Jayden was happy to have a kid's company. He and Braylan were talking, joking and laughing. Jane had returned 4 hours later with the books of choice. But instead of reading, Jayden spent some quality time with his brother. Jane had also brought a happy meal for both of them from the McDonald's and a regular meal each, for themselves. Even after half an hour, the room still smelled of fresh fries and chicken nuggets. Jayden felt a pang of pain every now and then, but he knew that it was because he was healing. The presence of Farther Gerard and the blessing had given him a bit of security. The day had passed without any notable event. Braylan had gone home with Jane and Marco was staying with him. The doctor had said that Jayden could go home the next day after the check up.
Jayden was laying comfortably with water in his reach. He was staring the ceiling which was a dull shade of purple. He was thinking about ways to improve it. He thought if radient stickers of stars, rockets, UFOs and shooting stars. That would make it more interesting to stare. Suddenly out of nowhere, the tall man appeared. But instead of coming towards Jayden, he seemed to be hurrying somewhere. Jayden was curious so he started following the man. He was walking fast and he entered the elevator. Before he could enter, the doors of the elevator closed and it stared descending. He waited to see which level it would go. He pressed the button to call the elevator. The second elevator came to a halt on his level. He saw that the elevator tall man rode came to a halt at parking lot. He climbed the other elevator and started descending to the parking lot. Within a minute, he was walking out of the elevator briskly. He started searching for the tall man and before long, he spotted him. He ran towards him. The man's back was towards him. He couldn't see what he was doing. He ran faster and what he saw made the warth beneath him vanish. Braylan was floating in midair. His chest and stomach was open and he could see his brother's internal organs. He screamed at top of his lungs but no sound came out of his mouth except for a very loud gasp. He could hear someone calling his name again and again. The voice was familiar. He concentrated hard to recognize the voice. It seemed to be growing louder and louder. He recognized it as his dad's voice. He turned in the direction of the voice. No one was visible. He could feel someone touching his right arm slowly. He jumped and opened his eyes. He was in his bed and that was a dream. But it seemed so real and it was hard to velive it was a dream. His Dad was pouring some water. He stared him, trying not to think about Braylan.
"Bad dream? " Marco asked softly. He nodded, taking the cup of water and gulping it. "What did you see? " He asked.
"It didn't seem like a dream. It was too real. I remember watching the ceiling and I can't recall falling. " Jayden said, after narrating the whole dream.
"It is okay, buddy. Now you should sleep once again. You need sleep and rest." Marco said.
"Yeah, I should sleep. " He said halfheartedly. Marco went back to the couch after a few minutes when he saw that Jayden was asleep. But in fact, Jayden wasn't asleep. He was scared to sleep. Everytime he slept, a nightmare found its way into his dreams. The thing he saw had shaken him deeply. The tall man was surely evil. He wanted to hurt them. He wasn't sure why he wanted to hurt them. It was impossible for him to say what the man's was. Was he a living man or spirit? He wasn't sure. He had found its way in their previous room, pretending to be a nurse. Then the next thing, he saw him in the room. He wasn't sure if it was a dream or not, but then his wound had opened up and started bleeding. He could still hear that voice saying "I just love the taste of fear and pain!" The way he had licked his lips. Just after that, his wound had opened up. He had seen the same man trying to hurt Braylan. But when he intervened, it came for him. But now, he saw what the tall man had done with his brother. His eyes we're droopy but he didn't allow them to close. He shifted in a very uncomfortable position so that he won't fall asleep. Maybe it were the pills that caused so much sleepiness. But he wasn't going to allow his eyes to shut. Even for a second.
*********
It was morning already and Marco was trying to wake him up for the breakfast. He shot up and stared his father.
"Was I asleep? " He asked and Marco nodded.
"Eat your breakfast. Then the doctor will check you and see if you are free to go. " He said. Jayden got up and brushed his teeth. Th breakfast was flavoured yogurt, some sliced fruits (Pineapple, apple, kiwi, berries and watermelon), and a pack of strawberry milk. He started eating his breakfast, trying to remember how he fell asleep. He couldn't remember till the end of the breakfast and he finally gave up on it when there was a knock on the door. A doctor and a nurse entered the room and Jayden could swear he saw the tall man behind them. He was smiling his sadistic smile and then he licked his lips and mouthed 'pain and fear'. The doctor was saying something but he was thinking about what he saw. He was still satring at the same spot, even though the door was now closed.
"Mr. Jayden, please extend your arm, so that we can check your pulse. " The doctor said, waving in front of his eyes, bringing him back to the present. His heart was beating somewhere near his Adam's apple. The nurse started counting his pulse while the doctor started to take his heart beat with rhe help of a stethoscope.
"Had a good night sleep? " The doctor asked him and he nodded. They studied him a bit more and finally-
"I don't see a need for him to stay in the hospital anymore. You will be free to leave within an hour or so. " The doctor siad to his father and he felt his spirits rise a bit.
It took almost 50 minutes to fill the forms and sign the papers. His blood was taken for last minute checking, his bandages were changed and the doctor said that within next two days, his wound will be healed and the stitches will be dissolved as they are Dissolvable stitches. But he was supposed to vist daily for the next days so the bandages can be changed. Finally, Jayden was leaving the hospital, wishing he will never have to come back here again, except for the next few days. Marco had called a can as his car was at home and they were sitting a t the back seat of the cab. He had also informed Jane and Braylan about their homecoming, so they didn't come over to the hospital. He thought about his room and the food he would be able to eat. He smiled widely to himself.