Odion rocked back and forth, looking at the clock above the door: 4:30 p.m. It was the uncertainty of it all that made the wait all the more unbearable, not to mention the total silence the family waiting room provided. Marcella’s physician had yet to call them in for an update.

“Did you get any sleep?” Serenity rested a hand on his shoulder, sinking into the chair beside him. “By the way, Yuricema stepped out to grab us something to eat.”

Odion gave the slightest shake of his head. How could anyone sleep or eat at a time like this? There was a serial killer on the loose who needed to be stopped. “I ain’t hungry.” Odion met her eyes. The image of Toki gurgling blood flashed in his mind. A hot pang of anger rushed toward his hands, making them twitch. “If the police don’t get to him first, I’m gonna finish the job myself,” Odion said.

“But we don’t even know if it was Ap—”

“You being for real?” Odion cut her off, venom boiling in his eyes.

Serenity opened her mouth a little like she wanted to say something but paused, removing the strands of hair that’d fallen in front of her eyes instead. “Look, I’m not saying he didn’t do it. All I’m saying is we don’t know if he did.”

“I know.” Odion nodded. “And when I see him, I’m gonna return the favor.” He grabbed the caps of his knees and squeezed.

“What did you tell the police officer when he called you over?” Serenity asked.

“Nothing.” Odion shook his head. “He kept asking me questions I had no answer to.” He wriggled his mouth. “I don’t wanna talk about this shit no more.” He sat back and folded his arms.

The waiting room door swung open as Yuricema entered and sat down, laying the plastic bag she held in her hand next to her. “I hope you two are hungry,” she said, handing Odion a tightly wrapped turkey sandwich with a small carton of chocolate milk. She gave Serenity the same with a bottle of organic passion fruit juice instead. “Hurry up and eat before Dr. Lamora calls us in.” Yuricema pulled Serenity in and placed a gentle kiss at the side of her head.

“Thanks for the sandwich, but I ain’t hungry,” Odion said, handing the sandwich and chocolate milk back to Yuricema.

“You have to eat something, sweetie.” Yuricema frowned. “Please, even if it’s just a few bites.”

Just as Odion was about to peel the plastic off of his sandwich, Dr. Lamora walked in and waved them over to follow him. They traveled along a narrow corridor, and Odion kept turning his head left and right, taking several cautious glances at the patients resting on their respective hospital beds. His heart nearly sprung to his throat when he saw an elderly woman who seemed about as thin as a pencil with an oxygen mask attached to her face. The tears started to come fast again. What if Marcella looked like that or worse? Try and hold it together nigga!

Dr. Lamora stopped and presented them to her room. Goosebumps prickled across Odion’s body as the doc opened the door. Odion hesitated before walking in, his knees weak and wobbly like spaghetti.

“Take your time,” Dr. Lamora said. “I’m going to be right outside with your friends.” He closed the door behind him.

Upon first glance, Marcella looked like she was dead.

If it weren’t for the slow pings coming from her heart monitor, Odion would’ve believed she’d passed on to the afterlife. She had an oxygen mask attached to her face, and her head was wrapped in bandages. Hot tears slid down his cheeks as he pulled up a chair and gently grabbed her hand, pressing his lips against the back of it.

“I don’t know if you can hear me, but … I wanna let you know that I’m here,” Odion said. “You gotta hang in there, okay.” He squeezed her hand tighter. “I promise Apollo will pay for what he did!” Odion took his hand and gently brushed it along the bandages covering her forehead.

He watched Serenity through the window. She looked on the verge of tears as Yuricema spoke to Dr. Lamora. Although he couldn’t quite make out what the doc was telling them, there was a part of him that didn’t want to know simply by reading his facial expressions. Yuricema turned her face away and briefly met Odion’s eyes before quickly shifting them toward the floor.

“Apollo won’t get away with this.” Odion shifted his eyes back to Marcella. “Do you hear me? I swear to God he’ll pay!” He sniffed and took the sleeve of his blazer to dry his wet eyes.

Dr. Lamora, Yuricema, and Serenity walked in, the door slowly closing behind them. Odion’s lips quivered looking at their glum expressions. He quietly told himself to breathe.

“So Odion, as I was explaining to them outside,” Dr. Lamora paused, his eyes looking away to his left as if trying to choose his words carefully, “it seems like—”

“She ain’t gonna make it is she,” Odion said, forcing the words out of his mouth. The blood in his body ran cold again.

Dr. Lamora cleared his throat, running a hand over his salt and peppered hair. “I wouldn’t give up hope just yet,” he said. “As of right now, she’s in critical but stable condition.”

“Wh-wh-what does that mean? I-I don’t understand.” Odion shook his head.

“It means her condition is still severe, but she hasn’t gotten any better or any worse. We will be actively monitoring her to make sure her conditions do not worsen.”

“Will she ever recover?”

“It’s still too early to tell,” Dr. Lamora said. “Let’s all pray—”

“No!” Odion sharp with his tone. “I don’t need you to tell me to pray. I need you to tell me she’ll get better!”

Dr. Lamora readjusted his collar. “I know this is a difficult time for you, but we are doing the best we can. It’s best if you go home for the night and return in a few days. Waiting here won’t speed up her recovery.”

Odion furrowed his brows at the suggestion. The way he was so nonchalant about the matter was sickening. It’s like he didn’t even care. “And where am I supposed to go?” Odion balled his hands together, trying his best to restrain himself from attacking him. “I have nowhere to go,” he said.

The doctor’s eyes slowly drifted toward the ground. “I am so sorry about this.”

Odion quickly shot to his feet and headed for the door, slamming it behind him. He paced toward the exit of the hospital.

“Odion, wait!” Serenity’s voice echoed across the hall.

Odion was tired of waiting. The only thing that would’ve provided him with a tiny bit of relief was killing Apollo himself, and even then, that still wouldn’t have changed what he’d done.

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