Afterlight ✔️

chapter forty-one

— Jay Bieber

I woke up, only to see that I had been laying in a hospital bed. I had always hated going to the hospital, ever since I was a young boy. I hated the nurses, the food, the uncomfortable beds. Just the smell of it irked me. It was a punishment from Damien that I was even brought here. He could've let me suffer in pain. Anything but this place. In my right hand was an IV. Droplets of solution went through it. My whole entire right arm was freezing. I could feel the liquid travelling through my veins. There was a small pain in my torso. It wasn't as bad as it felt when Damien first stabbed me there. The pain didn't bother me, much. The fact that I was sitting in the place I hated the most bothered me more than the fact that I was stabbed. Damien knew that from the start.

As the sun shined through the window behind me, the nurse walked in, smiling. With her clipboard in her hand, she rested it upon the edge of the bed.

"Mr. Bieber," She paused, cupping her hands together, "Nice to see you're finally awake! How are you feeling?" She took a thermometer out of her pocket, stuffing it into my mouth.

"Couldn't be better." I said sarcastically with the thermometer hanging out of my mouth.

"So, are you in any pain?" She cocked her head to the side in concern.

"I'm perfectly fine." I lied, chuckling a little.

"How's your bandage?"

I lifted the blanket up to see that the bandage was soaked in blood. I lied, not wanting to be touched, "It's fine, ma'am. Thank you."

"Let me know if you need anything. Water, juice, anything?" She snatched the thermometer out of my mouth, reading it, "Normal..." She whispered to herself, stuffing it back into her pocket.

"I'm fine," I gave my lips a quick lick, "I need some time to recollect myself."

"Okay," She exclaimed, grabbing her clipboard, heading for the door, "I'll just–"

"He's awake!" Damien entered the room, throwing his hands together, "My little brother is awake. He looks so alive and healthy. Excuse me, can I have a little alone time with him?"

"Oh, sure!" The nurse smiled sweetly, closing the door after herself.

I groaned as Damien took the nurse's roller chair, sitting in it backwards. He rolled it towards my bed, resting his arms on the backrest, looking me in the eyes. "You set me up." I snarled, "You know I don't like hospitals, and I told you not to bring me here, dammit."

"That's what you get for trying to end the life of your older brother." He snickered to himself, shaking his head.

"You think I'm a little pussy, don't you? I don't need to go to the hospital for a fucking stab," I informed, "I could've gone home."

"Why? So your little playtoy could help heal it, instead of these nice little nurses you have here?" I growled out of anger, clenching my teeth.

"Whoah there, man. I wouldn't lie about the girl."

"You can stab me, you can call me names, but you have no right to sit there and say shit about my girlfriend," I whispered in his face gruffly, "If one thing about her comes out your mouth I will kill you. That's not a threat. It's a promise."

"Weak ass piece of shit. I swear if you tell anyone in this damn hospital what I did, I'll make sure you stay longer," He cocked his head in the direction of the door, "I'll make your pathetic little life depend on this damn place, got it?"

"I can do whatever the fuck I want to do." I stated, clenching my jaw.

"So can I. That's why you're laying in this hospital bed right now," He eyed the bed, "Besides, even if you did tell anyone in this place, I have everyone wrapped around my finger."