Higher Stakes [Strings: Part 1]

Chapter 26: Unknown

If you look at it this way, with Selena, Demi and Mrs. Watson there in the ward practically watching over this worn out young Brit, trying to catch on at every moves he made in the past three hours or so; it was actually a sweet gesture. They were looking after him, making him feel comfortable and if there was any – hopefully not – any malfunction in these machines connected to him, they’d be the first to run off looking for any doctor in that area of the hospital. Yet again, no matter how pure and sweet your intentions were; rules must be obeyed and they must leave.

For Mrs. Watson, she understood perfectly but for the two best friends; Selena and Demi, they were fighting off verbally in order to say. Before anything could ever happen, Mrs. Watson stepped forward, talked with the girls calmly and also in a motherly way and had them out of the hospital entrance leaving the nurse to what she does best, nursing the person in need.

It ought to be a great laugh when Bradley wakes up. He would never thought that those two girls would stay there with him regardless of their busy schedule especially for Demi, whom, from what Mrs. Watson learnt, she was running out of the little director gathering just when she had the floor. It looked bad on their perspective but on Demi’s, she had to do it. Tiffany, on the other hand, went back to the studio bearing information. Luckily, the directors understood the situation clearly and wished for a full recovery.

Once again, the room was empty. Just Bradley mending his wounds and frolicking in his calm dream. He lay there, still and continuously breathing in the cold conditioned air. Eyes shut and ears gaping out wide. Even in his sleep, he could – though soft – hear his own intake of air through his nostril. It felt good, just lying there, with the pain slowly deteriorating as the drugs patching up all those stinging lumps inside him. It sounded so perfect.

Too perfect.

He slowly lifted his eyelids. Only to be given a view that was so dark and blurry and so foreign in his own world. So, this must be what it’s like being in a hospital at night, he thought lazily. He shut those pairs down again and stirred a little.

Small beep beep and beep tune was heard. Drip of fluid was sensed hanging just above his head. Sharp needle penetrated through his forearm sure made him feel a little uncomfortable but then… suddenly… he couldn’t breathe. His oxygen masks somewhat stopped emitting that set of air. He could feel his pulses raising further more.

The pang heightened more and more now. It was going to suffocate him if it continues. The moment he shot his eyes, even in the blurriness of his vision, he knew someone was there hovering over him, dressed in black top to bottom. He could see that devilish grin and that knives protruding gaze.

“I dare you to move.” He heard that raspy hair rising voice. Amidst that grin, Bradley swore that he heard that familiar voice before. It sounded too familiar to be exact. “Go on, buddy, move. Go on. It’ll be easier to kill you.” Bradley tried to keep still but with the nothingness in his oxygen mask, he must fight to get back the air in his lungs. As if his thought was heard, the figure seemingly retrieved back Bradley’s ability to breathe but instead, another threat came in a form of a sharp army knife against the newbie’s throat. He was still. “Now. Let me remind you something, kid. We had a deal. I’m already half my way on my end of this. How about you, huh? I got 9 around my belt and what do you got? Nil.”

Bradley swallowed.

“If you want to win this, you better get back up on your feet and nail it. That bitch. Got that? If not, I will tell everyone what you got into. It’ll be one heck of a show. Might as well bring a guitar up to it.” The figure scoffed maniacally. “The stake is higher, kid. And I’m winning it.” Knife flown back to its casing, leaving the newbie back to his normal state. The figure, on the other hand, showed another set of that devilish grin before going off out the door with pride. Bradley couldn’t believe what was going on. He must do something and he could tell anyone about it.

 Author's Note:

Sorry for the short chapter. Will do a longer one for the next chapter. Heyyyyyyyo!