by Alice Moore
“It’s a clean break. You’re just all types of lucky, apparently. Kiki- girl- get up on the table. Come up. Up.” The table shuddered when James hit it, and Kiki wasted no time hopping up next to me. “Don’t fucking bite me, yeah?”
Kiki’s hard, warm body was carefully draped over my legs, with her elbows tucked under my thighs. Her chest against my apex vibrated in low, threatening growls, and my hands slid down to grip her fur. Rubbing soothing circles into what I could only guess was her scruff, I managed a soft sigh before James’ voice reached my ears again.
“You’re probably going to pass out when I set your bones, Caroline. Don’t fight it, okay?” His words came through a deep tunnel, and I groaned softly in response. Too much effort went to deciphering what he’d said, and just as he’d instructed, I didn’t fight the darkness that nibbled at the edges of my consciousness.
James
Washing the blood off my hands roughly, I glanced over my shoulder to eyeball the pair currently on my kitchen table. That damn dog watched me with narrowed pupils and curled lips, and I knew I had no hope of getting to her human. I’d done what I needed to do, and until Caroline woke up Kiki was going to stand guard.
She was a good dog.
My gaze slid to Caroline, and I let out a harsh breath before yanking down the faucet handle. I still couldn’t wrap my head around how I’d gotten dragged into this mess. Leaning on the counter, I dried my hands before reaching for the pile of needles, tubing, alcohol bottles, and gauze to drop it in the trash can. The sound was almost damning, and I grabbed the back of a chair to sit down heavily.
The woman on my table was clammy, pale, and dark, purple bruises were beginning to bud around her ankles and thighs. Staring at the pristine, white wrap on either ankle, I rubbed my jaw harshly as I debated calling an ambulance. My patchwork skills were amateur at best, but my argument for avoiding the hospital was null now. Against my outer thigh my cell phone rested heavily in my pocket, and I gnashed my teeth before throwing the idea of rescue away. Chances were that she wouldn’t even get to a hospital for hours, and by then she’d be awake. The nearest hospital was more than two hours away, and that didn’t include the journey to get the damn ambulance here.
“Fuck.” Pushing myself out of the chair, I made my way to the refrigerator to grab a beer. “I don’t need this shit. I have enough to deal with.”
The whole reason I was awake and out last night came back to mind, and I grimaced as I went to the living room to drop heavily on the couch. Any of the three channels I received out here was better than thinking about the past few months, and my fingers itched as they wrapped around the remote controller. Blinking hard, I popped the cap off my beer to neck the bottle, but even then, images assaulted my mind’s eye.
I couldn’t even step foot in a room in my own fucking house because of the atrocities I’d witnessed in there. It was pathetic, and a huff of a condescending laugh escaped my wet lips.
A woman’s voice filtered out from my television speakers, and I upped the volume as she explained the weather. No matter how sad the distraction, it still worked; the next few days were going to be hot, hotter, and hot as balls. In my peripheral vision I could still see Kiki, holding her place on top of her master, and I took another swig of my beer absently.
“Why am I the one that gets stuck between a rock and a hard place…” Staring blankly at the news channel, I leaned back into the couch in the hopes of falling asleep.
Not that sleep was as easy as it was before.
Drifting in and out of consciousness, I watched the sun grow brighter and warmer beyond my eyelids. The sensation of it on my face would fade and reappear, but my time overseas gave me a good idea of how to track the time. Deep, steady breaths inflated and deflated my lungs, and my heart thudded against my eardrums. The song was mine, proof that I was still here when so many people I knew weren’t.
My leg throbbed at that thought, forcing me into full wakefulness, and I rubbed the spot absently with my fist. The thick scars were felt even from behind my jeans, and the dents in my flesh created a valley from knee to hip. Tracing the jagged mark through my pants, I took a deep breath before opening my eyes.
Noon rolled around before I stood up, and I swiped my hand through my hair with a tired yawn. Rubbing my eyes and face, I shook my head wildly before my gaze landed on the table. Caroline was still passed out cold, and her dog was still watching me. Kiki’s body hadn’t lost any rigidity, any alertness, and I shuffled past the pair to crack open the cereal cupboard.
I’d barely finished my bowlful when the dog sat up, her lean head whipping around to Caroline’s face. Setting my burden down with a clatter, I leant to watch through narrowed eyes as she blinked heavily. She didn’t move, her eyes didn’t wander, but after a moment she opened her mouth to lick her teeth and lips.
Firmly planted between my cheeks, my grimace grew deeper as Caroline slowly looked around. She took several passes to notice me, and I cocked my head while her slender brows came together.
“… Did you mess up?” Rasping and scratchy, Caroline’s question caused her to wince as it gyrated my eardrums. Relief surged through me even while I shook my head, and her lip twitched up. “Awesome.”
“You remember, then?” Grabbing a glass from a cupboard, I filled it with water before noticing Caroline struggling to sit up. Reaching for her shoulder, my fingers were only an inch away before a low, menacing growl made me freeze. Swerving to Kiki, my eyes narrowed into slits at the slight pick up of her lips, showing just the tips of her long, sharp teeth.
The exchange was only a second, maybe less, but it was long enough for Caroline to sit up fully. Tearing my gaze off the dog, I pulled back my hand only to hold out the glass for her shaking hands.
“Yeah. How long has it been?” Her trembling question came as I stepped back, and only then did the dog stop growling. Gulping down her drink roughly, she rolled her eye to watch me shrug.
“It’s almost 1p.m.. I got you here around 5a.m.. The drugs are about ready to wear off- it’s why you woke up.” Caroline stared at me openly as I answered her, and I took her glass to refill it before continuing. “Your ankle will be fine in a few weeks. I wanted to wait until you woke up to call an ambulance- it’ll take forever, anyway.”
“Thank you…” Trailing off, Caroline developed a quizzical expression, and my own morphed in confusion. “U- uh… what- what’s your name again?”
“James. I’m James Dunn.” So, she knows who I am- that I helped her… but didn’t remember my name. The effect was common with trauma and drugs, and I crossed my arms over my chest. “It’s at least four miles between my house and your campsite, you know. Your dog came all the way here even though you said there’s another campsite a mile from yours.”
“Oh- like Dunn Enterprises?” Frowning deeply, I jerked my head in a nod at Caroline’s arched brow even as annoyance bubbled up in my chest. “I sell my pictures to a company under them. Uh, anyway… I don’t know why Kiki did that, but I’m kinda glad. I’d probably lose my foot… or at least a toe…”
Caroline’s expression portrayed nothing of what she should’ve been feeling; the fact that she really could’ve lost her foot didn’t seem to bother her at all. For a long moment I watched her closely, but she only sighed as she stared at her bandaged feet.
“… You can take a bath. You shouldn’t get the bandages wet, but I have more.” I didn’t move, waiting to see her reaction, and Caroline picked at her dirty, bloodied, damp shirt before sliding her fingertips down her arm. The trail she left was noticeable, and her face scrunched in disgust before she carefully shimmied her legs off the table.
“Should I, like, call a hospital or something? Is it safe to walk on my right foot? I don’t do damsel very well…” Snorting at Caroline’s concerns, I sauntered over to the table to pick her up. Her body was lighter than before, and she stiffened but didn’t protest as I exited the kitchen. Kiki bumped against my shins, keeping herself firmly underneath her
human, and I kicked open the bathroom door to set Caroline on the edge of the tub.
The bathroom was more grandiose than anything I’d ever seen before, but I ignored it for the moment to head for a cabinet. A low whistle slid up my spine, and I snatched a towel before Caroline spoke up.
“I bet you spent a crapload for this setup. Is your wife gonna be mad I’m here, James?” Rolling my eyes at the question, I set the towel on the vanity to head for the door. My chest tightened, hands balling into loose fists, and my skin crawled from Caroline’s gaze until I glanced over my shoulder.
“Clean yourself up. Shout when you’re done.” Closing the door without waiting for a response, I took a deep, harsh breath and held it on my way down the hall.
Wife. Fuck- I hated that word. There wasn’t even any reason to bring it up. A flash of blonde struck my eyelids when I blinked, and I gripped the kitchen counter to grind my teeth together.
So much shit had happened in the past six months that Hannah hadn’t popped into my mind at all. According to voicemails, she absolutely refused to marry my brother.
What did he do, then? Oh yeah- Nick had our parents adopt her instead.
I could still feel the potent pain that ripped through my chest when Nick told me Hannah had gotten pregnant. I could still feel the relief when he immediately followed up with ‘it’s not yours’. I could still feel the guilt of that night and the guilt that heaped atop it because I’d run away like a little bitch.
And now, here I was- haunted and miserable. Where I deserved to be.
Caroline
“Thank you so much for getting my camera and stuff, James.” Sparklers exploded in my chest as I clutched my camera to my breast with a wide smile cresting my cheeks. “I didn’t even think of someone stealing it… It’s worth more than my truck, and I-“
“Yeah- I got the importance of it when you threw a fit. Move over.” Gingerly scooting across the couch cushions, I pursed my lips together as heat flushed my cheeks. “You haven’t called an ambulance yet…”
Rubbing my camera with my thumbs, I pondered James’ half question for a long, quiet moment. He’d been gone for two hours, easily, and that was plenty enough time to call an ambulance and leave. Staring past my knees at Kiki, I took in her lax form before heaving a sigh. My mind worked, and when it didn’t give me anything to say, James spoke up again.
“Do you really trust that dog that much?”
“Yes-“ Answering immediately, I turned my gaze to James as his brows came together to create a confused scowl. He was so much more rugged than his blurred outline had promised, and I watched his expression grow harder before opening my mouth a second time. “She was trained as a Marine companion, but she had violent tendencies and would disobey orders if she didn’t like them. If something tickled her the wrong way, she’d ignore her officer or do her own thing. She’s been evaluated as having the intelligence of a seven-year-old kid- which is incredible, by the way. So, if she isn’t freaking out and overprotective… then you can’t be that bad.”
Pride bubbled up in my chest, and I rested my head against the back cushion as James’ gaze flickered to Kiki.
“She’s a terrible judge of character, then.” Darkness flashed across his expression, and I tightened my grip on my camera as my heart thudded harder against my ribs. “There’s a myth in the Marines. When a dog and his or her handler are in perfect sync- when they trust each other’s decision regardless of orders or the mission. The dog lives for the handler, not for serving, and the handler protects the dog to the point of irrationality. This reminds me of that.”
“But… I’ve never even been to a Navy base or anything.” Those were the first words out of my mouth, and James snorted roughly. His dark eyes were sparkling with what I could only describe as annoyance as he ran his hand through his hair. Underneath his t-shirt, his muscles rippled wildly, and I held my breath at the irritation that slithered up into my nostrils. At my feet Kiki lifted her head, a soft warning growl reverberating through the floor and up to rattle my legs and spine.
“Shit like that doesn’t matter… Only lives to your left and right matter, even if that life is a fucking dog.” Pushing himself up roughly, James stormed off into the kitchen with loud, angry steps. Staring through wide eyes at the place he had just been sitting, I pulled my bottom lip between my teeth.
I wasn’t an idiot- James had obviously served. But something happened to make him this way, and I doubt it has anything to do with war.
The thought brought a frown to my face as Kiki calmed down once again, and I released my breath with a huff.
“What do you want for lunch, Caroline?” Loud and bracing, the call almost caused the floor to buckle as James shouted across the house. For a quick, silent second, I debated on what to say. From what I knew, James only had cereal and canned soup… and beer. His refrigerator was almost entirely filled with beer.
“Uh- whatever you were going to make.” Relaxing into the couch, I fiddled with my camera in the growing silence. James didn’t bother answering me, and my fingertips caressed the forms of the lens. Against my hip my camera bag sat, and I set the device on my lap to check it. Lenses and straps were where I’d left them, along with a few extra batteries and memory cards, and a smile wormed onto my face.
“I missed this, and I didn’t even know it.” So little time had passed since the last time I held my camera- felt it comfortable in my lap. At the same time so much had been packed into those hours, and they felt long and arduous. My mumble was met with quiet, and I smiled down at my camera.
Pulling my camera up to my eye, I trained the lens on Kiki to take in her photogenic perfection. There wasn’t a single cowlick in her shiny, healthy fur, and regret slugged my veins as I drifted from her form. The living room was plain and simple, with nothing more than a couch, rug, television, and coffee table. Everything in his house was minimalistic, and I liked that about the place.
Except for the bathroom, of course. Goosebumps rose up on my arms and across my chest at the mere thought of that bathroom. It didn’t fit the rest of the house at all, and I could imagine myself lounging in the absolutely monstrous tub for hours. The only part of the bathroom that seemed used was the separate shower, and I sighed at the gentle tingling just under my skin.
“What did you think of your bath, huh, Kiki? Did you like it after roughing it for a week?” A soft woof met my questions, and I smiled down at my dog. I’d always heard horror stories from friends growing up of how horrible it was to wash their dogs.
Just like with every other part of her, though, Kiki was always perfectly behaved.
“Here.” I barely had time to glance up before a bag landed in my lap, and for a long moment I couldn’t do anything but stare. The light brown bag was riddled with words, and whole sections were in languages I couldn’t read. Underneath me the couch cushion shuffled, and I tore my eyes off the pouch to watch James shove a forkful of something into his mouth.
His cheek spasmed in what I could only guess was a smirk as he dug into his bag. All the while he kept his gaze on me, and each second that passed only increased the amusement swirling in his gaze.
“Is… is this an Army ration…?” Speaking slowly, clearly, my lips trembled, and my heart nearly burst through my ribs when James nodded shamelessly.
“It’s bacon mac’n’cheese.” The response left me dumbstruck, and I took a sharp breath as he chuckled around his mouthful before swallowing hard. “You don’t like bacon? That’s real food in there, you know-“
“I know it’s real food, James-“ My use of his name made him pause, and I rolled my lips between my teeth as I clutched the bag tightly. The stupid thing even came with its own, little, plastic fork, but the utensil didn’t so much as creak under my grip. “Do you even go shopping, or- or do you just… get stuff air dropped… or what?”
This man was a certifiable introvert, I decided. Watching him ponder my question, I let out a hot breath before turning to my ‘lunch’. For the firs
t time I noticed the bag was kind of warm and squishy, and I tore open the top to get blasted by a puff of steam.
“I go pick it up. I’m not a hermit or a recluse or anything… I just would rather be here in the peace and quiet.” Bacon wafted sensually into my nostrils, and I took a deep breath as James’ gravelly voice reached my ears. Pulling the fork-sport-thing off the top of the bag, I sat back to say the first thing that came to mind.
“You’ll go crazy in the silence, you know. I remember when my dad went on his final deployment… it was only for five months, but it was insanely quiet. I moved into a bar, basically, just to get something to distract me.”
“Yeah- well… I haven’t gotten there yet, so there’s no use worrying about it.” James’ response didn’t surprise me; my father often said the same thing. Military men were so reactive instead of proactive, and sometimes it drove me up a wall. Months beforehand, I’d tell my dad that whatever he was doing was a bad idea, and then it’d come to bite him in the ass.
Not that I was one to complain considering I broke my ankle the way I did.
Frowning as I chewed absently, I drew my brows together as I tried to figure out how this mush tasted anything like bacon mac’n’cheese. Water and crackers is a better name.
“… Thank you for letting me use your clothes, by the way.” Staring past my bag of mush, I narrowed my eyes at the thin sweatpants that shielded my legs. The material was gray and soft, and I shuffled my knees together absently as James grunted in response. “I’m going to call my dad in the morning. He’ll be able to come get me faster than an ambulance.”
“The only way he can do that is if he’s got a helicopter, and even then, he wouldn’t make it all the way here. You should’ve called when I was gone- you’d be in a fancy hospital by now with actual, certified doctors.” A rough snort flew from my chest at James’ tidbit of common sense, and I brought my forkful to my mouth. “Of course, they’d probably drug test you, then arrest me for drugging you- then you’d have to go through all that court shit because no one is going to believe that you stayed here, let me stick my fingers in your ankle, and pumped my blood in your veins because your fucking dog didn’t bite me.”