Quintus Crossings - Story II: Michael - Emergence Arc

Chapter 1: Pain

Michael placed Jason's phone against his debilitated friend's ear, frowning. If Jason was too injured to hold his own phone, then he shouldn't try to speak in the first place.

"Hey, I'm sorry to do this," Jason began. His face scrunched and he groaned. "Sorry, but I can't come into work today."

An indistinct voice murmured on the other side of the line.

"No, no. I was walking with my friends last night –" Jason turned his head from the phone and groaned softly again – "and some guy on a bike came out of nowhere and hit me."

Jason said the lie they'd prepared earlier to explain his injuries from the insanity of last night without difficulty. Michael's frown deepened. Why would someone who only wanted to do good fib so easily?

"I'll be fine, but I can't really move." Jason's nostrils flared. "At all."

The voice murmured a few more words and Jason thanked his boss, then nodded. Michael ended the call, then placed the phone on the bed next to Jason.

"You have the day off," Michael said. "Now we should take you to the hospital."

"Bro, how're we gonna pay?" Omar said, sitting on the other side of Jason's bed. "Why do you think we're living here, anyway?"

A question Michael had been pondering since last night.

"We might be able to afford a visit if we all chip in," Michael said.

"It's not worth it. I'm only sore, Mike," Jason grunted. He closed his eyes. "And maybe every breath I take is a stabbing pain all over. But aside from that, I'm fine."

"Yo, for a guy who acts like he's dying, you still say a lot of stuff." Omar smiled, then looked at Michael. "See? He'll be fine. Nothing's broken, so there's nothing to worry about."

"Yeah," Jason breathed. "Just a few days of rest and I'll be good."

"You sure you can't play video games?"

Jason's arms rose, then he grimaced and dropped them. "Hurts to move."

"Bro, you need more of that Jesus Juice. Then you could play no problem."

"Trust me, I wish I had more of that Deus Ex Machijuice." Jason sighed. "That'd be great."

Jason and Omar chuckled. How could they find Jason's pain funny?

Jason seized. "It hurts to laugh." Omar laughed some more.

Michael shook his head.

"But video games when you're healed, right?" Omar asked.

"Among other things," Jason breathed. "Work, school, playing with Bianca."

"I still don't get why you agreed to that," Michael said.

"You weren't there." Jason's eyes grew distant. "She's been through a lot. I think I can help her. Get her to find her humanity, you know?"

Michael made a little noise in his throat. Jason's arms were discolored with bruises, his breathing shallow, and his movement minimal. He appeared anything but fine, despite his quiet laughter, his small smile, and being told his injuries weren't life-threatening. Their "medical examination" hadn't exactly been foolproof, however. The internet pinged almost half of Jason's aches and pains to cancer – and Michael doubted Jason had cancer.