I'll Help You Hide From Them

Last Words

Ralph takes me to the hospital, where the staff there try to sort out my hand and missing finger.

He stays with me the whole time to reassure me when the doctors find all of the bite marks on my skin as well as the fact that I can't touch anything with my hands.

"How are you feeling Drew?" He asks softly when the doctors have given me a prosthetic hand and finger and left me alone.

I can't bring myself to answer, looking at my fake hand and finger in shame. When it becomes too much for me, I look out the window in the corner of the room to see my view blocked by an office building. My eyes slowly drift back to my fake hand and finger.

"Drew, if there's anything about the kidnapping you remember, you need to tell me." He carefully tries to get me to open up.

I try to make my fingers move, finding that it's a lot more difficult than it was when I had my own hand. A frown forms at the thought that I'll probably never be able to work again.

"We can talk about something else if you want to." He continues, as if he's trying to take my mind off it.

I don't make any effort to look like I'm listening. They should've just killed me.

"Your parents have a security detail on them so that nothing can happen to them." He reports before sighing. "Sorry partner, I completely forgot that you would want some kind of distraction. I mean, it's not like you'll never work again. Anthony in theft has a fake leg and with the right training it'll be as if it never happened." He forces a smile for me but I notice the cracks in it and have to look away.

I flinch a little when he rests his hand on my shoulder, completely unable to even look him in the eyes.

"Please don't be too hard on yourself about this, I mean, I know how you can beat yourself up over the smallest things but none of this is your fault. You did the right thing and I will always find you when you need me. That's just what partners are for." He tells me hopefully.

I'm about to ask him how he found me but I can't bring myself to make a sound. My eyes water up just remembering the whole ordeal so he instantly rubs my back reassuringly. I try everything I can to stop myself from crying again but a whimper seeps out of me.

"It's okay, Drew. It's over, the bastard who did this to you is going to pay for it." Ralph soothingly reminds me.

Another sob shakes its way out of me. He pulls me into some kind of hug to reassure me, whispering reassurances in my ear.

"This might distract you, my brother has passed his undercover assignment with flying colours. I'm told that he's almost as good as you were in the academy." He tells me to cheer me up.

Hearing this suddenly hurts. I'm never going to be that good ever again.

"We've actually had a falling out. I was thinking of using my next holidays to give him space and let him train with you. The two of you are the most important people in my life. I know that you'll get along." He continues. "Would you mind doing that for me? Just keep an eye on him and make sure he's on the right track." He checks.

Even with this comforting distraction, I'm still terrified about the other one. He was clearly in charge so I think he only set up the cannibal.

That means whatever plan they had is still in motion!

No sooner has the thought crossed my mind does Ralph suddenly grunt. I notice that there's blood everywhere and the window in the corner of the room is completely shattered.

He falls onto the floor, I instantly look at him to find that he's been shot through the eye, turning my head to see the bloody bullet lodged in the wall behind me.

The sight of an emergency button within reach makes me instantly press it, calling for someone to help him.

When no one comes soon enough, I force myself to lie on top of him, trying to do CPR. It hurts a little to pump my hands on his chest but I keep going to keep him alive for just a bit longer. When it becomes too painful, I carefully open his mouth, pinching his nose to blow air into his mouth.

"Ralph, don't do this please." I whine when I go back to pumping down on his chest. "Come on, I need you, so does your brother Kier." I plead. "Don't die, please don't die."

Tears crawl into my vision the longer I keep trying to get him to wake up.

The room is flooded with doctors and nurses but they just pull me away from him, putting him on a bed with wheels and taking him somewhere else in the hospital. I try to follow them but I'm still slightly weak from all of what happened and only collapse by the door to my room.