I woke up in a bed. My head hurt so much, and when I opened my eyes it was so bright. "Where am I?" I said softly.
"You're awake!" A voice said. I looked to see a tall hobbit standing next to the bed. "You did hit your head hard. Are you okay?"
I nodded. "I thinks so." I was curious who he was but he seemed to know me.
"The doctor said you may loose your memory do you remember me?" the hobbit said.
"Yes." I lied
"Oh, good! Then do you remember what happened?"
"No." this time I didn't lie. It made sense to not know,
"Good! It was horrifying. You don't want to know." He said wide eyed. Good thing I never knew but now I am wondering what happened. "I thought I was going to lose you." but he didn't start a story. Then the doctor came in.
"Thought I heard a voice coming from here. Seems like you are awake. Good to see that. So, a little test, what is your name?" the doctor asked and sat down.
"All that comes to mind is P and L."I said rubbing my head.
"Good! It is Phillip Lester. But most call you Phil." the doctor wrote on his clipboard. "Now, can you identify what are the two things I am holding?" he said and held out his pen and clipboard.
"You have a pen and a clipboard."
"Good job. Now, what happened that made you come here."
"I do not know."
"I heard it was pretty bad. That may be a blessing." Why is nobody telling me what happened? Like I should know why I am here! "So, I want to keep you here a little while longer to see how you function because the trauma."
"Can I know what happened?"
"No, I don't even know the whole story. All I really know is the aftermath and what was told to me." I learned that I will not know the answer.
And so for the next couple of days I stayed in that hospital. My mum visited me many times to see how I was doing. Sometimes the whole family came. I didn't know it was them at first but in time I learned. But they never spoke to or of the tall hobbit. He mostly wasn't in the room but it just felt odd.
"So, there is one person who I was afraid to tell I didn't know. Could you tell me who it is?" I asked one day and my mum looked worried.
"Sure. What do they look like, hun?" She said almost as if something bad could happen.
"He is tall like me but younger." she nodded "and his hair is curly and as brown as his eyes." She smiled sadly. I didn't know you could do that, but she did. I saw him in the corner sitting on his phone and no one had noticed.
"What happened that made you come here is a long story"
"Then tell me!"
"Well, we have been trying to fix your apartment after the incident so if you did remember it would seem like nothing happened. But I might as well tell you. You two were in your flat and doing your normal but you were in the lower floor and a car didn't work and crashed into the room and you got knocked out. Your mate,"
"Who? I dont know who you are talking about as the second person."
"Your best friend daniel howell." she smiled but her eyes still looked sad, how did she do that? The tall hobbit looked at her when he hear his name. I guessed that was him. "He heard the noise and came down to see you unresponsive, then two men came in and Dan was afraid for you because you couldn't do anything so he stood up. And the men came over to him and with his 'anime knowledge' of fighting" she giggled. "He threw a punch at them. Sadly he didn't know what to do and they hit him and knocked him out and took him." she stopped. The story saddened her but I still had no idea who this man was but it hurt a little to know he protected me. Dan seemed like he didn't want to hear the story but still listened.
She continued "we never hear from him since. We hope he is alive and well but that is all we heard."
The news anchor said "a body of a young adult found in a creek." and it showed a picture. my mum cupped her hand over her mouth. "The finder said that he walks along here every day and looks at this creek but today was another story."
An old man with a heavy scottish accent said. "I was down here like I usually do to make sure irrigation is working and today I find a handsome young fellow lying in there. I tried to get a response because he could have passed out drunk but I got none. So I called the police."
"Police say this man was murdered just about a week ago. But kept in a place so not to decay. This man was also beaten and raped before and or after the murder occurred. Police have no suspect." and the news anchor continued with other news
Dan looked sad now, like he listened to the broadcast. Was that him?
"you look confused. What's the matter?" my mum said
"Is that… Dan my friend?" I asked
"I am afraid you may be correct." dan stood up and walked to the side of my bed and sat down one it. "What Are you looking at?" my mum asked.
"Oh, sorry, just thinking."
"I want to tell you my side. Is that okay? Close your eyes and say you're tired if yes."
I closed my eyes and said "I am tired." I wanted to hear what happened.
"Well, I heard a crash from downstairs where you were. And when I came down I saw a car that didn't give off the right vibes so after making sure you were fine, I went over to the guys and started to ask questions. I gave my hand out to shake and one guy took my hand and trough it behind my back and grabbed my other hand and zip-tied them and shoved me into their car. I remember everything. I was thrown into an outhouse and was never fed. Once A day I would get knocked out and wake up hurting everywhere, with tears on my cheeks. The thought that kept me going was you. A whole month without sleep and in constant pain you helped me through. Then, one day they came in and pulled me out of the place I called a shelter and threw me onto the ground. I heard a click and a bang and I was here. I was happy to see you again. You looked better than that day but I don't care." dan stopped and looked at the ceiling. My mum had left by then so it was just me and him.
"I don't feel like we were ever just friends. What were we?"
"I asked the same question multiple times myself. Let's say, partners in crime." dan got up and left the room.
When I was released to come home my flat didn't look like a car hit it at all. I looked around it and saw a room full of martin's stuff, they didn't want me alone for a while so he was to live with me till everything was okay. And I lived happy but never saw dan again.