With a towel wrapped around my waist, I made my way to the room across from the bathroom. I remembered someone saying there were some clothes I was welcome to make use of. Thankfully, they were easy to find, stacked on one of the dressers. Simple ones, although they beat what I had been wearing for years.
Surprisingly, they fit me. Sure, the pants were a too long, but they would work.
Pets don’t get clothes. They get scraps.
Hitting my head lightly with a hand, I dragged my feet to the bed. There, I laid on my side, face to the door, and pulled my legs up to my body.
In the back of my head, I thought about getting something to eat. I knew I needed food, but it was so far away.
I was so tired. Tired of everything. Of the pain. Of the memories. Of life.
You don’t deserve food.
Tears clouded my vision as the words I had heard so many times repeated themselves. They would always be right.
Ryker
The papers scattered in front of me were about to give me a headache. I wasn’t making any sort of progress at all.
Running a hand down my face, I grunted in frustration.
Why couldn’t people keep their accounts in better order? These calculations in front of me were way off, and I knew it’d take me weeks to sort them out right.
I didn’t necessarily need to work, and I probably shouldn’t even have taken on this client. But I had to have something to fill the time. Sometimes, I regretted retiring early from the police force.
I still had to deal with people who always thought they were above the law. That’s how nearly every single person I’d helped in witness protection since retiring had acted, at least. The criminals always thought they could get away with near murder, and most had to a certain point. They just didn’t know that if they ever stepped out of line, after the case they were helping with was closed, they could be thrown into jail pretty quickly.
With that thought, I knew I needed to visit Emery. The night had been long, worry clouded my dreams more than I wanted to admit.
It didn’t take me long to make my way next door. I waved at Fred on my way, figuring we’d talk after I popped in to check on Emery.
After entering, I listened. There was no noise of any kind filling the house. Normally, with others here, the TV was always on, day or night. Half the time, it was way too loud. There’d also already be a mess of trash and plates strewn about.
Hoping the worst hadn’t happened, I made my way towards where the bedrooms were located. Instantly, my jaw relaxed as I found Emery fast asleep on the bed, shivering.
Keeping my steps light, I tiptoed closer. With Emery fast asleep on top of the bedding, I picked up the corner, folding it over his body.
He didn’t stir.
It shouldn’t have surprised me, since he looked like he needed a week straight of sleep. In fact, he looked worse than yesterday. Skinnier, too, if that were even possible.
I made a mental note to make sure he was eating the next time I was by. I had a sneaking suspicion that Emery didn’t do a lot of the things he should be for himself.
Once again, him being here didn’t sit well with me.
As quietly as I entered, I left the room and headed towards the kitchen, my feet leading me on their own. There, I found a bag that appeared to be from the hospital, not even touched. Maybe he was a neat freak; that would explain the tidiness.
Turning away, not wanting to be a snoop, I left the house, making sure the door was locked behind me.
On the way back to my place, I stopped by Fred’s car. He was sipping from a coffee, sunglasses over his eyes as he pretended to blend in.
“Afternoon,” he greeted after a moment.
“Hey,” I yawned, “he’s asleep. No one’s been by, that I know of.”
“Why are you so tired?”
“A new client’s accounts I’m looking into.”
