by J. R. Tate
“Rose?” I can’t even get my mouth to work.
“Yes, Nathan, it’s me.”
She leans over, right in my face, and I jump away from her, not because she’s scary, but because it catches me off guard. My eyes fly open, but everything around me is blurry. It’s a familiar smell, and there are outlines of people, but I still can’t make out who is there, or where I even am.
“Yes, Nathan! Stay awake!”
I try to rub my eyes, but there is something tight, hindering me from moving my hand up to my face. A small sting burns, but it is mild in comparison to the other pain I am feeling.
“Dad? Are you waking up?”
Rusty? I hear his voice and turn towards it. Finally, I’m able to see a bit clearer, and though my vision is still not one hundred percent, I know it’s him.
“Russ…” My throat is parched and I cough, but it feels like sandpaper.
“Here’s some water.” He holds a cup and bends the straw toward my lips, and I take a sip, pacing myself. The water is like a delicacy and I want to slurp it down, but he pulls it away before I have a chance to get another drink.
“I’m so glad to see you awake, Dad!”
“What… What happened?” I try to prop myself up on my elbows, but my body warns me instantly and I crash back down into the mattress.
“We got them, Nathan.”
I see Dr. Clint stand on the other side of the bed, a wide grin on his face.
“Got them?” I’m so confused, but small pieces of my memory are coming back to me.
“Sunset Canyon. The south wing. I took the footage you got to the police and the place is shut down due to the investigation. Every single death that happened behind those doors is being looked into, and they’ll all come back with the same result – murder.”
It all comes back to me so fast that it overwhelms me. And like I thought before, it all seems too good to be true. I try to sit up again, and this time I ignore my body’s warning to stop. I’m dizzy, but I incline the bed and lay back, getting a better view of Rusty and Dr. Clint.
“This is too easy. Are you sure?”
“I gave them the footage. And made copies just in case. And once you recover, you’re a free man, Nathan. It does seem too easy, but you really got them to implicate themselves with what you asked. That was pure genius on your part.”
“I’m a free man?”
“You bet. I cleared you. You are completely sane. With Sunset Canyon being closed for the investigation, they’re transporting everyone four counties over, to the state hospital there, but don’t worry, you won’t be making that trip.”
I still feel like this is a dream. Too much is falling together too easily, and let’s face it, my life doesn’t work that way. Everything is always so damn complicated.
“And my recovery? What happened to me?” With the pain in my head, that’s a given.
“Concussion, cracked rib, and a bruised kidney. You were out of it for a couple of days, Nathan. They were concerned about brain damage.”
“And there is none?” I ask, glancing at Rusty who has been quiet the whole time. Reaching out, I grab his hand and squeeze it. The poor kid has been through too much. After Rose dying and seeing me like this, he’s gotta be going through some turmoil himself.
Just as Dr. Clint is about to answer, a man in a white coat walks in with a clipboard and sits down. “I heard you were awake, Mr. Gallagher. I’m Dr. York. How are you feeling? How’s the pain?”
“On a scale from one to ten, I’d say about a fifteen.” I close my eyes from the bright light.
“We’ll get you some pain medications ordered. Should be time for another dose. I’ve looked over your brain scans and MRI’s. With you awake, it appears there is minimal damage. How’s your memory? Long term and short, are you having any issues remembering things?”
“I did at first, but things are slowly coming back to me.”
“Good. Your rib will just have to heal on it’s own. Minimal work, ease into things. It’ll be painful for quite some time, but the good news is that it did not cause any internal damage to your lungs. Same with the kidney. The bruising will heal, but it’ll still be painful to urinate. There was some blood in it, but today it looks normal.”
“So when can I get out of here?”
“It’ll be a few days. I need to monitor your brain activity and keep you here for pain management. You’re out of the woods, but we still have to keep you for observation, Mr. Gallagher.” He stands up and pats me on the foot. “It’s good to see you awake. I’ll let the nurse know it’s time for some pain meds. You’ll feel better in no time.”
He leaves the room and I look over at Rusty, forcing a smile. “You okay?”
“I’m better now that you’re awake.”
“Of course I’m awake. You know my ass isn’t going anywhere. I’m too stubborn.”
That gets him to crack a smile. “I was so worried. So, is Mr. Dawson satisfied? Is he going to leave you alone now?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t heard from him since before all of this. Maybe that’s a good sign. Maybe he’s finally been able to pass on.”
“Hey Rusty, what do you say we head to the cafeteria? You’ve gotta be hungry and I know I am. Your dad will be asleep again soon anyway after he gets his medicine.”
“Hey, Dr. Clint. Thanks for everything. For backing me up, for helping me come up with this plan, and for taking care of Rusty. I really appreciate it.”
He folds his arms over his chest and laughs. “You got it, Nathan. And don’t act like this is over. I’m sure you’re gonna need my help again. You can’t seem to stay out of trouble, can you?”
“It seems to find me, that’s for sure.”
They leave the room and I stare up at the ceiling. A nurse comes in and injects my IV with something that seems to work instantly, and the exhaustion hits me full force. At least the pain is numb – I’ve slept enough to satisfy me for a year, but the pain is nothing more than a dull ache now.
“Thank you, Nathan.”
I hear Mr. Dawson’s voice, but just like Rose’s was, it’s far off. I force my eyes open and he’s standing in the corner, and for the first time since I’ve encountered him, he’s smiling. There is a small child standing beside him.
“Thank you for everything.”
I lift my head from the pillow and it feels like it weighs about fifty pounds. I wonder if this is really him, or if it’s caused by the morphine, but it has to be real. This is his closure and mine. What I did at Sunset Canyon was not in vain.
“You’re welcome,” I say, not caring if anyone can hear me. I can blame it on being drugged up.
He and what I assume is Lenora fade off and I relax. Another problem solved with no telling how many more to come. That’s not my worry right now. I just want to sleep, but most of all, I want to go home.
Epilogue
Nathan
It’s been about two weeks since my hospital stay. I’m glad to be back at home. I have several big decisions to make, the main one being whether or not I want to go back to work at the firehouse. Dr. Clint has suggested I go out on the road, ghost hunting for a living. It doesn’t seem like a guaranteed income, but with the settlement I’m getting from Sunset Canyon, money is not a big issue for me right now. He thinks if I document my experiences that I can share them with folks who are willing to dish out lots of money to hear about them.
I’m not sure I want to do it. I don’t want to exploit the souls who have sought my help. But at the same time, if I let my experiences be known, maybe it’ll help those who share the same gift Rusty and I possess.
It’d give me something to do. I’ve always been a workingman, so the idea of sitting at home isn’t appealing to me. Granted, the ghosts will keep me busy.
I’ve always been a firefighter. The thought of me not working on the truck anymore makes me sick to my stomach. It’s all I’ve ever known. It’s who I am. But I also have to take into consideration the safety of my br
others working beside me. I can’t put them into danger when a ghost decides to appear to me out of nowhere. I can’t get distracted – it would mean someone’s life, and I’m willing to stop being a lieutenant if it means keeping them safe. My situation is no longer a secret among them. They might not even be able to trust me. That would be unsettling for everyone involved.
I pull out a notebook and jot down the pros and cons of remaining with the fire department. I’ve worked enough years to qualify for my pension and it’ll be a decent supplement to the annuity I’ll be getting. The cons definitely outweigh the pros of continuing on.
Grabbing my cell phone, I take a deep breath before I dial my chief’s number. It rings a few times, and his booming voice makes my heart skip a beat. Am I really doing this? Am I officially going to retire from a career I was born to do?
“Hey Chief, it’s Gallagher.”
“Hey Lieu, I’ve been waiting on your call. How you holding up?”
“Slowly but surely I’m getting there. Listen, I guess we better draw up retirement papers. I think it’s my time to step aside.”
I hear his breathing on the other end. “Are you sure, Nathan?”
“As sure as I’m ever going to be, Chief. You’ve covered for me enough. I’ve put you in dicey situations. This is the right choice.”
“Okay, Nathan. I hate to see you go, but I completely understand your reasoning. It’ll be the end of a damn good era. I’ll get the papers from headquarters so we can start the process.”
I rest my head on the back of the couch and close my eyes. I wonder how Rusty will take the news when he gets home from school. “Thanks. And hey, it’s not like you guys won’t ever see me again. I won’t be a stranger.”
“You better not be. We will all expect you to come around and give the probie’s a hard time.”
I smile. That is definitely one thing I will miss the most. Razzing the new guys was definitely a job perk.
“Thanks again, Chief.” I end the call and set the phone down beside the notepad. Skimming over the reasons to retire again, I feel a little better about the decision.
“This is the right thing, Nathan.”
Looking up, I see Rose across the room from me, only this time, she’s not hostile. She’s the woman I remember before her untimely death. She’s beautiful and it makes me long for her again. It still makes me wonder what her unfinished business is, but I’m sure I’ll find out soon enough. This all works on the soul’s time. I’m here for the ride.
“I know it is, Rose. I know.”
“You’ve always done so much for others. Remember, all of this is a blessing.”
It is far fetched to think of it that way, but if I’m going to get through it, I’ll have to stay positive.
“So, what’s next Rose? Whose turn is it?”
“Soon, Nathan. Soon. Enjoy the down time. Get some rest.”
Soon. The word holds so many meanings. To some, soon means it’ll happen now. To some, it could be years. It’s all about perspective. I guess in the meantime, I’ll rest and I’ll begin writing out my experiences.
It’s the first day of my new life, and though it’ll be an adjustment, I’m content with what’s to come. I’ll patiently await the next soul who reaches out for my help, and this time, I’ll make sure I won’t ignore them. This time, we’ll get right down to business.
The End
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