SALLY ANN
When Hasil unsheathed his knife, she fled.
Sally Ann paused when she exited the house and had made her way to the street. She had to choose, both internally and externally. To whom of the two would her heart direct her towards on that night – James or Hasil?
Her brother was all she had, and he had taken care of her through thick and thin. But since he'd lost his steady job and taken up drinking, he was no longer the brother she'd once known – that imposter had hurt her, frightened her, threatened her…
And he'd threatened to hurt Hasil, too.
But those are only names now, Sally Ann thought as her feet hit the pavement. She was running again now, cutting through side streets towards the only destination she knew Hasil didn't know the way to. And the fact that she'd chosen to hide herself away from him instead of her brother, told her all that she needed to know and then some.
The choice to disappear stung deeply, feeling like salt mercilessly ground within the gouge of a gaping wound. But it was a necessary evil and one which she would endure as her penance.
She'd chosen sides against her own.
And although, for the moment, she'd no longer recognized either man in that house,
…what frightened her most was the fact that she no longer recognized herself, either.
HASIL
"SALLY ANN? ….SALLY ANN?!" Hasil yelled as he exited the house, hopping down the front steps. He looked around in the street, trying to find even the smallest hint of what path she'd taken.
"Sally Ann?" he called again, circling in the street. Nothin'. She'd literally vanished, and it amazed him how quickly she'd done so. He could have sworn she'd been in the house just a minute before.
He wiped away the blood from his nose, biting his lip in pain before shaking his head and blinking to clear his eyesight. He'd taken his share of hits on the mountain when roughhousing with the other guys, but he could barely remember the last time he'd been in a serious, 1-on-1 fight. He'd had to protect himself a couple of times when out on runs with Big Foster and the others, sure, but that mainly consisted of knife work, be it just showing the knife as a threat or, on the seldom occasion, actually having to use it.
He hated the fact that he wanted to give James his due respect for lasting as long as he did… even if he had eventually left him unconscious on the floor of the house. He hadn't meant to hit him that hard, but the sound of Sally Ann being hurt was unacceptable and someone had to pay for that. Based on Sally Ann's reaction to him that morning and the way she'd stormed off from the laundromat, it didn't seem like James had ever been forced to dish out his fair share of payment.
Hasil was determined to change that; to tilt the scales in his and Sally Ann's favor.
In that respect, he'd become a rich man but he was still alone, and he hadn't been able to find her yet. Searching through side streets, he continued to call for her, but the search there was fruitless. He was out of his element and she knew those streets much better than he did – if she didn't want to be found, she wouldn't be.
He tried again, however, going to the few places he could think of left – back by the laundromat, for one, which was dark and empty now, having closed early for Sunday. Next were the retail store and gas station, where Sally Ann worked. Both were open for the time being, but he couldn't see her, no matter how long he searched the windows. He would have entered each, to search, asking if anyone had heard from her, but he feared that'd only make things worse. So he went to the little house in the woods, where they'd shared their last few tender moments together.
The windows were dark again, but that was to be expected. He made his way around the house's perimeter first, whispering her name, and met with silence, opened the side window to hop in. He did so as quietly as possible, searching the rooms of the house, one by one.
She was nowhere to be found.
"Sally Ann…." he whispered, his voice quivering with disappointment. He wasn't used to this. To not being able to find her. Usually, he'd had little trouble triangulating in on her position, regardless of where she was in town during the day. All it took was a feeling and a look in the right direction – good fortune he attributed more to the heavens than his hunting skills. He'd been tethered to her, heart to heart, since they'd first met, for a reason, and the subsequent growth of these supernatural "tuggings" always seemed to play an important part in bringing him closer to her.
But he couldn't feel anything but a dull ache now, coupled with emptiness. It was almost as if someone had yanked and broken the cord that tied them together, leaving damage at both ends and severing the connection. An uneasy anxiety began to swell in his stomach, making him feel unwell, and Hasil's tormented mind prayed this separation wasn't permanent.
Going back out through the window, Hasil tried to call Sally Ann once more but found his attempt as futile as the others. Breath short, he swallowed, not wanting to leave this town just yet, but fearing the consequences of not doing so. His kin would be looking for him tonight and he was not yet ready for the conversation that could get him banished from the mountain all together. Not when so unsure of Sally Ann's feelings toward him.
Feeling the silent sting of tears begin at the back of his eyes, he dug his nails into his palms, walking slowly from Blackburg toward the mountain.
I'll find you, Sally Ann, he whispered with careful steps, made weak by fear.
I promise.
NAOMI
The knock at the door roused Naomi from her nap, and she moaned softly, blinking her eyes. The knock, coming again, was more insistent this time, so she rose and stretched, looking for her keys quickly before heading for the door, eventually turning the handle.
At the door was Sally Ann. She was breathless, with puffy, red eyes, the streaks of dried tears clearly present on her cheeks.
"Wh-…what in the world. What happened?" Naomi's hands found her shoulder, inviting her in gently. She looked behind her, scanning the view outside the door before closing it and locking it tight.
"um…" Sally Ann started, stuttering. "I… I'm so sorry to show up like this, Nomes. I just… things aren't going too well at home, and… I was hoping we might be able to hang out or… have a girl's night or somethin'?"
Naomi frowned. The last few words had come out sounding strangled and forced from her throat. She could already see tears welling up in Sally Ann's eyes again. Taking her in her arms, she hugged her tightly, trying to calm her down.
"'Course you can," she answered softly. "You know m'door's always open. Go 'head and have a seat. I'll make ya some tea."
Sally Ann sat on the couch, her arms hugging around herself as her shoulders rocked. "Thanks Naomi," she sniffled.
Naomi nodded from the kitchen, putting a kettle on and finding one of her more calming choices for tea. Chamomile would have to do tonight, and would hopefully pack a punch, as it looked like she had some work on her hands. It wasn't long ago that James had called her, asking about his sister's whereabouts. Naomi covered for her at the time, choosing her words carefully.
"…Oh yeah," she had said soothingly, pretending to need time to recall the memory. "I remember seeing her. Locked my keys in the car and she stayed with me 'til the locksmith came..."
Sally Ann and Naomi both knew none of that was true, but Naomi had been happy to provide the alibi for her. She'd been watching Sally Ann, who'd worked hard to hide her occasional bruising, but she couldn't be perfectly thorough every time, and Naomi had been around the family for so many years that she could easily spot the slight winces of pain that Sally Ann would express, and even now, expressed, while sitting here on her couch. Naomi, worried that bringing them up would push Sally Ann away, mostly kept her silence, but always meant to, some time later, sit down and speak with her about it.
I guess later is now, she thought. And no better time than the present.
"So," she said, looking through her cabinets for sugar and honey. Not wanting Sally Ann to clam up and shut her out, Naomi kept her voice soft and soothing. "What brings ya over tonight? What's goin' on at that house that has ya so spooked?"
Sally Ann was quiet, her eyes rising to follow Naomi's movements around the kitchen. "Got inna bit of trouble with James."
"…'bout Hasil?"
Sally Ann nodded. Naomi hadn't known about Hasil at first, but could tell, from the look on Sally Ann's face that something about her had changed after that first night in the woods with him. She'd come around the register that next day at work, asking with a knowing grin:
"Whatcha been up tooo…?" she'd smiled, wiggling her eyebrows at Sally Ann. The action had made Sally Ann burst into giggles and hiding away at lunch that day, she'd spilled the beans, exposing her soul to Naomi and filling her in on the days between then and the night she'd first met Hasil.
"What a day for me to be off, huh?" pouted Naomi, fanning herself dramatically. "Why can't dangerous, hot, burly… strong, dark and handsome men show up like that when I work that register?"
Sally Ann's eyebrow rose. "You sound like a Harlequin novel, girl. 'Dangerous, hot and burly'?"
"Yeah!" Naomi spouted, her hands moving to emphasize what she thought was obvious. "Hello! Mountain men… survivin' the wild, protectin' their women…" Her hands wiggled around as she shivered. "Just …yum."
"But Nooooomes," Sally Ann howled softly, scrunching up her nose in mock horror. "What about James?"
"What 'bout 'im?"
"Y'know he still loves you."
"And I, him. But, you know how likely things are at the moment, too. Ya gotta cut me some slack here." She gave a cheeky grin. "I'm single and a girl can dream can't she?"
Sally Ann rolled her eyes, shaking her head. "'long as it ain't 'bout my man."
She examined her then, giving Naomi the eye before the two released another round of giggles.
"Well tell me about this mysterious man of yours, then."
"Hasil's just… he's so special, Nomes." Sally Ann grew quiet, looking down. She could feel her cheeks warm at the thought of him. "Ain't never felt this way about someone before. I always thought it was all so sappy and… corny, th'way they describe stuff in the movies, ya know? Love at first sight, they say. Time and space fall away, they say. But… if I had known… It's nothin' like that at all." Sally Ann shook her head, blinking. Looking up a second later, she sighed, her face easing into a lovesick grin. "It's just… so much better than all that. Indescribably."
Naomi looked at her with a knowing, but silent smile. She nodded, taking Sally Ann's hand, and with a reassuring squeeze, she gave her approval. "Well… I know the peanut gallery here likes to get all high and mighty 'bout everyone else's business 'cept their own, but I don't care 'bout anyone else's opinion in this ghost town.I say go for it."
Her hand rose to point at Sally Ann's rounded cheeks. "I 'member that look from seein' it in my own mirror. I 'member that feelin'… discoverin' how curious time was, that it could stop existin' justa make room so that all the moments we were together could adjust to extend into forever. The moment you feel it the first time, you don't wanna go without it too long. Cuz it don't come by very often or with very many, do it?"
Sally Ann watched her, knowing she was talking about her time with James. In her opinion, the two had made the cutest of couples. She'd hoped for great things for them and further hoped that they'd be able to survive and surpass the negative precedent her and James' parents had set, so it'd hurt her as much as it had hurt James to hear that they'd broken off their engagement. Sally Ann feared the thought of similar happening for her and Hasil.
But returning Naomi's squeeze, she pushed past that, and smiled, shaking her head in response.
Her mind made note for the future - she'd have to bring Hasil to meet Naomi one of these days.
Coming back to the present, she looked at Naomi, who, though going through the motions in the kitchen, was still waiting for her to answer. Naomi glanced at her, her eyes patient. She didn't push her, picking up on the fact that there was a lot for Sally Ann to process.
"I… told Hasil I couldn't see him anymore," Sally Ann groaned sadly. "Called him all manner of sordid name today."
"Why'd ya do that?" Reaching over, Naomi handed her a mug of tea. Sally Ann nodded in thanks.
"James," Sally Ann responded simply, taking the tea to her lips.
"…did what?"
"Said I better not be hanging out with him."
"And ya listened?"
"'course."
Naomi mulled over her words, taking her own sip. "That the day he called, asking where you'd been?"
"Yeah… and every day since," she breathed softly. "Thank you, again, for covering for me."
"Anytime. Figured it must've been for somethin' important, anyway," Naomi said. She hated the idea of lying to James, but it'd only been her first time doing so, and regardless, she felt that someone Sally Ann's age didn't deserve to have their location tracked so closely, especially in a town so small. She silently wondered if, at this rate, James had put a GPS tracker on her phone yet. "How'd Hasil take the news?"
"He told me I didn't mean what I'd said to 'im… 'bout staying away from each other, and what I'd called 'im."
"Did you?"
Sally Ann pursed her lips in thought before shaking her head slowly.
Sitting down across from her, Naomi leaned forward, elbows on her knees. She watched Sally Ann's free hand shift, moving to her arm as she made herself smaller in the chair, clutching her mug. "Did he hurt you?" she asked, eyes rising to read hers.
"A bit," Sally Ann said reluctantly.
"James, right? Not Hasil?"
Sally Ann's eyes flashed with surprise as she shook her head in the negative. "Hasil wouldn't do that. Put a real bad hurtin' on James, but he never touched me."
Naomi frowned, looking away. She still had a soft spot in her heart for James, and wanted nothing more than to see him recover from the ailments he'd come to endure after being hit so hard financially. With the job loss in tow, he'd been on unemployment, but with the rise in prices, the fractured income didn't cover anywhere near what he needed it to. Such was the reason for Sally Ann staying home and getting a job instead of going off to college as she'd originally planned.
"Hasil and James were fighting, then?"
"It was so much more than that. I think he heard James..." Sally Ann said, a look pain crossing her face. Her hand grazed against the bruise on her arm, now covered with the sleeve of her jacket. "...well... yellin' at me. And he kicked in the door an' started in on 'im. I tried to call Hasil... t'get 'im to hear me and stop, but he just... kept on. I was terrified my presence was only fuelin' his rage and that he'd eventually kill James, so I ran and hid in the garage beneath the house til I heard him leave. Went in and tried t'patch up what I could of the damage. I stopped what bleedin' there was and James, though knocked out, was breathin' fine by the time I left, but… I couldn't bring m'self to stay. I was too afraid."
Naomi nodded, and rose, going into her bedroom. Sally Ann's eyes followed her, confused, until she reappeared, phone to her ear. Her finger pressed against her lips, telling Sally Ann to stay quiet.
Hey James, it's Naomi. Meant to call earlier t'let you know me an' Sally Ann had plans. She's 'sposed to be headin' over here t'nite, but I can't reach her on her phone. Just wanted to let her know I'm headin' to the store and'll be back in a few. Let her know fer me please, if she's still with you. I'll try her cell again in th'meantime. 'Ppreciate it.
Ending the call, Naomi returned to her seat, picking up her mug to drink again. Her eyes rose to Sally Ann's. "…Just in case."
"Thank you..." Sally Ann offered, stunned to near silence.
Naomi nodding slightly. "James still goes to that coal place weekdays?"
"He does, yeah. Been tryin' to find a job there but they keep turnin' workers away. Still shows up daily though."
"Good. I'll pay 'im a visit in the mornin' before I come in at noon, an' make sure he's alright. If he ain't 'round, I'll check there, see if he got work for the day." Naomi emptied her pocket, revealing her keys with a smile. "Still got my key."
Sally Ann laughed, finishing her tea. "That'll come in handy."
"Hopefully. What time's your shift in the morning, again? I'll drive you up on the way to the house."
"Workin' extra tomorrow, so I gotta be there at nine. James usually gets up 'round eight-thirty."
"Eight-thirty, it is. I have your spare uniform in the closet for you, by the way." Naomi rose, beckoning for her mug with a smile before putting them both in the sink. Turning, she checked the clock on the microwave. "It's gettin' late… wanna turn in?"
"Can we just… talk for a while longer?" Sally Ann asked instead. "Or watch a movie or something? Gotta get my mind off things."
Naomi smiled, heading to the bedroom to get her laptop and begin hooking it up to the main room's tv. She made popcorn and let Sally Ann choose the movie from her streaming service. It was an oldie but a goodie and one that made them both laugh and cry, with a little of both in between. When it ended, they sat on the chair, Naomi prompting her with questions before listening to her talk.
Sally Ann treasured these moments, feeling more than ever, that she'd finally found the big sister she'd always hoped for. She revealed the struggles between her and James and how increasingly hostile he'd grown, showing, she mentioned, strong correlation with his increased tendency and desire for alcohol. Naomi had nodded through it all, aware of some of those issues as she'd experienced them herself.
She'd been there before the fall from grace happened; even before their mother had left, back when things were good and the four were very much a happy family. She'd been there and she understood. But above all, she'd kept her promise to Sally Ann. After their mother abandoned them, she'd been there to console James, and promised that she'd be both his wife and Sally Ann's sister. The first promise had had trouble coming into fruition, but it meant a lot to Sally Ann that she continued to try as hard as she did to keep the second one, even after severing most ties with her brother.
As for that first promise, maybe this was all that was needed. Maybe telling someone else what was happening with James was the answer they were looking for. Maybe they… one day, would get back to that happy space in time, and things would return to normal.
By the time they'd finished talking for the night, a pleasant atmosphere had descended, leaving them both contented. It wasn't normal, but for now, it would do.
Sally Ann searched through the set of spare clothes she'd left at Naomi's and changed into her pajamas. When they made it to bed for the night, Sally Ann settled in against the comforting hold of the mattress, listening to Naomi's breath become soft as she fell asleep a short while later.
Blinking into the darkness, she found herself unable to rest yet, however, and she soon understood why after thinking through the day's events backwards and forwards multiple times. Sally Ann realized that James would call at some point, wondering if Sally Ann ever made it to Naomi's, so reaching for her phone, she opened her "Messages" and typed out the few words she could manage.
That was it, she thought. That was what she'd almost forgotten to do.
And upon pressing "Send," she felt the fatigue hit her shoulders first.
She sighed softly, turning over and hoping again, that her brother was okay. Tomorrow, she'd find out, but for now, she focused on the comfort of Hasil's voice, and the pleasant butterflies she'd feel whenever he said her name, before closing her eyes and drifting into a dreamless sleep.
JAMES
It was a very long time before James came to that night. Eyes open, he groaned, feeling like he could easily cough up blood. He tried to do so, and winced, curling over to cradle what he imagined were bruised ribs… and bruised everything else, for that matter. Swallowing dryly, he crawled until he could make his way to the side table and rise completely.
Moving slowly, he reached for a nearby beer bottle, and turned, dragging its bottom against the edge of the table with a thud. In his bedroom, he found the nearest bottle of pain meds, downed the recommended dosage, and got into bed, continuing to self-medicate and nurse away his pain with alcohol until the edges of his wounds began to numb.
With a look out the windows, he found that night had fallen, so he called for Sally Ann, needing to see her face and make sure she was okay.
"Baby girl?" he released, voice raspy. He considered checking her room, but closed his eyes instead, leaning his head back against his pillows. He needed a moment. Just one, at least, to recuperate.
Maybe she left and never came back, he thought, but dwelling on that idea made the emotional pain flood through the Band-Aid of his liquid medication. He already knew how unlikely it'd be that Sally Ann would answer if he called her, especially this time of night, considering how early some of her work shifts were. So his mind shifted gears and he thought of Naomi – if Sally Ann wasn't home, maybe she'd gone there again.
He worked hard to remember his last conversation with her:
"When was this again?" Naomi had asked.
"Not long ago. She came home late…. 'round 7 or so. Said she'd been at your house."
"Oh yeah," she began. "I remember, now. Locked my keys in the car that day and she stayed with me 'til the locksmith came. You know how long it takes for 'em to get here from Winchester. I invited her over for dinner to thank her."
"Mm…" he answered, flatly. He couldn't argue with that explanation, knowing well how close she and Sally Ann were. He also knew that questioning the validity of the claim would insinuate that he thought her a liar, and despite his feelings at the moment, he couldn't stand the idea of Naomi thinking that about him as he'd been the one to leave the door open for the chance to renew their relationship in the first place, and there'd never be an expiration set for that offer. "Thanks for the help, Naomi."
"What's going on with you, James? You alright?" came Naomi's question, quiet against his ear. James inhaled silently, closing his eyes and pressing his face into the phone. The two had been together for years, since high school, and were engaged to be married before their break-up two years ago. He missed her terribly, but he'd made a promise to himself never to tell her so as long as they were apart, and he'd not be breaking his silence on the matter now.
"Nothing," he exhaled, eyes opening. "Same old, same old. You?"
"Ya sure? You sound a bit agitated."
"Just the stuff with work," James sighed. "These good f'nothin' Farrells ain't making life any easier, either. Heard from Pastor King that he thought he'd seen Sally Ann walking with one of 'em, and just wanted to check."
"And if she was?"
"For her sake, she better not have been."
"Don't you think you're gettin' awfully worked up over something someone thought they saw? 'specially someone like Pastor King?" James couldn't see it, but a frown had crossed Naomi's face, affecting her tone as she answered. James, having known her long enough to know many of her vocal tells, picked up on it, but couldn't understand why she'd not reacted to the news as he had. Her lack of much-warranted disgust angered him.
"You tellin' me you wouldn't do the same were you in my shoes?" asked James, his tone a defensive sneer. "We're talking Farrells here. Jeeze, Naomi, who the hell do you think I am? It's like you don't even know me."
"Hey! Now hold your horses… you know full well that I know a good deal more about you than anyone else does, both good and bad," she'd protested with a growl.
James was furious then. Naomi softening up to the likes of the Farrells? Had he not known her better, he'd have thought she was dating one of the mongrels herself.
"Like that has anything to do with anything."
"I'm just saying she deserves the benefit of the doubt, James. Pastor King's gettin' old and his eyes haven't been the greatest for a while now. You know that, well as I do, and it'd be in your best interest to knock it off and let off some steam 'fore you run away the only good person left in your life who's willing t'put up with your crap."
That stung. And because she'd been so willing to hurt him, he did so in return.
"Yeah," he bit back cruelly. "Well, which one of them Ferrell's been helping you let off yours?"
Naomi's response had been a dial tone.
And understandably so, he knew. Burning that bridge wasn't something he wanted or needed, either, so he accepted the fact that he'd have to find a way to apologize and make things up to her. And soon, if he expected her to answer the next call he might have to make to her tomorrow.
James thought through the ways he could do so short notice, checking his cell phone for the time. To his surprise, however, there were already two messages waiting for him. He listened to Naomi's first, before finding that Sally Ann had texted, confirming his initial suspicions.
I'm at Naomi's again, the message read. I'll be back tomorrow. I'm sorry.
Looking up from the screen, James focused on his breathing. No need to check her room then, he thought, his jaw ticking and molding beneath his skin.
He put the phone on the nightstand, stretching slightly until the pain made him stop. Vexed by his immobility, he shook his head, fighting to push down the boil of upset that came with the memory of being beaten to a pulp in his own house a number of hours earlier.
James gulped down the last dregs of alcohol from the bottle on his nightstand, and, in a fit of irritation, threw the empty glass out the doorway of his bedroom. He heard it shatter into pieces against the wall, before reaching over to turn off his bedroom lamp.
He'd deal with that later.
After a few hours, James heard his alarm buzz. His eyes opened again, already dry from a lack of sleep, and he rose, getting dressed, not bothering to shower. The thump in his head made him pocket the bottle of meds along with his phone before he left the room and took his keys from the kitchen counter.
Shoes echoing with the grating crunch of broken glass behind him, he left the house.
When he'd arrived at One Planet that morning, he was the first one in line.
It was a change from his usual of joining the group of guys he'd come to develop a sense of camaraderie with. They'd seen each other almost every work day since everyone had lost their jobs, and the fact that they could each understand the agony of being unable to completely provide for their families had come to hold many of them together like glue.
James, however, didn't want to see them. Not right now, at least, feeling as under the weather as he did. He was grateful when Haylie Grimes arrived, announcing to him and a few other early birds that the new equipment had been delivered to replace the ones the Ferrells had destroyed.
"Good news, all," she smiled. "We have eight whole hours of work for everyone looking to do it!"
Walking up to her, he reached out his hand, not bothering to hold her gaze for too long. Her eyes surveyed his appearance, and to his pleasure, the sight of his sorry state of disrepair made her usual smile, both insincere and slimy, drop from her face. Her mouth opened, but before she could ask, James took his voucher with a light, "Thank you, ma'am" and left.
Time passed quickly for him, and he found himself becoming increasingly grateful for the work. It kept him busy and had him using muscles sorely needing use after growing stiff and inflamed during the night. Best yet, though, it kept his mind off of Sally Ann, making him dread the fact that the work day had gone so soon.
Making his way back to One Planet Headquarters to turn in his voucher, he hoped to get in and out quickly without being seen by his friends. Sadly, however, he had no such luck, as sat on the bench near the door was Jake Murphy and a number of other men, waiting to receive clearance and pay for their day. Cap turned backwards on his head, he was resting, waiting for the doors to open. When he heard James' footsteps, he cracked open his eyes.
"Ooo-wee," he whistled. "What the holy hell happened to you, Jay?" His voice a state of confused awe. A couple of the guys nearby looked up at his words, staring curiously.
James sighed, rolling his head around on his neck slowly. He needed to decide just how much of the story he'd tell, and in the end, settled on revealing almost everything.
"Had a run in with one of those damn Farrell kids. Been sniffin' 'round my sister."
"Sally Ann?" Jake asked, taken aback.
"Th'one an' only."
"Wow. Hadn't pegged her for one who'd run with a crowd like that."
"She's not," muttered James. "'least she won't be if I have anything to do with it."
Jake nodded at this, thinking it over. "Sounds like you needta keep that one on a short leash."
James' ears twitched at the analogy. Gazing over at Jake, he could tell he'd already moved onto his next thought, none the wiser about the fact that he'd compared his sister to an animal. For all of the strife between the two, he loved his sister through and through. He didn't mean to do the things he did to her and to frighten her so, but at this point, it was hard to help it. It's almost as if the persona had become a second skin. A part of him he didn't know existed until the throes of depression had lain hands on him, becoming one with him against his will. It became worse with the alcohol, but he didn't know how to let go of that, either. The only thing he'd been left knowing was that he loved his sister and being over-protective of her was one of the most natural ways he knew to show it. This would include protecting her honor, reputation and name.
James bit the inside of his cheek hard, and sighed, knowing this wasn't the place or the time to get into the issue, but certainly not planning to forget it. Keeping appearances instead, he answered with a gruff, "I intend to do so."
"Where was she when that happened," Jake asked, pointing to his own face to refer to the damage done to James'.
"She left. Hasn't been home since."
"Ouch," he began, but at that moment, the door to the mobile unit opened and out stepped Breece Dobbs. Uniform on, he didn't have a speck of dirt on him. Such must be the benefits of a cushy desk job, James thought, wanting to chuckle. Breece nodded to the two of them, walking up to say hello, but he didn't manage to do so before being drawn to James.
"Gee Whiz," breathed Breece, coming close to examine his face, which, James assumed, resembled quite the crime scene photo. "Looks like someone up an' played baseball withcho face, man."
"An' feels like it, too," he murmured with a smirk.
"What happened?"
"The Farrell reign of terror has widened," Jake filled in. "Now one of 'em's done attacked Jay in an effort to win his dear ol' sister's heart."
"Or corrupt it," James said, correcting him.
"Same thing, ay?" Breece answered with a grin.
James nodded. "Pretty much." He nudged Breece's shoulder, changing the subject. "Hey fancy man, how's it hanging in that big, ol' office of yours, Mr. "Commune-itee Lee-aysownnnne Officer"?" The air quotes he'd made with his hand around the job title made Breece a little queasy. Enduring the cat calls on his way into work every day had been taking a toll on him.
"Hey, now you stop it. It's an okay job."
"Mmhm," teased James, poking Breece in the side this time. "More like a comfy job."
"Yeah," joined Jake. "You gettin' soft on us, Breece? Ya lookin' awfully fluffy lately, since ya'stopped doin' real man's work."
Breece gave a thin smile, shaking his head. "Naw, guys, you know me better than that."
"Or at least we thought we did," James contributed.
"Ya do," said Breece, giving them a level look and a nod. "Ain't nothin' changed. The job ain't no big deal. An' to tell ya th'truth, I look forward to getting out in the field again. Gets awfully stuffy in there."
"Ya wanna unwind tonight then?" Jake asked, rising out of his seat to stretch.
"How so?"
"Eh, you know… the usual." Jake grinned at him, the local bar coming to mind. "Nothin' too reckless, tomorrow bein' a work day an' all."
Breece thought it over. He didn't want to go home right now anyway; certainly not after having had to endure the latest of heated discussions with his wife, Ledda. He loved the woman more than life itself, but even he couldn't deal with her pessimism at times. The long overdue break was a welcome one.
"Sure," he answered. "When ya wanna go?"
Jake looked up, watching the colors of sunset slowly begin to take shape in the sky. "Gotta turn in my ticket, but right now's fine."
"No problem. We can take the truck. Been meanin' to show it to you guys."
Breece took both of their documents in to get cleared and when done, led them to through the parking lot.
Their time at the bar passed swimmingly, and all three men were happy to note how much it felt like old times again. They reminisced about better days, when jobs were plentiful and income adequate, making toasts for hopes of good future fortune. They'd clapped Breece on the back, giving him sincere congratulations on the job, and continued on, catching up on the changes that had taken place in each other's lives.
When the conversation made its way back to James' face, he was too drunk to care.
"So… fill me in again, James. What exactly happened t'ya face?"
"Guy named Hasil came at me. Blind-sided me right through the door."
"Good grief," whispered Breece. "With the way they look, an' all, I sometimes wonder if they're all half bear."
"If only," James answered, wistful. "It's legal to hunt bear."
This brought out dirty chuckles from the three of them until, calming down, Jake asked of James, "Ya went lookin' for her yet? Or want to, at least? We could make a night's end of it."
All three knew to whom he was referring.
"Naw, she was at Naomi's last I checked. Texted and said she'd be home after work."
"…or not," Breece answered. "What'll she do after work, before she gets home?"
This thought pushed its way through James' mind slowly, prodding at him like a hot poker. He hadn't considered that, he thought with a frown. Worry prickled at his limbs now.
"…On second thought. Yeah… yeah, let's do that." James rose off the stool, leaving the pay for his bill on the bar. He looked at his watch, humming. "She should be at work now. Front register, so if we drive past, we should see her easy."
"Ooh, can I drive?" Jake asked. "Just past the store and back to One Planet is all. Jus'… been a while since I been in a new car…"
Breece shrugged. They were all intoxicated anyway and with there being so few cars on the road and the distance so small that they'd arrive in a handful of minutes, he didn't feel a need to hold back. He tossed him the keys.
"Sure, go for it."
They made their way to the car, James in middle with Jake in the driver's seat. Breece got into the passenger's side while Jake played around with buttons near the dash. Lights were popping on, causing James to look down at which settings he'd manipulated.
"Heated seats? Ohh la la..." jeered Jake with a laugh.
"You're just jealous mine has seats," Breece hit back, his spirits high despite the verbal lashing he'd been receiving.
"Ohhh, low blow, man. Low blow!" Jake laughed harder, before settling down to put on his seat belt.
"Looks like we're ridin' high t'night" James said, crooning as his words slurred just slightly. He put on his own seat belt before taking a breath and sitting back. "I'm gonna hafta sober up a bit before talkin' 'bout driving home. You too, Jake."
Jake groaned, waving his hand. "Town's small. We'll make it home before we notice. Don't worry 'bout it."
He started the car, traveling slowly. The town of Blackburg was a small one, and as many towns of similar type were wont to sometimes do, it and its residents closed things down early, heading home shortly after work so that there wasn't much of a night life to look forward to. From what he'd heard, the majority of the town's teens chose to party at home, so there were few of them to be seen past nightfall, as well.
The only people left over were usually barflies, and he was grateful that he was one of them for the night, traversing Blackburg's nearly empty streets. From his position in the truck, he felt taller than he'd been in a while and it made him drive carefully. He wasn't drunk drunk, and nowhere near knackered, but still…
He made his way down side streets, tracing the same paths he'd walked as a kid. Slowing down, he paused to let someone walk across the street, and watched as the guy's hand rose in thanks as he trotted over to the left, nearing the sidewalk.
"Hey… Hey, that's him!" James whispered, peering close to the windshield.
"What you talkin' bout?" Breece asked. Jake listened, letting the car sit still until he answered.
"That's the Ferrell kid…. th'one that tried t'make ground beef outta ma face. Th'good for nothin'…" James continued, a slew of curse words and profane labeling slipping past his lips.
Breece raised an amused eyebrow and eyed James with a laugh.
"Well, dang, James..." Jake egged on. "Tell 'im how you REALLY feel!"
"Would love to," James replied, eyes still following Hasil down the street. Jake looked at him and as he sat there, he began to resemble a hunter, lying in wait for the perfect moment to strike and nail his prize catch of the day.
It was an accurate description for James, as well, as the anticipation was already making itself known inside of him. This was his second chance to get retribution, and he found himself teetering closer to the desire to get out of the car and beat Hasil down right then and there, holding his face down until he drowned in a puddle of his own blood. His fingers began to flex.
Jake reached below the seat, hands looking for the item he'd left in the car before heading into the bar that night. Fingers sliding against it, he picked it up, arm rising to reveal his gun. A grin began to slither over his face. "Well you're in luck, tonight, Jay," he smirked, taking a quick look at it to check for bullets. Looking over with a wink, he continued. "How'sa 'bout we start by puttin' the fear a'God into this one?"
James' eyes slid over to the gun, the corner of his lips tugging into a smile. He glanced over at Breece. "Breece?"
Breece, eyes also on the gun, took a moment to evaluate the situation. What'd be the harm in scaring the guy a little? The idea of doing so in his company car left him a little uneasy but honestly, what'd he have to lose? Not like Farrells can read license plates, he thought with a laugh, noting well the fact that he, too, had grown a strong dislike for the group. "Fine… but nothin' we'll regret in the mornin', okay?"
"No problemo," Jake cooed, eyeing the gun again before handing it to James. "We gon' get ourselves a Farrell!"
Only a minute or two had passed since Hasil had crossed the street and it'd be a little ways before they'd reach the main street of stores anyway, so Jake let the car coast forward a bit, driving up to him slowly.
"Hey Farrell!" called Jake, lowering the driver's side window. "Got a bone t'pick with you."
Hasil slowed to a stop, looking up as his hand moved reflexively to his side. His fingers wrapped around the handle of his blade. Turning, he could only see Jake in the window, so he looked a bit closer, trying to see if he could place his face with a memory.
"'Fraid I ain't seen you before, sir. Pretty sure I ain't done nothin' to cross ya, either."
"Your bein' here alive is enough to make me cross," Jake laughed, causing Hasil to lick his lips in irritation. He slowly began to pull the knife from his side.
"Listen, I ain't tryin' to make no trouble…" he started, before seeing two shadows move beside the man. Narrowing his eyes, he looked at them, and back at the driver as one of the shadows began to speak. The speaker pressed a button on the ceiling until light began to flood the space.
And this man, Hasil did recognize. He swallowed, the blood draining from his face.
"'member me? You ain't seen my friend before, but… surely, you've seen me, right?" James asked, his voice a low, intimidating rumble. "Ya'see, you warned me never to touch her again. Didn't say nothin' 'bout you, though. So, I just wanted to thank ya for slowing down a bit this time…" He handed Jake the gun and nodded to him before looking back out the window at Hasil. Jake held up the pistol for him, aiming it at Hasil. "…and makin' it that much easier t'kill you."
At the sight of the gun, Hasil froze, eyes wide. His hand slowly rose as James smiled, leering at him. "Oh no, I'm afraid that won't be working this time." James chucked darkly, reaching up to click off the ceiling light before sitting back into the darkness.
"Too late, boy. Already got plans to have you stuffed, now."
Those were the last words Hasil heard before the pistol went off, releasing a deafening crack.
HASIL
Hasil was gone at the word "stuffed" and he'd made it just in the nick of time, too.
He knew that he should have been gone at the sight of the gun instead, but he'd found himself too frozen to move. Most shocking to him wasn't the idea of dying. After the years he spent on the mountain, he had no fear of that. He could handle that.
But, he couldn't handle the thought of never seeing Sally Ann again.
And it was that thought that made him bolt.
Turning from the group in the truck, he'd made his way down the street, looking around as he continued running hard. His first instinct was to call for help but knowing how disliked the Farrells were in town to begin with, he assumed that anyone who heard him and managed to get a good look at the situation would probably do little to stop the chase, anyway; it wasn't an assumption he enjoyed having, but he couldn't help feeling that it was true. Thankfully, he'd soon be close enough to the one person in town who cared, for the response of others not to matter.
The store, he thought, upon recognizing the buildings ahead, should be along the street after the next turn right. He doubled his efforts, knowing his life depended on it. If he could just make it to the store where Sally Ann worked, he'd be fine. He'd be safe, preferably, within the circle of her arms, and he'd be inside a building with much more protection than the knife he had on him provided. He focused on getting there and seeing her face, imagining what he'd say as he begged her for forgiveness. She was the only thing left to keep him going.
Turning right, he noticed, from the sound of the truck's tires, that he'd managed to gain some distance from his pursuers. On the way down the street, he could hear that they'd started yelling at each other for whatever reason, before focusing their yelling at him, beginning to drive again. Where you goin', boy?!" was the clearest of their calls as they persisted after him, followed by profane epithets that filtered out the car windows.
Hasil was blissfully ignorant of the majority of them, however, as the pounding of blood through his veins had since deafened out the noises, leaving his eyes to pay attention to the surrounding buildings and lights. As he did so now, he felt his heart jump into his throat.
The majority of the lights in the store had gone off.
Which meant that Sally Ann could have made it home already, and if so, he still had a long way to run before finding her again. Choking down a sob, he resigned himself to pushing past the pain of his burning lungs and muscles, and continued to run forward, his head down. I'll make it back to you, Sally Ann, he chanted in repetition inside his head, hearing and seeing little more than that promise.
He'd make it to see her again, yes. Of this, he was certain.
He just hoped he'd not be near death by the time he did so.
SALLY ANN
The lights were fading toward the front of the store when Sally Ann started packing up. She'd already taken care of balancing her register for the day and started toward the back to help with the last bit of cleaning. Naomi stopped her, her voice low.
"I'll close up for you, Sally Ann. Go 'head and get on home. Don't need to prolong it any longer than necessary, and I couldn't catch him this mornin', so he's probably in a good mood from workin'."
Naomi had already done so much for her, letting her stay over and driving her to work. Both were employed by the same two establishments now, carrying out part-time schedules at the local retail store, as well as the Mini Mart gas station nearby. After the incident with the Farrells at the store, Sally Ann thought it best to have a backup plan, in case she was penalized for her inaction during the robbery. Naomi, who'd already been working at the gas station, had put in a good word for her, helping her get the job. She couldn't have asked for a better sister, friend or coworker, and was grateful for her help and company. But, she hated the fact that she felt so distant from her now, preoccupied with thoughts of going back home to confront James.
"Yeah…." Sally Ann responded, her thoughts far away. She knew she had to, but she didn't want to go back. Not just yet. She didn't want to have to answer for her absence the night before, and she really didn't think she could stomach having to sit in the family room and talk to her brother while looking at his face and the handiwork Hasil had left behind. "I'll call you when I get there, then. T'let you know I made it home safe."
Naomi nodded. "Text me and let me know how it goes. I'll call James after for you… see if I can get him in his right mind, if necessary."
Sally Ann smiled, even though her jaw had already started to set, her back teeth grinding together. "Thanks, Naomi," she whispered. "For everything."
"Anytime, sweetie."
Sally Ann exited the store from the front, intending to take the route she usually did when without a car. On the rare occasions that she had to walk home at night, she always took the busiest and most visible streets.
She'd only just made it off the sidewalk when the sound of a loud crackling made her jump and look around. Having lived in Kentucky as long as she had, she could identify the sound as a gunshot, but the streets had been relatively empty. It didn't make sense for a sound like that to be so close by.
She backed away, moving closer to the store in hopes of avoiding whatever line of sight she could have been walking her way into, but before she could get far, a sudden gust of wind whipped past her. She stumbled back, startled, and turned her head to look at the figure running along the edge of the sidewalk and down the street.
"Hasil?" she whispered into the night.
Sally Ann could recognize the smell of ash, and fire, and wood emanating from the path the figure left behind, but for that fraction of a second, her mind couldn't reconcile the scent with what she'd experienced.
Enough to make her doubt herself, she couldn't fully tell who it was she'd seen. Something was unfamiliar. No kilt? was her mind's first response, but she shook her head slightly at the absurdity of that being her first thought after seeing the scene unfold as she just had. Though she'd only ever seen Hasil in a kilt, and he was quite literally the only person she'd ever met to wear one, missing or no, just the fact that he was the first conclusion that, not just her mind, but her heart, had come to, was enough.
She could hear Naomi call to her, making her turn.
"W-…was that a gunshot I just heard?"
Sally Ann nodded towards her, her heart beginning to pound. "Tell Raj we're gonna need the police out here."
Naomi disappeared and Sally Ann could see her, arms in the air as she explained the issue to Raj. His hands were moving quickly, tapping buttons and bringing the store phone to his ear. Crouching low, Sally Ann peeked out around the shrubs of bushes lining the front parking lot of the store.
She could hear the expletives coasting loudly down the street to her. Accompanied by the rumble of tires she narrowed down one of the voices, picking up on familiar phrases she'd only ever heard from one person. Distraught, adrenaline overwhelmed her rational thoughts, flooding them out and laying them to waste as she stepped into the street.
"JAMES!" she cried with full force, and her voice reverberated, seemingly ricocheting off of concrete and gravel, bricks and glass windows, until it was louder than it was when it first left her.
That formidable voice pierced the silent night air with the precision of a sniper rifle, making the street shift from the single, lonesome sounds of profanity and Hasil's running footsteps, to the echo of Sally Ann's voice and the shrill screech of tires.
At the sight and sound of her, the car slowed quickly and stopped.
The figure behind Sally Ann did the same.
HASIL
Hasil stopped at the voice behind him, and turned. He could see her tiny figure, dainty and small as she stood in the middle of the expanse of empty streets and buildings. Trying to catch his breath, he folded, leaning forward to put his hands on his knees before looking back up.
"Sally Ann?" came his whisper as he walked to her slowly, coming to stop at her right side. He was on the sidewalk now, feeling a mixture of curiosity, awe and relief flood through him. "Sally Ann… what are you doing?"
The car that was chasing after him had stopped a ways down the street, headlights focused on her. The effect created long shadows that rested behind her limbs, making her appear both smaller and more frightening, all at once. The sound of her voice welcomed him to her, but the words were all wrong.
"I don't even want to know why you're down here, Hasil. I just want you to go home."
Hasil shook his head quickly in refusal. "I couldn't find you, Sally Ann. It's why I came t'see you tonight. I had t'make sure you were alright."
"I'm fine Hasil," Sally Ann said, eyes still level with the truck's headlights. "Stayed the night at a friend's and she drove me t'work this morning." She started walking forward.
"Where ya going?"
"That's my brother, Hasil. I have to go."
"But..." he protested, stopping her.
SALLY ANN AND HASIL
"C'mon Sally Ann… You can come home with me. I'd work out somethin' for ya. It'd be easy to leave now…"
"We weren't put here with the promise of easy decisions," Sally Ann decided, looking forward all the while, but speaking loud enough for Hasil to hear. "We have burdens to bear and sometimes we have to bite the bullet and take the good with the bad. Just go home, Hasil..." Sally Ann pressed, her hand rising to pause his words and punctuate the seriousness of each of the words in her statement. "Please. Aren't you in enough trouble with the law as it is?"
Hasil's mouth set in a line as he looked from her to the truck ahead. He knew they could both hear the sirens now, coming closer. The lights would soon follow suit.
Hasil sighed, biting his lip as he gave her a long look. She continued, turning to whisper her reassurances in an effort to keep him quiet. She was right… and being locked in a cell would do nothing to help either of them. Not only would his family be livid, but it'd ruin his ability to see her as he wished.
"It'll be alright Hasil. Just… go home."
She glanced at him, trying to hold onto every detail of his face in her memory; she'd need to until they were able to see each other again. Hasil stood, staring at her. Her eyes spoke more than her lips did at that moment, and he could feel the connection between them grow again. Its healing was a painful process, causing his chest to ache where he stood, but the knowledge that that connection was still there was enough to make him move, albeit slowly.
He nodded at her words, and in his silence, she could already see he'd become bright-eyed, his slow swallows combining together with his glistening eyes to make evident the fact that he'd not be leaving her without shedding tears first.
But she knew, full well, that if she saw him do so, she'd rush into his arms and kiss his cheeks dry, folding like a paper doll into his embrace until they felt as one being and she'd molded into the curves of his body.
She gave her own thick swallow, and, troubled, lowered her eyes.
She'd leave him instead.
By now, the police had made it to the pickup truck and uniformed officers were already out, flashlights peering through the windows at the passengers inside. James looked none too happy about the opposition and felt no shame about showing it, either. He glared at her through the windshield, looking as if he expected the glass to buckle and shatter beneath the weight of his fury. She'd seen that look before. He was daring her to go with Hasil. To choose him over her own blood...
But ignorant of the epiphany she'd had the day before, he was all together clueless of the fact that, for Sally Ann, it was her choice to stay that embodied the further severing of her ties of loyalty to him.
Determined to face this head on, Sally Ann looked forward again and set her back until her spine felt as steel. Chin level, her hands rose in the air in time with her footsteps, and she walked slowly toward the police. "Go home, Hasil. It'll be alright. I'll see you soon." she prompted again, stern but soft, and this time not waiting for a reply. Hasil watched, knowing better than to attempt to give her one.
Sally Ann prayed that in time, both statements would ring true. That not only would she see Hasil again soon, but that this run-in with the police would be the catalyst needed for things between her and James to finally be good again. Or better, at least, as she would consider any lesser amount of the destructive behavior she'd experienced for the past two years to be preferable, too.
Hasil began to back away slowly when her body started to glow, the colors blue, white and red, flashing against her. Now that the sirens had stopped, she could hear him breathing, his inhalations wet with what she could hear were sniffled tears. He took his time leaving her, and although his slow decline was visible from the corner of her eye, she didn't dare look at him again.
JAMES
Having been removed from the truck, James' hands were now resting on its frame as the police checked through his pockets. Through it all, his gaze never left Sally Ann's as she came closer.
She stared back at him, face as emotionless and smooth as the surface of an undisturbed lake. James noted this, before swaying slightly. Alcohol heavy in his blood, the excitement of the night had done its job in quickening his descent into madness, but he found himself welcoming the familiar stupor that it'd bring.
He was vaguely aware of the cops now, who were taking out notepads and speaking to his friends. Beneath the haze, however, everyone's voices were muffled, sounding as if he'd descended not only into drunkenness, but to the very bottom of the ocean. When his balance threatened to shift again, he thought it an appropriate and perhaps poetic thing, that his feet felt as much like cement as they did. Perhaps he'd be better off down there. Or maybe he'd haunt the bottom of a well.
He smiled and chuckled to himself at the macabre thought, half dazed even as he came back to reality, and realized that what had felt like hours had only been a few seconds. Sally Ann, with her hands raised in submission, was still walking along the street towards the scene, and neither's eyes had left the other's. Appreciation uncoiled within his stomach then, as he saw her.
So she hadn't chosen the Ferrell.
He'd expected her to turn on him and leave as she had yesterday, but since she hadn't… now what?
And why not?
There were too many questions he didn't have the answers to, leaving him wondering what her explanation for leaving him half-dead would be. Wondered if she'd actually been with the Ferrell boy before going to Naomi's, and if, despite all they'd been through together, she cared so little about him now that she'd been unwilling to bother coming back home to make sure he'd lived through the night. Maybe she'd stayed behind now to make sure he ended up in the slammer and remained there, so she'd be able to wallow around in Ferrell filth with wild abandon. That sounded like a Ferrell's doing to him, alright, and he knew within the very marrow of his bones, that the clan was at fault for playing a part in the poisoning of his sister's mind.
The question now was... is she friend or foe?
Appreciation gave way to angry suspicion, his eyes narrowing as he wished, with a snarl, that he'd finished the deed and killed that Farrell boy, if only to relieve the need to worry at all. It'd have been worth it, his heart thumped maliciously. He'd pick this bone until it bleached clean, he decided. Then, and only then would the hatred he felt curl tightly and clench like a ball of serpents at the pit of his stomach, subside.
Still floating on waves of delirium that were heightening the sensitivity of his emotions, James felt the rise of a sudden wind send such an icy chill down his spine that he personified it, imagining that wind to be some mountain spirit, having come close to howl at him and blow a glacial gust of air, the likes of liquid nitrogen into his face; to freeze this moment in time like a photograph, and make it so that James would always be the loser of this war.
Always the face… can't hide the damage when it's done there, he thought, and followed up the mountain spirit's threat to his face with the aching desire to retaliate with a blow torch to Hasil's, as it was, James reasoned, Hasil's fault that he'd hurt Sally Ann, and by extension, also his fault that James was out here and in this predicament in the first place.
He could feel an officer pull him up to bring his arms behind his back then, and now upright and blinking, he watched Sally Ann finally arrive. After a long look at him, she spoke, watching the cold cuffs tug and dig abrasively into his wrists.
The sharp clarity of her tone sliced through his haze and to his surprise, he found it to be even colder than the spirit's.
"I think it's high time that you and I had a little talk, Brother."
A/N: Let me just begin with a huge, ecstatic announcement about Outsiders being renewed for Season 2. Couldn't be happier about it. :)
And as for this one shot, I hope it turned out okay and that you enjoyed it!
For context, if needed: I get the feeling Jake and Zeke are in the car with James in the preview, but in this situation, I'm making it Jake and Breece. Also had a slight time jump between the first line of the story and the second; by the second line, Sally Ann's exiting the house, having already checked on James.
Disclaimer: I don't own the canon characters. Everything pre-owned belongs to its owner(s). No copyright infringement intended.