Dante looked at the man, thinking he looked familiar. Not able to put a finger on it, Dante waved him in.
The man looked at the clipboard in his hand and flipped to the second page. “Nice to see you awake, Dante. I’m Nurse Michael.”
And then it hit Dante. His eyes widened while everyone stood there, none the wiser. It was the same man he saw wearing jean shorts on his way to the precinct years ago. He was the same being that saved him from his dream and that helped all of them yesterday at the Devil’s Tramping Ground. He was certain.
“It’s good to be back.”
“Great, and you’re feeling well enough for me to go get the discharge papers?”
“You better believe I’m ready,” Dante replied, looking at Michael sideways, half expecting him to drop the ruse, knowing full well Michael knew his name before flipping to the proper page.
Michael looked right at Dante and, like many years ago, Dante began hearing Michael’s voice inside his mind, I knew I couldn’t fool you, young one.
“I knew it!” Dante yelled, grabbing everyone’s attention. With their backs turned, Michael raised his finger to his lips.
“Knew what, Dante?” Anora asked.
“Never mind, false alarm.”
Michael had already gone and come back with the paperwork.
“Just need either you or your dad to sign this.”
“You got it this time, son,” George said.
Dante took the pen and signed.
“Okay then…Dante, you are good to go. Any other questions or concerns?” Michael’s question drew a lot of blank faces but Dante’s told a different story. He had a million questions.
“Another day, young one. Another day,” Michael told him, before heading out into the hall.”
Dante shot up and stretched while everyone waited on him. He could tell that they were all more than ready to leave, so he made it snappy and horked down the banana Anora brought him. Looking down the hall, Dante saw the nurse’s station where Michael stood, awaiting Dante’s departure with a wide smile. “Until next time, Dante.”
Back to the cars everyone went, and after saying their goodbyes to Adel Jr., they departed, making their way back to the Luciano residence. Then everyone got out of the car, even Dawayne.
“I thought you’d want to go home after all that,” Dante said.
“I do, but trouble has been finding you rather easily as of late my friend. I say why not stay around for more action?”
“Dawayne!” George exclaimed.
“He’s not wrong, Dad.”
“Still though, it’s best not to put that out into the universe,” Anora said.
“Yeah, what she just said,” George insisted.
Dante walked up to his love and gave her a big hug. “See, dear, we’re all alright.”
Anora smiled. “Yeah, you’re right, and I never asked how you slept. You were out, like out out. We all shook you.”
Dante laughed and stretched. “It was the best sleep I’ve had in years. Didn’t have a single dream.”
“You should wait to get home next time before you scare us like that again. But I need to head home, my love. Say goodbye to Amy for me.”
“You can just tell her yourself. We’re about to go get her.”
“Not this time. I’m heading home to take a nap. Just call me later.”
The clouds parted, shining light upon Anora and Dante as they gave each other one last kiss while Elaine and George watched the loving young couple from the front porch.
Anora let go and headed toward her car, but not before looking back to see Dante blowing kisses at her.
Dawayne was perplexed, seeing how many kisses Dante blew as she got in her car and drove off toward the rising sun.
“Thanks for getting your sister, son,” George said.
“You got it, pops.”
Dawayne saw how authentic Dante was when he said that just now to his father. If it were him being thanked for a job yet to be done, he wouldn’t feel so inclined to perform said task.
But what Dawayne didn’t know was that Dante wanted to do nothing more than to get the girl whom they had all laid down their lives to protect.
And while the two close friends made their way down Bess’s driveway, Dawayne noticed something amiss. Bess’s front door was left ajar. Dante hadn’t yet noticed, his eyes still on her rosebushes, but as they got closer, noticing it couldn’t be avoided. The door was open at least six inches, so Dante ran up toward the door and knocked on it, causing it to open the rest of the way. Bess was laying there, not a meter from the door, in a pool of her own blood. There were signs of a struggle and what looked to be three pairs of tiny bloody footprints heading toward the door. Amy was gone.
Dante’s skin paled. “AMY!”
Dante & The Dark Seed Page 23