ORIGINAL FICTION: "Climbers" (Chapter Twenty)

Honda right up and into the garage, just missing the cage. The automatic lights outside came on and the motorcycle's engine shut off. Mister Steve Vaan, now formerly of Lyndon Illinois, refused to move until those lights out there went off.
The frantic madness at the hospital had subsided somewhat when Jake Jacobson rolled in to see if Barbara needed a ride or anything. Ray had been wheeled in from the ambulance, cleaned up, sewn up and doped up. Stable and sedated, he was transferred to a room near, but not in, the intensive care area. His condition was listed as "guarded", which meant they weren't entirely sure what had happened to him, but he probably wouldn't die from the wounds. The hospital staff had conferred with the police on the subject, and none of them could wait to hear Ray Meadows' side of the story. This was hinkey.
The trauma inventory on Ray Meadows' person offering a wide list of events and possible weapons. The wound on the forearm looked like a bite, but from what? What left that sort of smooth curved chisel sort of mark? Nothing they could think of. But with matching marks on both sides of the arm, it had to be a bite. A really bad one, something with extremely sharp, serrated teeth. In contrast, the tops of his thighs were shredded. The jagged tears on both legs here looked like Ray had tangled with a runaway roto-tiller. What these wounds lacked in depth they made up for in intensity. These were going to be a problem. The deep scratches across his ribs were just that. No stitching required here, just clean and patch. It was the shoulder wound- or wounds- that had the medical and police staff the most puzzled. It looked like a clawed hand had reached out and clamped down hard on Ray's shoulder, leaving more than just claw marks. There were pressure bruises and abrasions leaving a near-perfect hand print across the top of the shoulder. Something very nasty grabbed this guy. No one wanted to even mention the burn marks and signs of electrocution. No one had a clue on that aspect of the attack.
In their questioning of Barbara Meadows, the police ended up with very little to go on. No, she never saw anything. She just heard her husband scream and she ran out to the back yard. No, she hadn't seen anyone around the house and he hadn't been talking to anyone. She was sure he had been alone. No, she had no idea what it could have been. Jake showed up during the interview to offer a ride home. Barbara was relieved to see him. The police backed off and Barbara made her way over to where Jake stood nervously waiting.
"How is he?"
"The doctors all say he'll be ok, but he's going to be doing very little lifting and walking for a while."
"Where is he?"
"They transferred him to a room about half an hour ago. He's pretty heavily sedated. They said I should go home and come back in the morning. Like I could sleep."
"That's why I'm here. Thought you might need a ride."
"Oh- you're right. I never thought about it. I guess the ambulance ride was a one way trip."
"They usually are. Need a ride?"
"I guess I do. Please."
Jake led Barbara through the maze of the hospital corridors toward where he had parked near the emergency room entrance. They had the main door in sight, and were fast closing on it when that door opened and Steve Vaan strode through all wide eyed and dressed in black. Barbara didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She managed a yip before Steve took over the conversation that had yet to start.
"How is he, Barbara?"
"He's ok now, he's sleeping."
Steve frowned and stopped her in her tracks.
"No, he's not sleeping."
"Sedated. He's sedated. They gave him something to let him rest. But he's going to be ok."
Steve looked over at Jake who was just about to jump between his neighbor and this over-dressed lunatic. Steve went on the offensive.
"Hi, I'm Steve Meadows- Ray's cousin from Chicago. And you are?"