Kill Me.

When Callum wandered back onto the streets he sighed, wondering what time it would be before he even got home. It was midnight already, surprisingly meaning that he had spent more than an hour in Lee’s apartment. Despite his annoying and too-perky antics, the boy kept his distance, not touching Callum or even trying to get closer, so he had allowed himself to relax for once.

Even when Lee had made coffee for him he had put the cup on the table next to him rather than risk touching Callum’s hand and he wanted to pretend that the boy just knew. That for once, someone could read him at least a little, instead of it always being the other way around. It was calming, even as the boy’s gentle voice spoke incessantly about any insignificant and unimportant thing that entered his mind.

Maybe he should have asked for a ride, Callum realized when he heard footsteps behind him, slow and even. Even when he reached the fully lighted area he could hear those footsteps, following, though he saw no one when he finally turned around. Four more blocks, he realized finally. Then he could safely stay in his apartment without whatever creep that was following him.

Just as he made it into the shadows of another less-crowded street he felt a hand on his arm, a knife to his neck. He froze instantly, thinking through things. Killer at large. Man with a knife to his neck. God, this didn’t seem like it would end well. Callum thought back to his conversation with Lee, his complete nonchalance toward the killer and realized his heart had even stuttered, just beating as bored as always. He figured that only proved that Lee was right; he was weird. He was different, and odd, and awkward. He was a freak. And someone was probably going to kill him.

“Give me your wallet,” the man ordered, growling and trying to reach into Callum’s pocket and he ducked away, spinning to face the man. He knew he shouldn’t have felt so level-headed when the man charged him, knife ready to stab. The young man merely grabbed the pocketknife he always kept with him and smirked. He had no idea what was coming if he thought he was just going to kill Callum no problem.

When he woke up Callum found himself surrounded by creamy walls, his jeans and t-shirt replaced by flimsy white fabric with ugly blue dots splattered on it. Frowning, he pressed the call button on the hospital bed and waited. It took only minutes for a nurse to rush in.

“Mr. Stone, how are you feeling?” she asked, her bright eyes giving no indication that it wasn’t even daybreak yet. “You got into a scuffle is what the police said.”

“Yeah… yeah that guy tried to get my wallet, had a knife to my neck,” he said, nodding in remembrance. “Did he stab me?”

“Just a few scratches but he got you good on your shoulder. It’s all stitched up now and you can be discharged at 9.” Callum nodded, frowning still before asking the question he’d been wondering. “You got him in the chest, almost killed him. The police need your statement,” she admitted. “Do you need anything?” He shook his head and she said a brief goodbye. “I’m Gem by the way, if you need me.”

He sighed, letting himself fall back to sleep. It wasn’t until he heard voices that he woke up, seeing two policemen standing at the foot of the bed in full uniform. He gave them a brief nod, chest tightening at the sight of them.

“We need a statement from you. It appeared to be self-defense, even the other man testified to that when he woke up this morning.” Callum nodded, quickly going through the necessary steps before they asked if he was pressing charges. Callum frantically shook his head, knowing it would look guilty but he didn’t like these men here, standing so close when he couldn’t even move form the bed.

“Very well. Have a good day.” Both turned and walked out, their steps clipped and sharp on the tile floor of the hospital. Callum groaned, cursing. He was going to have so much work to do tomorrow.