The two C.P.D. agents walked out of the hospital, their faces blank. Their polished shoes echoed against the cold tiles, their stiff postures radiating tension.
Reyna was just arriving to check up on Calon when she crossed paths with them. She paused, nodding toward the agent in front.
"Damien," she greeted.
"Reyna," he responded with a curt nod.
Sneaking a glance past them, she spotted Calon—awake and watching. Her gaze flickered back to Damien, her brows furrowing.
"I can't believe you guys are interrogating a hospitalized man," she said, folding her arms.
Damien stepped forward, stopping just in front of her. His voice was sharp, edged with frustration.
"If it were up to me, he'd be behind bars."
With that, he brushed past her, his partner following without another word.
"Good night, officer," he tossed over his shoulder before disappearing down the hall.
Reyna exhaled through her nose, watching them go before shaking her head and stepping into Calon's hospital room.
"Hey," she greeted.
"Hey," Calon responded, shifting slightly in the hospital bed.
She eyed him carefully. "So, how are you doing?"
"All good—apart from the fact that the C.P.D. just threatened to make me suffer in ways I couldn't imagine."
Reyna's expression sharpened. "What? Why?"
Calon scoffed, rubbing his temple. "Because I told the truth?"
Reyna sighed, massaging her forehead. "What did you tell them?"
"The truth."
"Start at the beginning, smartass. What did they want to know, and what did you tell them?"
Calon sighed heavily, leaning back against the pillows. "They wanted to know who killed the shadow user."
Reyna frowned. "The shadow user? You mean the dead guy lying in the warehouse where I found you?"
He nodded. "Yeah, that's the one."
"So what did you tell them?"
He hesitated for a moment, then muttered, "I told them it was a boy. A twelve-year-old boy, give or take."
Reyna blinked, her expression blank with disbelief. Then, her lips parted slightly in realization.
"No wonder they threatened you," she muttered. "Even I—as your friend—can barely resist the urge to smack you in the face."
"But that's the truth!" Calon exclaimed.
Reyna let out another long sigh. "Calon, get some rest. And please, try not to get on the C.P.D.'s bad side. Even I can't save you from them, especially when you treat this like a joke."
"But I'm not lying!" Calon protested.
Reyna stood up, shaking her head. "Look, I came here to check up on you, not interrogate you. If you want to keep your secrets, then keep them." She turned toward the door.
"Reyna, wait."
She stopped.
Calon hesitated before saying, "I never got to thank you for saving my life. I appreciate it."
His voice was quieter now, more serious.
"Reyna, we've been friends for a long time. Why would I ever want to lie to you about this?"
Reyna huffed, crossing her arms. "Because you're a fool." She stomped back toward his bed, jabbing a finger at him. "I told you not to take that job. That it was shady as hell. But you insisted. And now look at you, Calon—you can't even walk."
Calon bowed his head. "Yeah," he whispered. "I know. I'm sorry. I just… really needed the money."
A pause. Then, softly—"But, Reyna, you gotta believe me. I know what I saw."
Reyna sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.
"Ok, so what did this… child look like?"
Calon's breath shuddered as he stared past the hospital walls, seeing something that wasn't there—something that never truly left. The room was warm, the machines hummed softly, but beneath his skin, there was only cold.
"I'll tell you what I told the agents."
His throat was dry. He swallowed, but it didn't help.
"The kid… he wasn't normal."
His fingers twitched.
"Dressed in black, like death come to life."
"His eyes weren't just red. Red is something you feel—heat, rage, warning. His weren't like that. They were still. Cold. Staring through you, stripping you bare."
"His hair, white as funeral shrouds, framed a face that never flinched."
Calon's voice wavered. "He didn't breathe. Or if he did, I never heard it."
His pulse pounded in his ears. The memory coiled around his ribs like iron bands.
He exhaled shakily, staring at his trembling hands. "I've met killers before. I've fought monsters before. But him?"
His lips pressed together, his jaw clenched, and something almost like a laugh—bitter, broken—escaped him.
"He was worse than a monster."
For a long moment, silence. Then, almost reluctantly, he muttered, "I don't know what the hell he is. But I know one thing—he's not someone you want to make an enemy of."
Reyna stood there, hands on her hips, studying Calon's face.
"That's what you told the C.P.D.?"
Calon chuckled weakly. "Well, not in those exact words… but you get the idea."
Reyna sighed. "Calon, what am I going to do with you?"
"Do you believe me?"
She studied him for a moment longer. Then, reluctantly, she sighed.
"Yeah, I believe you."
Calon let out a breath, as if some weight had lifted off his chest.
"So what do you want to do now?" she asked.
"I have to find him."
Reyna's head snapped toward him. "Wait—hold on. First, you describe this guy like the grim reaper, and now you're saying you want to find him? Explain."
Calon clenched his jaw. "Look, if I don't prove this guy is real to the C.P.D., I'm going to jail for the rest of my life."
Reyna rubbed her temple. "Sigh… Sure. I'll keep an eye out if I'm on patrol. Just take care of yourself, okay?"
"Yeah. Thanks, Reyna."
She turned to leave, but before she could step through the door—
"Reyna," Calon called out.
She paused.
"If you see this thing—" his voice was grave, more serious than she'd ever heard it—"Run."
She gave a curt nod before walking out, leaving Calon staring into space.