Sinister Shadows

by Brittany Cournoyer

  Flinging the covers back, Duncan swung his legs over the bed and grabbed his crutch. As he held on to it, Duncan rose from the bed, mindful of his ankle, and leaned all his weight on his uninjured foot and the crutch. Finally, he was upright, though it took him a few tries to remain that way since his body was shaky.

  The first few steps were wonky and hesitant, but Duncan finally made it to the bathroom to do his business. By the time he made it back to his bed, his steps were more reassured, and he was confident he’d be able to maneuver around the house if need be. The possibility of taking a shower had him almost groaning in anticipation, and knowing he wouldn’t have to spend another day in bed made his spirits rising a bit.

  “Breakfast is served,” Pierce said a few minutes later as he entered the room.

  He had the tray again, this time loaded down with a heaping plate of cheesy scrambled eggs, a few slices of toast, and a couple pieces of crisp bacon. There was also a mug of steamy coffee and a glass of orange juice.

  “Is this all for me?” Duncan asked when Pierce settled the tray over his lap.

  “Yup. You need to eat up. I’m going to take a shower and crash on the couch downstairs so you can eat. Your medicine is right there,” he said, pointing to the two pills beside the glass, “so make sure you take it. I’ll be up in a few hours to check on you.”

  “Thank you, Pierce, for everything.”

  “What are husbands for?”

  Duncan offered a weak smile before digging his fork into the eggs and lifting a bite to his mouth. Pierce watched as Duncan chewed the eggs and swallowed them.

  “These are delicious.”

  “I hope so. I made them exactly how you like them. Do you need anything else? I probably should’ve asked if you needed to use the bathroom before getting you settled.”

  “I’m fine. I already went.”

  Pierce’s eyebrows shot up. “You already went? How?”

  Duncan gestured toward the crutch with his fork. “I used that. It was almost a disaster at first until I got my footing, but I got the hang of it. I know I probably should’ve waited for you, but I couldn’t. And now I know I can get around if I need to. Which is great, right?”

  “Yes, of course. Great. It’ll definitely come in handy during the nights I’m at work or when I’m asleep.”

  “Precisely, plus it takes a burden off you. I’m sure you have better things to do than wait on me all day.”

  Pierce’s eyes narrowed a fraction. “I’m your husband, for better or for worse. Helping you is no problem.”

  Duncan picked up a piece of bacon but paused with the slice halfway to his mouth. “I appreciate everything you’ve done, but I won’t get back on my feet if I rely on you to help me all the time. I need my independence.”

  Pierce blew out a slow breath. “I understand. Eat up, and make sure to drink your juice. I need some sleep.”

  Pierce was almost out the door when a thought had Duncan calling out to him.

  “Where did I have my accident?” he asked.

  Pierce paused and turned partly. “What do you mean?”

  “Well, the doctor told me I hit my head when I tripped on a crack in the sidewalk, but there aren’t any sidewalks around here.”

  “Yes, that’s correct.”

  “Then where was I running?”

  “At a park in Cranston. You liked to run the path since one lap is a mile. You were working your way up and had just gotten to five laps.”

  “I see. Is the parks department aware of what happened? They need to get that fixed so it doesn’t happen to anyone else.”

  “Are you wanting to sue?”

  Duncan shook his head. “No, it was an accident. I just want them to be aware so they can get it fixed.”

  “I’m not sure if they know. I’ll make a call to them later.”

  Duncan nodded and looked at the phone he’d laid down on the table. Grabbing it, he pressed the button to look at the display and frowned. “We still don’t have any signal.”

  “No need to worry. I’m sure it’ll come back later. I really need to get some sleep, so do you need anything?”

  “Not that I can think of. Get some rest, and thank you for breakfast,” Duncan said, gesturing toward the tray on his lap.

  Pierce left the room, leaving Duncan to finish the rapidly cooling food on his plate. Dutifully, he picked up his fork and ate until his stomach felt like it was going to burst. He only had a half piece of bacon and a few bites of eggs left. The pills were still beside the glass of juice, and after popping them in his mouth, he washed the medicine down with a few swallows of the tangy juice.

  It was a bit tart and full of pulp, which made Duncan wonder if it was freshly squeezed. Even though his stomach was full, the juice was refreshing, so Duncan took a few more swallows and ignored the coffee before setting the entire tray on the floor beside his bed. Then, grabbing the laptop from the table, he powered it on and loaded a DVD before nestling down in the mattress.

  Drowsiness began to overtake him as the opening credits began to roll, and Duncan fought against the fatigue. It was useless, though, and before the first line was spoken, Duncan’s eyes closed, and sleep won the battle.

  A shower. That was the only thing on Duncan’s mind when he woke a few hours later. He felt grubby after lying in bed all day, and the hot water would wash away the bleariness and the remnants of his stay at the hospital. His hair felt greasy, his face felt dirty, and he wanted to brush his teeth.

  The tray was still discarded beside his bed, and the laptop was pushed to the side of the bed, screen saver playing a slideshow of beach scenes. He wasn’t sure how long he’d been asleep, but by the way the sun blasted through the window, it seemed as if it were mid-day.

  Mindful of the tray, Duncan grabbed the crutch from where he’d put it back against the table and pushed to his feet. His steps were wobbly and unsure as he slowly made his way to the closet. He wasn’t sure what kind of clothes were waiting inside for him, but considering he’d been wearing—and sleeping— in the same pair since yesterday, he’d be happy with anything.

  The closet was on the opposite side of the large room, much farther away than the bathroom. But he’d made it to the bathroom and back, so what were a few extra steps? It’d take a little bit longer, but the reward for reaching his destination would be worth it. A hot shower and a toothbrush had his name on it.

  For some reason, this time felt harder than the last. He blamed it on not getting a thorough enough nap, based on the amount of exhaustion he felt. Maybe he should’ve allowed himself a few extra minutes to completely awaken before trying to walk to the bathroom.

  He paused a few seconds to catch his breath and wipe the sweat from his brow. The ring still felt unfamiliar on his finger, and he used his thumb to twist the foreign piece of metal. As he stood there, building up strength to press on, he couldn’t help but wonder again if he’d ever get used to wearing the piece of jewelry.

  Taking a deep breath, he pushed the thought out of his mind and tried to take another step. He was only a few feet from the closet, and then he could have what he needed to take a hot shower. Duncan could already envision the steam billowing as the water beat down on his body, massaging the hard knots in his back. The water would sluice down his body, washing the dirt and grime down the drain. And the vision of massaging shampoo in his hair nearly had him groaning in ecstasy. He couldn’t wait to experience that, but he needed to reach the bathroom first.

  He only had a few more steps to go, but as he put his foot forward and pressed his weight against the crutch, his body pitched forward as the crutch gave out.

  “What the…” he gasped out.

  He tried to prevent himself from falling by doing the only thing he could think of—putting his weight on his other ankle.

  The pressure put on his injured ankle had him crying out in agony, and when he jerked, the crutch slipped from his grasp and clattered to the floor as Duncan’s body started to fall forward. With nothi
ng there to catch him, Duncan instinctively twisted his body to keep from slamming into the ground face first. More pain radiated through Duncan’s leg as his already injured ankle twisted even more, eliciting an even louder cry of pain.

  The sound of footsteps on the stairs pushed through the roar in Duncan’s head, but before he could make sense of it, his tender skull smashed into the floor as his body crashed to the ground. His vision blurred, and he could barely make out the silhouette of Pierce’s body rushing to his side, but he couldn’t hear anything Pierce was saying.

  “Pierce,” he managed to rasp weakly before the room went dark.

  Chapter Five

  “Duncan? Honey, wake up,” Pierce urged his husband as he ran the cool washcloth over his forehead.

  It’d been nearly fifteen minutes since Duncan had passed out on the floor. Pierce had carried him to the bed and was now holding vigil by his side until he woke up. Seeing Duncan unconscious like that reminded Pierce of how it’d been when Duncan was in the hospital. Considering he’d only been home a day, it was too soon for Duncan to slip away again. He ran his fingers through Duncan’s hair and frowned when they brushed against the knot that’d already formed.

  “Please, wake up,” he whispered fiercely.

  Duncan groaned and moved his head to the side a little. Letting out a relieved breath, Pierce moved the washcloth and placed it on the side-table before grabbing Duncan’s hand in his.

  “Open your eyes, honey.”

  Another groan, but Duncan slowly started to blink until his eyes finally opened fully. Pierce could see the confusion as he tried to adjust to his surroundings.

  “Pierce? What happened?”

  “Your crutch broke while you were trying to walk. What were you trying to do?”

  Duncan looked over to where his crutch was lying on the bedroom floor. “I wanted to take a shower.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me? I would’ve helped you.”

  “Because I didn’t think about it until after I woke up, and by then you were sleeping. I told you, Pierce, I want some independence, and I thought I could handle taking a shower. I don’t know what happened to the crutch since it was just fine earlier.”

  “Sometimes equipment can be faulty. We’re going to have to ask the doctor for a new one.”

  Duncan nodded and shifted on the bed, and a wince marred his face. “What’s wrong?” Pierce asked in concern.

  “My ankle hurts really bad, and so does my head.”

  Pierce pursed his lips. “You twisted your ankle during your fall and hit your head on the floor. I’m worried your ankle injury is worse now, which will prolong your recovery.”

  “Should we call the doctor?” Duncan asked. His looked miserable, and Pierce longed to see him smile.

  “There’s still no signal. How about we keep it elevated and watch it for the night. If it seems worse tomorrow, I’ll take you in to the emergency room, okay?”

  “Okay,” he agreed quietly.

  “Are you feeling okay? Any dizziness?”

  Duncan slowly shook his head. “Not anymore. Staying still has helped.”

  “Then what’s wrong?”

  “Well, at the risk of sounding whiney, I just really wanted to take a shower. I feel so grubby, and I thought taking one would help me feel better.”

  “Are you sure you’re up to taking one? You took quite a fall, and your ankle is pretty swollen.”

  Duncan bit on his lip as he considered Pierce’s words, and Pierce’s fingers itched to free it from Duncan’s teeth and smooth the marks away.

  “I’m sure. I really think washing the grime away will help me rest better.”

  “Well, since I’m in here, how about I help you with that shower, okay?”

  “Really? Don’t you want to get back to sleep?”

  “I’m fine. This is more important. Besides, what are husbands for?”

  Pierce walked to the closet and grabbed a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt for Duncan to change into, and after helping Duncan off the bed, they walked together to the bathroom. Pierce made Duncan sit on the toilet while he adjusted the water temperature, and then he helped Duncan undress until he was clad in only his briefs.

  When he hooked his thumbs in the band of the underwear, Duncan stopped him.

  “I got it from here,” he said.

  “But…”

  “I’ll be okay. I’ll let you know when I’m finished.”

  “I don’t know if you should be left alone.”

  “It’s fine. The shower has a railing for me to hold onto. Please, go wait in the room.” Pierce hesitated. “Please, Pierce?”

  Pierce didn’t look convinced, but he finally nodded. “The door stays cracked, though.”

  Duncan gave him a small smile. “Of course. How else are you supposed to hear me if I need any help?”

  “Enjoy your shower.”

  Pierce sat on the bed while Duncan showered. He could see the steam billowing from the cracked door, and after a short while, the water turned off. Knowing Duncan was on the other side of the door, naked and wet, had his dick twitching in his pants and wicked thoughts plaguing his brain. Gnashing his teeth together, he pushed the thoughts to the back of his mind. The last thing Duncan needed was to see an erection nearly bursting the seams of Pierce’s pants.

  “I’m finished,” Duncan called out.

  Peirce nearly jackknifed off the bed and rushed to the bathroom. Pushing the door open farther, he was greeted with a cloud of steam. He took in Duncan’s damp, messy hair that hadn’t been combed after he towel-dried it off and the loose-fitting clothing that covered his body.

  “How was your shower?” he asked.

  “It was perfect. I feel so much better,” Duncan said with a soft sigh.

  “That’s great. I’m happy to hear it.”

  “I need to clean up my mess.” Duncan glanced down at the discarded clothes and damp towels.

  “I’ll take care of it,” Pierce told him and moved to wrap his arm around Duncan.

  “You’ve done plenty, though.”

  “It’s fine. I really don’t mind. I’d like to think if the situation were reversed that you’d do the same for me.”

  Pierce continued to stare at Duncan with hope and expectancy in his eyes, but the longer Duncan stood there in silence, the more awkward things became. It was evident Duncan wasn’t going to tell Pierce what he was hoping to hear. Finally, Pierce looked away and bent over to pick up Duncan’s dirty clothes. Once he had them gathered up, he walked to a cabinet that opened to a laundry chute.

  “Why didn’t you tell me that was there?” Duncan asked, finally breaking his silence.

  Pierce turned and looked at Duncan before giving him a shrug. “I was hoping you’d remember it. It’s one of your favorite things about the house. You said it makes doing laundry easier. Come on, let’s get you in bed.”

  After getting him settled, Pierce disappeared with the tray and returned with snacks and more juice.

  “Here you go. I’m going to try to get some more rest, okay?”

  “Thank you. I’m sorry I woke you.”

  Pierce reached over and tucked his thumb under Duncan’s chin, forcing Duncan to meet his eye.

  “Don’t ever apologize for needing me. Are you okay? How’s your head and ankle?”

  “They’re fine. Sore, but hopefully I didn’t do as much damage as we feared.”

  “Good. Don’t do that again, do you understand?”

  Duncan narrowed his eyes. “I’m not a child.”

  “No, but you are my husband, and it’s my job to take care of you. Remember that the next time the urge to be independent hits you.”

  Pierce left the room before Duncan could argue any further and made his way downstairs. He had work to do to prepare for the evening, and he couldn’t allow Duncan’s mishaps to cause him any more interruptions.

  Chapter Six

  The light was a beacon in the dark, letting him know the entrance was near. He was close
—so close. Just a few more steps, and then he could find safety. He knew the alley. He knew what was on the other side. There would be a store or a bar that was open that time of night. He just had to reach the other side first. Just a few more steps…

  Pain radiated through his body and down to his feet as shadows danced wickedly on the brick walls, but he continued moving. He had to push past the pain or else he’d never reach his destination. But the pain was almost unbearable, and his fear increased with every step he took. He was almost there. He was so close. So, so close.

  “Achoo!”

  The sneeze was powerful enough to wake Duncan from his deep slumber. His nose itched, and his eyes watered as he sneezed again. Reaching up to scratch his nose and wipe his eyes, he had to clear his throat to scratch the itch deep inside. Another powerful sneeze made his head jerk forward, and it was quickly followed by another, and another. The momentum of the sneezes was enough to make Duncan dizzy, and his already sore head ached even more. What the hell was going on? And what was that smell?

  Duncan finally got his sneezing attack under control and sat up so he could look around the room. That’s when he noticed the vase of flowers sitting on the side table. The large arrangement was a beautiful burst of purples, blues, pinks, and yellows, but before Duncan could admire them more, the floral scent hit Duncan’s nose and another attack of allergies hit him.

  In the middle of the sneeze attack, something flashed in his mind.

  “These are beautiful,” Duncan said as he buried his face in the bouquet of roses.

  “I was hoping you’d like them.”

  “I do,” Duncan reassured the other man. A moment later, his face screwed up as his allergies took control.

  The other man grabbed the flowers as Duncan covered his face with his hands and began to sneeze uncontrollably.

  “Oh no, are you allergic to flowers?”

  Duncan looked apologetically at the man. “I had allergies really bad when I was younger, but they haven’t bothered me as much since I’ve gotten older. I guess flowers are an exception.”