Jeff shivered as he stuffed an icy hand into his jean pocket in an attempt to save it from the cold Seattle night air. Holding a newspaper above his head to shield him from the rain, he peered up at the excuse for shelter that he called home. 'Home' was nothing more than a ratty apartment building. The roof leaked, their wasn't any heat, and the floor was caving in. With a sigh, Jeff took a good look around him and saw countless faces huddled around trashcan fires. He saw starving children, and nearly dead parents who fed their children from their own plate. Known for his generosity, Jeff did what he could to help them. He often invited children to eat a real meal at his place and frequently let strangers sleep in his bed. The fact the he didn't require much sleep made it a much easier offer than one might think.
"Woah." Jeff's thinking about America's financial crisis was abruptly halted as his hand began to shake violently. "Shit!" Jeff cursed as the demon that had possessed his arm began to spread about his body. Thrown to the ground by the seizures, Jeff began to experience the accompanying flashbacks. The night of the escape was cold. Max had told him earlier that day 'not to be afraid, she would protect him.' He loved Max. She was his guardian angel. Jeff winced in pain as his head hit something sharp. "She left me! Max left me! Now I am all alone and Lydecker is going to get me." This time Jeff was awakened by the feeling of being lifted in the air and placed in the back of a van.
"I can't believe it." Max quivered, barely choking back tears. "Hold on little guy, Max is here. It's going to be ok." She began gently rocking Jeff back and fourth in the back of Logan's Van, while Logan drove rapidly to his penthouse. 'Max? Max came back for me.'
"Shhhh…. Don't worry, it's going to be ok." Max assured him. Jeff, still racked with seizure, began to speak audibly.
"Max, you came back for me. Why did you leave? I thought you said it was going to be OK. Now Lydecker has us and we are going back." This was too much for Max, who began bawling.
"It's OK, we aren't in any trouble," Max used as reassuring a voice as she could muster, "Everything is going to be fine, I'm here now and Lydecker is far, far away." Jeff seemed to believe her, and clutched her tighter, so he was now fully curled in her lap.
"OK, just never leave me again. I was so scared. I thought you didn't like me anymore."
"Shhh, calm down. Everything is going to be fine."
"Here, I found some milk in the cup holder." Logan couldn't help but be moved by the scene of a teenager curled up in Max's lap like a toddler. After he handed the container of milk to Max, he quickly turned around, not wanting to see the heart wrenching spectacle occurring in his back seat.
"Here little brother, drink some of this." Max was still crying, the tears leaving wet scars on her perfect face. She raised Jeff into a sitting position and began to slowly nurse her poor brother back to sanity. After a few minuets of this, Jeff began to become slowly aware of his surroundings.
"Max, but, no way. You work at Jam Pony." Jeff began to loosen the death grip he had on his sister.
"Ya," Max choked out, tears still flowing.
"You're…. Oh my god. I thought that you had left me for good. That… that… I would never see you again." Jeff once again tightened his hug, this time nearly crushing Max in the process.
"I'm here now and that's all that matters. Save your strength, we will be home soon." Max wadded up the coat she had been wearing and gently laid her brother's head on it. She tightly laced his fingers with hers and began stroking his hair with her free hand.
"Logan, I left him." Max croaked in the best whisper she could muster.
"What?" Logan asked.
"During the escape, I left him for dead because he couldn't keep up. I left him there in the cold with no one around."
"I'm sure you did all you could." Logan white lied.
"I left him." Max kept repeating this phrase, as if it was just sinking in for the very first time. Logan watched in despair as Max began to weep with even more intensity than she had started with, and then placed her head on her, now sleeping, brother's chest.
"Max, are you OK?" Logan asked tentatively. Max slowly turned to face him and replied through clenched teeth, "Do I fucking look OK to you?" Logan was shocked at Max's appearance. Her olive skin had turned a pasty white, her big brown eyes were now bloodshot and showed no emotion but torment, her lovely black hair was matted to her forehead and looked ratty, she looked like hell. Logan slowly turned to face the road and silenced himself as the tormented woman in his back seat returned her head to her brother's chest and softly whispered to him, "I'm sorry."