Derek Jones
The detectives kept asking me the same questions over and over again to the point where I thought I was going to cry. If I couldn't remember it two minutes ago what made them think I would remember it now? They seemed to be annoyed with my lack of descriptions but intrigued that I would remember the gold teeth.
"Why is that so odd? I mean someone with gold teeth is pretty memorable" Kevin said sarcasm tingeing his words. I could tell that he was just as tired of the interrogation as I was.
"You can't think of anything else Mr. Littrell? The more we know the better our chances of finding this guy"
I closed my eyes, a headache threatening to spill from the back of my eyes. I just wanted these people to go away. Leave me alone so I could sleep.
"No...I’m sorry. I wish I could remember, but I can't"
Kevin placed a hand on my shoulder, "It's okay Brian...I think my cousin needs his sleep now so if you don't mind maybe you can come back later"
The detectives looked at each other, "Yeah sure...hope you feel better" The one guy who sounded insincere before said, sounding just as fake.
"Thanks" I laid my head back and closed my eyes as they were walked out the door by my cousin.
"You okay? You need me to get a doctor or anything?" Kevin was back and once again sitting next to me. "No, I think I just need some sleep"
"Everything will be alright Brian" He stroked my head as he said it. It was a little odd actually because even though I knew how protective Kevin was of me he never really showed it by his actions.
"Kevin...tell me about Nick please...I really need to know how he is doing" Kevin removed his hand from my head and sat back in his chair, sighing heavily as he did so.
"Brian, right now you need to rest...we'll talk about Nick later"
"Just tell me is he going to live?" Kevin now moved closer to me once again. I smelled peppermint on his breath. He had a habit of chewing tic tacs like they were ice cubes.
"Yes Brian...he will live" I can't even tell you how happy I was to hear those words. I was sure that he was already lying dead in the morgue. I wanted to know more but I think the part of my brain that knew when I was being overloaded, took over. I nodded and closed my eyes. No longer able to avoid sleep.
I awoke to the sound of arguing right outside of my room. I could make out Kevin's voice and possibly AJ's but the other one was foreign to me. Suddenly I was overcome with fear. Maybe it was familiar because it was him. Darth Vader with gold teeth.
Before I could scream for help he entered my room. Standing there in a white lab coat his name tag dangling from his breast pocket. I was too scared to even scream so I just laid there tensing up as he moved closer to me.
"How's my little friend doing?" He asked now hovering over me like a vulture waiting to eat its dying prey. I reached for the call button, maybe I could get a nurse or something in here.
"Brian...why are you so scared? This is a place to help people. No one can hurt you here"
"Get out" I pleaded in the loudest voice I could find within me.
He threw his head back and laughed, it was overdramatic and a little cartoonish but it still scared me to death. I found it hard to breath suddenly, feeling his hands on my throat even though he was doing nothing more then watching me with an evil smirk on his lips.
"What's wrong Brian? You still feel my hands around your neck?" I started hyperventilating now when I still couldn't catch my breath. He just stood there watching me in amusement.
Now in a full blown panic I reached for the call button as he moved close to me and placed his hand over mine. "You better push it faster before you totally lose your very last breath" He held my hand on the buzzer and pressed frantically right along with me. I looked over at his name tag dangling right by my eyes. It was a picture of him smiling a normal smile. "Derek Jones" I said. He let go of my hand and started backing out towards the door.
I was gasping for air as he smiled and waved...bells from everywhere in my room started to sound. Causing doctors and nurses to run in to help.
"Derek Jones" I said once again before an oxygen mask was placed on my face and my eyes closed.
I awoke to find my mother sitting by my side. I looked over to her and tried to grab the oxygen mask off of my nose. When she saw me doing that she stood up and made her way over to my bed, "Honey....you're awake. Don't take that off, it's helping you breathe"
I let go when she lovingly grabbed my hands in her own, "You gave us a scare Pumpkin"
"Sorry" My voice sounded muffled behind the mask. I wanted it off of me. "I'll go get a doctor" She said but I wouldn't let go of her hands. Sacred to death that if she left then HE would come in again...Derek Jones. I remembered his name, "mom...Derek Jones"
"What baby?"
"Derek Jones"
"What are you saying Brian I can't hear you. Let me go get a doctor maybe they will let you take that mask off" I held her hands again but decided to let her go find someone. Luckily she didn't have to go far because just as she was leaving the room, a nurse entered. She walked over poked and prodded me and then to my relief took off the stupid oxygen mask.
"Now if you have any trouble breathing please use that button..." She said pointing to the call button next to me, "And someone will come in to help you"
"Thanks"
When she left it was once again just my mom and I, she made her way over to me and held my hand as she caressed my head, "Derek Jones mom"
"Who is that baby?"
"That's the guys who did this to me and Nick"
"Are you sure? How do you know that?"
"I remembered"
After that it all happened very quickly my mom made a call to the police detectives in charge of my case and they were back at the hospital in no time flat.
My mother decided to stay in the room with me as did Kevin who always liked to be around when the police were. He said everyone else was up with Nick.
"So, Mr. Littrell..."
"Please call me Brian"
"Okay...Brian; your mother said you remembered a name?"
"Yes the guy’s name who strangled me was Derek Jones"
"How did you remember that? Did he say his name?"
"Not exactly he was wearing a name tag"
"He was?" The two detectives looked at each other questioningly.
"Yes he came in before and he was wearing a name tag"
Kevin stood up and moved to the door, "He was in this room?" I nodded at him.
"Brian that is impossible, you haven't been left alone since you've been here"
"I was alone before...I heard you arguing with AJ maybe? Then he walked in" Now Kevin looked baffled. But I didn't care about that suddenly a new horror dawned on me; if he was visiting me he would be visiting Nick too. "Oh my God! Someone go check on Nick" I sat bolt upright and my heart monitor started going a little crazy again.
"Brian calm down baby" My mom said rubbing my arm trying to get me to relax, "no you don't understand if he was here he'll go to see Nick. Kevin you have to go make sure he's okay"
"The rest of the guys are up with Nick Brian...he's not alone"
"But he can hurt them too" Now I was crying; getting hysterical actually. Everyone was around me trying to calm me down but the detectives were just watching curious now.
"I'll go check on Mr. Carter myself. I'll be right back" One of the detectives, the nicer one said.
"Thanks" I was able to huff out and I started to relax a bit more.
"Brian, tell me what happened again. When did this man come in to see you?"
"Just before I had trouble breathing. He was going to strangle me again"
"But he didn't?"
"No...He just laughed"
"Then what happened?" I made the mistake of looking over at my cousin who was exchanging worried glances with my mother.
"He left when I said his name...you don't believe me do you?" I directed that question at my cousin as if no one else was in the room.
"Aww it's not that I don't believe you Bri, but we were right here the whole time. AJ and I would have noticed if someone walked into your room. You have been through a traumatic experience and...."
"Save it!" I didn't want to hear him tell me I was crazy.
The nice detective came back into my room, breaking up the uncomfortable silence that was thick in the air. "Nick is fine, no one has tried to get into his room other then his family and your other friends"
I let out a huge sigh, "Thank God"
"Just to be safe Brian, we are going to place a security guard outside both of your doors"
"Thank you" I said glaring over at my cousin who only looked worried back at me.
"And we will run this name through our system to see if we can come up with anything, is there anything else you can think of?"
"He breathes like Darth Vader. I think he might have asthma or something" The detective wrote that down on his notepad and then left.
When they were gone I looked over at Kevin, "I want to see Nick" Once again my mother and Kevin looked at each other like I was a child asking if Santa was real. "I don't think that's a good idea honey" She whispered softly to me.
"I need to see him mom...please?"
"Maybe when you're a little stronger Brian, but not now...I can barely stand seeing him...and I’m well" Kevin sounded so broken when he said that. For the first time I was able to take in his features. He had grown a slight beard and had dark circles under his eyes.
"When was the last time you got any sleep Kevin?"
"I don't think I’ll ever be able to sleep again Brian" He said looking me straight in the eyes.
"Still...I need to see him. See that he is alive" I couldn't look at either one of them when I said that.
"Maybe we can work something out then" Kevin said walking out of the room.
"Then I’ll never be able to sleep again either" I thought to myself.
