Angels and Monsters

Ch. 1: Sympathy for a Demon

Summary: Sometimes stories don't end the way you've hoped. Life is no different. Post film, eventual Sarah/Ronnie.

A/n: Written for a few girlfriends of mine.

Sarah Pierce walked up to the information desk of East Wyndam Hospital clutching a bouquet of sunflowers.

"I'm looking for Ronald McGorvey," she said politely. "What room is he in?"

The nurse looked dumbstruck, stammering that McGorvey was in room 370. Sarah silently nodded her thanks and walked to the elevator. She pressed the button to the 3rd floor and stood there with her back pressed against the wall.

Despite all she'd heard about what Ronnie had done and how friends and neighbors considered him a monster, Sarah had been struck at the realization of just how human this supposed 'demon' was. Seeing Ronnie mourn the death of his mother made Sarah realize just how absent she'd been in her daughter Lucy's life. Sarah walked to the closed door of room 370 and knocked. Larry Hedges, the disgraced former policeman who went from nearly killing Ronnie to saving his life, opened the door.

"S—Sarah, right?" he asked, surprised that anyone would visit McGorvey. Larry stayed with him for his own peace of mind. There had been a defiant, possibly suicidal fire burning in McGorvey's eyes that night. Larry would never forgive himself if Ronnie died because of his mistakes. "You're Brad's friend aren't you?"

"I—would rather not talk about that," said Sarah quietly. She set the sunflowers in the empty vase on the end table at Ronnie's bedside, picking up the ceramic container to fill it with water from the sink. Moving carefully, Sarah put the vase back on the table. She paused and looked McGorvey over. He was sleeping and didn't show signs of waking up anytime soon.

"What happened to him?" Sarah asked, looking up from Ronnie's sleeping form to Larry. "I talked to him. He kept saying that his mother died. That the only person who'd ever loved him was gone…"

Her voice trailed off and Larry handed her a piece of paper. iPlease, please be a good boy/i was written in blue ink from either a dying pen or the hand a dying person. What pained Sarah more was what was written underneath the plea: I'M SORRY, MOMMY, I DON'T THINK I CAN!

"When I found him," said Larry shakily, "he was sobbing, but he had this look in his eyes that I can't quite place. He was bleeding and then I realized he'd attempted to castrate himself."

Sarah gasped, her hands flying to her mouth.

"Wuh—what?" she whispered. She was horrified, but felt a sudden, unexplainable wave of sympathy for Ronnie. Sarah took his hand in his. Had Ronnie known what some members of the community wanted to do to him and thus did it himself? "I'm so sorry."

As though Sarah's words were a hypnotist's cue, Ronnie opened his eyes. He blinked a few times, as though trying to get his sight to focus.

"What…?" he gasped, his voice hoarse. He tried to move, only to wince in pain.

"Easy, buddy," said Larry, gently putting his hand on Ronnie's shoulder. "This is the woman who spoke to you the other night."

"You…" Ronnie whispered, his eyes meeting Sarah's. The man was obviously drugged, as his eyes rolled into the back of his head and fluttered closed.

"He's in a lot of pain," said Larry quietly, shoving his hands into his pockets. "The doctors keep pumping him full of morphine. He wakes up and doesn't know where he is."

"Are his injuries—" started Sarah. She paused, wondering how best to phrase her question in hopes of not seeming like the type of woman who reveled in misfortunes of others. "How bad are they?"

"Ahh…" Larry said in a delicate tone, "well, he'll never be a father…" He chuckled grimly, looking exhausted.

"Get some rest," said Sarah, putting a hand on Larry's shoulder. "A friend of mine is watching my daughter, Lucy, for the day. I don't mind keeping an eye on Ronnie for a bit."

For the first time in two days, Larry broke out into a genuine smile.

"You're an angel," he said. "I'll be in the waiting room down the hall. Come get me if anything happens."

Sarah smiled and nodded. She remembered Larry as the man who had launched a one-man army against Ronnie. Recalled that Larry would have killed him if he could. And now the lynch mob had turned into a savior. Sarah smiled at Ronnie as he slept, taking his hand in hers again. He wasn't a monster in her eyes anymore, but a man in pain. A man who needed a friend.

Funny how things turn out, she thought.