CHAPTER FIFTEEN: JERRY'S VISIT
1311 Words
The hospital corridors were unusually quiet that late afternoon. Somewhere, a cleaner’s mop swished across the floor, humming a slow tune that only made Jerry’s footsteps seem more suspicious. He peeked around the corner, then darted forward like a thief escaping a crime scene. He adjusted the oversized hoodie he had “borrowed” from the laundry cart and kept his head down, moving quickly toward the exit.
His mother would surely panic if she found out he had sneaked out. And Ron? Ron would likely scold him with those annoyed, half-lecturing glares he had perfected over the years. But Jerry wasn’t doing this for praise or attention. He was doing it because things were spiraling out of control.
Ron was no longer just a patient in a hospital bed. He had become the center of a circus. State police were stationed outside his ward, scientists visited with wide eyes, and doctors whispered theories about his blood containing a possible cure. And then there was Minos.
Minos—half-zombie, fully terrifying, and inexplicably loyal to Ron—was now considered a public threat. Since his last howling outburst in the ward, there had been hushed meetings and tightened security. Word around the hospital was that the government was preparing to take action against him. Jerry had overheard someone say they might “neutralize the threat.” That was the exact phrase.
And that terrified him.
So he had come up with a desperate plan. One that would probably make Ron furious. But Jerry didn’t care. If there was even the slightest chance it would protect Minos, he would take it.
He needed help.
And the only person who came to mind was Wyonne.
The girl who had been chasing Ron like a relentless breeze, full of wealth, privilege, and ambition. She annoyed Ron. But Jerry had seen something else behind her flirtations—an influential weapon. She was the daughter of Magistrate Owunna. If anyone could interfere with the government’s plans, it was her.
Outside the hospital, Jerry hailed a tricycle and leaned forward to whisper the destination to the driver.
“Kingsbury Estate. Back gate.”
The driver gave him a skeptical look. “Are you expected?”
Jerry paused. “Sort of. Just drive, please.”
The vehicle sped off.
---
The back gate of Kingsbury Estate looked less like an entryway and more like a fortress checkpoint. Ivy curled around the tall, cream-colored walls. Uniformed guards with walkie-talkies stood on either side, staring down at Jerry like he had arrived to cause trouble.
“I’m here to see Wyonne,” Jerry said nervously. “My name is Jerry. I’m… Ron’s friend.”
The guard arched a brow. “Miss Wyonne doesn’t take walk-in visitors.”
“She’ll understand once you tell her who I am.”
The guard studied him for a long moment, then finally disappeared into a small office beside the gate. A few minutes later, the gate creaked open, and Jerry was escorted in by a different, much stiffer guard.
The estate was everything Jerry expected and more. A manicured lawn rolled across the front yard like a green carpet. Flowers were trimmed to near mathematical precision. A marble statue of Magistrate Owunna stood tall beside a fountain, wearing the kind of face that screamed: Obey the law or else.
Wyonne met Jerry on the porch in a gray athletic outfit, wiping sweat from her brow with a towel. She looked surprised—but not displeased—to see him.
“Jerry?” she blinked. “What on earth are you doing here?”
He looked sheepish. “I need your help.”
“Does Ron know about this?” she asked, folding her arms.
“No,” Jerry replied. “And… please don’t tell him. He wouldn’t understand.”
She tilted her head curiously but didn’t press further. “Come inside.”
---
The inside of the mansion was practically another world. Polished tiles reflected the sunlight streaming through tall windows. The furniture looked more like art than anything functional, and the whole house smelled faintly of citrus and money.
They settled in a sunny lounge filled with books and potted plants. Wyonne handed Jerry a cold drink, then sat opposite him.
“So,” she said. “What’s going on?”
Jerry hesitated. “It’s about Minos.”
Her face scrunched slightly. “Minos?”
“You don’t know him?” Jerry asked, incredulous. “He’s been at the hospital with us. Tall, pale, intense guy. Hardly talks. Always near Ron.”
She frowned. “You mean that strange man who was growling in the ward the other day?”
“Yes. That’s him.”
“I assumed he was mentally unstable.”
Jerry leaned forward. “He’s not. Or—maybe he is. But that’s not the point. He’s a half-zombie. Sort of.”
Wyonne’s jaw slackened. “I beg your pardon?”
“I’m serious. He’s not fully turned. He still thinks, protects Ron, walks around like a person. But he’s… different. He’s the one who saved Ron from the Gulf. He’s been keeping him safe all this time. And now, because of that howling incident, the government wants to get rid of him.”
She stared at Jerry, her expression unreadable.
“You want me to help a half-zombie?”
Jerry nodded. “Yes. I know it sounds insane. But Minos isn’t dangerous—not unless someone threatens Ron. The problem is, the authorities don’t understand that. They just see a creature. A monster. And now they’re planning to take him away. Or worse.”
Wyonne sat back slowly, the glass in her hand untouched.
“And you think I can stop them?”
“I think your father can. If you asked him to intervene—delay the order, question it, send it back for review—anything that buys us time.”
She didn’t respond immediately. Instead, she stood and walked to the window, staring out at the garden below.
“You do realize this is risky,” she said quietly. “If my father finds out what Minos really is, he won’t delay the order. He’ll accelerate it.”
“I know,” Jerry replied. “That’s why we’re not telling him the full truth. Just that Ron’s safety depends on Minos. That he’s a companion, a caretaker. Say anything, but don’t mention the zombie part.”
Wyonne chuckled humorlessly. “You’re asking me to manipulate a magistrate.”
“I’m asking you to help save someone who might be the key to stopping a bigger threat.”
She turned to look at him.
“Do you believe that?”
“Yes,” Jerry said, without hesitation. “I do.”
There was a long silence.
Then Wyonne exhaled slowly and nodded. “Alright. I’ll see what I can do. I’ll speak to my father. I can be persuasive when I want to be.”
Jerry grinned in relief. “You’re amazing. Thank you.”
She held up a finger. “But make no mistake. I’m doing this because I want Ron to live. Because I still care about him, no matter how stubborn he is.”
“I get it,” Jerry said. “I’ll tell no one.”
Wyonne smiled faintly. “Good. Now go, before someone mistakes you for a burglar.”
She walked him back to the gate, pausing just before it opened.
“Jerry,” she said softly.
“Yes?”
“When this is over, and Ron is safe… I’m not done fighting for him.”
Jerry swallowed. “Understood.”
As the gate closed behind him and he stepped back into the chaotic outside world, Jerry felt a strange mixture of hope and anxiety.
He had lit a fuse.
And now, all they could do was wait for the explosion.
- Writer
