Chapter 41: Chapter 41
The Hodag remained there—until the magic circle underneath it glowed and its body started to fade into particles. Owen blinked rapidly and simply watched as the black sparkles withered away.
"Ugh…" Masafumi groaned and Owen jogged to his side. His wrist looked pretty bad, even by Owen's standards.
"You're not okay," Owen said, slinging his arm around his shoulder and helping him up.
"I'm fine, I'm fine…"
"No, you're not." Drip, drip, drip. Owen could hear the visceral amount of blood dripping and it didn't come from his wrist. The gashes at his back had opened up again and tiny wooden splinters pierced his flesh. It was bad. It was really, really bad. His friend was so weak that his feet were dragging along the floor.
"Wait," Masafumi croaked out as they stepped onto the staircase, "something is off. The magic circle is old but…it couldn't possibly have been activated due to the blue moon. Someone was here, Owen."
"Like we have time. We're going."
Up the stairs they went, arriving on the pathway and stepping on the pressure plate, only the door to the kitchen did not open. Instead, a new path opened up to the left. Owen had no choice and went through it, eventually finding himself facing the white fence wall. He took a step forward with Masafumi, looked right, and saw a backyard.
'Well, shit.'
The backyard was sprawling and open with plenty of green grass and vegetation. The perimeter was lined with trees and in the center of the yard was a large, extravagant swimming pool. At the very, very back was an elegant gazebo. It was also where Senora Big, seated with a brunette that was too far for him to identify.
The door closed behind them. It was quiet so Owen tip-toed opposite of the backyard. She did say to see himself out. Talking to her or anyone else was unnecessary, even if the ladder was still there and he might have done a sloppy job.
"By the way, how did you get here?" Owen asked in a low whisper. They had returned to the ladder and the palm tree that Masafumi had originally climbed.
"I, haah, have a bike. It's…gah…right over the wall."
"Of course."
A damn bicycle. Well, better that than nothing. The perimeter wall was two feet high. Owen swept Masafumi off his feet, putting him in his arms, got a running start, and jumped on top of it. He blinked as he leaped down.
The bike parked in front of him was an actual bike. As in, a badass motorcycle with an impressive engine and a dark and intimidating design. Owen knew the model. He knew the year and all the elements involving it. He didn't have time to gush about it though as he hoisted Masafumi onto the seat, then himself, and shoved in the ignition key from his friend's pocket.
The motorcycle revved to life and Owen drove off the grass. He went full speed ahead, not caring if anyone else heard. Owen made a beeline to the hospital, practically leaping onto the road, and reached his destination in ten minutes flat.
As Owen skidded to a stop outside the hospital's emergency entrance, he wasted no time in leaping off the motorcycle and carrying Masafumi. The exorcist lay pale and still, his breath shallow and labored as he fought to cling to consciousness.
"Help!" Owen shouted, a tiny cry within the large hospital. "I need help! My friend—he's hurt!"
Within moments, a team of medical professionals arrived. They were used to this. Moreover, it was busy but not overly so.
"What happened?"
"A dog attacked us—"
"You're bleeding too!"
Ah, right, his chest. "Him first!"
They didn't look like gangsters so there was no hesitation to help. Owen watched with bated breath as a stretcher arrived, carefully lifting Masafumi onto it and rushing him inside, disappearing through the hospital doors in a blur of urgency and activity.
Left alone in the silent aftermath, Owen felt a surge of anxiety and fear wash over him. His heart hammered in his chest painfully. Realizing it was too painful, glanced down at his chest and winced at the sight of three deep claw gashes marring his skin. Blood seeped from the wounds, staining his shirt and causing a dull ache to throb beneath his ribs.
A nurse approached him with concern etched on her features, her eyes widening at the sight of his injuries. "Sir, you need immediate medical attention," she said firmly, gesturing towards the emergency wing. "Please, come with me."
He followed and he ended up in an examination room full of doctors. He was stuffed with painkillers and hooked up to an IV stand. Lying there on the bed, his brain wondered, 'How much is this going to cost?'
But despite their best efforts, the doctors seemed at a loss when faced with the monstrous-looking wounds on Owen's chest. The claw marks were deep and jagged, resembling something out of a nightmare rather than a typical injury.
"Do you see these wounds?" one doctor muttered, glancing discreetly at the deep claw marks on Owen's chest. "They're unlike anything I've ever seen before."
"A dog or wolf didn't do this, that's for sure…"
Just then, the door swung open, and a baggy-eyed woman walked in. Long brown hair, a beauty mark, and causing the doctors to straight up, her expression was dull and intimidating until her eyes landed on Owen. Recognition coloured her dark eyes yet she didn't let that recognition get in the way. She strode across the room, snapping her gloves in place.
Owen wore a weak smile. Boy was he glad to see her. He wanted to call out her name but his voice instead gave out a grunt of pain.
"Blood type?" Dr. Belle asked, sitting down and getting a roll of bandages. Flesh was mingled with cloth. As she unrolled the bandages, she contemplated her next move.
"It's—" The cold air caused his muscles to contract and his mind nearly blanked. "AB negative."
"I just got finished with the last batch. Send a request out for it. Now," Dr. Bella ordered the doctors without breaking eye contact with Owen. Was it the pain talking or did she look smoking hot? "Owen Hart, are you fully conscious? Are you feeling drowsy or mentally weak? Do you think you make a rational choice?"
"I'm fine. I've been through worse."
"Good. Then we should discuss the laceration repair."
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
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