Elpida

by C. Kennedy

  Michael snorted. “Then bag it.”

  “Put it in the bag?”

  Michael half laughed. “Bag it means to get rid of it.”

  “Okay, I make the bag it.”

  Christy began folding blankets and quilts and Michael helped him. In a few moments, they had the loft tidy and Michael held a hand out to him. “Let’s go eat. Jake’s picking me up at seven.”

  Michael put an arm around Christy as they headed down the path to Christy’s cabin. “How’d you get into Thimi’s cabin?”

  “It was not locked.”

  Michael couldn’t prevent the concern that etched his face. “Make sure you keep everything locked up.”

  “Why?”

  “Because that way you know you’re always safe.”

  “If it is locked, I cannot go in.”

  “Ask Rob for a key.”

  “He will give me the key?”

  “I’m sure he will.”

  “Okay,” Christy said through a tired sigh as they entered his cabin.

  “I’m going to take a quick shower so I’m ready when Jake gets here.”

  “Okay,” Christy said as he climbed into bed.

  “What are you doing?”

  “I would like to sleep more.”

  Michael frowned. “Did you have a bad night, babe?”

  Christy shrugged a shoulder. “Not the very bad one.”

  Michael climbed onto the bed, lay down next to Christy, and spooned him. “Why didn’t you wake me?”

  “I do not wish to take sleep from you.”

  “Next time please wake me?”

  “I go to sleep in the place for Thimi. It fills the mind with thoughts, and I do not have the bad dream. I make the plans for him.”

  Christy could be stubborn but Michael could too. “Will you please wake me next time?”

  “Maybe I will do this.”

  Michael knew that was the best commitment he’d receive from Christy and opted not to push it further.

  A soft knock sounded on the door right before it opened and Patrick entered with two trays of food.

  Michael sat up. “Hey, Patrick.”

  “Is he okay?”

  Christy sat up. “I am okay. I wish to sleep more.”

  “Do you want to eat?”

  “I must or Rob will make a complaint.”

  Patrick smiled. “Did you take your medication?”

  “I will take it.” Christy reached for the paper cup at his bedside and climbed out of bed. “What is the food?”

  “Pancakes with fresh strawberry preserves, and bacon. And, especially for you, I put marshmallows on your preserves.”

  Now Christy’s face brightened. “Thank you.”

  Christy lifted the cover from his plate. “Oh, they are the big one. I have not seen this before.”

  Patrick winked at Michael. “Someone told me you’ve never had s’mores, so we got them for the Sunday barbecue.”

  “Cool,” Michael said.

  “What is the s’mores?” Christy asked.

  Michael lifted the cover from his plate. “I told you what they were. Melted marshmallows and chocolate on graham crackers.”

  “I forget this.”

  Patrick collected the trays. “I’ll be back to pick up the dishes.”

  “Thanks, Patrick.” Michael dug into his food like a starved man, and Christy sat there, unmoving. “What’s wrong, babe?”

  “I am tired.”

  “Take your medication, eat a little food, and go back to bed.”

  “I will do this.”

  Michael’s phone rang and he answered with a quick “Hey, bro.”

  “You ready?” Jake’s deep voice rumbled in his ear.

  “Will be in ten.”

  “See you then.”

  Michael terminated the call and wolfed down his breakfast.

  Christy stretched a marshmallow until it snapped in two. “This is the big marshmallow.”

  Michael chuckled and kissed the side of his head. “Shower, then I’m out of here. We’ll be back in time for the barbecue. Go back to sleep after you eat.”

  “I will do this.”

  Michael slung his bag over a shoulder and watched as Christy stretched another marshmallow in two. He looked preoccupied, but he also looked a little forlorn, and Michael couldn’t help but wonder if something was wrong. “You okay, babe?”

  Christy nodded. “I know more things now, but I do not know where to start with Thimi.”

  Michael went to him and bent to look directly into his eyes. “You know, when I first met you and found out what happened to you, I didn’t have any freakin’ idea what to do. So you know what I did?”

  Christy shook his head.

  “I followed your lead.”

  “What do you mean to say?”

  “If you looked afraid, then I knew it wasn’t something to do. If you smiled, then I knew it was good to do. Now that I know you, I can pretty much sense what you think before you show it.”

  Christy’s brows shot up. “You can do this?”

  Michael nodded. “I just watch and learn.”

  Christy’s one-brow frown went into action. “You do not think I take the life from you?”

  Now it was Michael’s turn to frown. “No, babe.” He set his bag on the floor and cupped Christy’s face with his hands. “Never. You add to my life, and I love our life together.”

  “What if I must spend time with Thimi?”

  “Then do it.”

  “You will not be angry?”

  “No.”

  “Jake was not angry when you do this with me?”

  “No way.” Michael thought back for a moment. “Things might have been different if you hadn’t introduced him to Sophia. He might have been frustrated with extra time on his hands, but it all worked out. This will too.” Michael studied Christy’s beautiful eyes. “Is that what’s bothering you?”

  Christy shrugged a shoulder. “I am the little bit nervous. I like the life with you. I do not wish it to change, but Thimi is like the small brother to me. I must do this.”

  “Then do it and I’ll be behind you 100 percent.”

  Christy studied him intently. “You make the promise?”

  Michael smiled. “I promise.”

  “MORNING!” JAKE greeted as Michael climbed into the car.

  “Hey, bro! Thanks for picking me up. Maybe we can pick up my car after practice.”

  “Don’t know that it matters. We’d still be going to practice together every day.”

  “Yeah, but I don’t like you having to pick me up and stuff.”

  “Don’t worry about it.” Jake turned the car around, drove out of the parking lot, and security followed like tie-dye on a hippie. “I talked to Dad about the jacket thing last night.”

  “Any ideas?”

  “After a ton of swearing, even from your mom, he didn’t have any.”

  Michael’s eyes went wide. “Mom swore?”

  “Like a sailor. You need to remember how hard the Jason thing was on her. When he pointed that gun at you at our state championship celebration, it left her ruined.”

  Guilt flooded Michael. The Jason thing had been a nightmare for all of them, but it had been especially hard on his mom. She’d started taking sleeping pills and drinking more alcohol than he’d ever seen her drink. Then, when it was over, the pills and drink were gone as if they’d never happened.

  “I know I shouldn’t speak ill of the dead, but I still hate him, Jake.”

  Jake made a there you go motion with a hand. “He went nuts and damn near killed us more than once.”

  Michael would never forget the roof of his car shooting fifty feet skyward when it was bombed.

  It began a slow descent, twirled once like a leaf on a summer breeze, and the wind carried it straight toward them.

  “Get down, Jake!” Michael tucked Christy’s head and shielded him with his body.

  The shrapnel landed with an earsplitting crash on the hood of the
Mercedes, and the windshield cracked. They sat up slowly and watched as a spiderweb of cracks took a full minute to fill the window. Sirens wailed in the distance, but they were deaf to the approaching sound.

  Jake said something to Michael and Michael pointed to his ear. “I can’t hear you!”

  Christy had turned as white as a sheet, and Michael cupped his face gently. “You okay?”

  Christy looked up at him with terror-stricken eyes.

  “I’ll never forget that night.”

  “Yeah, well, you gotta get real if Rich is hanging out with those guys.”

  “What do you mean, if?”

  “You don’t know that it’s Rich. Could be Jason gave his jacket to one of those guys. Like maybe in exchange for a bomb to blow up your car.”

  Michael winced. “Maybe. Did you hear anything from Lisa?”

  Jake shook his head. “But if we know Smitty, he’s all over it.”

  Michael sighed long and loud. “Man, I thought this shit was over.”

  “Me too, bro. Me too.”

  CHRISTY STRETCHED another marshmallow. When it broke in two, he threw it on the plate. It was all he could do to take his medication before he crawled back into bed. He prayed he wouldn’t dream again. He’d remembered things he’d forgotten—things he thought he’d never forget but had. Dreaming of Thimi’s screams had been too much for him. He felt guilty. He felt he should remember everything they’d endured—as if by not remembering, he betrayed Thimi somehow. As if by not remembering, he deserved to be punished. Involuntary fear rose, and his bowels loosened. He turned his face into the pillow and tried to will the terror away. Being away from torture for a year had only served to multiply his fear a hundredfold. When Yosef had taken him again, the pain and torture had been much worse than he’d remembered. So much worse. Now the terror was back in all its heinous grandeur. Everything he worked at, all the coping skills he’d learned over the past fifteen months, had vanished into thin air the moment Yosef had touched him. As if those precious skills had never come to fruition, as if he hadn’t accomplished a damn thing no matter the excruciating effort he’d put into controlling his mind. It was as if the horror would have been easier to cope with if he’d never known freedom. And now he could no longer fight it. The terror in his brain told him the punishment would come—he vomited.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  “HI, MIKE! Jake!” Lisa greeted when they arrived at the barbecue.

  “Hey, guys!” Michael called as they approached the end of the long row of picnic benches where everyone sat.

  Darien ran and careened into Michael’s good leg. “You promised!”

  “Promised what?”

  “Piggyback!”

  Michael picked Darien up and flipped him onto a shoulder. “How about a shoulder ride, little man?”

  Darien laughed hysterically as Michael pseudoloped to the table. “What’s for lunch?”

  “The usual,” Darien said with a long face.

  “You make that sound as if it’s a bad thing.”

  “Boring.”

  Michael snorted. “I’m hungry, so it’s okay with me.”

  “Don’t take my seat next to Christy’s!”

  He lifted Darien from his shoulder and set him on his feet. “Wouldn’t think of it. Go get the picture cubes, and I’ll play a game with you after we eat.”

  “Kevin has the picture cubes, and I have checkers!”

  “Wow. I don’t know if I can handle that. Where is Kevin, anyway?”

  Darien’s face suddenly fell. “He got a home with parents and everything.”

  “That’s great news.”

  “Do you think I’ll get a home?”

  Michael looked down at Darien’s sad face and smiled what he thought was a reassuring smile. “I know you will.” The look in Darien’s eyes held all the hope in the world, and Michael’s heart went out to him. He couldn’t imagine not having a home and wondered how people, especially kids, survived without one. “Go get your checkers.”

  “’Kay. I’m going to beat you!” Darien raced away.

  Jorge shook his head. “The kid never stops.”

  “Hey, man.” Michael half shook, half smacked Jorge’s hand, then Malvolio’s, Gavin’s, Noah’s, Stephen’s, and flicked Jerry’s cast with a finger. “How’s it going?”

  Jerry gave him a thumbs-up, and Gavin followed. “It’s all good. After watching the news, we’re stoked.”

  “Yeah, why?” Jake asked.

  “We are polite. You are rude. I am the boss!” Noah mimicked Christy. “Christy rocked it. Best lines ever!”

  Jake and Michael cracked up. “Golden moment,” Jake agreed.

  “Hey, George. How’s it going?” Michael asked.

  “It’s going, Michael! Especially since you guys are back. Even though last week was a win, it was harsh times.”

  Michael smiled. “Yeah, it pretty much sucked. But it’s over.”

  Lisa looked up at him and nodded. “For reals, though. You both did good.”

  “Don’t look at me. Christy totally handled it,” Michael said.

  “Seriously,” Jake agreed. “Where are Christy and Sophia?”

  Lisa rolled her eyes. “Christy has been emo on the purple today. He keeps making Sophia change one more thing in Thimi’s cabin. The pretty dude has a serious Martha Stewart thing happening.”

  Michael smiled. “We’ll be back in a few. Save us some food.”

  Michael and Jake walked toward the cabins, crossed the finely manicured lawn, and entered Thimi’s cabin.

  “Christy!” Michael called. Giggles came from the loft above, and he looked at Jake. “Oh yeah. Nothing nefarious going on here.”

  They raced up the spiral staircase, each pushing the other back a step as they headed upstairs.

  “I took you, bro,” Jake said through a laugh.

  “In your dre—” Michael stopped at the top of the stairs, and Jake ran into him. They stared at the blanket tent that covered half the room.

  “Purple is the new black,” Jake whispered.

  Michael cracked up. “Orange, bro. Orange is the new black.” He dropped to his good knee, moved the door flap away, and peered through the opening. There, beneath the tent, were Sophia and Christy lying on their backs and giggling over who knew what.

  “What’s the secret password?” Michael asked.

  Christy and Sophia looked at each other and burst into hysterical laughter.

  Jake dropped down beside Michael on his hands and knees. “What do you think? Infiltrate?”

  “Roger that.”

  They dove inside, and Christy and Sophia laughed so hard they couldn’t speak. Then Christy began to cough.

  Michael pulled Christy into his arms. “None of that, babe. You need to breathe. Slow down and breathe.”

  Christy calmed and breathed deeply, but Sophia still giggled, which only caused Christy to giggle again.

  “Handle your woman, Jake!”

  “Like that’s possible. What are you guys doing up here?”

  “We are pretending,” Sophia said. “This is our fortress.”

  Jake looked around. “I think it needs some color. Maybe a touch of purple.”

  Sophia lightly smacked Jake’s shoulder, and Christy started to laugh again.

  Michael rolled onto his back and pulled Christy on top of him. “Calm down or you won’t be able to breathe.”

  “I like—” Cough. “—this room for Thimi.”

  Michael smiled up at him. “Is it just the way you want it?”

  “Yes, moro mou. He will be happy here.”

  “Then let’s go get something to eat. I’m starving!”

  “WHO’S THAT sitting with Zero?” Michael asked as they returned to the barbecue.

  “He is Melos Katsaros, the new counselor for Zero,” Christy answered. “He has the Greek name, but he is from Atlanta and has the strange accent. Some of the times I do not understand the words. He says y’all. I take this to mean all the people.�
��

  Michael chuckled. “You got it. That’s what it means.” He reached for a plate, handed it to Christy, and took one for himself. “What do you want?”

  “The Jell-O.”

  “Green Jell-O? You don’t like green.”

  Christy shrugged a shoulder. “It is the only Jell-O.”

  “Do you want chicken, ribs, or a hot dog?”

  “The rib and corn.”

  Michael filled Christy’s plate.

  Jake held two plates. “Sophia?”

  “The same as Christy.”

  With plates piled high, they returned to where their friends sat at the end of the row of picnic tables. Christy took his customary seat at the head of the table, and Michael sat to his left next to Lisa. Jake and Sophia sat across from Michael.

  “Who’s the Goth kid?” Jorge asked.

  Christy swallowed a bite of corn. “He is Zero. He comes from the city.”

  Lisa smiled wide. “Zero? Seriously?”

  “Yes. He does not mind this name.”

  Michael lowered his voice. “His real name isn’t much better. Rob says it’s Chaos.”

  “That’s as bad as mine,” Malvolio said.

  Michael pushed a rib bone to the side of his plate. “Hey, at least your name’s cool. It has a lit reference.”

  Malvolio rolled his eyes.

  “Be happy yours doesn’t come with an ark,” Noah grumbled.

  Gav snorted. “Are you calling me a freakin’ boat?”

  Noah smiled. “Never, man.”

  George threw her napkin on her empty plate. “What kind of name is Chaos?”

  “It is the Greek god. The first god at the creation of the universe. Chaos is followed by Gaia, the earth, Tartaros, the underworld, and Eros,” Christy explained.

  “He may as well have been named mayhem,” Jorge said.

  Christy shook his head. “Chaos is the emptiness before the creation, not the trouble.”

  Jerry cracked up. “They should call him Void.”

  “Shut it,” Stephen said with a nudge to Jerry’s shoulder.

  Michael looked at Christy. “Chaos is emptiness?”

  Christy nodded.

  “I need to check the etymology on that.”

  Jorge gave Michael a thumbs-up.

  “Who cares?” Jake said.