but a sharp lance of pain stopped him. He groaned and lay back again. Guess he wouldn't be moving anytime soon. But...he had to find out what happened. If Gabriela was still alive or not? If he was, she must be too, right?

"Luke?"

He looked up and saw his parents in the doorway, staring at him in shock. "Mom? Dad?"

"Oh thank god!" his mom cried, practically leaping at him.

"Ow! Mom! Injury!"

"Oh, sorry," she said, instantly getting back up. "I...just...you scared us so much."

"I did?" he asked, still wondering how he ended up here.

"Luke..." his mom took a step back, looking at him with concern. "Do you know what happened last night?"

"Uh..."

At that moment, his dad came back with a nurse in scrubs. "Well Mr. Decker," she said, giving him a smile. "I can't tell you how good it is to see you awake."

"Oh, um, thanks. How long was I out?"

"Not that long, fortunately. It is now 12 pm on Saturday," she said as she began checking the machines and IV needles. She then went through a series of questions, checking Luke's cognitive functions, like his name, the date, and the president's name, all of which he answered. "Now, this might be a tough one. Can you say what happened to you last night?"

"Uh...not really sure myself." He couldn't very well tell them the truth so he had to come up with something quick. "I...got up to get some dinner at like...1 or something. I went to bed early. It was a rough and tiring day. But I was hungry, so I went downstairs. And while I was making a plate, I heard a noise coming from outside. At first I thought it was nothing, but it kept getting louder so I went out and checked the yard. And then..." he raised his hand helplessly. "I'm guessing I got stabbed."

"Yes, that is correct. We're still trying to ascertain the type of weapon, but you were stabbed in the chest. It managed to avoid damaging your major organs too much but it went straight through, scraping your right lung. Honestly, it's a miracle you're alive."