Grenshaw and the Monster 14

Grenshaw awoke to lights – lights so bright he couldn’t keep his eyes open. “Where am I?” he said.

He heard a woman say, “Shh. You need to rest.”

When he awoke the second time, the lights weren’t so intolerable. He saw Mary standing over him. He was lying on a couch in the office. “Mary! How long have I been out?”

Mary didn’t address his question. “Can you sit up, sir? You need to eat.” She was holding a bowl of soup and a glass of orange juice.

Grenshaw rolled to his side and awkwardly moved his legs off the couch. Mary handed him the bowl. As he sipped the soup, he felt his strength returning rapidly. It was almost as if he hadn’t just been thrown through an alleyway by a whitewater rapids of churning orange juice.

“You know what I could really go for, Mary? Some bacon and eggs.” Mary winced.

“Sir, I’m not sure you should -” She put a hand on his shoulder to keep him from getting up, but it didn’t stop Grenshaw. He set the bowl down and stood up.

“It’s okay, Mary. I feel alright.”

He paced back and forth, testing out his legs. He checked his pockets for his keys. “Is my bike here, Mary?”

“Sir? I don’t think you should be riding anywhere right now.”

“Really, Mary. I feel quite good. A little weak, yes, but I’ve had worse days.” He walked toward the door.

“Sir. Why don’t I have the intern escort you to where ever it is you want to go?”

Grenshaw paused at the doorway. “Good idea. I’ll get ahold of him right now.” Grenshaw got out his phone and walked down the hall toward the elevator.

Once inside, he put his phone away and whispered, “Tommy, help me out here.”

to be continued . . .