Chapter 7
Rose
I have been pacing around the front room for what feels like hours. I wish I could have stayed on the phone with dispatch. I hope he's ok. That's when it hits me where i no him from how could i have forgotten that fast it was just yesterday that i saw him. He's the guy from the alley. He got back on his feet fast. That's great. Now I'm starting to really look around the place. I don't see anything of his in the front room. It's understandable he just moved in either yesterday or today. Then I turn and look at the open door that is the bedroom. I have been here a few times. I would help clean and stuff when Lance started getting sick. I want to go look but that would be weird and rude. He was nice to me. He let me stay here, a complete stranger he didn't even know and he went to my house to try to get the person who was there. But I really want to. Just as I take a step in that direction. I hear a knock on the door. I freeze. I even hold my breath.
"Rose its Ted you can open the door" I hear from the other side. I know that voice. I take a deep breath in. I walk to the door and open it . Ted is standing there with a grim face. My heart drops.
"O god please tell me hes ok" i step out the house ready to run to my house. I don't know what I can do but I have to help him if something happens to him.
"Rose, calm down. He's alive, just a little banged up. They have brought him to the hospital. Louise is on his way with your four wheeler. Can we go in and talk for a minute till he gets here?" I really don't want to. I want to go to the hospital and check on him. I don't even know his name. I have to see that he's ok with my own eyes. Sadly I can't right now. I know I have to do this and I can get there faster with my four wheeler is here. I walk back inside. Ted follows. Ted sits, I stay standing by the TV biting my nails.
"Ok so first we now know it's a white male around 5 '10 with brown hair. who was by your house however we lost him in the woods and we don't know what his face looks like. Your friend hit his head while chasing him. Louise continued after him but lost him a few miles into the woods. We called back up and they are bring a k9. To see if they can track him. After Louise finishes talking to them and getting them on the right track he will be this way. Now I need a statement. What made you come here?" he asks while pulling out his pad and pin looking right at me.
"While I was driving home I saw tire tracks leading to Lance's house. So I thought Derek was staying there and didn't give it much thought. When I got close to my house I saw footprints leading to my house. They weren't there this morning. No one comes to my house from the trail. The footprints came from the wood and over the trail then back into the woods on the other side heading to my back porch. That's where I saw him watching me. I didn't want to drive up to the house and have to try to make it inside before he gets me. I thought of Derek. He wasn't too far away. I could go there where it was safe. Call the cop and have yall check it out. I didn't know someone else moved in. When I banged on the door. When he saw me he let me inside and asked what was going on. When I told him he took my keys. Told me to stay inside and lock the door and left to go to my house. Then I called yall to make sure he was ok." I sucked in a big breath of air my lungs desperately needed. Me and him went back and forth on every small betel about everything that has happened this week to see if anything stands out or if I missed anything. I hear the four wheeler and I turn to the door. I want to go see if it's mine but scared it's not. Ted looks to the door as well. We hear it shut off when Louise's voice comes over the radio letting us know it's him. That's all I needed. I was heading out the door. Ted calls after me. I don't care. I don't stop as soon as the louse is off i'm on.
"We need to ask more questions." Ted yelled from the door.
"Ask me at the hospital. I know yall will be heading there when yall are done here to ask his questions." I yell back starting up and driving off before they can try to stop me. I head to the hospital. I take the shorter route even if it's more dangerous it cuts five minutes off my time. I made it there in record time. I park and shut it off i don't even take the keys out. I bolt to the front entrance of the ER. I burst in and the nurses at the front desk all jumped up. I ran to them.
"Someone just came in with an ambulance. He has white hair and white eyes." I say out of breath.
"Calm down ma'am what is his name" she has her hands on her keyboard ready to write it.
"I don't know his name he got hurt helping me" i say praying to tell me where he is.
"I'm sorry I can only let friends and family back there." She is looking me up and down suspiciously.
"Please ask him if he wants to see me tell him it's Rose, the woman he helped and let stay at his house please." I plead. She really looks at me.she takes a deep breath and tells me to hold on. She walks off. I'm standing there feeling like I'm about to start bouncing off the walls if they don't let me see him. She comes back.
"Ok he said he wants to see you he is in room 4 go throw those double doors its on your right." she tells me pointing the way. I take off the way she told me. I get to his door and pull it open. He's laying in his bed with it sitting up. The lights are low and he has an IV in his arm. I look at his face and see he has a dig bandage on his forehead. I run to his side and grab his hand. The one without the IV. he opens his eyes. They really look like they can see into my soul. I kinda like the feeling. Like i don't have to hide anything from him.
"Hi there, am I dead and an angel is here to get me?" he smiles at me with a shit eating grin. I can't help the snort that came out.
"Cracking jokes even when you're in the hospital." I say smiling back at him but still looking him over to see if he has any more injuries. It's hard to tell. The blanket is up to his chest. I want to pull it to his feet so I can check him from head to toe.
"You're going to drill holes into me if you stare any harder" he laughs i feel my face heat.
"I'm just seeing if you're hurt anywhere else." I say defensive.
"I'm fine don't worry just a little bump on my head from when i feel nothing big. How are you doing?"
"I'm fine i was at your house safe and that looks like more than a little bump. What did the doctor say?"
"It's really fine, just can't get it wet for a few days. I have a small concussion. I will be right as rain in a week or so."
"You can't wet it? You have stitches, don't you?"
"Just a few it's ok, calm down." I gave him a death glare. He got stitches trying to help me and he wants me to calm down.
"I'm sorry don't give me that look i'm really ok. I promise they're even letting me go tonight. I just have to come back if I get dizzy or start throwing up." he pleaded with me, giving me puppy dog eyes. He's a grown man doesn't he feel embarrassed doing that but i cant help but think it's cute.
"When your doctor comes in I will ask him then I will believe you're ok. Ooo what is you name i have to stop calling you the guy with white hair and eyes." I really want to know so I sit closer to him waiting on him to tell me. He starts laughing and hard to. when he groans and holds his head. I see small cuts all over his arm.
"Are you ok? Do you need me to call the nurse?" I'm already reaching for the call button. He grabs my hand before I can grab it.
"No, I don't need you to call them. I just laughed a little too hard. My name is Blake." he says his name while looking into my eyes like he wants me to never forget it.