Raising Hell

Fear or Pain

I wake up in a hospital bed. I get up slowly trying to reduce the pain in my rib but find there is little to none left. I lift up my shirt and see light bruises spotted around my skin. I must have been out for a while. My hands are not cuffed to anything and no guards stand by me. In fact I am all alone.

I sit and wonder where I am and how I got here. I remember faintly waking up to a man in my cell, who it was I don't recall.

"Oh good, you're up." Someone says at the door. I look over to see my mother in her nurses outfit and holding a clip board.

"Mom?" I ask making sure this wasn't my imagination.

"Do you know where you are?" She asks. I shake my head and she smiles. "You're home." She explains.

"What happened?" I ask. She sits down on a chair next to the bed.

"The president knew your guard, they used to be good buddies. He owed the president a favor so he helped get you out of there." She says.

"Arthur? Where is he now?" I ask. She looks down at her thumbs and then back at me.

"He died." She explains.

"He knew dad." I say and she nods with a weary smile.

"I am so happy you're okay." She said and got up to hug me. No matter how old I get I will always love my mothers hugs.

"Where's Jake?" I remember suddenly. She smiles.

"He was in here this morning but he had to go to a meeting." She says.

"I have to go see him." I insist.

"He will be back soon, honey. You shouldn't be running around quite yet." She argues. I jump out of my bed and look at my mother.

"I feel fine." I say and run out the door.

I run through the hall ways with the wind in my hair. I don't care that I have a hospital outfit on. I don't care I haven't bathed in two weeks. I don't care that I look like a crazy person. I round the corner of the entrance of the government wing and see people scattered through the hallway, signaling the end of the meeting. I run as fast as I can.

"Jake!" I yell and look for him. I see him turn around from a conversation and break into a smile. He holds out his arms and I jump onto him, causing him to take a few steps back but holding on to me. He throws his arms around my back and swings me off the ground. He puts me back on the ground and brushes the hair from my face.

"I love you, Ringman." He breathes and kisses me passionately. I welcome him happily and run my hand up and down his back. He finally breaks away and the crowd around us starts to clap. I hug him again and whisper in his ear.

"I love you, too." I whisper softly. We hold hands and walk down the hall.

"Ringman." Someone calls after me. I turn around to see the president walking towards us. He stops and smiles at our intertwined hands.

"Finally you two are together. That was getting annoying." He says with an exasperated sigh. I chuckle and Jake joins me.

"Hello to you." I say and he smirks.

"Welcome back. Everyone missed you." He said with a smile.

"I can't tell you how good it feels to be back." I say.

"Well you don't have to, until tomorrow that is. I'm giving you two the day off. Considering you are still supposed to be in the hospital." He looks at me with a glare.

"A few broken bones hasn't stopped me before and I am not planning on letting it stop me today." I say with a smile.

"Now that's what I like to hear." The president says as he walks away.