Blind As a Bat [1st book complete]

Somnolent

Cian P.O.V

I woke to my cellphone playing the "Doctor Who" ringtone I used for Liekar Pritcher. My eyes wanted to close, sleep still dragging at me like waves during low tide. I finally flopped my hand onto the coffee table, fingers partially numb, making it hard to grip and drag it over to my chillaxed frame, "Chillll-axed," I quietly chuckled, finding the word amusing to my tongue. I rubbed said tongue around in my mouth, the movements also getting a laugh out of me. My hand appeared in front of my face, so I rubbed against it, the other hand smacking me with something hard by accident, "Meeeeean hand," I scowled at it for several seconds, wondering why I had the cellphone.

***

"Shit!" I jumped up as "Doctor Who" screeched in my exposed ear, falling between the couch and coffee table, most likely creating several bruises that would quickly heal, but also reminding me of the boy. I instantly felt guilty for just sleeping and forgetting about him for that period of time. It was during this time that I realized what had woken me up and scrambled for the phone, "Oh fuck, oh shit. Please let him be okay," I muttered to myself as I noticed the large number of texts and calls from Liekar Pritcher. Why hadn't I heard the phone ring until now?! My mind instantly flashed back to what I had imbibed earlier, wanting to facepalm at the fact that I shouldn't have drunk the whole thing; shouldn't have sunk so low as to drink it at all.

Rather than scroll through the texts, I quickly just called, shakily standing only to plop myself back onto the couch, feeling the ache and bruises the fall caused me. I frowned at the thought before the call clicked, "Oh FINALLY! What the hell, Cian! I was starting to wonder if you just didn't care anymore or if there was something actually wrong with you!"

"Sorry, I was asleep and didn't hear my phone," The excuse made me flinch. I should have said that I forgot my phone.

The line was quiet momentarily, "I would shoot a lot of questions at you regarding what's going on, but something more important is going on right now- but don't think I'm just going to forget!"

"What's wrong? Is Ashe okay?" I wanted to stand and pace, but my body wasn't having it. I was starving and I felt too weak to expend energy just to walk off some nerves.

"You can definitely say he's okay! He's awake!"

I looked at the phone in my hand before bringing it to my ear again, "This is real, right? You just said he's awake... This is real?"

"Yes, Cian, this is real. He's awake and in a nice hospital suite with Mrs. Leugen. But that's not the only thing I have to talk to you about," Pritcher took a deep breath, but I couldn't focus on what else he was going to say.

"Can I see him?" The line was silent for several moments before Pritcher's voice carefully broke the silence.

"Cian, I-I really don't think you should. Ashe is awake and stable right now. I don't know what would happen if you met him, at least not right now..." I could tell Pritcher felt really bad for telling me something I already knew, "But I can send you video of him?"

My grim outlook turned brighter, "If you would, please."

"That, I can do... But, there is something I need to tell you. Well, more like, tell you regarding something that happened...."

***(Because I'm lazy and don't want to reiterate what happened and waste everyone's time)***

"You have to be fucking KIDDING ME!" Cian growled into the phone, teeth like daggers in the light when Pritcher had finished telling him of the events surrounding Ashe's return to consciousness. "How did someone like that even become a liekar?! Shit, we should be doing more regular background and blood tests."