Page 43 of Coff

“Automatic best friend? I wouldn’t call Brian that.”

The man shrugs. “I mean, someone you know has your back. That’s all.”

Larkin pulls up in front of the emergency doors.

“I’m not sure if this is necessary,” I say.

He doesn’t respond but gets out of the driver’s side, so I get out of the car, too. He’s right there, leading me inside. Well, I’m trying to follow. He’s walking really fast for some reason.

I’m halfway to the front desk, and darkness threatens at the edges of my eyes. “Larkin? Something isn’t right.”

I feel myself sway, but I can’t stop it.

“Let’s get him back here now,” someone yells.

I fall against something or someone.

“Hold on, Logan,” Larkin says.

Hold on to what? I wonder.

* * *

“We needto keep him for a couple of days to rule out infection,” a deep voice says.

“But he’s out of the woods, right?” Brian asks.

I struggle to open my eyes but can’t.

“He’s made it this far, which is a good thing. Now we have to wait and see,” the deep voice says.

Footsteps move away from my bed. Is Brian leaving? I need my damn eyes to open. I grunt in frustration.

“Logan? Are you awake?” Brian asks, taking my hand in his.

Finally, I’m able to blink. My chest hurts like hell, as does my throat. “What’s going on?” I croak out in a voice I don’t recognize.

Brian glances past me, and I follow his gaze. The door to my room is open. He stands and closes it, then returns to the chair beside me. “Do you remember being buried alive?”

I shift in the bed, trying to get more comfortable. “I remember a little bit of dirt. I wasn’t buried.”

Brian frowns but doesn’t argue, which tells me this situation is serious. “Well, some of the dirt got into your lungs. You passed out once you arrived here. The doctor had you on a ventilator for a couple of days while your lungs cleared out.”

A couple of days? “Has Duke tried coming after me again?”

Brian shakes his head. “I’ve got someone on the inside who said Nelson is bragging about burying you alive. They didn’t see us dig you out.”

“Did he know it was me?”

Brian nods.

Huh, I thought I looked different, but Duke must have recognized me and told Nelson who I was. It has been twelve years. An itch in my chest sets off a coughing spell. Brian hands me some water. I take a sip.

“I thought you said my lungs were cleared out.”

He shakes his head. “I thought they were supposed to be, but I spoke to the doctor before you woke up. He wants to keep you here for a couple more days. Apparently, you need to cough up as much as you can. There’s a chance you could get a nasty infection.”

I sit up more. “Then why was I on a ventilator?”

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