One Day Soon (One Day Soon, #1)(95)

“After being on the streets I knew that I wanted to help people like us. I hadn’t really planned to work at the hospital, but when I graduated from college and moved back home it was the only opening in my field. It all worked out though. I can’t imagine being anywhere else.”

While I was speaking his face had become incredibly pale. His mouth was pinched and he seemed to be breathing heavily. He closed his eyes as if in pain.

“Yoss—”

“I need to use the restroom. Do you know where it is?” he asked suddenly, getting to his feet. I pointed towards the direction of the bathrooms and watched as he walked unsteadily away.

Five minutes passed.

Then ten.

Then fifteen.

I had paid the bill and boxed up the remaining pizza and still Yoss hadn’t returned.

Getting worried that he had climbed out of the bathroom window, I made my way towards the back of the restaurant. I knocked on the door of the men’s restroom.

“Yoss? Are you okay?” I called out.

I heard the lock click and the door opened revealing Yoss. His face was wet as if he had splashed himself with water. He looked awful. The dark circles beneath his eyes were prominent and he appeared to be having difficulty staying on his feet.

“I think I need to go back to your place and lie down. I’m pretty sure I shouldn’t have eaten so much pizza,” he grimaced. I didn’t point out that he had barely eaten anything.

“What’s wrong? Did you get sick?”

“I’m just not feeling that great. My body isn’t used to eating so well is all. Seriously I’ll be fine once I lie down for a little while,” Yoss placated, stepping out of the bathroom.

“I think we should go to the hospital to get you checked out—”

“I’m fine, Imi. I promise,” Yoss insisted.

“You need to call Dr. Howell. At least see what he has to say,” I went on.

“If I still feel like shit after resting, then I’ll call him. Is that a deal?” Yoss snapped, obviously getting testy.

“Fine,” I snapped back, worried about the dull look in his eyes. Terrified about his health that seemed to be failing right before my eyes.

Yoss took my hand. “Stop looking like that,” he pleaded.

I frowned. “Like what?”

“Like I’m going to keel over at your feet. It doesn’t do a lot for a guy’s positive thinking,” he chuckled.

“Let’s get you home then.” I gave his hand, still wrapped around mine, a tug and he followed me out of the restaurant.

I looked back at him and he was grinning.

“What?” I asked, smiling too, though not knowing why.

“Let’s go home,” was all he said.





Fifteen Years Ago

My butt had gone numb a long time ago. I couldn’t feel my toes and my cheeks stung from the wind.

The sun had come up several hours ago and still we sat on the curb watching the last of the firefighters extinguish the blaze that all but destroyed The Pit.

Bug still hadn’t shown.

I knew that he hadn’t made it out. My heart told me. My gut told me.

But Yoss refused to accept that our friend was dead.

His lips had turned blue and he shook violently from the cold. I was beginning to worry about hypothermia and frostbite. Yet he wouldn’t leave.

And if Yoss stayed, I stayed.

Smoke billowed up from the warehouse, polluting the sunrise.

“Yoss, I’m really cold,” I finally said when I couldn’t stand it any longer.

Yoss glanced down at me, almost as if he had forgotten I was there. He blinked exhausted green eyes and nodded. “You should find Di and the others. Get warm. I’m sure they’ve got a fire going down by the bridge.”

“You need to come too, Yoss. It’s too cold out here—”

“If Bug comes and no one’s here he’ll freak out. He won’t know what to do. His brain doesn’t work like everyone else’s. It doesn’t make the logical jump. I don’t want him to be upset. Not after everything he’s probably been through.”

“I don’t think Bug is going to come. If he were, he’d be here already,” I pointed out gently. I didn’t want Yoss to freeze to death holding onto the delusion that our friend would stumble out of the building all right.

“You don’t know that—”

“Yes, I do, Yoss!” I shouted, sucking in a deep breath. “Yes I do. The only people left over there are firefighters, a few police officers and…” I hesitated, looking back towards The Pit. “And the bodies they brought out,” I finished in hushed tones.

Yoss’s jaw tightened. He wouldn’t look at me. He was quiet for a long time then he slowly got to his feet. I scrambled to join him, my joints aching from the cold and from sitting for so long.

“I think we should go to the hospital. Maybe Bug was taken there,” Yoss said, taking my stiff fingers and lacing them with his.

“Okay,” I said, relieved that we were moving. Maybe Yoss was right. Perhaps Bug had been taken there and he was alive. I needed to be optimistic. For Yoss’s sake more than anything.

“Should we get the others?” I asked as we crossed the parking lot and headed to the main road.