‘That all?’
‘The scans came back okay. I didn’t do anything nasty. But losing blood from the head when the rest of my blood had no oxygen in it probably didn’t help, you know?’
‘You’re lucky, you idiot,’ I say. ‘But what happened with you and Rex – were you …?’
‘I’ll tell you all about it later,’ Zeke says firmly. ‘Not now.’
I nod. ‘Roger. Well, no more poppers for you, ever,’ I say. ‘You can just take cock up the bum and feel the full pain the way God intended.’
Hammer coughs awkwardly. I forget he’s not used to this kind of talk.
Zeke shrugs. ‘Amyl’s relatively safe. The doctor just said I shouldn’t leave it uncapped, or it can spill and – well, you know …’
‘I’m sorry, but – what’s amyl?’ Hammer asks.
‘Oh, my sweet summer child,’ I say.
We give Hammer his first lesson in gay culture, which prompts him to uncomfortably mutter about needing to go to the dunny. He hastily disappears.
‘So, why did you call Hammer down here?’ Zeke asks, as soon as he’s out of earshot. ‘And why did he say yes? Are you guys all good now?’
Zeke has no memory of Hammer being the one who saved his life. He was unconscious. I have no idea how to explain it to him – Hammer being suicidal – and it feels wrong to burden him with something like that when he’s recovering in a hospital bed.
Before I can answer, a voice blares over a loudspeaker, announcing an incoming Priority One. Doctors and nurses race to the ambulance entrance. Zeke and I fall silent out of morbid respect as we hear someone being resuscitated nearby with both CPR and a defibrillator.
There is no sudden long beep of a heart monitor failing, but we know it’s over when a doctor swears. Someone murmurs, ‘Time of death, two seventeen am.’
‘Poor person,’ Zeke mutters.
‘Horrible,’ I say.
All I can think is:That could’ve been you, Zeke.
‘Are we okay?’ Zeke asks.
‘Of course we’re okay,’ I say. ‘Don’t be an idiot. Just a dumb fight. I didn’t mean what I said about you and footy.’
‘Felt like you were trying to hurt me, man.’
‘I was,’ I admit. ‘I’m sorry, dude. I’m legit happy you’ve found yourself with sport. You seem happier than I’ve ever known ya.’
Zeke smiles. ‘I am,’ he says. ‘I’m happy there. Or I was. And I’m sorry for bringing up Matt. That was a dick move. I was just hurt, too.’ He trails off. ‘Seriously, why is Hammer here? Did you call him?’
‘Me and Hammer had a good talk—’ I start, but I’m saved from answering fully as Hammer returns, drying his wet hands on his hoodie, followed by Zeke’s doctor.
The doctor tells Zeke he’s gonna be kept for observation overnight to make sure his heart and oxygen levels are normal.
It’s late: the Tool Shed will be shut by now. I wonder how Curtis and Ahmed reacted to finding the chaos in the kitchen.
As I think that, my phone vibrates with an incoming call from Curtis.
‘Hey, Curtis, you okay?’ I ask.
The frantic voice at the end of the line keeps saying,He’s dead, he’s dead.
‘No, it looks bad cos there’s blood on the floor, but he’s okay,’ I say calmly. ‘I’m with him now.’
‘What are you on about? The doctor just told me, he’sdead. My beautiful man is gone. We’re at Charlie’s ED. Where are you?’
