Awakening

Epilogue

"You sure you should be outside walking?"

"You sound like that crabby nurse, I'm fine."

"I don't want to get in trouble thou-"

"Blake, it's been four days. I should be asking if you should be outside walking. You're getting discharged already, but are you sure you shouldn't stay a little longer?"

The doctors and nurses alike were surprised by his speedy recovery, but they did not question it too much, and he wasn't about to put that in the spotlight. Blake was already dressed in regular clothes again, and the outside air smelled reasonably fresh, even if they were only twenty or so yards away from the hospital. Out here, he felt the most energized he'd been since getting injured.

He still had some bandages on some of the harsher wounds that took longer to heal, and a few bruises, but the soreness had mostly gone away.

"I'm totally healed, June. Besides, you're getting discharged tomorrow and not today."

"Isn't your mom getting discharged tomorrow too? I heard she's doing better."

He swallowed nervously before responding. "Yeah, and I was told by the doctors to keep an eye on her for a while-"

"Miss Cordon!"

June and Blake spun around as a hospital orderly appeared from a nearby door, and stared at June with very furrowed brows and tight lips. "Your digestive and lung functions may have improved but that does not mean you are cleared for outdoor activity!"

Blake tried not to sigh, or chuckle for that matter. Beside him, June grunted with a soft, "Busted."

"And you, Mister Douglas, should not be encouraging her!"

Great, he was getting chewed out too. "Y-yeah. Sorry about that."

"Please come with me back to your room." The orderly reached out with a beckoning hand gesture directed at June. The teens exchanged a glance; June shrugged afterwards to which Blake responded, "Don't worry, we'll be hanging with Ame and Cam again before you know it."

His words lifted June's spirits enough that she replied, "Looking forward to it," before following the orderly and disappearing back into the hospital. The door closed, leaving Blake standing alone.

Not that he minded. He began walking around the hospital, deviating from the sidewalk and onto some grass. At a nearby tree, he stopped.

His thoughts drifting elsewhere, Blake held out his arm and stretched his fingers. With closed eyes he let his mind calm and clear, only letting images of June and his mother flash through his head. He clenched his fist. And when he opened his eyes, the scythe was firmly in his grasp.

Okay. I'm getting better at this. Being in a hospital room the last few days allowed him time to test some things. He'd practiced summoning the scythe from wherever he left it last, and he seemed to successfully call upon it...most of the time.

From what he could tell only he and his mother could see it. The hospital staff couldn't, other patients said nothing, and apparently June couldn't see it either. He did not line the idea of having to need it for protection or defense. Against the Shadows and other powerful figures, though, he had a feeling he would have to get used to it, train with it somehow.

Once Mom and I get home, he thought. Then we can talk.

Woth the scythe now in hand, Blake strode toward a sidewalk that ran next to the main road. He wouldn't stray too far from the hospital but walking felt calm for him, plus having the weapon did at least make him feel more secure. He passed someone on the sidewalk, but staring down he was too lost in thought to focus on them. The quiet air was unusually soothing and relaxing. His thoughts drifted to Puter, and the Shadows, and of course his mother and June.

"That seems a little big for you doesn't it?"

Blake just barely tuned in to the voice, and largely ignored it.

"The scythe seems a little big, I mean."

He froze to a halt, and seconds later his heart did the same. What had that voice just said? With his hand clutching his weapon tighter than ever, and his breath labored with panic, Blake slowly turned around and stared at a figure down the path with wide and shocked eyes.

Someone else can see it.