…Mom.
Mom… where are you?
Mom!
"Huah!" I jolted awake, gasping for air.
"Agghh…" A sharp pain tore through my waist, forcing me back down onto the bed. My hand instinctively pressed against the wound, the ache pulsing like fire beneath my skin.
I blinked, trying to make sense of my surroundings. The sterile white walls, the faint smell of disinfectant, the steady beep of a heart monitor beside me. Wires ran from my hand and nose into machines. No doubt about it...I was in a hospital.
The room was empty, silent except for the machines. No clock, no calendar, no one to tell me how long I'd been out. Only the window gave me a clue: outside, the night stretched endlessly.
My mind drifted back to the storage room.
'…I was pathetic.'
Even with the advantage, I couldn't beat Jay. If it hadn't been for that desperate 911 call, I'd be dead.
I raised my right hand, thin and frail, wrapped in medical tape and wires.
"I really need to hit the gym…" My voice rasped, hoarse and broken.
My eyes scanned the room. On the desk sat a single phone…mine. Jay's was gone.
'…Or someone took it.'
At least I'd had the sense to Airdrop everything before.
I reached for my phone, stretching against the pain.
"Aghhh…"
Pak!
It slipped from my fingers and clattered to the floor.
I groaned, staring at the wound again.
'How long will I be stuck like this?'
"…Never mind," I muttered, too drained to call for help. Sleep seemed easier.
But sleep wouldn't come. My thoughts kept circling back to the incident. The girl…was she safe? Did Jay escape?
I turned my head slowly toward the door. Closed.
'Seriously? Was anybody assigned to watch me? Even here, I'm treated like I don't matter.'
My life was always like this ever since…ever since…
The door creaked open. A nurse stepped inside. Her smile was professional, practiced.
"So, you're awake," she said gently. "Do you feel anything? Does anywhere hurt?"
I wasn't good at talking to strangers…especially women. So I just shook my head.
"…Alright, good to hear. I'll go call the doctor to let him know you're awake," she said, turning to leave.
"…W-wait," I croaked.
She paused. "Yes? Need something?"
"U-umm…I-I was wondering about…umm…" The words tangled in my throat.
She smiled. "Don't worry. After we're done checking you, you'll learn about everything that happened. For now, just rest."
I nodded weakly, watching her leave.
I turned my head to the ceiling, raising my hand and covering my eyes.
'Seriously, Zack? You just had to embarrass yourself in front of her. No wonder no one wants to talk to you.'
I pulled my hand back and noticed it was shaking. Recovery would take time.
The doctor entered next. Like the nurse, he asked about my well-being. After I answered, he explained how lucky I was, the knife hadn't pierced anything vital…and that I'd be discharged in a week.
"…Doctor, how long was I out?" I asked.
"Two days," he replied.
My eyes widened. Two days? Two days!?
He cleared his throat. "So, Zack, I'll need your parents' numbers. Nobody's contacted you, and we want to let th—"
"…I live alone," I cut him off.
"…Oh. Sorry to hear that."
'…I'm used to it,' I thought, not wanting his pity.
My mind drifted again. Two days gone…and I'll be here for a week. School starts tomorrow. My part-time job is missed. My only source of income.
'Will the boss fire me…?'
The doctor stood. "Alright, Zack, I think we're done here. We'll let the officers know you're awake."
'…Officers? Oh yeah. I got stabbed. I called 911. Of course, they'll interrogate me.'
The door opened again. Two officers stepped inside.
"Zack, we'll leave you to it…" The doctor waved his hand and left.
Left alone with them, one officer dragged a chair near my bed and sat down while the other leaned against the wall.
The seated officer spoke first.
"I'm Officer Peter, and this is Harry… my partner," He leaned forward, clasping his hands. "I think you already know why we're here, so I'll cut to the chase. What exactly happened?"
....
I told him everything. From being assigned to clean the classroom to ending up in the storage room. To finding them. To the chaos that followed. I mentioned Jay's phone, how I sent everything to mine.
Peter nodded through it all, occasionally asking questions: Did you know him? Why didn't you call the cops and leave? Did you know the girl? Why did you lunge at him? The usual drill.
After I finished, he leaned back in his chair and glanced at his partner.
"…Harry, you have any questions?"
Harry shook his head.
Peter stood up.
"…Okay then, that's everything." He looked at me. "You're a smart kid. No one else would've subdued a predator like that. Be proud of yourself."
Before he turned to leave, I spoke.
"W-what about them? You caught him, right? A-and is the girl okay…?"
Peter met my eyes. After a few moments, he sighed.
"No need to concern yourself. Just rest. You'll know what happened later. But for the girl…I can say her father picked her up yesterday after she woke. Nothing life-threatening happened to her. Because of you."
I nodded, relief washing over me.
Then Peter reached into his pocket and pulled out a pack of smokes.
"…Thank you for saving my life." The doctor had told me how Officer Peter treated my wound and kept me alive. I had to thank him.
He lit his cigarette, exhaled, and turned to me.
"…Just don't jump at people holding knives next time, okay?"
With that, Peter and Harry left.
"…"
I sighed and lay my head back on the pillow.
Despite it being my first interrogation, I was… calm. I guess being in a life-or-death situation really changes someone.
But one thought kept gnawing at me.
'I didn't know why, but Harry's silence unsettled me. It was like he'd seen something worse than what I'd told them.'