Brian was thrown back into reality when his phone ringing awoken him from a deep sleep.
"Hmmmhello" he yawned, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
"Brian, come quick!" he heard his friend, Joe, say frantically.
"What is it?!" he asked worried, stumbling to pull on a pair of jeans.
"Sal! He went missing"
Brian stopped dead in his tracks. "Missing, like he escaped?"
"Yes!"
"Hold on. I gotta call you back"
Brian slammed his truck door shut and drove off down the gravel road. "I know where this stupid fuck went"
After about a 20 minute drive Brian pulled into a bar parking lot.
"Hey have you seen a man, about 5"10', tanish skin, glasses, beard?" he asked appoarching a man sitting on the curb.
"Yeah man, hes inside" the guy replied in a stoner type voice.
"Knew it" he gritted through his teeth. He swung the door open and his eyes searched the bar. There he was. Sitting alone in a corner, taking shots.
He marched over to Sal, grabbed the back of his shirt and yanked him off the chair causing him to spill his drink on himself.
"SAL! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"
Sal looked at him like a deer in headlights.
It took everything for Brian not to punch Sal.
"How many is the bill?" Brian asked the bartender, still holding Sals shirt.
"The total is ... $68.34"
His eyes widen. Handing him the money and dragged Sal out of the bar.
"You idiot" he kept saying as Sal stumbled behind him. "You break out of a hospital and then come to a bar, WHAT HAPPENED TO CHANGING?!"
"I ... ineededadrink" Sal slurred out.
"How were you gonna pay the bill with no money?!"
"Iwasssntgointo"
Brian shook his head in disapproval as he helped Sal into his truck.
"Brian" Sal slurred out. Brian looks over at him with hesitation. "Immm shoorry"
"Stop ... Ive heard this stupid "Oh Im sorry, Ill change, Ill be better" shit a million times" he said in a mimicking tone.
Brian unlocked his phone a dialed a number. "Hey. Joe call James and come over to my place"
"No! Noo please Brian, dontcall Ja-James and uh Joey" Sal slurred out trying to slap the phone out of his hand.
"Sal! STOP!" Brian said fighting off Sals pleas and slaps.
"Yea ... Ill be home in a few" he managed to say as Sal begged not to bring Joe and James over.
The drive home was filled with begs and pleas.
"Come on buddy" Brian said helping Sal down from inside his truck. "Put your arm around me"
"Hey man. Youre the bestest" Sal laughed tripping over his feet.
"Shut up" is what he replied with. "Were hooome!" Brian yelled, struggling to open the front door with his friend slung around his shoulder.
Joe and James came around the corner and helped Brian bring Sal to the couch.
"We'll talk to him in the morning. James go get him a bucket, Joe can you get him a blanket. One of us has to stay up and watch him and it sure as hell anit me"
"I will" James volunteered. "Ive got nothing better to do"
"Alright, just watch him, make sure this idiot doesnt leave. Im headed to bed" Brian said pointing to James.
Brian climbed into bed behind Emily, wrapped his arms around her waist and nuzzled his face inbetween her neck.
"Whatd he do now?" she asked in a tired, groggy voice.
"Broke out of a hospital and got wasted. Dont worry James is watching him. Lets just go to bed" Brian replied, kissing her neck lightly, and falling fast asleep.
-----------------
Brian awoken to a stream of light beeming through the creak in the blinds. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and sat up. Looking around he remembered Sal.
"Time to go deal with this idiot" he said the himself.
"Hey! G'mornin'." James laughed.
"Is he still sleeping?"
James nodded.
There was a knock at the door that caused James, Joe and Brian to sharply turn their heads.
"Uh, hello?" Brian said opening the door to 6 foot something guys, he didnt regonized.
"Is Sal here" one asked sternly.
"Uh, name?"
"Steven" the same one said. "He'll know who I am"
Brian got a pit in his stomach. "Hold on. Ill check if hes here"
Brian closed the door and locked it.
"Sal!" he whispered shaking Sal.
"What do you want" Sal whined, his head pounding.
"Theres two guys here. Ones named Stev-"
Sal shot up. "Steven? " he asked worried.
"Yes"
"Holy shit! I gotta get out of here!" Sal said scared. "Wheres my pants" he demanded, shoving past Brian.
"Who are they?!"
"I was never here!" Sal whispered sharply, opening a window, pants not even fully on.
"Sal, who are they?!" Brian yelled, grabbing the collar of his shirt.
"Ill explain later. Please just let me go!"
Brian thought about it for a second. "Dont do anything stupid" he gritted through his clamped teeth.
"I promise!" Sal said climbing down the safety ladder.
Brian looked at the door to see the two men looking in.
"What do I do?!" he asked James and Joe worried.
