Chapter 8
The next time Manning came to, he found himself lying alone in a dark room on a hospital bed. He cracked open his eyes and let his eyes slowly adjust to his surroundings. He could hear his own heart beat being emitted by a pulse monitor beside him. His stomach still hurt, making him take short, shallow breaths of air. He looked at the door when it opened with the slightest squeak. A nurse walked in and took a good look at him.
“You’re awake, Dr. Manning?” she asked.
Manning could not reply – he did not feel like he had the strength to. The nurse retreated and not long later, Jack Hudson walked in. Manning sleepily watched him pull up a chair and sit down beside the bed.
“Bobby, I am so sorry,” Jack said with remorse. “I should’ve waited to drive you back.”
As much as Manning longed to answer, he could not. His eyes moved away from Hudson and he closed them. The last thing he heard before falling back asleep was Jack leaving the room.
Manning felt more refreshed when he woke up to the warm sunlight filling the room. His body still ached, but the knowledge of being in a well-secured hospital made him feel a lot better than he did the night before. He had not been able to embrace the sweet silence for five short minutes before a nurse peeked into the room.
“Great! You’re awake,” she said cheerfully and rolled in some breakfast for him. “Don’t worry, Dr. Manning. Dr. Hudson requested a special breakfast for you, so you won’t have to consume the terrible meals our patients claim we provide.”
She set the tray of food before him and told him to enjoy. Then she left to deliver other patients their breakfast. Manning did not pick up his cutlery immediately. He stared out the window and thought about Cody. Manning wondered if it was his fault Cody had turned so wild. He was not a very good brother, after all. He was a bad influence and a heartless bully – it always seemed like he had never cared about
Cody, so why should Cody care about him?
“Not eating, Bobby?” Hudson spoke.
Manning looked at his colleague at the doorway and smiled. “I’ll get to it.”
Hudson stepped in and shut the door to ensure their privacy. “How are you feeling
this morning?”
“I’ve felt better,” Manning said. “How long did it take you to find me?”
Hudson shrugged. “Not long. Judging from the silence that came from your phone, you had to be someplace isolated. And when I heard your pager going off, I decided to follow it. When I drew closer to where you were, my phone gave out static, so I figured I must’ve been nearby.” He paused. “Bobby, during all my years as a doctor, I have not once seen someone stabbed as badly as you had been.”
Manning smirked. “Thanks, that really comforts me.”
“It was smart of you to call me and turn your pager’s alarm on, though,” Jack went on. “Without either, I might not have found you in time.”
“Oh, I set my pager off all right,” Manning said. “But I didn’t call you. Cody did.”
“Cody?”
Manning nodded. “He attacked me, stabbed me and then called the last number I had dialled.”
Hudson looked confused. “If he intended to kill you, why did he give you a chance of surviving?”
“That’s what disturbs me,” Manning said. “I’m afraid he wants to keep me alive so he can hurt me again.”
Hudson sighed. “Um… just so you know, I’ve reported the case.”
“You what?”
“The police will be coming to talk to you maybe sometime around this afternoon,”
Hudson continued without letting Manning in. “And I suggest you tell them about your brother.”
Manning looked away, a frown fixed on his face.
“Bobby, it’s not that I wanted to get your brother in trouble or anything, but…”
“I know,” Manning cut in. “I’m not angry, Jack. It’s just that I remember having pretty bad experiences with the cops in my younger years.”
Hudson laughed. “I doubt they’d remember you, much less remember your offences.”
“I’m so sorry, Dominic, I promise we’ll keep an eye on him,” Mr. Harrison said.
“Be sure you do,” Officer Yale said. “I’ve chased him and his friends a lot during my years. Caught a few of them, but this one keeps getting away. To be honest, I’ve longed to jail him up, but now that he’s under your care, I don’t feel it is right to do so.”
“Don’t worry, you won’t see him much anymore,” Mr. Harrison assured. “He’s been improving rapidly and we have confidence he’ll grow into a fine young man.”
“Good to know,” Officer Yale nodded politely. “I’d better get back to my patrol. Have a good day.”
Mr. Harrison shut the door and sat by the dining table, beside Mrs. Harrison. The elderly couple looked at an uneasy Bobby Manning in silence.
“It’s a good thing Officer Dominic Yale is a good friend of ours,” Mr. Harrison finally spoke. “Or you would’ve been locked up just like that.”
“Bobby, why did you have to steal again?” Mrs. Harrison asked. “A pack of cigarettes moreover. You know how we feel about smoking.”
Bobby sat across the table from Mr and Mrs Harrison, feeling extremely uncomfortable and refusing to make eye contact. Why don’t they just whip me and get over with it? he thought in nervousness. It was what his biological father always did as a punishment – whip him.
Mr. Harrison sighed. “Okay, Bobby, listen. I want you to go upstairs, take a bath and think about what you did. In a half hour, I’ll join you and we can read another chapter of the Bible.”
Bobby’s eyes slowly and unsurely glanced at Mr and Mrs Harrison.
“Oh, Bobby,” Mrs. Harrison said, getting up and hugging him. “We know old habits are hard to break. But we’re just trying to do what’s best for you. Give it a few more months and you’ll understand what we mean.”
A nurse knocked on the door and looked in. “Dr. Hudson, Dr. Manning,” she greeted. “Officer Yale is here to talk to Dr. Manning if he’s feeling well enough.”
“Yale?” Manning said. “Dominic Yale?”
The nurse nodded.
Manning sighed quietly and muttered, “Oh boy.” He told the nurse to let Yale in.
While she stepped out of the room, Manning looked at Hudson, and, seeing his questioning look, he explained, “Officer Dominic Yale, by coincidence, was always after my tail when I was a kid.”
Hudson shot him a pained look and said, “Ouch, I take back what I said before.”
The police officer walked into the room and lifted his cap politely. He shook hands with Dr. Hudson and then with Manning. Dominic Yale looked the same, as Manning observed, only much older with thinning, white hair. Hudson offered the officer a seat and he gratefully accepted.
Officer Yale flashed Manning a smile and said, “Looks like you’ve come a long way, Manning.”
“Indeed,” Manning replied. “I’m far from the rascal you used to pursue. Unfortunately, I don’t look my best today. My doctor’s lab coat would’ve given you a better impression.”
Yale laughed. “Judging from the way you’ve transformed from a street rat to a surgeon, Dr. Manning, there’s no better impression you can give me. Your foster parents were not kidding when they said you’d grow into a fine young man. But right now, I sense a little uneasiness?”
Manning glanced away awkwardly. “Sorry, childhood memories and fears.”
“Come now, Manning, you can’t seriously still be intimidated by me,” Yale said. “Besides, I’m not here to find fault with you, I’m here to help you out. Dr. Hudson here says you were assaulted?”
“Yes, last night in an alleyway.”
“Could you tell me what happened in detail?”
“Nothing much to tell,” Manning replied. “My attacker just beat me up somewhat and then stabbed me several times.”
Yale stalled. “Several, how many is several?”
Manning lifted his right hand. “I have a few pretty nasty gashes on my hand and arms, got those when I was trying to protect my face. He got me on my torso too, but I don’t quite remember how many…”
“Dr. Manning has five stab wounds,” Hudson interrupted.
Yale’s eyes widened as he looked at Hudson. “Are you certain?”
“Very certain,” Hudson nodded.
Yale looked back at Manning. “You know, Dr. Manning, I’ve investigated many cases where a person bled to death from a single stab wound. I’m pretty amazed how you survived.”
Manning looked unmoved. “I developed an amazing physical immunity to wounds at an early age.”
“Could you, maybe, describe your attacker for me? It would make the job of finding him much easier and faster,” Yale said.
“Sure thing. He’s a few inches shorter than me, about six feet or so; has spiked up coloured hair, a nose ring, a lip ring, a couple of tattoos on his arms and responds to the name of Cody Manning.”
The next time Manning came to, he found himself lying alone in a dark room on a hospital bed. He cracked open his eyes and let his eyes slowly adjust to his surroundings. He could hear his own heart beat being emitted by a pulse monitor beside him. His stomach still hurt, making him take short, shallow breaths of air. He looked at the door when it opened with the slightest squeak. A nurse walked in and took a good look at him.
“You’re awake, Dr. Manning?” she asked.
Manning could not reply – he did not feel like he had the strength to. The nurse retreated and not long later, Jack Hudson walked in. Manning sleepily watched him pull up a chair and sit down beside the bed.
“Bobby, I am so sorry,” Jack said with remorse. “I should’ve waited to drive you back.”
As much as Manning longed to answer, he could not. His eyes moved away from Hudson and he closed them. The last thing he heard before falling back asleep was Jack leaving the room.
Manning felt more refreshed when he woke up to the warm sunlight filling the room. His body still ached, but the knowledge of being in a well-secured hospital made him feel a lot better than he did the night before. He had not been able to embrace the sweet silence for five short minutes before a nurse peeked into the room.
“Great! You’re awake,” she said cheerfully and rolled in some breakfast for him. “Don’t worry, Dr. Manning. Dr. Hudson requested a special breakfast for you, so you won’t have to consume the terrible meals our patients claim we provide.”
She set the tray of food before him and told him to enjoy. Then she left to deliver other patients their breakfast. Manning did not pick up his cutlery immediately. He stared out the window and thought about Cody. Manning wondered if it was his fault Cody had turned so wild. He was not a very good brother, after all. He was a bad influence and a heartless bully – it always seemed like he had never cared about
Cody, so why should Cody care about him?
“Not eating, Bobby?” Hudson spoke.
Manning looked at his colleague at the doorway and smiled. “I’ll get to it.”
Hudson stepped in and shut the door to ensure their privacy. “How are you feeling
this morning?”
“I’ve felt better,” Manning said. “How long did it take you to find me?”
Hudson shrugged. “Not long. Judging from the silence that came from your phone, you had to be someplace isolated. And when I heard your pager going off, I decided to follow it. When I drew closer to where you were, my phone gave out static, so I figured I must’ve been nearby.” He paused. “Bobby, during all my years as a doctor, I have not once seen someone stabbed as badly as you had been.”
Manning smirked. “Thanks, that really comforts me.”
“It was smart of you to call me and turn your pager’s alarm on, though,” Jack went on. “Without either, I might not have found you in time.”
“Oh, I set my pager off all right,” Manning said. “But I didn’t call you. Cody did.”
“Cody?”
Manning nodded. “He attacked me, stabbed me and then called the last number I had dialled.”
Hudson looked confused. “If he intended to kill you, why did he give you a chance of surviving?”
“That’s what disturbs me,” Manning said. “I’m afraid he wants to keep me alive so he can hurt me again.”
Hudson sighed. “Um… just so you know, I’ve reported the case.”
“You what?”
“The police will be coming to talk to you maybe sometime around this afternoon,”
Hudson continued without letting Manning in. “And I suggest you tell them about your brother.”
Manning looked away, a frown fixed on his face.
“Bobby, it’s not that I wanted to get your brother in trouble or anything, but…”
“I know,” Manning cut in. “I’m not angry, Jack. It’s just that I remember having pretty bad experiences with the cops in my younger years.”
Hudson laughed. “I doubt they’d remember you, much less remember your offences.”
“I’m so sorry, Dominic, I promise we’ll keep an eye on him,” Mr. Harrison said.
“Be sure you do,” Officer Yale said. “I’ve chased him and his friends a lot during my years. Caught a few of them, but this one keeps getting away. To be honest, I’ve longed to jail him up, but now that he’s under your care, I don’t feel it is right to do so.”
“Don’t worry, you won’t see him much anymore,” Mr. Harrison assured. “He’s been improving rapidly and we have confidence he’ll grow into a fine young man.”
“Good to know,” Officer Yale nodded politely. “I’d better get back to my patrol. Have a good day.”
Mr. Harrison shut the door and sat by the dining table, beside Mrs. Harrison. The elderly couple looked at an uneasy Bobby Manning in silence.
“It’s a good thing Officer Dominic Yale is a good friend of ours,” Mr. Harrison finally spoke. “Or you would’ve been locked up just like that.”
“Bobby, why did you have to steal again?” Mrs. Harrison asked. “A pack of cigarettes moreover. You know how we feel about smoking.”
Bobby sat across the table from Mr and Mrs Harrison, feeling extremely uncomfortable and refusing to make eye contact. Why don’t they just whip me and get over with it? he thought in nervousness. It was what his biological father always did as a punishment – whip him.
Mr. Harrison sighed. “Okay, Bobby, listen. I want you to go upstairs, take a bath and think about what you did. In a half hour, I’ll join you and we can read another chapter of the Bible.”
Bobby’s eyes slowly and unsurely glanced at Mr and Mrs Harrison.
“Oh, Bobby,” Mrs. Harrison said, getting up and hugging him. “We know old habits are hard to break. But we’re just trying to do what’s best for you. Give it a few more months and you’ll understand what we mean.”
A nurse knocked on the door and looked in. “Dr. Hudson, Dr. Manning,” she greeted. “Officer Yale is here to talk to Dr. Manning if he’s feeling well enough.”
“Yale?” Manning said. “Dominic Yale?”
The nurse nodded.
Manning sighed quietly and muttered, “Oh boy.” He told the nurse to let Yale in.
While she stepped out of the room, Manning looked at Hudson, and, seeing his questioning look, he explained, “Officer Dominic Yale, by coincidence, was always after my tail when I was a kid.”
Hudson shot him a pained look and said, “Ouch, I take back what I said before.”
The police officer walked into the room and lifted his cap politely. He shook hands with Dr. Hudson and then with Manning. Dominic Yale looked the same, as Manning observed, only much older with thinning, white hair. Hudson offered the officer a seat and he gratefully accepted.
Officer Yale flashed Manning a smile and said, “Looks like you’ve come a long way, Manning.”
“Indeed,” Manning replied. “I’m far from the rascal you used to pursue. Unfortunately, I don’t look my best today. My doctor’s lab coat would’ve given you a better impression.”
Yale laughed. “Judging from the way you’ve transformed from a street rat to a surgeon, Dr. Manning, there’s no better impression you can give me. Your foster parents were not kidding when they said you’d grow into a fine young man. But right now, I sense a little uneasiness?”
Manning glanced away awkwardly. “Sorry, childhood memories and fears.”
“Come now, Manning, you can’t seriously still be intimidated by me,” Yale said. “Besides, I’m not here to find fault with you, I’m here to help you out. Dr. Hudson here says you were assaulted?”
“Yes, last night in an alleyway.”
“Could you tell me what happened in detail?”
“Nothing much to tell,” Manning replied. “My attacker just beat me up somewhat and then stabbed me several times.”
Yale stalled. “Several, how many is several?”
Manning lifted his right hand. “I have a few pretty nasty gashes on my hand and arms, got those when I was trying to protect my face. He got me on my torso too, but I don’t quite remember how many…”
“Dr. Manning has five stab wounds,” Hudson interrupted.
Yale’s eyes widened as he looked at Hudson. “Are you certain?”
“Very certain,” Hudson nodded.
Yale looked back at Manning. “You know, Dr. Manning, I’ve investigated many cases where a person bled to death from a single stab wound. I’m pretty amazed how you survived.”
Manning looked unmoved. “I developed an amazing physical immunity to wounds at an early age.”
“Could you, maybe, describe your attacker for me? It would make the job of finding him much easier and faster,” Yale said.
“Sure thing. He’s a few inches shorter than me, about six feet or so; has spiked up coloured hair, a nose ring, a lip ring, a couple of tattoos on his arms and responds to the name of Cody Manning.”
posted by Merr-peng at 5:18 PM
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