Chapter 1: Revive
Jeremiah Rosemond had an accident and arrived at the hospital going in and out of consciousness. He heard voices all around him as he couldn’t make out what they were saying. He was dazed and confused with massive waves of sharp pain radiating throughout his body. Bright lights were quickly going past his eyes as his vision was blurred, while he was being brought to the surgeon. Any motion of movement he felt came to a halt as a cluster of bright lights flashed every time he returned to consciousness. More sounds of voices could be heard and the only words he could make out before falling into complete unconsciousness and everything went black.
“Blood! We need blood”, said the voice.
The sound of the news coming from the television could be heard as Jeremiah started coming back into reality like waking from a bad dream. His eyes slowly opened to the bright lights of the hospital room. He listened to the news, while he slowly gathered his thoughts together with soreness and stiffness felt throughout his body.
“Good evening Bludhaven, this is Raina Blake with the latest updates on national events. It’s been over a year since the world was rocked by the discovery of Bruce Wayne being the Batman, along with his alleged death that very same night. Our sister city of Gotham has been completely rebuilt and refurbished from the damage caused by the Scarecrow who revealed Bruce Wayne’s dark alter-ego. We celebrate along with them wishing them the best as they commemorate their fallen hero. In other news, Bludhaven has been deemed one of the safest places to live on the east coast according to a recent survey. Now, if only they can lower the cost of living and make it one of the more affordable places would be a nice change of pace. On a bit of a darker note “The Cult of Smiles” has been gaining broader infamy across the eastern United States as more crimes seem to be popping up across several major cities along the coast. As warning to citizens to be on guard in the later hours”, said Raina, reading the news.
Footsteps were heard entering the room when Jeremiah saw a pretty young woman come into view from behind the curtain like an actor entering a scene on a stage holding a clipboard in her magenta-colored scrubs. She had a sudden look of surprise on her face when she saw he was awake and spoke.
“Mr. Rosemond?? You’re awake! How are you feeling?”, she asked in an excitable tone.
“I’m……I’m. What happened? My body feels sore and numb. And my memory is a bit fuzzy at the moment”, said Jeremiah, in a tired raspy voice. When suddenly an image of a man flashed in his mind, then another flash of lights and the sound of crunching metal and bursting glass flooded his mind. Jeremiah’s heart rate sped up as he noticed his hands shaking uncontrollably. “Wait….where’s Carter”, asked Jeremiah, as a lump in his throat started to take shape.
“Just try to hang tight for a moment, okay? I’ll be right back with the doctor. Is there anyone you’d like me to call for you Mr. Rosemond”, asked the nurse, in a calm tone.
“My brother. Jacob”, said Jeremiah, as tears begin to form in his eyes before providing the nurse the number to call.
A few moments later the doctor along with the young nurse entered the room. He was an older man with white hair and wrinkled skin. He was clean shaven and very tall, nearly 6 ft 5. He wore his white doctor’s coat. But something on the coat stuck out to Jeremiah. There was a pin of a clown attached on the collar of the white coat underneath the pin of an American flag.
“Good evening Mr. Rosemond. I’m Dr. Tanenbaum. We contacted your brother. He’s on his way. You mind if I ask you a few questions”, asked the doctor, in a friendly polite tone pulling up a chair to sit next to the hospital bed.
“Yes, doctor. That’s fine”, said Jeremiah.
“Okay, first of all Mr. Rosemond….”, the doctor was suddenly cut off by Jeremiah.
“Jerry. Just call me Jerry doctor”, said Jeremiah.
“Very well, Jerry. Do you know where you are? Nurse Mitchell told me you said your mind felt fuzzy”, asked the doctor.
“It’s coming back to me. Little bit at a time. This is Bludhaven General Hospital. Doctor? Do you know what happened to the man who was driving in the vehicle I was in”, Jeremiah asked, in a sad tone.
“Unfortunately, Jerry…You were the only survivor of a car crash. The driver passed away before the paramedics arrived from what I was told. And the people who crashed into you were also dead at the scene. As of now samples are being taken to determine if any of the drivers were under the influence when the crash took place. Officers will be stopping in to ask a few questions in a little bit, but I need to make sure your well-being is in order first. How are you feeling physically? I understand you are currently feeling discomfort”, asked the doctor.
“I have soreness throughout my body and numbness in my fingers and toes. Other than that, I’m just fatigued. If you wanna send in the officers now, I’ll speak to them. Neither Carter nor I drank anything before the crash took place”, Jeremiah said in a stoic raspy tone.
“Okay then, I’ll have Nurse Mitchell give you another sedative of painkillers in a couple hours. Let us know if you need anything else. With the amount of trauma inflicted on your body we will get you scheduled for physical therapy once your time here is concluded. If there is anything you need Jerry don’t hesitate to ask”, said Dr. Tanenbaum got up from the chair and exited the room with nurse Mitchell following behind him.
Two police officers entered the room and questioned Jeremiah for about an hour then left the room right as Jacob arrived passing by the cops as he was escorted by hospital security. Jacob was a scruffy faced man in his mid-thirties like Jeremiah with faded style light brown hair and fair skin wearing blue jeans and a black hoodie. When he entered the room his look of concern and worry turned into relief to see his brother alive and awake as he approached Jeremiah.
“Thank god. Is it alright if I ughh….you know…hug you? Is it safe”, asked Jacob in his relieved tone.
“Yeah I think so”, said Jeremiah, when immediately after Jacob hugged him.
“Thought I lost you little brother. Glad you made it out. You really got to stop with the close calls. First all the shit you did in the military, what happened with Eliza, and now this. I know it wasn’t you or Carter’s fault, but still”, said Jacob holding onto Jeremiah tightly, with relief in his voice.
“I can’t trust you enough to leave you by yourself, jackass. Not just yet”, said Jeremiah, in a joking tone.
“All busted up and you’re still making wise cracks my way huh? You little shit”, chuckled Jacob, as he took a seat by Jeremiah’s bed.
“Glad you’re here Jacob”, said Jeremiah with a sad smile.
“Of course, buddy. We’re all the family we have you and me. Did you ugh…. want me to tell Eliza what happened”, asked Jacob with an awkward hesitant shift in his voice.
“Nah, it’s not her concern. We stopped being fiancés for what…half a year now. Last thing she needs is to be worried about the ex who ruined her life”, said Jeremiah, with a look of sadness and hurt. Deep down he couldn’t deny he wished she was there with him.
“You miss her”, asked Jacob, curiously.
Jeremiah wasn’t able to answer. He wanted to, but it was as if a wall was blocking his words preventing him from speaking.
“That’s what I thought. Jerry, take my word for it, even though I know your stubborn ass won’t. If you’d just call her things could work. What happened to you two was just as fucked as this situation if not more so, but I promise she’s waiting. Not for much longer but she’s waiting”, said Jacob in a comforting tone.
“I’ll call her. When I’m ready I’ll call her”, said Jeremiah in a hesitant tone.
“If you say so buddy, I’m just trying to help you out. Far as I’m aware you two knuckleheads belong together”, said Jacob in a snarky tone.
“I know Jacob. Did you....hear about Carter”, asked Jeremiah, in a curious tone. He could see Jacob’s face sink with sadness.
“Yeah”, said Jacob taking a deep breath as though holding back any real emotion that might sink through. “Yeah, I heard what happened. They said he died upon impact. So, you know, it’s fucked but at least it’s something, I guess. As did the people in the pick-up truck. You’re way luckier than you realize Jerry. Thank God for it”, explained Jacob as his eyes went red as tears formed in his eyes.
“In a way it’s funny you bring up my lady troubles with Eliza, when he asked me out to talk it was about his issues at home. Apparently, all the fucking around he did caught up with him and he told me that Denise served him divorce papers the other day. He was gonna lose everything and it was gonna be a fight to get any kind of custody with the kids. He just wanted an ear to listen and to have me talk to you about working some odd jobs under the table”, said Jeremiah with a serious look on his face before a small chuckle came out. “What a note to go out on. And to think he thought he was going to spend the rest of his life working himself to death to afford everything that comes with his situation. I guess death thought he’d take too long. To some divorcees out there they’d probably say he lucked out”, he continued as another small chuckle came out of him as he put his hand over his mouth as a look of shock slowly came over his face.
“What did you just say”, asked Jacob in a confused and concerned tone.
“I don’t…. I don’t know where that came from. It just……”, said Jeremiah looking confused and concerned just like his brother as he looked down at his bed sheets before closing his eyes and taking a deep breath before looking back at his brother.
“Maybe the accident messed with your head a bit. I’ll be stopping by to check on you when I have time and then take you home when you’re free to go just give me a call when you’re ready alright”, said Jacob, with a concerned look on his face.
“Of course. Thanks for coming to spend time with me man”, said Jeremiah in a thankful tone.
“What are brothers for? I’ll get in touch with your job for you to let them know that you won’t be in for a while. I’m sure they’ll want to talk with you when you’re able. And once you’re fully recovered maybe we can do some work together again. I’ll need my good luck charm after all. We always made a great team and the power vacuum that’s been opened all across the east coast leaves a lot of opportunity ripe for the taking. Just say the word and you’re in”, said Jacob, as he got up from the chair about to head out.
“I’ll think about it. Been trying to live honestly since getting out of the military. You’re leaving already”, asked Jeremiah curiously.
“Nah, gonna see what they got in the cafeteria. I know it’s poison but hey I’m starving so fuck it. You want anything”, Jacob asked.
“I’m alright for now. With the way my head feels I’d just puke it all out most likely”, said Jeremiah in a joking tone.
“If you change your mind let me know alright. Be back in a sec”, said Jacob, heading out the door.
Jeremiah laid back in his hospital bed as the memories of everything that transpired up to the accident came back to him. He turned his head to look out the window to see the city lights. He was thankful to be alive, but something was off. Something in the back of his mind he couldn’t seem to shake.
