"Randy?" Michael's large frame filled the door as he peeked inside the dimly lit room. There was no response. Michael walked in quietly and closed the door behind him.
Randy looked bad. Michael didn't mean to stare but he wasn't prepared for Randy's condition. Both his legs were in casts and his left arm was wrapped. The right side of Randy's face was bruised and his nose had a small piece of tape over the bridge.
"Randy?" Michael put a hand down on the metal bar on the side of the bed. Randy was looking up at the ceiling. He didn't give any indication that he knew Michael was in the room. "Randy? Just let me know you can hear me."
Randy closed his eyes. Michael took it as his sign.
"Do you know who did this to you?"
Tears streamed down his face and a choked sob cracked from his throat.
'He's lost it.' Michael's eyes got large. He'd never seen anyone completely lose it before. Then it hit him. Randy wasn't crying, he was laughing. It was a hysterical insane laughter.
"What is it?" Michael whispered impatiently.
"I'm dead," Randy's voice was raspy and scratched the air. More tears fell as a dark veil slid over Randy's eyes. He wasn't laughing anymore.
"Just tell me what you saw." Michael ordered firmly. "Tell me what you know. I'll protect you. We all will. We're brothers."
Randy closed his eyes again and a slow painful breath escaped his lips.
"What I know?" Randy repeated. "Thomas did it."
Michael's face went white. Was Randy serious? Thomas was dead. He 'was.'
"Randy," Michael straightened up. This wasn't Randy. This was a pathetic loser in broken skin. Randy was a leader. He was logical and strong. There was no room for a dead boy and his ghost. Not here.
"He didn't finish."
"What?" Michael looked down at his friend. His stomach lurched and he felt a slight chill. "What did you say?"
"I said 'He didn't finish.' Not with me." Randy repeated his eyes watered all over again.
"What do you mean?"
"There's one rule left." Randy closed his eyes again.
"Don't worry," Michael placed his large hand just above Randy's head. "We'll look out for you. One of us will always be here."
Michael pulled up a chair and got comfortable. Just outside the door a rambling old man was rolled by, his nonsense echoed in the hall.
"My eyes! My god, my eyes. . .please. . ."
'Damn nutcase,' Michael frowned. It was going to be a long night.
Sunday NightThe weekend moved like molasses for Jonny. Jessie wouldn't even stay in the same room with him let alone speak to him.
Jonny got ready for bed. He needed to talk to her. He needed to tell her. He only had until 3 o'clock tomorrow to tell Michael his final decision. He would feel better about it if he had Jessie backing him up.
Jonny crawled into bed and looked over to the clock. 11:00 glowed brightly. He turned his head and stared at the ceiling.
Jessie was finished. She washed her face and looked into the mirror. She was finished being pissed and finished giving Jonny so much of her frustration.
'No more,' she vowed to herself. Quietly, she stepped into the hall and marched towards the familiar door. Without knocking, she walked in and stared down at very startled blue eyes.
"Listen up," Jessie placed both hands on her hips. "You were completely out of line."
"I know," Jonny began.
"Shut up," Jessie frowned. "I'll tell you when I'm finished."
Jonny moved slowly, watching Jessie carefully as he did so. He moved to the end of the bed and waited.
"I know 'why' you did it," Jessie sighed. "But it wasn't right. Number 1. I don't kiss my friends. Understand?"
"I wasn't kissing my . . ."
"Not yet," her hand shot out and silenced him with a wave. "Number 2. We live together and we are NOT related. You and I know we're just friends but it looks bad. It's different for girls."
"Jessie, if anyone ever said anything about you I'd. . ." Jonny stopped as a dangerous glow came to Jessie's green eyes.
"I don't care what others think but I don't want to be miserable for the next two and a half years. Got it?"
Jonny raised a brow and pressed his lips tightly together.
"Good," Jessie sat next to him on the bed and sighed. "You may speak."
"I am sorry," Jonny offered.
"You should be." Jessie replied. Jonny smiled.
"Are we okay now?" He asked.
"I guess," Jessie looked down. "I'll feel better when I get a hold of Claire and apologize for leaving without saying anything. I hate to think what she's heard about all of this."
"We'll talk to her tomorrow." Jonny playfully leaned into Jessie, his arm brushed her as she pushed back and they leaned into one another. "I missed you."
"Of course," Jessie smiled. "So what's new with you?"
"I'm about to get into the Brotherhood."