Bourbon Blaze

by Deanna L Rowley

  “You owe me, bitch!”

  “Fuck you.” She struggled with more vigor, trying to get away from the two men. She knew if she didn’t fight, they were both going to rape her. The three of them fought. Sophia scrambled to get away. Tomas and James grappled to hold her down. The chair Sophia was tied to was knocked over. She ended up on her side in the middle of the floor. When she fell, the chair broke. This allowed her to get her feet loose. She kicked out at both Tomas and James. The brothers were physically fighting each other. By their yells and comments, Sophia realized they were arguing to see which one would rape her first. With her legs free, Sophia scrambled to her feet to get away from the fighting men. As she ran, she knocked into one of them. Sophia wasn’t sure which one it was, but they had fallen against the old stove. The fire was disturbed. Sophia watched in horror as hot coals fell from the stove and started to roll across the floor. The men still struggled with each other, and kicked the lose coals further away. Several red hot embers rolled into the bourbon Tomas had dumped on the floor, taking off in a fiery blaze.

  Sophia rolled out of the way. As she did, she smelled the bourbon on her clothes. She used her legs to stand, and throw herself against the wall. She tried to break the rest of the chair to free her arms. She was almost successful, but suddenly James was right there punching and backhanding her.

  “You fucking asshole!” Sophia screamed at him. She used her legs to kick out at him. “The fucking place is on fire. You want to fuck around? Back the fuck off!” She kicked out again, but before James could strike her, he began screaming. The blaze had caught the bottom of his pants, climbing up his legs. Tomas went to help his brother. Sophia took that opportunity to run full tilt toward the big window in the front of the cabin. Hoping for the best, she threw all of her weight against it. She cried out when she felt it give. She flew through the air. And landed on the edge of the porch, knocking the air out of her. The last thing she heard were unhuman like shrieks coming from inside the cabin.

  “What the fuck!” Sean screamed at the sound of crashing glass. Surprised, he dropped Kilo’s leash. The dog took off at a dead run. He stopped when he reached Sophia’s side. He whined as he licked her face. The men came through the deep snow as fast as possible. A sudden explosion threw them back several feet. Gaining their feet again, Sheriff Olsen yelled for Sean to go to Sophia while the others tried to find out what was going on. The blaze was too hot and intense to get any closer. Sean scooped Sophia up, and hurried back the way they’d come. A safe distance away, he laid her gently down in the snow to inspect her injuries.

  He could see blood on her wrists. Kilo whined again. Sean saw her ankles had been tied to something. It looked like parts of wood were still tied to them. As he looked at her wrists, he saw that each one was still attached to an arm of a chair. He cut her loose and ran his hands over her. She moaned, he paused and growled. He wouldn’t know the extent of her injuries until he had her at the hospital. Max Abbott, the new guy with the department, reached in, scooped Sophia up in his arms and started running with her.

  Sean stared in shock, grabbed Kilo’s leash at the last minute when the dog took off running after Max. “Where the fuck are you going?”

  “I know that cabin!” Max stopped long enough to look at the other men. “Behind the cabin is several old propane tanks! There’s no stopping that fire, if those men were in there, they’re gone. I’m getting her out of the way before the whole cabin explodes.” No sooner had he said that, a small explosion rent through the air. The police officers, along with Curt, swore and took off at a dead run as fast as they could in the deep snow. Sean looked back and spotted the fire. The eerie glow looked like the whole woods were on fire. A safe distance away, Max laid Sophia down.

  “I know the firemen won’t make it in time, what do you think of calling in a medivac for her?” Everyone looked at Sophia and winced. Her face was severely bruised, several pieces of glass embedded there. Sean dropped to his knees, putting his hand gently on her face.

  “Yes, call for Medivac.” Sean continued to examine her. He swore, then looked up. “Tell them she has multiple broken bones, along with several contusions.”

  Max called it in. The other officers looked through the trees at the cabin. A massive explosion lit the whole sky. Everyone watched several pieces of debris fall from the heavens. Four more explosions occurred before the fires started to die down.

  Within twenty minutes, a helicopter approached. Sean lifted Sophia into his arms.

  “Sheriff, Kilo and I are going with Sophia.”

  “Of course, leave the keys to your SUV.” Sheriff Olsen called out. Sean took them out of his pocket and tossed them to Neil. “We’ll meet you at the hospital after we clear up this mess.”

  Sean nodded and gave the command to Kilo, together, they ran to the open field. In less than ten minutes, they were loaded into the helicopter and headed toward the nearest hospital. The others slowly approached the burning cabin. Still several feet away, they felt the heat, but the fire was beginning to burn itself out. It smoldered more than flamed. The men paused. Neil bent down and swore.

  “Sheriff.” He called his boss over and pointed. “You’re going to want to call the crime unit in. I think this is a body.” Everyone held their breath as they looked down and saw the shape of a human body. It was burned beyond recognition, but the most gruesome part was that it was still smoldering. The Sheriff radioed it in, Neil listened as the State Police did the same. Everyone did what they could without disturbing the scene. By the time the different crime labs arrived, everyone was more than ready to leave the area.

  25

  Sophia slowly came to consciousness. Confused, she laid there and listened to her surroundings. She heard sounds that reminded her of Darth Vader breathing. She opened her eyes a slit, sighed in relief seeing white walls, the IV pole, the pink pitcher on the bedside table. She also smelled antiseptic and strong cleaning chemicals. She was in a hospital room. She opened her eyes further and moved her head from side to side, wincing in pain. Closing her eyes again, she breathed until the pain eased. She reached up to touch her face and froze when someone she couldn’t see, told her to stop.

  Sophia wasn’t able to move her head all the way to the right. She lowered her hand to her side, and waited for the person in the room to come into her line of vision. She saw the man at the end of her bed, and tried to talk to him.

  “Sh, you have a tube in your throat, Sophia. Let me get the doctor. Breathe, I’ll be right back. Don’t panic.” Dr. Ben Malcolm said, and hurried to the door in the hospital room. Before he opened it, he glanced toward her. “Welcome back to us.” He left. Sophia sighed and closed her eyes. The next time she opened them, Sophia sensed someone near her. Before she could move, she felt a hand on her right forearm.

  “It’s okay, it’s me, Susan. You’re awake again. Calm down,” Susan said as she leaned over. This allowed Sophia to see her. She saw a doctor, and two more people come into the room. She scanned the room with her gaze, before she turned her head. She saw Dr. Ben Malcolm again. Another man she’d never seen before stood behind Susan.

  “Hello, I’m Dr. Anders. Are you going to stay awake this time?”

  Sophia looked at Susan with raised brows. “You woke three days ago. Dr. Malcolm came to get us. By the time we came back, you were out again.”

  Sophia tried to talk, but Susan squeezed her forearm. “You have a tube down your throat. Your vitals look good. The Dr. is going to examine you now. I’m sure the tube can come out shortly.”

  Thirty minutes later, Sophia coughed as the tube in her throat was removed. She took a sip from the straw offered her. She leaned back on the pillows, exhausted.

  “What happened?” She croaked out.

  Susan sat on the side of the bed while Dr. Malcolm stood at the end of it. Dr. Anders stood to her right. “Medically, you’ve sustained a lot of trauma. You have four broken ribs, a broken left arm, and a fractured cheekbone. You’ve sustained several cuts a
nd contusions.”

  “Sweetie,” Susan said gently. She didn’t continue until Sophia looked at her. “As much as the police could tell, your car was rammed, you were kidnapped and beaten.” Susan lifted Sophia’s right hand, indicating the bulky bandages on her wrists. “You have a patch over your eye. You jumped through a window, a piece of glass cut both the corner of your eye and your lid. The patch is to prevent you from straining the muscles until it heals. It won’t be permanent. You will have scars.”

  “What else is new?” Sophia asked bitterly, as she closed her eyes. She didn’t bother to wipe the tear she felt at the corner of her unpatched eye.

  “What do you remember?” Came a new voice into the mix. Sophia to open her good eye trying to see her.

  “Sophia, this is deputy Neil Saunders. He works with Sean at the Sheriff’s office. He helped find you.”

  “I’ll need your statement when you’re ready. I’ll step out now to call Sean to let him know you're awake.”

  “No!” Sophia yelled. Everyone in the room paused.

  “Sophia?” Dr. Malcolm questioned.

  “No, don’t call Sean. I don’t want him to see me like this.” She sighed. “I have enough scars. He doesn’t need to see me with anymore. I don’t want to see anyone unless it’s a doctor or nurse. I mean it, Susan, keep everyone away until I get out of here.”

  “Okay, okay, calm down,” Susan said. Dr. Anders looked at Dr. Malcolm. Together they discussed the drug to sedate her. They injected it in her IV and Sophia quickly fell back asleep. They all went out into the hall to talk. Susan sighed. “What are we going to tell Sean?”

  “Tell me what?” Sean asked from behind them. “Did something happen to Sophia?”

  “Sean.” Susan put her hand gently on his arm. “Sophia woke, we removed her tube, she became agitated when Neil said he was going to call you. She’s asking only doctors and nurses be allowed to see her.”

  “Why?” Sean asked. He looked at the closed door to Sophia’s room. When Dr. Malcolm spoke, he turned back to them.

  “She found out she received more scars on her body.” Dr. Malcolm said, as he stared at the other man intently.

  “So, her scars don’t bother me. It means she survived, she’s alive. I’ve told her that.”

  “Sean,” Dr. Malcolm said quietly. “I think it would be best if you abide by Sophia’s wishes at this time. I’m sure we can work something out later. It could be damaging to her health not to do as she asks.”

  “What if I go in there?” Sean asked through gritted teeth.

  “She’s asleep. She became upset. The doctor gave her a sedative.”

  “Fuck.” Sean ran his fingers through his hair. “What now? Did she give a statement?” Sean asked Neil.

  “Not yet.” Neil admitted.

  “You’ll let me know how she’s doing?” Sean asked, defeated.

  “Yes, as much as I can,” Susan said.

  Sean didn’t wait around, he turned on his heel and strode away. Dr. Malcolm followed him.

  “Sean.” he called out.

  “What?” Sean bit out, he stopped, turned, and glared at the doctor.

  “I know you know I’ve been working with Sophia and her PTSD. Give us some time, I’ll work with her on this. Some we’ve already been working on. I’ll see if she wants to see you in my office. If that’s okay with you.”

  “Yeah, sure. I’m back on days now, I get home around four-thirty. I’m free almost every night.”

  “I’ll make a note of it. Please don’t call her or show up at her house. I fear it’ll set her back if she gets distraught.”

  “I’ll try. I’ll be the first one to admit I’m not one to sit back and wait. I’m a man of action.” Sean glared at Ben, then rubbed the back of his neck. He released a deep breath and started to turn away.

  “I know, in this case, it might cause her to shut you out. She’ll never want to see you again.”

  “Whatever.” Sean waved his hand to dismiss Dr. Malcolm. He didn’t want to hear any more so instead of waiting for the elevator, he went into the stair well. Sean paused after he went down two flights of stairs. He sat down and hung his head, thinking. Once his thoughts were in order, he slowly walked back up the stairs. The hall in front of Sophia’s door was clear. He slowly entered the hall and made his way to her room. Sean opened the door to Sophia’s room. He slipped in and made his way to her bed. When he saw the tube had been removed, Sean breathed easier. In his mind, that meant that she was on the mend. He bent down and gently kissed her forehead. He knew what he was about to do was wrong, but he couldn’t help himself. He pulled up the chair he’d occupied for the last eight days and waited. As he did, he studied the woman in the bed.

  A noise jerked Sean awake. He looked around the hospital room and tried to see what had woken him. He looked at the bed and saw Sophia stared at him with her one good eye.

  “What are you doing here?” She asked hoarsely.

  Sean immediately rose, grabbed the glass of water and put the straw to her mouth. As she sipped he studied her intently. “Susan and Dr. Malcolm told me you didn’t want to see me. I understand it’s because of your scars. But Sophia,” Sean paused until she looked at him. “I have to tell you I don’t give a damn about your scars.”

  He knew all of her injuries, so when he laid his hand on her chest, he did it as gently as possible. “This is what I care about. You’re heart, your body, your mind. I don’t give a rat’s ass about your scars. It’s you I love.” That was the first time he had ever told her that he loved her.

  Without giving her a chance to respond, he continued. “I know your scared. I’m here to tell you I’m in this for the long haul. If you want space, I’ll give it to you. I understand. I wanted to let you know that I’m here for you no matter what.” He leaned down and gently kissed her on the lips. He kept it chaste. Once he stood, he took her hand gently in his. “If you want me to leave, I will. I just wanted to tell you how I felt before you cut me out of your life.”

  “It’s not like I’m cutting you out of my life.” Sophia paused to reach up and wipe a tear. “I think I’m more embarrassed than scared.”

  “Why?”

  “Sean.” Sophia sighed. “Look at me.” She indicated her face, broken arm, and the bandages on her wrist. “I’m a mess.”

  “Yes, but you’ll heal. I’m here to tell you that I’ll be with you every step of the way. Whether it’s right beside you or from afar. I’ll give you the space if you need it. I won’t like it, but if that’s what you need, then I’ll do it.”

  “Really?” Sophia was unsure if he was telling her the truth.

  “Yes.”

  After seeing the truth in his eyes, she sighed. “Can you give me a couple of days to wrap my head around everything?”

  “I can. Can I call you?”

  “Yes, but I don’t know where my cell phone is.”

  “I have it.” He pulled it from his pocket and placed it on the table next to her water. “It’s fully charged. I have your purse at my house.”

  “My car?”

  “Totaled.”

  “Christ, I haven’t had it long enough to make the first payment on it yet. What am I going to do?”

  “Do you trust me?” Sean held his breath as he waited for her response.

  “Of course. Why wouldn’t I?”

  “No reason. If you trust me, I, being a member of the local police department can contact your insurance company with a police report. See what they say.”

  “You’d do that for me?”

  “If it would make life easier for you, yes. It’s the least I can do.”

  “Thank you Sean.” Sophia sighed. She raised her good arm and laid her hand on his cheek. When he closed his eyes at the contact, she whispered. “I love you too.”

  Sean stayed with Sophia for two hours. When he left for the night, he had a promise from her that he could call her. He understood that she needed time to deal with her new scars. He was willing to grant her
that time.

  The next morning Sophia laid in bed and stared into space when there was a knock on the door. She tensed as it was opened, she sighed in relief. “Dr. Malcolm, come in.”

  “I have the police with me.” Dr. Malcolm didn’t waste any time. “They need your statement if you’re up to it.”

  “Who?”

  “Deputy Neil Saunders.”

  Sophia tried to sit up. She watched the man she’d seen a few days earlier enter.

  “Ms. Swanson, I hope you’re well enough to give your statement?”

  “I guess I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.” Sophia sighed as she tried to sit up again. Dr. Malcolm adjusted the bed for her.

  “Thank you.” Sophia looked at the doctor before she turned to the deputy. “I don’t know if we’ve been introduced, I’m Sophia Swanson.” She held out her hand. The man came forward and shook it.

  “What do you need to know?”

  “What happened? Start with that day, I’ll stop you if I need clarification.”

  After Neil finished taking Sophia’s statement, a heavy silence filled the room. Sophia wanted to know what had happened to James and Tomas, but she was too scared to ask. After taking a deep breath to steady herself Sophia stammered, “What happened after I jumped out the window? What happened to…” her voice trailed off. She couldn’t bring herself to say their names.

  Neil looked at Dr. Malcom, Sophia saw the other man nod at him. Neil kept his tone professional as he told Sophia what she couldn’t voice. Sophia laid there in stunned silence until Neil thanked her for her statement, wished her well then promptly left.

  “You okay?” Dr. Malcolm asked quietly. Sophia had forgotten he was there. She gave a little screech when he’d spoken.

  “Not really.”