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The last thing Holtzmann remembered was that the particular ghost they were hunting had a machete.
She peeled her eyes open and blinked, letting the unfamiliar room slowly come into focus. The lights were dim, and there was a soft beeping off to her right. She turned her head to see the steady rhythm of an EKG on the screen next to her bed. A hospital?
Then it started coming back a little – the ghost sneaking up behind them...Patty kneeling next to Holtzmann, hands fumbling as she tried to stem the bleeding from her ribcage (how could an ectoplasmic machete cause so much damage?)...“It’s gonna be okay, baby girl, just stay with me, I got you...”
She heard a soft mumble coming from down by her left hand, which she now realized had someone else’s hand lightly resting on top of it. Blinking again, trying to clear away the fogginess in the dim light, Holtzmann could make out the figure slumped over asleep in the chair next to the bed, coveralls tied around the waist, head resting on the bed next to her hand.
“Er-” Holtzmann tried, then swallowed hard, trying to clear the scratchiness in her throat. “Erin?” she croaked.
Erin started, then sat up, her fingers closing reflexively around Holtzmann’s hand. “Hey, Holtzy,” she said softly, a smile spreading across her face.
“Shoulda told that ghost it was knife to meet him,” Holtzmann mumbled, lifting her hand to gingerly feel the thick layer of bandages beneath the hospital gown.
“Holtz...” Erin began, her voice cracking slightly, and Holtzmann was surprised to see a tear threatening to escape.
“Hey, didn’t think the joke was quite that bad,” she added, squeezing Erin’s hand, a weak grin making its way to her face. This time she wasn’t surprised by Erin’s response, a gentle punch to her leg, accompanied by a muffled “You’re the worst, Holtz, you know that?”
Holtzmann felt a chuckle bubble its way to the surface, which quickly turned into a wince. “Ow. Don’t make me laugh yet.”
Erin looked up at her again. “I’m just...I’m really glad you’re okay,” she finally got out.
Holtzmann was quiet for a moment. “Me too.”