Spot Conlon: To the Top [1]

Chapter 10: Crowned

Spot groaned. He didn't want to wake up, but he felt that he had too. He could feel a blanket over his body, and thicker bandage around his head, his cap was off, and two female voices were talking quietly somewhere. 

Wait, to female voices? He thought. He groaned again, and forced his eyes open. The saw two women, one old and one in her mid thirties, coming up to him. 

"Easy." The younger one whispered. "Easy. You're all right. Do you know where you are?" 

Spot shook his head and winced. 

"You're in a hospital, dear." The older one answered before the older one could. "You where shot in the head." 

Then he remembered. The man had shot Tiger. He had killed Tiger. He suddenly felt a tear running down his cheek. He clenched his teeth and fists, closed his eyes, and looked away from the women. He heard them whispering. 

"Maybe we should bring in one of the boys. He might want a familiar face." The older one said. The younger one nodded and they both left the room. The door opened a few minutes later. He heard heavy footsteps and guessed that Jack had just entered the room. He was right. 

"Heya, Spot. How ya doin' buddy?" Jack asked, helping him sit up. 

Spot quickly whiped away the tear. "Ise fine, Jack." 

"Are ya shore? When I picked ya up back dair ta bring ya here, youse were holdin' Tiga's hand." 

Spot was silent for a moment. "Did Caleb see?" 

Jack nodded. "Ise sorry, Spot. She's dead." Jack said. 

"Ya think Ise don't know dat? When Ise checked foi a pulse, Ise couldn't find nutin'. It's all my fault. If Ise hadn't told Race ta get her, she wouldn't have been involved an' wouldn't 'ave died." Spot snapped. He could feel hot tears welling up in his eyes. 

"It wasn't your fault. 'E woulda found her anyway. Good news is, 'e didn't get de bois, and Reptile is free. Also, your pape station was rebuilt. Tunes went back ta woik. An' Ise arrange foi ya ta live in dat inn o' yours foi free foi a month. Maya left, too." Jack said, trying to cheer him up. 

"Thanks, Jackie-boi, but nutin' can make me happy now, except...." he trailed off, thinking. He jumped out of bed and was glad to see that he was wearing a hospital gown that reached below his knees. 

"Spot, what are ya doin'?" Jack asked, standing. 

"Changin', ya dumbo." He ducked behind a curtain in one corner of the room where he found his clothes and changed as fast as he could. He took the bandages off of his head, and, with Jack's help, cleaned off the dried blood to find a medium sized scar. He tugged his cap on and stuck his cane into his suspenders. Just before he left the room, Jack called his name. 

"Hey, Spot. What's dis?" 

Spot whirled around to see Jack holding up the blue box. Spot took it from his hands and stared at it. 

"It's somethin' my parents gave ta Snyda when dey left me dair when Ise was a baby." He slowly opened it to reveal a medium sized key on a rope. He stared at it, and then slipped it on around his neck. 

"A key?" Jack asked. Spot shot him a look and Jack raised his hands in surrender.

"Heya, boys." Spot said. 

"Spot, what are ya doin' outta dat room?" Caleb asked. 

"Ise get outta dair ta get revenge on a certain man dat killed Tiga." Spot snapped. That got Caleb's attention. 

"Ya jus' neva know when ta stop an' rest do ya?" Race asked, smoking a cigar.

"Day let ya in wid dat thing?" Spot quizzed.