New chapter for anyone keeping up with this story. Hope you like it.
It had been a few hours since Mad Sweeney and Laura left the motel. Well, fled the motel in a stolen car is more of a correct statement. It had been mostly quiet for the ride, so far. Sweeney wasn't about to bring up his little faux pas that he had done back at the motel. He was still embarrassed and quite frankly, a little scared of what she might say. She might even hit him again for possibly crossing a line with her. Though, she swore she wouldn't hit him again, Sweeney wasn't about to take any chances with the way his luck was going.
It was hard for Sweeney to focus on anything else but that kiss he had foolishly planted on Laura's lips. It was bound to make the rest of their journey to Kentucky that much harder to deal with. He was already feeling a million different ways about it, mostly fear, if he couldn't convince Easter to resurrect Laura, it was fear that he would be failing her. It didn't make sense, He hadn't really felt a true fear like this in a very long time. There was never really a need to fear anything, he had his lucky coin back then. Luck was always on his side. Not to mention, he kept company with some rather powerful people. So, he pretty much had everything covered.
Mr. Wednesday, for example, was a force to be reckoned with. Not too many escaped his wrath should he feel the need to unleash it. He had saved Sweeney's ass a few times over the years. Sweeney, was naturally indebted to him. Though, Wednesday wasn't particularly a person you want to owe a debt to, Sweeney had learned the hard way. That being said, He had become accustomed to the "Tasks" that Mr. Wednesday would have him do. Laura Moon was no different...or so he thought.
Mr. Wednesday had called upon one of his debts to be paid from Mad Sweeney only a week and a half ago. Sweeney, not having a care in the world then, did as he was asked without a second thought. Yeah, he knew Wednesday was a shady bastard but, not much he could do since he was in the mans pocket. Not like it mattered anyway, all he had left in this shitty world was his luck. It got him by and was incredibly helpful should Sweeney find himself in a situation that called for a little. Now he was finding that maybe, just maybe, this world could be a little less shitty. It could be something so much more, if it was with the right person.
Sweeney shook his head at the thought. He had been silent for awhile, just staring out of the car window. Laura had noticed but, she figured he was just brooding about his coin again. Or maybe, he might even be thinking about that kiss he had given her. She was thinking about it, that's for sure. It certainly had a lasting effect on her brain now. All she could think about was the sensation she had felt on her lips when he had kissed her. She wondered if she would still feel that again, should they repeat the performance, so to speak.
Laura quickly snapped out of her thoughts once she felt Sweeney's eyes on her. "What?" She managed to get out rather nonchalantly. She was kind of proud of herself to be able to say it with such casualness and not at all like she had been caught red-handed daydreaming about him.
"For a dead girl about to be resurrected, you sure are being quiet." Sweeney commented. "I figured you'd be yappin' on about your plans with your dear hubby once you get your heartbeat going again, hell, you wouldn't shut up about him just a few days ago." he added.
"I haven't really thought about any plans." Laura answered honestly. "I just feel like I need to get to Easter, get resurrected...and then go from there I guess..." she added. "There's no guarantee Shadow will even take me back...not after what I did to him. I couldn't really blame him either. I'm a horrible person."
It was true, Laura hadn't really thought past what she would do if she found Shadow. If their first encounter after her death was anything to go off of, then what exactly was she holding onto now? Yeah, she thought she had wanted nothing but Shadow, now, she didn't know what she wanted. If the bright light that she was following was any indication on how she still felt, then obviously she still felt something for him. Of course she would always love him...He was her first real love. Now, it seemed different though and she couldn't quite put her finger on it. Which made this whole mess that much more confusing.
Laura crinkled up her eyebrows in confusion as she glanced over at Sweeney, who was looking at her thoughtfully. "Why the hell is he brighter to me?" she thought in her head. "what does any of this mean?" she wondered.
"You're not a horrible person, Laura Moon, you're just human." Sweeney said as matter-of-factly as he could. "Humans are easily persuaded into shit that they don't have any idea about...I mean, take you for example, you were the easiest to persuade..." Sweeney trailed off. Realizing he had just said too much, he inwardly cringed in horror as soon as the words fell from his mouth.
"What do you mean, I was the easiest to persuade?" Laura asked in a serious but curious tone.
"It's nothing." Sweeney tried to backpedal. "I meant this whole trip we are embarked on."
"No, I'm pretty sure you meant something else." Laura said angrily now. He was obviously hiding something from her. Something important. Laura stared at him, much angrier now and if her stare had any heat to it, she was sure she could burn a hole right through his body.
After everything they had been through, she felt the least he could do was be honest with her. She thought she meant a little more to him than that. It was really starting to piss her off. She had come to think she had a friend in him...maybe more than a friend. She didn't know, she was so confused about everything and here he was, just adding to all that confusion. "Well!?" Laura barked out like an order.
Sweeney, knowing he royally fucked up, sighed and hit the dashboard of the car with his fist. He just went and gave away that he knew more than he was letting on. That he knew exactly why this was happening to Laura. Sweeney wasn't exactly sworn to secrecy about this whole mess because, well, Laura was supposed to stay dead. Not traipsing around the great states of America trying to reach her husband, who knew nothing of this whole greater plan.
Laura suddenly slammed on the brakes and came to a screeching halt in the middle of the road. "What the fuck did you really mean, Sweeney? do I have to take back my pinky promise and rip your balls off and toss them into that ditch over there?" Laura pointed to the side of the road.
"Alright, Alright!" Sweeney yelled out. "I meant, your little accident weren't no little accident is all..." Sweeney said in exasperation. He thought, "Fuck it", Wednesday isn't here at this very moment and he wasn't the one dealing with the dead girl who had Incredible Hulk like strength. It was either deal with Wednesday's wrath when the time came or lose his testicles right this very moment. He chose to keep his balls, he was quite attached to them after all.
Laura, getting angrier and angrier by the second managed to get out " If you don't start talking and telling me everything you know within the next five seonds...so help me..." She trailed off. She waited a few seconds as Sweeney stayed quiet and she was about to go back on her promise. When he hadn't spoken up she made a move like she was about to make her threat very real, he flinched and finally agreed to tell her everything.
"Look, I'm just saying you're not a terrible person, okay? You didn't cheat on Shadow knowingly. You get what I'm saying?" Sweeney spat out.
"No! I don't fucking get what you are saying! explain it like I have no fucking clue what you mean and that there aren't any gods, leprechauns and fucking magical unicorns that shit rainbows out of their asses!" she screamed at Sweeney.
Trying to make light of the situation, He sort of giggled and said "Well...I ain't never seen no unicorn shit a rainbow but..."
"Fuck you, Sweeney! Explain! Now!" Laura urged on in anger.
"Alright, I can't tell you that there weren't no divine intervention involved in all of this mess. Frankly, I don't think you could fully grasp what I'm about to tell you but I'll try to explain it as best as I can." Sweeney spoke slowly and carefully. Not wanting to upset Laura more than he already had.
"Mr. Wednesday, AKA Odin, Had a real bad need for your man Shadow. In all honesty, I have no idea what for. I just know that Wednesday put a charm on you, so to speak. A charm that would ultimately lead to a bunch of shitty decisions on your part and make your man Shadow leave you. I thought that was the whole of it until Wednesday informed me that just wasn't enough for him. He wanted Shadow to have no reason left on this earth not join forces with him. He wanted Shadow to be a man who had nothing left at all. He needed you dead, Laura." Sweeney said slowly and fearful of Laura's wrath.
Laura took a minute to process this. She found it hard to even find words to respond. This whole time she thought it was just her shitty, stupid self making these horrible life changing decisions. This whole time she had thought it was her, who knocked the gear shift out of gear with her shoulder as she went down on Robbie, Causing their fatal accident. She started to replay that night of the accident in her head. The more she thought about it, the more some of the little details were coming back to her.
She thought back to when she took her very last breath. It hadn't hurt like she thought it would, it just felt empty, like nothing. She had always imagined that death was painful and terrifying. When it had actually happened, she found it a little underwhelming.
She thought harder and harder as they sat in silence and Sweeney kept his mouth shut, terrified to even breathe and break her concentration she seemed lost in. He had hoped she wouldn't find out that it was in fact him, who had driven Robbie and her off the road and caused both of their deaths. Normally, he wouldn't even care, he would have just drowned the heinous deed he had done in a horrid alcoholic binge that would ease the fact that he was just as bad as the man who set him on that task. He felt differently now. He wanted Laura to like him...maybe even love him, something he had not cared about anyone ever doing before.
The pair stayed quiet for a good while until Laura suddenly remembered, she had seen someone looking over her as she passed on. Someone very tall and very unmistakably red headed..."You son of a bitch." She suddenly uttered out into the silence that had fallen over the car. Sweeney cringed and closed his eyes. He knew that she had figured out it was him. He wanted to explain himself. He wanted to tell her he had no choice. "would it make a difference?" he thought. Probably not.
He had to try, though. "Look, it weren't by choice ok.." he tried to get out when Laura Suddenly slapped him across the face. His head flew into the passenger window of the car and it shattered into a million pieces. Sweeney's vision went black and his ears rang something fierce as he tried to shake off the pain. "Jesus fucking Christ...I think you broke my ear! I'm deaf!" Sweeney cried out in pain as he tried to come back to his senses.
"It was you! This whole fucking time...It was you..." Laura said with defeat. Here she was feeling something, she didn't know what, for him and he was the one all along who caused this.
"It wasn't only me, It was Wednesday. I would have never have done it if he hadn't made me do it." Sweeney tried to explain. "It's true that you were just another debt to be cleared. Yes, I hadn't cared at first and only wanted my coin back. I don't feel that way anymore, Laura. I actually feel something for you now...I'm just...I'm sorry..." He continued.
He didn't get to finish his sentence as Laura reached over and opened his door. She shoved him out of the car with one swift push and Sweeney went flying into the dirt. "I'm going to find Wednesday and when I do...He'll wish he never fucked with me." Laura said with venom and hurt as she slammed the door on Sweeney's face. She pressed on the gas and the tires came screeching to life as Sweeney tried to run after her.
"Fuck!" he screamed out as he watched Laura disappear into the distance. He looked around the deserted road as if it were going to give him a solution on what he should do. It stayed quiet as he started walking along, silently cursing to himself. He had to get to Laura before she got to Mr. Wednesday. He knew she had no idea who she was dealing with and he would be damned if he seen her get hurt again by that bastard. He had the overwhelming feeling of needing to protect her, not because she had his coin but...because he was starting to love her.
It was a crazy thought, loving someone he only just met. These weren't exactly sane times and he wasn't dealing with just anyone. More crazier things have happened before. Why not!? Why couldn't he actually love someone. Was he not worthy? Well, he knew he wasn't. That didn't stop him from feeling like his heart had been ripped out of his chest. He needed to reach her and tell her how he felt. Even if it meant she knocked his head off...at least he would have said his peace.
He would get to her before she did something stupid. He would make sure of it. The consequences would be dealt with later.