The Case Puzzle

Chapter 5

I was trying to continue sleeping but the constant ringing sound in my head wouldn't let me. I tried to shake off the noise but it only became more annoying.

I opened my eyes reluctantly. All I saw was white, though a bit blurry. I blinked a few times. Where was I?

The last thing I remember is falling unconscious in front of Brian's apartment. Where did I end up? I shuffled a bit and sat up. Pain shot up in my head as I grabbed it hard to stop the pain. But there was something around my head. I felt the soft thing with my hands and realised that my head was bandaged.

At the same time, I heard footsteps and looked up to see someone approaching. I squinted my eyes to see better. It was someone tall but my eyesight was still blurry. As the man approached me, the light in front of me was covered by his head, forming a halo around his head. I chuckled to myself. Is this an angel?

I kept staring at him until my sight became less blurry. When I could see clearly, I jumped back against the bed clutching the bedsheet.

"Oh, devil!"

"Really now?" An amused voice shot back.

If I was not mistaken, this tall guy with black hair and green eyes seemed awfully familiar. A bit too familiar.

Right when I was about to speak, the door opened and in came Eliyah, with something in a paper bag. She threw it on my lap and sat down on a chair next to the bed.

"You just woke up?" Eli asked with a blank face. Well not really a blank face; it seemed a kind of dark and threatening type of blank face.

"Yeah...the friend gathering went well, I assume?" I asked tentatively with an awkward smile, trying to ignore another stare next to her.

"We found you on the floor wet, shivering, with blood pouring down your head, unconscious. We dragged your stupid ass to the hospital. And we have been waiting for you to wake up for three hours. It is now midnight. That's all you can say?"

I pulled Eli by her sleeve to bring her closer to me and leaning on her shoulder, I whispered, "Yeah, but what is the devil doing here?"

She glanced to Castiel and then back to me. "You, my dear, owe your life to Castiel here. If he didn't arrive as late as you and didn't find you, I can't imagine how long you would have remained unconscious at Brian's door," she said smugly.

"Don't exaggerate," I murmured and scowled. Then I glanced at him and made sure to glare at him for him to receive the message clear: No, I don't owe you. Really though, we meet after all these years like this. Why like this?

Eliyah stood up and motioned Castiel to sit in her place. "You can sit down. I'll just call the doctor and come back." I tried to grab her hand but all I received in my hand was air. She practically flew out of the room. Well her concern for me warms my heart.

Castiel slowly came over and sat down. I didn't look at him and nor did he look at me. He was just staring at his phone. There was an awkward silence. And I was getting thirsty. I coughed a bit. I coughed again. Then I coughed once more.

"Here," I heard and saw a glass of water placed in front of me. Without glancing sideways, I grabbed the glass of water. I gulped it all at once. I was so hungry as well. I reached for the paper bag and saw a burger in it. I've got such a good best friend.

As the burger was about to reach my mouth, I paused. I looked at Castiel. He was on his phone. I coughed to bring his attention right back to me. He glanced up, raising an eyebrow at me.

"Just for the record, I could have handled it alone. You didn't have to help me."

"Oh. I didn't intend to," he said like it was obvious.