Through the Inferno by Jessi Noelle

Author:Jessi Noelle [Noelle, Jessi]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: NineStar Press, LGBT, transgender, firefighters, nurse, burn patient, revenge, #ownvoices, hurt/comfort, medical personnel, corruption
Publisher: NineStar Press
Published: 2019-02-15T00:00:00+00:00

THE NEWEST SKIN graft on his arm was close to driving him insane, and he needed to yet again rub the thick bandages over the site, wanting more than anything to scratch down to the skin with his nails, leaving bloody furrows. This didn’t feel like healing. This felt like rusty hacksaws gleefully sawing away at his muscles. The pain seemed to be radiating outward from the graft, circling his whole arm, heading toward his elbow. This pain was different, but the new nurse didn’t seem worried about it. She checked his arm, applied more ointment and reapplied the bandage, with a promise to call the doctor in the morning if it got worse. He didn’t leave his bed, except for bathroom trips, so as to stay close to the laptop. He distracted himself with Netflix, rewatching Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt because it reminded him of the night he and Zoe watched it and laughed.

The anticipation was killing him. Had Rachael Callaway opened the email yet? What would she think of the story? Would she go after the phone? Would she even believe him?

At 7:30, just as this new nurse was going off shift, a ding alerted him to a new email. He opened his account, heart beating faster.

It was from Rachael Callaway.

Subject: Re: Urgent info re: Zoe Calder case

Jason,

Thank you for writing. Have reviewed your documents. Will research further.

R. Callaway

Jason leaned back in relief. Short and to the point. He glanced up as his uncle strode into his room. The night shift was here. They exchanged pleasantries as Jason went to the Netflix queue.

He had grown fond of the evenings that Uncle Billy, Captain William Merone to the world at large, came to babysit. It was only once or twice a week now, but they always had good talks and fun watching mindless TV.

Plus, he always brought beer. Ice-cold IPA’s from a microbrewery in New Orleans, lately. Jason wasn’t supposed to drink with many of the meds he was taking, but it was nice to break the rules sometimes. They really lowered his tolerance, so he limited the amount he’d have at one time. It had taken Jason a while to acquire a taste for the hoppy, bitter liquid, but now it was his favorite.

Uncle Billy sat on the blue recliner, reached into the cooler he brought with him, and pulled two bottles out of the ice, water dripping off the dark glass as he opened them with a pisht. He passed his long arm over to the bed, handing a beer to Jason’s waiting hand. They clinked bottles, took long draughts, and sighed in pleasure.

“Alright, kiddo. How’s things?” Uncle Billy tended toward the gregarious around him, despite his stern public face, and he was in good form tonight.

“Eh, I’ve been better. But I’ve been worse, so all good, I guess.”

“Good, good. I just found out about the mess your nurse is in. What’s up with that? Kinda feels like a callback to ole Charles. Wonder what he’s up to now?”

“Chastity,” Jason corrected his uncle automatically.

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