Chapter 6: Five Thousand

When I opened my eyes, a nurse was fastening a cuff around my arm.

"You're at the hospital, Ellery. You collapsed at work."

The ceiling lights were too bright. My shirt was soaked through with sweat.

A doctor explained that I was bleeding inside, and that they were preparing an operating room.

Someone asked for my insurance information. Someone else asked whom they should call.

My insurance covered a fraction of the cost. I had twelve dollars in my account, and a plane ticket I could not get back.

I knew they would treat me.

I also knew the bill would come.

I asked for my phone.

Tristan picked up over loud music.

"I'm at the hospital," I told him. "I need an operation. Can you lend me five thousand dollars? I'll pay you back. I just..."

The music grew quieter. I thought he was walking somewhere he could hear me.

Then he sighed.

"Ellery. You're not seriously doing this."

"Doing what?"

"Pretending to be sick. Asking me for money."

My fingers had gone numb.

"I'm in the emergency room, Tristan."

"Every one of them tried it eventually. Every single one."

He sounded tired. He sounded disappointed in me.

"I thought you were different," he said.

The day before, he had shown me a photo of a poker set he'd ordered for a friend's birthday.

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