Blake’s Troubles

Paul glanced longingly at his once-prized leather jacket resting on the chair. It used to fit him perfectly; now it feels worn and heavy, but it’s something that’s been with him since he first started working as a detective so many years ago.

It was a gift from Captain Drake back when he was still a rookie and had just solved his first major murder case. Years had passed since then, and he couldn’t help but feel a sudden sting of disappointment for how his life had turned out.

With a heavy sigh, he set the jacket aside and stepped out of the hospital bed. Grabbing the fresh set of clothes from the edge of the mattress, he headed to the bathroom. Immediately, he splashed cold water over his face.

I’m shocked that my body healed so quickly, he thought, looking himself over in the mirror. I wonder if my healing had something to do with Chloe! I never thought she’d come back or even be able to take over Rook’s body like that.

The last thing he remembered was Chloe, Ian, and the monster standing over him before passing out.

Paul shuddered at the lingering memory of Luis. He felt he would have to take a thousand showers before he would ever feel clean again. After being licked, the sensation of the monster’s coarse, wet tongue lingered. He scrubbed his face once more for good measure, taking one last look in the mirror.

Fucking weird bastard, he thought, shaking his head angrily. Yesterday’s fight put into perspective how weak he’s truly become. It was pathetic.

Paul dried off and exited back into the main room. As he was exiting, the door to his hospital room opened, and a dark-skinned nurse entered with a clipboard. She glanced at the empty bed before looking around the room, spotting Paul as he walked out of the bathroom.

“Next time, Mr.Gallagher, wait for a nurse to assist,” the nurse scolded, a small frown on her face.

“Sorry, I’m not one for lying around.”

The nurse went to respond, but a man with a bald head and a slightly round stomach entered the room. He had a mustache that curled at the ends. The police badge was out on the side of his hip.

Why is Captain Drake visiting? Sure, he would have something better to do. Paul thought, scratching his head.

When stepping into the room, Drake accidentally bumped into the nurse, making her stumble out of the way. Seeing his mistake, the man had a small smile on his face as he bowed his head slightly toward her.

“Excuse me, Nurse, but can you forgive my friend here? I’ll make sure he takes it easy for the rest of the day.”

The nurse looked unsettled but kept a professional demeanor. She adjusted the papers and read off the top one. “I was coming to tell Mr. Gallagher that he was being discharged soon.”

“Thank you, ma’am, for taking care of him. I’ll make sure he gets plenty of rest after he leaves.”

The nurse looked hesitant, then gave a small nod. “He needs to rest for up to forty-eight hours before slowly returning to light work as an officer.”

“You’re that Paul, desk duty when you go back to work,” Drake called over his shoulder.

Paul shuddered, not wanting to deal with paperwork, but gave a thumbs up anyway.

Drake led the nurse out of the room before shutting the door behind her. The moment it closed, the man turned to Paul, a huge scowl on his face.

“What the hell, Detective!” he spat, his tone venomous. “I told you to take over the case, stay under the radar. How is burning down a warehouse in the middle god-fucks nowhere help with staying under the radar?”