A Kiss To Build A Dream On - Season 2: Bridge

The Deadly Fandango ~ Pitos

"Time to wake up, Mr. White," said a voice Henry hadn't heard in a long time.

How long had he slept? Everything felt fuzzy and disjointed. He felt the grooves of the blanket carved on his swollen face. It must have been hours. Henry couldn't remember the last time he had a decent night's sleep not interrupted by visions or sounds jolting him awake. 

And yet, in front of him was a figure and a sound he had long forgotten.

"Jacob?" he said, scrambling into a sitting position.

"Long time, no see, sir," said Jacob, standing in front of him as he had done for decades, bearing a huge smile, as if nothing had happened between them.

"What are you doing here? I-"

"I was the one who brought him back," said Cassius, leaning on the door frame. "Part of your detox plan. Think of him as your new caretaker from now on."

Henry was still fuzzy from waking up, or maybe from the drug abuse, he wasn't sure anymore. The room was spinning and he felt his mouth go dry the second he wanted to reply. Coating his mouth with as much saliva as he could, he tried again. "What detox? I don't need a detox."

"Got cottonmouth, don't you?" said Cassius, stepping into the room. "You feel a sharp pain in your stomach. Your eyes are red and dilated."

As soon as he named those symptoms, Henry felt aware of them, as if they were flipped on. He trembled slightly, fingers first, then moving inwards. "N-n-no," he lied, covering himself with a blanket.

Cassius sat on the bed, leaning on Henry closer by the second."You're going through withdrawal. And it's only the beginning. Soon, your muscles will ache, you will become restless, and your body will crave for a new high."

Henry didn't need to be reminded of that, his body was screaming for Daydream already.

"So, to avoid that, I had taken a few measures," he said standing up from the bed. "I took away your cards and cash, and I will give them to your accountant."

"What?!" yelled Henry. That woke him up nicely. He sprung out of bed, but as soon as his feet touched the ground, a sharp pain, like an ice pick, stabbed him in the brain, making him kneel over.

"Take it easy, sir," said Jacob, propping Henry up.

"You are a danger to yourself, Henry. You cannot be trusted to be alone anymore. This is an intervention."

Henry pushed Jacob away, rubbing the pain out of his temples. "You cannot do that. This is my home. I can leave when I want. In fact, get out! Get out now, all of you!"

Cassius smiled sadly at Henry, like one would look at a spoiled child throwing a tantrum. "I'm afraid it doesn't work like that, Henry. You will leave when you are deemed healthy enough. In the meantime, you will receive an appropriate detox treatment. I believe you remember Jennifer, Zizi's nurse?"

Henry tried to remember the woman. Beside her blonde hair, he had nothing on her. "What's she got to do with anything? I don't accept this! Jacob, escort this scumbag out of here, now!"

"I'm afraid Jacob does not answer to you anymore, Henry," said Cassius dismissively. "He was hired by me with the express purpose of keeping you alive while you detox. Think of him as your warden. He will make sure you don't leave the house or do anything... rash."

"This is bullshit," Henry yelled, grabbing a bedside alarm clock and hurling it towards Cassius, getting a few feet short. "I will not be a prisoner in my own house!"

Henry ran towards Cassius, rage going through his mind.

"Jacob, restrain him," ordered Cassius.

Without effort, Jacob put Henry in a nelson choke, pulling him back into the room.