Sunday, May 19, 2013 - 11:22 PM EST



Once again, I'm asleep. Barely. Once again, that weird Charlie Brown adult sound. Only more faint. More labored then last time. I can't tell who it is. Someone's definitely calling my name.



SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Hmmmm?"



All is quiet so I begin to fade back into my blissful slumber. Again, someone is calling my name. A little more clear this time.



SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Hmmm."



Things go quiet again and I begin to drift away again. Suddenly, it occurs to me who is calling my name. I'm awake and at attention in what was probably a nanosecond.



SEBASTIAN DUKE: "JAKE!"

JACOB: "What?"



Holy shit! He's awake!



SEBASTIAN DUKE: "You woke me up. What the hell do you want?"

JACOB: "Duke....... what the hell...... happened?"

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Y'all wrecked my shit! That's what!"

JACOB: "Huh?"

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "You. Jonathan. The whole lot of you. You attacked the Compound."

JACOB: "Ohhhhh..... Shit!"



I noticed he kept licking his lips. He wasn't having trouble speaking. His damn mouth was dry. So, I get off my tired ass and hand him a can of Ginger Ale. Within seconds, he has the entire 8 ounce can drank completely. He tosses the can and stares up at the lights.



JACOB: "What day is it?"

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Sunday. Almost Monday."

JACOB: "When did we.....



I know what he's about to ask. Obviously, he's having trouble spitting those words out. I can't say I blame him.



SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Friday."

JACOB: "So I've been out.... like 2 days."

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Nine. You've been out for over a week."



He lifts his head and looks at me in amazement for a second. Then he grunts, places his hands on his head and lays it back down. Pain, I assume.



JACOB: "How did I end up here? What happened?"

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "I'm not sure. Percussion from one of the blasts, I think. Knocked you on your head. Brain swelling. Drilled a hole to relieve the pressure. Coma. The works."

JACOB: "Holy shit, Sebastian."



The conversation falls silent. He wants to ask. Something won't let him.



SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Spit it out."

JACOB: "What out?"

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "What you want to ask."

JACOB: "How did you know I wanted to ask something?"

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "I know you too well. A long time, my friend."

JACOB: "HA! Friend! Some friend I am."



I say nothing. Now isn't the time to pour salt in the wound. God! I'm getting soft.



JACOB: "How long have you been here?"

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Jonathan called me on Saturday morning. I've been here ever since. Except for a few hours here and there."

JACOB: "I'm shocked he called you."

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "So am I."

JACOB: "Has he been here?"



I'm about to lie through my teeth. I never did understand why people said that. Lie through your teeth. You can't exactly lie through your nose or anything. If you're going to lie, it's naturally going to be through your teeth. But, I DIGRESS!



SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Nope. Haven't seen nor heard hide nor hair of him since he told me you were here."

JACOB: "What an ass!"

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "You should get some sleep."

JACOB: "I've been sleeping for over a week. I think I'm good for awhile."

DR. NGUYEN: "You should rest."



Ok, the little Asian doctor just scared the shit out of me. I didn't know he was standing there.



JACOB: "What's up Doc?"



Hey! I stole it first!



DR. NGUYEN: "How are you feeling?"

JACOB: "My head is killing me."

DR. NGUYEN: "You received quite a bump on the head. It's to be expected."

JACOB: "Give me something to make it go away."

DR. NGUYEN: "Well. Do you want the pain to go away? Or do you want to stay awake?"

JACOB: "Sleep is going to get rid of the headache? How the hell am I going to sleep when I feel like my brain is going to thump right out of my skull!? And kill the lights!"



Dr. Nguyen dims the lights.



DR. NGUYEN: "It's not so much the sleep that's going to kill the pain. It's what I'm ready to give you. It'll also make you sleep."

JACOB: "I don't care. Just give it to me."

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Jake, we'll talk tomorrow."

JACOB: "Alright, Duke."



I exit the room and head toward the roof.

---

Monday, May 20, 2013 - 12:54 AM EST



I've been up here on the roof for what seems like forever. It's a little noisy, but somehow I still find peace up here in the Darkness. I like to be alone with my thoughts sometimes. The past week has been for trying. Part of me wanted to watch Jacob die for turning his back on me. Most of me wanted to see him live. To see him come back to the Compound. To live and to once again become my right hand man.


If that's even possible.


Suddenly, my phone begins to vibrate in my pocket. I pull it out and look.


Asmodeus.


I hit speaker and lay the phone on the ledge.



SEBASTIAN DUKE: "What's up Asmo?"

ASMODEUS: "How's Jacob?"

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Woke up a little over an hour ago."

ASMODEUS: "Is that a good thing?"

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Of course!"

ASMODEUS: "Is he expected to recover fully?"

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Not sure. Dr. Nguyen doesn't know yet. Asmodeus, I'm going to try and get him to come home."

ASMODEUS: *SIIIIIGGGGHHHHHH*

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "I know how you feel. I know why you feel that way."

ASMODEUS: "I don't think it's a good idea."

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Well, if he's willing, then that's exactly what's going to happen. You may as well accept it now.

ASMODEUS: *SIIIIIGGGGHHHHHH*

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Stop sighing. You're not a child. Anyway, what'd you need?"



[white]In the background a scream and a crashing sound can be heard plain as day.



SEBASTIAN DUKE: "What the hell was that?"

ASMODEUS: "This damn robot you stole from Mr. Satellite. It's fighting us."

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "What the hell do you mean it's fighting you? It's a God damned robot!"

ASMODEUS: "It just hit Matthew in the nuts."



I had to laugh.



ASMODEUS: "It's not funny Sebastian!"

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Yeah. You're right. That's fucking hilarious!"



I had to laugh some more. Behind me, I hear the door creak. I look toward it and here comes Caitlyn. I can't take my eyes off her.



SEBASTIAN DUKE: "It's a damn robot, Asmo. Just handle it. I have to go."

ASMODEUS: "SEBASTI..."



I hung up the phone. Still entranced by her eyes. Even in the Darkness.



SEBASTIAN DUKE: "What are you doing here?"

NURSE CAITLYN: "I came to see you."

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Oh, did you now?"

NURSE CAITLYN: "How's your brother?"

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Awake. Well, he was. Your dad gave him something to kill the pain and get some sleep."

NURSE CAITLYN: "Daddy tells me you're a professional wrestler."



Damn it! Can't I get away from it for one damn day?



SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Does that make you look at me differently?"

NURSE CAITLYN: "Nope."

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Good."

NURSE CAITLYN: "You want to dance?"



I think that's the first time in my life a woman ever asked me to dance.



SEBASTIAN DUKE: "But, there's no music."

NURSE CAITLYN: "Meh! Who needs music?"

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Dancers."

NURSE CAITLYN: "Music is overrated. C'mon. Let's dance."



What? What's wrong with dancing without music? The stupid things men do for women. That's what she wanted to do. So that's what we did. On the roof top of the hospital. High above downtown Boston, Massachusetts. We danced. Later on, other stuff.