Starkid: Stalker's Mercy

Part 12

They drove in silence to the hospital. Jaime had been watching her blank screen for five minutes before hanging up. She went to hug Joey, and noticed that his shirt had a little blood stain on it.

'Crap- It seeped through. I'll grab you another shirt.' Jaime turned to grab another one of Joey's shirts.

A pained groan caused Jaime to flip around and see Joey, with his shirt stuck on his arms. His face was screwed up and he looked to Jaime for help.

'Would you, uh, mind helping me?' He asked weakly.

Jaime shook her head and gently pulled Joey's shirt off over his head. 'I definitely didn't expect to do that today.'

Joey smirked and looked down at his bandages. There was a large purple bruise poking up just above the bandage and a tiny splatter of blood seeped through the white bandages. Joey pouted and pointed weakly at his other shirt. Jaime sighed and rolled her eyes.

'Fine.' She grabbed the shirt off the couch and headed back to Joey's side.

He carefully lifted up his arms as Jaime lowered the shirt, when Lauren and Joe burst into the room.

'JAIME LYN BEATTY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?' Lauren screamed.

Jaime gently finished pulling Joey's shirt down and waltzed up to Lauren. 'Putting his shirt on. He got stuck.' Jaime tried to explain.

Joe smirked at Joey and stole the seat next to the bed. 'Smooth move, Richter.'

Jaime rolled her eyes at the two laughing boys and back to Lauren. 'I'm glad you came.'

She pulled Lauren into a hug, seeing Lauren's vacant expression. 'I'm so worried about Denise and Rachael... And it's getting dark...'

Lauren was right- they had been trying to plan all day and it was getting late. Even though she was famished, Lauren knew she couldn't eat- not with the thought of her friends being at the mercy of this psychopath. There was a small vibration, and all eyes turned to the table where Jaime's phone sat. Lauren jumped back as Jaime took off towards her phone, snatching it up and reading the message.

She sighed a breath of relief and replied. 'It was just Meredith- she was asking what room we were in.'

Lauren relaxed a little and walked over to Joe. She sat down at his feet and leaned against his leg, her head on his knee. Joey lowered himself back down so he could lie down, grimacing with each breath.

'You okay Joey? Do you want me to press the button?' Joe asked, holding onto a little cord.

Joey nodded. 'Thanks Joe.'

Joey closed his eyes and fell asleep. Joe waved his hand in front of Joey's face.

'What about his plan?' Joe asked Jaime.

Jaime produced a small notebook from her back pocket.

'It's all the plays we've done and who played what. Joey thinks we should avoid things that could possibly harm our characters, and we'll be fine.' She tossed the notebook to Joe.

He tried to catch it, but it bounced off his cast and fell into Lauren's lap.

'Oops. Sorry guys. I completely forgot...' Jaime wiped her eyes and yawned.

Joe shrugged and Lauren flicked through the book. 'Great- so I have to avoid cars, water, warheads, Batman, snakes, giant mosquitos, magic sorcerers- Anything else, Joey? And could you have been anymore sarcastic?' Lauren flopped on to the ground with a thud.

Joey didn't reply. Lauren looked up at him through the mess of hair on her face, feeling bad. Joe leaned down and grabbed the book from Lauren's hands. Flicking through until he found his name, the first word under "Joe" was in big, red letters: Robots. Joe glared at Joey and burst out laughing.