Small trigger warning. There is slight mention of violence, nothing too graphic.
By the time I got home and put all my groceries away it really was super late. I ended up having an apple before I jumped in the shower. Lucky for me this house was one of the newer houses on this road. Not that that really meant alot because it was still built in the 1960s. But I had updated plumbing and a larger well so I could take a nice long relaxing shower after the long few days I had.
After my shower I decided to watch a movie. I popped in my favorite movie and pressed play. It wasn't too long before I was passed out and dreaming about my hometown again.
I woke up 2 hours later in a cold sweat and shaking. “Man, I really hate this. I wish I could just not dream or think about San Branchforks and Clay.” I shuddered at the sound of his name. “Whelp nothing I can do.” I jumped out of my chair and went into the kitchen to cook me up a frozen pizza.
“Nothing better than a frozen pizza at 2am after a terrible nightmare.” BANG BANG BANG! There was loud pounding coming from the front door. “Who the hell could be here at this hour?” I slowly approached my front door and grabbed the baseball bat I decided to get for temporary protection.
BANG BANG BANG! I flicked on the porch light and slowly opened the door. The person standing at my door was turned around facing the road looking wildly back and forth like they were looking for someone or something. They were wearing a dark mauve tank top and ripped acid washed jeans. I cleared my throat, “Can-can I help you?”
They turned around and looked at me with wide eyes. He was roughly 6’ with a slender build, and probably around my age. He had a scruffy beard and looked like he had been knocked around a bit. He was clearly shaking. I opened the screen door and motioned to let him into my mudroom. “Thanks man do you have some ice or some. I got into a tussle with a friend and he clearly won.” He chuckled meekly as he sat down on my couch.
I locked the door behind me and rushed into the kitchen. When I came back in with towels and ice he was taking off his shirt. It was clear to me that he had worked out. “Here I grabbed some towels too. I wasn't sure if you were bleeding anywhere.”
He took a towel and wiped off his face, “Yeah thanks. I thinkI might have a few scrapes and stuff but all just minor things. I am more worried about my face.” He looked me in the eyes and furrowed his brow, “Tell it to me straight, does it look bad?”
I looked him over head to toe. He was a very attractive man. Even with a split lip and a black eye I could tell that he was very handsome. He cleared his throat, startling me and causing me to press hard on the bruise on his side I was holding the ice on. He let out a slight hiss. “Oh no I’m terribly sorry about that. I kind of blanked there.” He took the ice from me and put it up to his face. “To answer your question though, no it doesn’t look awful but it looks like it is going to hurt in a few hours.”
I took one of the towels and dabbed the area beside his mouth. “Man I have taken a beating before, but this is the first time he hit me this hard.” He said this under his breath probably thinking I couldn't hear him. He set the ice down and sighed. “I really appreciate your help. Do you think you would be willing to let me borrow your phone and call my roommate to come get me?”
I nodded and gave him my phone. I walked into the kitchen to give him some space. I was sure he didn't really want me to know what happened. I made myself look busy as I waited for him to be finished. I was pulling my pizza out of the oven when he walked into the kitchen.
“Thanks for letting me use your phone. My friend will be here in an hour.” He offered me my phone back and sat down at the kitchen table. “I am Louie Murphy by the way. Sorry to impose on you in this way”
I chuckled nervously and offered him a slice of pizza, “I’m Corey Kennedy. Have some pizza while you wait. I’m sure you could use something to eat.” Smiled softly and sighed as he took the pizza. “Sorry that was rather rude but I know after I get my @ss kicked I like to have some really unhealthy food.”
He took a bite out of the pizza, “Nahh you ain’t wrong. I do love some trash food, even if I haven’t gotten my @ss handed to me.” He chortled as he finished his slice. I passed him two more pieces before I took a bite of mine.
An awkward silence filled the air as we finished off the rest of the pizza. He started to stand up and hand me his plate but he started swaying and fell into the table. I ran over and sat him back in the chair, “He man you feeling okay?” He made a small groaning noise and slowly brought his hand to his head. I knelt down and looked him over. “You feeling a bit light headed? You want to try and lay down on my couch until your friend gets here?”
He slowly nodded and I helped him to his feet, “I think I stood up too fast but my head feels weird and my legs are rather numb.” We hobbled into the living room and I helped him onto the couch. “Maybe I just need some sleep? ‘M not really s-sure.” He slumped up against me. His breathing was laboured.
“Oh man dude. What should I do?” I lightly laid him onto the couch and started pacing around the living room. “Should I call an ambulance? His friend should be here soon. Would he want to go to the hospital? I don’t think so if he came here and called his friend to get him and not called for an ambulance to come get him.” I stopped pacing and looked down at him, biting at my fingernails. Man he doesn’t look good. His face was flushed and he was sweating.
I put my hand on his forehead. “Sh1t!” He was clearly running a fever. I ran to get some cool water and towels. “This cannot be good at all. I really should call for help.”
I was in the middle of dabbing off the sweat and trying to dial the ambulance when there was a knock at my door. “AH! His friend must be here. I ran over and opened the door. Standing there was Micah. He looked rather frustrated. He pushed past me and let himself in.
“Sorry for barging in Corey, but I'm here for the dumb@ass. Where’s he at?” He stopped in his tracks when he laid eyes on Louie. “What the fxck happened to him?!” He bum-rushed me and pinned me against the wall, “What did you do to him? My little brother told me that he needed a ride and he was just fine on the phone! WHY THE HELL IS HE PASSED OUT ON THE COUCH COVERED IN CUTS AND BRUISES?!”
I froze. I was too scared to move, to even speak. I covered my face and braced myself for a punch that never came. I slowly and carefully looked up at Micah. Louie was off of the couch and had dragged himself over and was clinging to his leg. “Micha please. Corey has nothing to do with this,” he was having a hard time breathing. His face screamed that he was in pain. “Corey has been nothing but kind to me.”
Micah released me and helped him to his feet. “Whatever. I don’t think I believe you but I don’t care right now. We need to get you to the hospital.” Louie let out a small whimper as I grabbed his other side and helped Micha get him into his truck. “Corey, you better not skip town. I will find you if I even hear a single word that you put a hand on my little brother.”
I just shook my head and sighed, “I may be new to this town but I would never do something like this. I may look like a tank but I would never lay a hand on someone unless I was working or if I was attacked first. And Louie doesn't look like he would hurt a fly.”
Micah just scoffed at me as he slammed his truck door. “I don’t give a dxmn what you say. Stay put. OR ELSE,” he growled as he started the truck, “I’m not afraid to put you in your place.” He sped off down the road before I could utter a response.
“I get he’s worried but damn was that scary as hell.” I said to myself as I locked the door behind me and slumped to the floor. “I don’t think I will be able to sleep after tonight. I can’t believe what happened. I am so over this town already.” I let out a long sigh and resigned to sleeping in the chair tonight, hoping to hear any news of Louies condition.
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