Asher: WAIT!!!
[Asher jolts awake on a bed. He looks to be in some sort of panic as he is heavily sweating and breathing profusely.]
Asher: (Breathing Heavily) What... What the fuck just happened...?
[He starts looking around the room he is in. There are some windows to his right with a bit of light shining through, a wardrobe, dresser, mirror, desk and chair, a large bed Asher is lying on, and a clothing chest at the foot of the bed. It looks like a bedroom. But it's not Asher's bedroom. It is a bedroom. Just not Asher's. The size of the room is rather large and looks like it was made to house multiple people, however, it only seems to have one bed in it. The bed Asher is in seems to be a king-sized bed. Considerably large one person. There are a few pillows on the headboards on both sides of the bed. Asher is on the right side of the bed covered up by a large blanket. Asher's panicked expression changes to one of confusion when he sees his surroundings.]
Asher: Whaaaaaat- theeeeee- hellllllllll-?
[Asher looks around the room more and more. Each time he looks around he seems to get more confused and more confused. He then looks to his right towards the windows. The curtains to the windows are closed but seem to have a fair amount of yellowish/golden light seeping through them. Asher raises a hand to cover his eyes a bit so he can see the light more clearly.]
Asher: Is that... Sunlight? Huh?
[He then notices something odd about the room. Correction, it's more of something about himself that he finds odd. He lowers his hand and takes a good look at them.]
Asher: What the fuck?
[Asher looks closely at both of his hands. They look... Normal... As in human normal. His hands are peach-colored with no marks or damage. He looks completely bewildered by the appearance of his hands. He then quickly places his hands on top of his head feeling around for something. Nothing. Just his black hair. Then he reaches for his behind expecting to find something there as well. Nope. Nothing there. Asher lies on the bed completely confused. He then slowly looks down at himself and the blankets covering him. Asher grabs onto the edge of the blanket and pulls it down so he can see the rest of his body. Most of his stomach and part of his upper chest are wrapped in bandages. However, the bandages wrapped around the left side of his stomach seem more recent than the rest. Then there's the fact that his skin is the same color as his hands. Asher looks completely bewildered. He then looks back at his hands in disbelief.]
Asher: I... I'm... Human...
[He looks across from himself in the room and stares blankly at the wall.]
Asher: And... I'm back in my bedroom... It was all... Just a dream... Huh...
[He then looks at the wall annoyed.]
Asher: Wow. What the hell did I do to deserve that kind of treatment?
[He then looks like he thinks to himself for a short second.]
Asher: Oh. Right. *Chuckles*
[Asher places his hands on his neck and seems to message it. He lets out a satisfied yawn.]
Asher: *Yawn* Fuck me... That was probably the worst dream I've ever had.
[He then puts his hands together and reaches upwards to stretch. But as soon as he does he drops his hands down in pain.]
Asher: OW! Fuck!
[The pain was coming from his back. He looks behind himself to see what caused it. His back is covered up in bandages, a majority of them are wrapped entirely around his back but there seems to be more wrapped from the upper right part of his back to the bottom left part of his back. Asher stares at the bandages for a few seconds before looking back forward.]
Asher: Damn... It's been months and it still hurts like hell...
[Asher looks back forward and glances around the room a bit more. He then looks to his right at the left side of the bed. There are some pillows where someone's head would be and the blanket is not covering up that side of the bed. It looks like someone was asleep on that side of the bed but woke up at one point.]
Asher: Hmmm... I guess she's awake. Welp!
[Asher pushes the blanket off of himself and sits on the edge of the bed. He stands up and stretches a bit more. Apparently, he was wearing some gray pants and white socks under the blankets.]
Asher: Better go find her before someone gets killed...
[He looks at the night table to the left of him and the objects on it. There's a radio, a lamp, and his silver locket. He grabs the locket and puts it around his neck. He then walks towards the front of the bed and grabs a white dress shirt on the clothing chest. He carefully puts the shirt on and takes a seat on the chest. He then grabs a pair of boots next to the chest and puts them on. As he prepares to stand up he notices his gas mask resting on the chest to the right of him. The light shining in from the windows shines against the clear lenses on the mask. He stares at it for a few seconds before shaking his head.]
Asher: Mmmm... I'm not gonna be needing it today.
[He then stands up and walks towards the door to the bedroom.]
Asher: Time to greet the day with a smile!
[He turns the door handle and opens the door. He steps out of the bedroom and into a hallway where a few more doors are. There is one to his right at the end of the hallway and two to his left. At the end of the hallway on his left, there seems to be a different room. Asher walks down the hallway and towards the other room. As he makes his way past the two doorways and into the other room. He seems to walk into some sort of living room. There's a sofa, a table, two reading chairs with a night table next to them, a few bookshelves, some windows for natural light, and an incredibly small tv. However, across from Asher seems to be a staircase that leads downwards.]
Asher: I guess she's downstairs.
[Asher walks past the living room and approaches the staircase downstairs. As he gets closer to the staircase he hears some noise. It sounds like a woman humming. Musically and beautifully humming. The humming seems to be coming from downstairs.]
???: (Humming) ♫Hmmm...♫ ♫Hmmm-hmm...♫ ♫Hmm-hmm...♫
[Asher seems to smile upon hearing the humming. He places a hand on the railing and begins walking down the stairs as the humming continues.]
???: (Humming) ♫Hmmm.♫ ♫Hmmm...♫ ♫Mmm-hmm...♫ ♫Mmmm-hmm-mmmhmmm...♫
[Whoever they are, they sound happy. Asher arrives at the bottom of the staircase to a small hallway. There's a door in front of him and two doors to his left, one exactly to his left and the other at the end of the small hallway. The door at the end of the hallway is slightly open as there is some light shining out from it. The humming seems to be coming from that room.]
???: (Humming) ♫Mhhmmm.♫ ♫Hmmm-hmmm-hmmm.♫ ♫Mmmm.♫ ♫Hmmmm.♫ ♫Hmm-hmm-aaaa...♫ ♫La-da-la-dum...♫ ♫Hmmm-hmm-hmmm...♫
[Asher smiles happily. He walks over to the doorway and places his hand on the door handle. But as soon as he touches the doorway, the humming stops and the light disappears. Asher immediately freezes. His happy expression changes to one of confusion. He hesitantly brings his head closer to the door to see if he can hear something on the other side. There's no noise. He places his ear against the door in an attempt to hear something, anything at all. Still nothing. It's completely silent on the other side.]
Asher: (Quietly) What the hel-
*SMASH*
[Mid sentence, a spear is impaled through the door Asher is leaning against. It seems to have been impaled through the door from the other side. It just barely misses his head.]
Asher: OH FUCK!!!
[Asher runs back from the door and stumbles to the ground. He hits the ground with a thud. He stares at the spear coming through the door horrified. There are some heavy footsteps coming from the other side of the door. They sound like they are coming closer toward him. The footsteps suddenly stop as the spear is forcefully yanked out of the door. The spear pulls the door with it causing the top half of it to break and reveal what was on the other side.]
Asher: (Quietly) No, no, no, no, no, no...
[What threw the spear at the door is exactly what Asher feared it was. It's the exact same Thing that impaled Asher in his dream. It leans down so it can see through the doorway and spot Asher. Asher pushes himself backward away from it, still on the ground.]
Asher: (Quietly) No, no, no... I- It was just a dream...
[The Thing then grabs what's left of the door and rips it off of its hinges, tossing it behind it out of its way. It ducks through the doorway and makes its way into the small hallway with Asher.]
Asher: (Quietly) It can't be- This thing isn't real!
[It raises its spear upwards with both hands ready to stab it down at Asher. Asher moves both of his hands in front of his face in a poor attempt to block the attack.]
Asher: OH SHIT IT'S REAL!!!
[The Thing stabs the spear downwards directly at Asher.]
*STAB*
Asher: FUCK!!!
[Asher jolts upward in a panic, sweating and breathing heavily. He quickly looks around at his surroundings. He's no longer on the ground in the small hallway. He's in a completely different room. He's lying down on a metal bed with a small mattress. To his left is a somewhat comfortable-looking chair and a night table with a few objects on it. Specifically his silver necklace, a lighter, a radio, and his gas mask. To his right are a stool and a small table on wheels that seems to have some medical supplies on it like pill bottles, syringes, and bandages. There seems to be a curtain around him preventing him from seeing anything else in the room. After looking at and taking in his new surroundings, he seems to have calmed down a bit.]
Asher: Uhhhh... What...
[Asher looks at his surroundings confused. He then freezes and raises his hands so he can see them. His hands are colored an ashy gray. He then places his hands on his head and finds two horns sticking out of his black hair. He slowly lowers his hands in realization.]
Asher: So... It wasn't a dream... It was all real... Everything... All of it... It- It's my reality...
[He moves the blankets covering him aside to look at his body. His skin is an ashy gray and his chest appears to be wrapped up in bandages. Some of which seem to have some dried blood on them.]
Asher: I... I died... Then I went to hell...
[Asher blankly stares forward.]
Asher: Then this... Thing impaled me with a spear... And now I'm-
[He looks around at his surroundings a bit confused.]
Asher: Wait- Where the hell am I?
???: You're in a hospital, dumbass.
[The curtain to Asher's right slides open, it seems to be where the voice came from. Asher looks around for who spoke to him but can't see anybody.]
Asher: Uhhhh... Who said that?
???: Down here.
[Asher looks down at the floor where the curtain was opened. There's a small demon standing there holding a clipboard. The demon seems to be some sort of animal, most likely a weasel of some kind. He's standing on his hind legs holding a clipboard and wearing a white doctor's coat that seems to be a bit big for him. He's looking at Asher with a tired expression.]
Asher: Uhhhh... Hi?
Small Demon: Uhhh- yeah. Hi.
[The small demon closes the curtain and walks over to the stool beside Asher. He then jumps on top of it so he can be at eye level with Asher. He stands on the stool and looks at the items on the table next to him while repeatedly looking back at his clipboard.]
Asher: Wait, did you say hospital?
Small Demon: Yea. You're in a hospital. Where the hell did you think you were?
Asher: Uhhmmm- I thought I died, soooo- Second hell I guess?
Small Demon: Well you're not. Thanks to me that is...
Asher: Thanks to you? Who the hell are you?
[The Small Demon places his left hand on his chest and looks at Asher.]
Dr. Mink: I'm Doctor Mink. I'm the one who's in charge of making sure you don't die.
Asher: Oh... Thanks, I guess.
[Mink lowers his hand.]
Dr. Mink: You won't be saying that when you see your medical bill.
Asher: Hmmmmm... Right...
[Mink goes back to looking at his clipboard while Asher looks around confused.]
Asher: Uhh- Hey.
[Mink looks up from the clipboard.]
Dr. Mink: What?
Asher: I'm a... I'm a bit confused. Can you possibly... I don't know, tell me what the hell is going on?
Dr. Mink: Sure. What do you want to know?
Asher: You said I'm in a hospital. Honestly, I didn't even know there was a hospital in Pentagram City until you told me a few seconds ago. I legitimately believed you just get hurt in the worst ways possible and suffer the consequences without being able to do anything about it. Which, makes sense considering we're in hell...
Dr. Mink: Yea, well- Believe it or not hospitals do exist down here. They aren't the best or remotely close to good, but this place keeps at least a fourth of its patients half alive.
Asher: Well that's better than zero... Wait... Have I- Have I been out cold or something?
Dr. Mink: Yea. You've been out for about a week.
Asher: A week? Fucking hell... I thought I was dead.
Dr. Mink: So did I, thought you weren't gonna make it. *Chuckles* You're lucky you woke up when ya did, you were next on the lunch menu for the cannibal ward.
[Asher looks at Mink a bit bewildered by what he said.]
Asher: Uhrm... Ok...
Dr. Mink: So, how do you feel?
[Asher rubs his temple.]
Asher: *Groan* I feel like dying would have been a better alternative than suffering through the pain I'm in right now... Ouch...
[Mink looks at Asher for a few seconds. He then reaches into his coat and pulls out a lunger aiming it at Asher's head. Asher places his hands in front of his face.]
Asher: JOKING! Joking! It was just a joke!
Dr. Mink: Be careful of what you say around me, I don't understand sarcasm or any sort of wordplay.
[Mink puts his pistol back into his coat.]
Asher: *Sigh* Noted.
Dr. Mink: You're taking notes?
[Asher gives Mink a blank glare.]
Asher: Son of a- Nevermind. Listen, do you mind answering some questions for me? Even with what you've told me so far, which wasn't really too helpful, I still don't have a single clue what's going on right now.
[Mink places his clipboard on the small table.]
Dr. Mink: I'll answer what I can. Ask away.
Asher: Soooo- According to you... I'm in a hospital and have been unconscious for roughly a week. Correct?
Dr. Mink: The week was pretty smooth, but yes.
Asher: Alright... So uhhh- How the fuck did I get here?
Dr. Mink: You mean the hospital?
Asher: Yea, how did I get here?
Dr. Mink: You don't know?
Asher: No, not a single clue. Do you?
Dr. Mink: Well... It's complicated.
Asher: Complicated? What the hell do you mean by that?
[Mink sits down on the stool and crosses his arms.]
Dr. Mink: Tell me, what do you remember last?
Asher: Do you mean before I blacked out? I uhhh- I got impaled through the chest with a spear and then pinned to the ground. After that, I just kept bleeding on the floor until I fell unconscious because I couldn't find a good book to read.
Dr. Mink: Well you should have looked for a book on how to perform surgery on yourself... But that's uhhh... Odd...
Asher: What do you mean?
Dr. Mink: Well... See this is what I mean by it's complicated... You didn't bring yourself to the hospital... At least, you don't remember doing so...
Asher: Considering that I was impaled to the ground. I highly doubt it.
Dr. Mink: Hmmm...
Asher: What's the problem?
Dr. Mink: The problem is how you arrived at the hospital in the first place. If you didn't bring yourself here, I suppose someone else must have...
Asher: Someone else? Do you know who?
Dr. Mink: *Shrugs* I'm sorry but I don't. You see... My nurse found you out front of the hospital when she was coming in for her shift. She said you were lying face down in the literal sewer gutters out front of the hospital with a spear in your chest.
[Mink reaches down and grabs a spear that was lying on the floor. He lifts it up and shows it to Asher. It's got a lot of dried blood on it with plenty more on the spear tip.]
Dr. Mink: This one to be exact. Fucker was stuck in you pretty good, took us six hours to get it out of you.
Asher: Ok... But how did I get to the hospital?
Dr. Mink: No idea. It's a mystery I suppose...
Asher: That's... Really weird...
Dr. Mink: That's not the only weird thing. When you were brought inside and examined by me, you were already... Uhhh- patched up a bit.
[Asher looks at Mink completely confused.]
Asher: Wha- What?
Dr. Mink: When you were brought inside and set up on a bed, you were already bandaged up around where you were impaled. You said that you were impaled to the ground and couldn't move, so I'm guessing you weren't able to bandage yourself up. If you didn't patch yourself up, then I guess I'd be right to assume that someone else did. Did you see anyone before you blacked out?
[Mink questions Asher. Asher doesn't respond. He seems to think to himself silently as he goes through the events that happened before, and after, he was impaled. He thinks back to what happened after he was impaled... The radios... The voice he heard...]
Asher: Uhm... No... I- I didn't see anyone else...
Dr. Mink: Well... Regardless of who did it, it looked like they were trying to stop you from bleeding to death. You had already lost a good amount of your blood when we found you, but if it hadn't been for those bandages.
[Mink looks at Asher sympathetically.]
Dr. Mink: You probably wouldn't have made it to the hospital alive.
[Asher stares at Mink a bit disturbed by what he just told him.]
Asher: Huh... I... I guess I owe whoever saved me big time...
Dr. Mink: I wouldn't owe them too much. Sure they kept you from bleeding to death and slightly more alive, but that was pretty much it. They did a terrible job whoever they were... Thankfully they were smart enough to leave the spear in you, if they had pulled it out you would have bled to death at a rapid rate. Since it was impaled pretty close to your heart and all. A few more inches to your left and you would have died on the spot.
[Mink makes a slash motion at his throat with the tip of the spear. He then lets go of the spear, letting it fall and rest against the wall.]
Asher: Christ... That's...
[Asher leans back and rests against the pillow on his bed. He takes a deep breath.]
Asher: *Deep Breath* That's pretty freaky.
Dr. Mink: Yea, when you take everything that's happened to you into consideration you turn out to be one of my more peculiar cases. But hey, you're still alive.
Asher: Half alive...
Dr. Mink: What?
Asher: Nothing...
[Asher rests quietly on his bed, he thinks to himself.]
Asher: (In Head) I... I almost died... Again! What the fuck was that thing? What the hell was that nightmare? Who or what the hell was that voice talking through the radio? And how the hell did they know I was a...
[Asher takes another deep breath freaking out internally. Mink seems to be keeping a watchful eye on him.]
Dr. Mink: Do ya- got any more questions or what?
Asher: I... Yea... I guess...
[Asher looks at Mink. He seems a bit down.]
Asher: What happened to me?
Dr. Mink: I don't have a damn clue what specifically happened to you. I already told you everything I was made aware of when you arrived. All I know is that you were impaled by a spear, so... I'm assuming you were outside when you were impaled violently?
[Asher looks up at the ceiling in front of him.]
Asher: Yea, I was. This weird, tall, gray, angel-looking thing tried to kill me. Damn thing chased me into a radio store then impaled me to the ground with that spear. I tried fighting back and killing whatever the fuck it was but they were exceptionally good with that spear. I managed to slash them once across the face, but... Well... You've already seen how that ended...
[Asher looks down at Mink. Mink is glaring at him. He's looking at Asher like he's the biggest dumbass he has ever seen. Asher looks around a bit nervous before speaking again.]
Asher: Uhhhh- are you ok Doc?
Dr. Mink: Did-... Yo-... Did you-... Did you try fighting an Exterminator?
Asher: A who and the what now?
[Minks eyes go wide.]
Dr. Mink: Holy shit, Jerry was right, you are a fucking idiot.
Asher: Hey! You may have saved my life, but that doesn't mean I have to be- Wait, wait, wait! Woah, Woah, Woah!
[Asher points at Mink.]
Asher: You know Jerry? As in, Jerry Warner? The weapon smith?
Dr. Mink: Yea. He's one of my patients, I'm his doctor. He comes in every once and a while for minor injuries and the occasional concussion. Last month he came in for a broken left arm! I still wonder how the hell he got that...
Asher: Uhhh... Yea... I wonder... But uhh... He told you I'm an idiot? When was that?
Dr. Mink: Constantly. When he comes in for checkups he rambles on about the stupidity of his new assistant, Asher, which according to this clipboard...
[He taps the clipboard.]
Dr. Mink: Is you.
Asher: Has he said anything good about me?
Dr. Mink: No, not really. He just says you're an insane moron who miraculously hasn't been hospitalized or gotten himself killed.
Asher: Again, I didn't even know hospitals existed down here...
Dr. Mink: Yea, it makes sense you wouldn't know according to what he's told me about you. He was the one who gave us a name when we couldn't figure out who the hell you were.
Asher: He did? When?
Dr. Mink: Same exact day we found you out front of the hospital. He came here and asked me if someone with your description showed up recently. I showed him you and he said that you were the guy he was looking for. He's been coming in at least once a day since then to check up on you.
Asher: Re- Really?
Dr. Mink: Yep. Haven't seen him worried like that about anyone before. Disregarding what he's told me about you so far you must be one damn good assistant.
[Asher seems surprised by what Mink told him. He then smirks a tiny bit.]
Asher: *Chuckles* Huh... Well, I'll be damned...
Dr. Mink: I mean yea, you are in hell. Of course, you're damned.
Asher: Eh- Whatever. Has he been in today?
Dr. Mink: No, not yet. But it's approaching the time of day he shows up to visit, so you might see him sooner than later.
Asher: Good. I guess I'll be able to thank him.
[Mink looks over to the table to his left and seems to skim over his notes on the clipboard.]
Asher: So uhh... What the hell is an Exterminator?
[Mink lets out a sigh before looking at Asher giving him the same glare as before. He takes a deep breath before exhaling.]
Dr. Mink: *Deep Breath* *Exhale* Ok... You're a sinner, right?
Asher: Someone who died and went to hell? Yea, I am.
Dr. Mink: How long have you been dead for?
Asher: I think I'm going on ten months now. Why?
Dr. Mink: Well in that case it explains why you don't know anything...
Asher: Know anything of what?
Dr. Mink: About the Cleansing.
Asher: What in the hell is that?
Dr. Mink: *Sigh* Alright... Once a year, every year, for exactly twenty-four hours, Hell has a sort of a... Cleansing...
Asher: Cleansing? Just the name of it sounds bad.
Dr. Mink: It is bad. Because during those twenty-four hours these things called Angel Exterminators, or just Exterminators, supposedly come down from heaven to purge hell of demons. It's kind of a population control thing. The Exterminators kill Demons so that hell doesn't get full.
Asher: That is a different kind of fucked. And Angels do that? All that killing?
Dr. Mink: Yep. At least that's what we think they are.
Asher: They don't sound like angels to me... They barely even look like one, the only thing that makes you think it's an angel would be the halo above its head.
Dr. Mink: Yea, they're some creepy mother fuckers... Anyways, they only show up for a single day every year. So it's not too bad if you know about the Cleansing and can avoid the Exterminators. Most of the demons that get killed are new to Hell Sinners who have no clue what the Cleansing is. Like you. Almost everyone who has come face to face with one of those bastards never lives to tell the tale. You're an incredibly lucky sinner, my friend.
Asher: Good grief... That's a lot to take in... Is there any way to prevent it? The Cleansing or whatever?
Dr. Mink: Nope. We just gotta accept it as life in Hell. No way to avoid it, and I highly doubt anyone is making up plans to find a way around it.
Asher: Huh... Well... Thanks for the history lesson Doc.
Dr. Mink: You can just call me Mink. I have a good feeling you'll be visiting me in the hospital again at some point so I wrote you up as one of my newest patients. You and I are gonna get along just fine.
Asher: Neat. Thanks, Mink.
Mink: No problem.
[Some footsteps can be heard on the other side of the curtains behind Mink. The curtains are then pushed aside as a demon looks inside. The demon seems to be a woman with pink skin, long white hair, and long white horns coming out of the front of her head. She seems to be around Jerry's height in size. She has a nurse outfit on and a similar white coat to Minks over it. She also has some sort of large weapon on her back, but Asher can't quite see exactly what it is. It's hard to tell what her build is but considering she's carrying a large weapon on her back with relative ease, she must be decently strong. Asher and Mink both look at the Nurse Demon.]
Nurse Demon: Hey, Mink. Warners here.
Mink: Oh, good. Send him in. He'll be happy to know his buddy is awake.
[The Nurse Demon looks over to her right and seems to gesture over to where she's standing with her head. A second later, Jerry walks beside her still wearing his sing. He looks toward Asher and seems relieved.]
Jerry: Asher! You're awake!
Asher: Yea. No thanks to you ya lengthy prick.
[Jerry regains his normal unimpressed expression.]
Jerry: Annnndddd- That was the welcome I was expecting... Thanks for letting me in, Dice.
[The Nurse Demon, seemingly named Dice, nods at Jerry before looking at Mink.]
Dice: By the way, Mink, two of your patients tried eating each other again.
Mink: Was it those assholes from rooms 179 and 185 again?
Dice: The one with only one arm and the bull guy?
Mink: (Quietly) Verdammte Dummköpfe... (Normally) *Sigh* Yea that's them. Get your bat, we're knocking 'em both out!
[Dice seems to reach for the large weapon on her back. She brings it forward and holds it with both hands. It looks to be a kanabō, a studded two-handed war club.]
Dice: No promises I don't accidentally kill one of them.
Mink: I'll pay you overtime if you kill them both.
Dice: You got it, boss.
[Mink jumps down from the stool and runs to where Dice is standing. The two then run off out of sight of Asher. Jerry seems to watch them leave the room before looking back at Asher.
Jerry: So... How ya doin bud?
Asher: *Sarcastically* I'm doing good thanks for asking!
Jerry: Really?
Asher: NO! I got impaled with a spear right next to my fucking heart by a goddamn Angel that looks like it crawled out Satan's asshole! So no, I'm pretty fucking far from "Good"!
Jerry: Yea, that's what I thought...
[Jerry closes the curtain and walks over to the right of Asher, taking a seat in the chair beside him.]
Jerry: Well... At least you're still alive.
Asher: *Sigh* Only half alive...
[There is a short awkward silence between the two.]
Jerry: I uhh... Sorry for not telling you about the Cleansing...
Asher: Oh, you don't say!
Jerry: It was a temporary lapse in judgment!
Asher: "A temporary lapse in judgment"? Jerry! It was a temporary lapse in my fucking lifespan!
Jerry: Alright, I get it! I fucked up! You don't need to keep shouting at me...
Asher: *Sigh* Sorry... I'm not blaming you for what happened... Mistakes happen Jerry. It's fine.
Jerry: Well... Is it fine?
[Asher looks over to Jerry confused. He seems a bit down.]
Jerry: I- I almost got you killed bud... Aren't you in the slightest bit pissed at me?
Asher: *Shrugs* Well sure, I'm a bit annoyed... But it's not like I hate you now because you forgot to tell me something. As I said, mistakes happen. Let bygones be bygones. Water under the bridge. The past is the past. Yada yada yada...
Jerry: Wait, really?
Asher: Yea. Like I said a month ago at the arena, we gotta watch each other's backs down here. Especially in Pentagram City...
[Asher smiles at Jerry.]
Asher: Right?
[Jerry seems a bit surprised by how well Asher is taking this. He smirks happily.]
Jerry: Uhm... Yea...
[The two then both smirk and chuckle to themselves. Eventually, they stop chuckling and continue talking.]
Jerry: So, how are you doing otherwise?
Asher: Well... I'm in a fair amount of pain since I got impaled inches away from my damn heart...
Jerry: Yea, Mink told me it was pretty bad. Guess you're gonna get a new scar to add to your collection.
Asher: Yea... Guess so...
Jerry: Is there anything particular on your mind?
Asher: Mhhmmm... No. Why do you ask?
Jerry: You're just... I don't know. You seem a bit off. I mean, you're taking almost dying well...
Asher: Well, I gotta move on at some point! And It may look like I'm taking my current situation with ease... But uhh... I'm actually going through plenty of different emotions right now. Mainly freaking out internally... But there are some other emotions in there... (In Head) And for one reason or another lust seems to be one of them...
Jerry: Well... You did say you were good at hiding your emotions...
Asher: Yes I am...
Jerry: So... You're just burying your emotions down inside you?
Asher: Yep.
Jerry: That can't be good for your health, Asher.
Asher: Do you know what also isn't good for your health? Smoking. Speaking of which, got any cigarettes on you? I've gone a full week without one and I can feel my lungs screaming out in agony.
Jerry: Asher, we're in a hospital.
Asher: Your point being?
Jerry: *Annoyed Sigh* Fine.
[Jerry reaches into his apron pocket and takes out a packet of cigarettes. He takes a cigarette out of the packet and places it into his mouth. He then tosses the packet over to Asher.]
Jerry: Here.
[Asher catches the packet and takes a cigarette out.]
Asher: Thanks.
[Jerry grabs the lighter on the night table and lights his cigarette. He then hands the lighter over to Asher who seems to be waiting for it. He lights his cigarette and flips the lighter closed before placing it on the night table. The two sit there silently staring off in front of themselves smoking their cigarettes. The only noise in the room is what sounds to be the quiet hum of an air conditioning cooling the hospital. Jerry looks at Asher out of the corner of his eye.]
Jerry: (In Head) Hmmm... I feel like he's avoiding questions again. I can't tell if it's because he's pissed at me for not telling him about the Cleansing, or he just doesn't want to talk about whatever he went through... If I were in his shoes, I'd probably not want to talk about what I went through either. Hmmm...
[Jerry blows some smoke out of his mouth.]
Jerry: Are you sure that there's nothing else bothering you?
Asher: Yep.
Jerry: You're just freaked out about what happened to you during the Cleansing. That's it?
Asher: Aye...
[The two sit there silently for a few seconds. Jerry keeps an eye on Asher. Asher doesn't really seem to be showing much emotion at the moment. He's just staring off in front of himself staring blankly at the wall.]
Jerry: Listen... I get that you're a bit freaked out right now... Considering that you almost just died...
[Asher stays quiet.]
Jerry: And I know you said you're not pissed at me... But I can't help but feel like you're not telling me something... If it will help you out in any way, ya know you can just talk to me.
[Asher continues to stay quiet.]
Jerry: I mean... I get you're a bit secretive about yourself, and you don't like talking about anything that happened in your past... I'm sure you have your reasons... So if its something along that line you don't have to-
Asher: I had a dream about when I was still alive...
[Asher speaks up interrupting Jerry. Jerry looks over at him a bit surprised. He stays silent for a second before responding.]
Jerry: Yo- Ya did?
Asher: Mmmhmm... Before I woke up I was dreaming about when I was still alive... Around the time I was still happy...
[The two sit there quietly. Asher seems a bit upset while Jerry seems surprised he's telling him this.]
Jerry: When you were still happy? What the hell does that mean?
Asher: It means that most of my life was shit...
[Asher blows out some smoke from his mouth.]
Asher: You could say I was dealt a bad hand at birth... The cards nor stars were never in my favor throughout my life...
[Asher takes the cigarette out of his mouth and looks up at the ceiling.]
Asher: There wasn't much I wanted throughout my life... One of the things I wanted was just to be happy. One day I found that happiness I wanted... But... Well...
[Asher places his cigarette back into his mouth.]
Asher: I lost it... So I set out to try to find something that could fill that hole...
[Asher becomes silent. Jerry quietly looks at him. He seems a bit down, he looks like he feels bad for Asher.]
Jerry: Did you... Ever find something? Something to fill that hole of happiness?
Asher: *Sigh* Nope... Instead, I found five new holes from a shotgun blast to the chest... I can't even find happiness down here... Not that I'd expect to find it down in hell...
[Asher leans back in his bed and looks at the ceiling. He blows out some smoke. He then slightly smirks to himself.]
Asher: But enough depressing talk. As long as I have somewhere to sleep, something to eat, and someone to watch my back!
[Asher looks at Jerry and smiles.]
Asher: I think I'll be jussssst- fine.
[Jerry blows some smoke out of his mouth and smirks. He shakes his head.]
Jerry: Alright fine... But if you ever need to talk or need help with something, just come looking for me. I got your back bud!
[Asher chuckles as he continues to smile.]
Asher: *Chuckles* Cheers Jerry. Always good to know that someone has my back.
Hours Later, During Night...
[Asher's hospital room is incredibly dark. He seems to be fast asleep in his bed and alone since no one else is in the hospital room. Jerry must have left after his visit. The room is quiet as well. Only the silent hum from the air conditioning. Asher looks to be sleeping peacefully considering what he went through recently.]
*Static*
[Asher's eyes slightly flutter open. The static noise slightly awoke him.]
Asher: (Half-Asleep) Hmmh?
[Asher looks to his left where the static noise came from. It must have come from the radio on his night table. It's not making any more static. It's gone silent and seems to be off. Asher stares at it suspiciously.]
Asher: (Half-Asleep & Quietly) Got anything else to say?
[He talks to the Radio quietly, expecting a response of some sort. Instead, he just gets silence.]
Asher: (Half-Asleep) Hmmm...
[Asher continues to look at the Radio. It's then he notices that his silver necklace is still on the night table beside him. He then moves around a bit freeing his left hand from his covers. He reaches out and grabs his necklace but suddenly stops. He looks back at the Radio for a few seconds. He glares at it silently. Asher then raises his left hand while still holding his silver necklace and pushes a button on the Radio turning it on. The Radio dimly lights up and quietly begins playing some soothing music.]
Radio: ♫*Quiet Soothing Music*♫
[Asher brings his left hand back to himself and raises it above his head. He stares at his silver locket for a few seconds before lowering it around his neck. He comfortably moves it around on his neck before grabbing his blanket and covering himself back up. He lays on his side facing the radio and closes his eyes. Drifting back off to sleep.]
Asher: (In Head) Maybe one day I'll find my happiness again...
[Asher then gently grabs the locket around his neck. He holds it softly in the palm of his hand.]
Asher: (In Head) But it will never be the same without you...
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A/N: Wow, I took my time didn't I? My bad. I was trying to make my own cover before I posted this chapter but since I'm not the best artist or too confident in my art skills it's taking me longer than I had hoped. Welp, I'll have to get it done sooner than later so it's only a matter of time. Anywho, here's a chapter. Chapter 13 is done and will be posted soon. And 14 is almost done. Until then, Let there be Light!