Penumbra

1986

I a woke the following morning with a throbbing pain in my leg, prompting me to reach for my trusty cane. As I contemplated the situation, I couldn't help but grumble, "Why on earth did we have to place the phone downstairs? It's such a hassle to hobble down with this ridiculous cane." The twinge in my leg felt unbearable, almost as if something were broken.

"Hello?" I answered the phone.

"Chief Klein here. How are you feeling, Gonzalo? Think you can make it to work today?" came the voice on the other end.

"I'm not sure, boss. My leg is acting up again. I need to rush to the hospital for an emergency check-up," I replied.

"No problem, kid! If you want, Ralph and I can swing by and give you a hand," Chief Klein offered.

"That would be amazing, boss! Thank you so much. I just need to grab a few things and get some breakfast," I gratefully accepted.

"Forget it, kiddo! We'll grab a pizza on the way. Want a cappuccino or plain black?" Chief Klein asked.

"Black, as always! I'll get dressed quickly and gather my belongings. See you soon, sir," I confirmed.

"See you soon. If you need anything, just give me a call," Chief Klein reassured me before hanging up.

Well, it seemed Chief Klein had once again forgotten to reach out to me on my cell phone. He had this peculiar habit of only using his cellphone to call other cell phones, resorting to home numbers for communication. A strange quirk, albeit an annoying one, I must admit.

Once I finished dressing, which proved to be quite a challenge with my injury, I grabbed the book Marie had gifted me and packed my backpack. I always preferred casual and comfortable attire, considering the ease of putting on clothes when necessary. My typical outfit consisted of jogging shoes paired with jeans, no belt. Occasionally, I would don sports pants, but I always adorned myself with geeky t-shirts and a hoodie featuring various pop culture references. Blue ranked as my favorite color, though I held an affinity for green and black as well. Shirts with buttons or pullovers were rarely part of my wardrobe, reserved for special occasions or when Marie insisted on celebrating something significant. Since my teenage years, I've required glasses, likely due to excessive screen time and its toll on my eyes. Upon relocating to Himmelsburg, Marie presented me with round-framed glasses, taking inspiration from her fervent love for Harry Potter and all things supernatural. While she gravitated towards supernatural tropes, I found myself drawn to sci-fi and superhero themes. Despite our differences, we occasionally discussed books and movies, allowing us to expand our tastes and connect on a deeper level. Given the rainy weather, I opted for a rain jacket and a sturdy pair of boots.

Just as the doorbell chimed, signaling their arrival, I heard a boisterous shout, "Kid! We're here!"

"We've got pizza for Donatello!" Ralph exclaimed.

I swung open the door to find Mr. Klein and Ralph standing there, bearing a tantalizing salami pizza and coffee. The aroma wafting from the box was simply divine.

"This one's for your wife, kid," Mr. Klein added, indicating the extra Hawaiian pizza they had purchased with Marie in mind. She had a penchant for unconventional flavor combinations. Marie joined us promptly, extending warm greetings to Mr. Klein and Ralph.

"We're taking the kid to the hospital for a quick check-up," Mr. Klein informed Marie.

"Are you hurt again?" she inquired, concerned about lacing her voice.

"I'm not

entirely sure. I think I might have bumped into something last night or maybe during the day," I responded.