Frank threw the lid of the coffin open. "Joe," he rasped, his voice disbelieving.
"Joseph!" Mr. Hardy exclaimed, looking over Frank's shoulder, his eyes widening in shock.
Chief Collig rushed forward, saw Joe in the casket and barked an order to the members of the Bayport Police Department that had attended the funeral. "Spread out! I want that sicko psycho found!"
At once, several members of the congregation took off as others rushed to the coffin to see what had caused the commotion. Gertrude Hardy, Joe's aunt who had cut her vacation in the Bahamas short when she heard about her nephew, fainted when she saw him as did Vanessa and Mrs. Hardy.
Mrs. Bender, Mr. and Mrs. Hooper and Mr. and Mrs. Morton rushed to their aid as Mr. Hardy, Frank and Biff helped to lift Joe out of the casket. Callie pulled out her cell phone and called for an ambulance as Chet, Phil and Tony pulled out their pocket knives and started cutting the tape off of Joe.
Once it became obvious Joe was naked beneath the tape, the females were shooed away while Joe was freed. The ambulance arrived as the last of the tape came off and his hands were at once bandaged until he could be treated at the hospital.
It was several hours later and the Hardy's friends had been sent home with promises of visitation privileges the next day. Chief Collig had alerted the FBI to the situation and a statewide all points bulletin had been issued for Cameron Avery.
The remains found in the car were returned to the police station for an autopsy and the remains that had been thought to have been Avery's were also included in the autopsy order. Joe had fallen asleep on his way to the hospital and was unable to answer any questions about what had happened. The damage to his hands had been taken care of and the tattoo was removed. His chest had been taped and both hands were ensconced in bandages before Joe was taken to a room on the fourth floor and IV's attached to his arms.
Until he had regained some strength, he would be receiving much needed nutrients through the IVs as well as antibiotics to speed the healing process. The tests for Joe's throat that were to have been executed before his abduction had been postponed until Joe's health improved.
"Baby," Mrs. Hardy said as she was finally allowed in to see him. "Oh, baby," she started crying as she touched the stubble that had once been a lock of gorgeous blond hair.
Joe opened his eyes and saw her. He touched her hand with his lips. She sniffed and tried to bring her tears under control. "You really scared us this time," she teased him gently. He smiled at her wanly.
"Hi, Son," Mr. Hardy came up behind her. "It's all over," he promised. "Chief Collig has a guard outside the door and..."
"And I'm not leaving you alone for a minute until that bastard has been caught," Frank said from Joe's other side. Joe turned to look at him, his blue eyes hardening. Frank's breath caught and he paled a bit but their parents' were too relieved to notice the exchange.
"They won't allow but one person to stay and short of drugging your brother, there is no way he will leave," Mr. Hardy told Joe.
"We'll be back first thing in the morning," Mr. Hardy promised, bending down and kissing his son's forehead. "If you need anything, let Frank know and he will see to it that you get it even if he has to call us," he added.
Joe nodded his understanding and Mr. and Mrs. Hardy left the hospital for the night to go home and enjoy a good night's rest for the first time in days.
"Joe, I..." Frank began, but Joe closed his eyes and bit his lip. Joe did not want to hear Frank say he couldn't stay longer than the night. He didn't want to hear how if he had been more cautious as told, none of this would have happened. He simply could not handle a lecture. Not now. He couldn't stand the thought of Frank backing away from him. He needed him so very much.
When Joe opened his eyes, Frank was staring at him, a look of anguish on his face. Joe's eyes met Frank's and Joe could see not the annoyance as he had expected, but pain. Frank was hurting but Joe didn't know why.
Frank reached over and touched Joe's cheek. "I'm so sorry, Baby Brother," Frank said softly. "I was so wrong. I tried to push you away because I thought you would be better off if you had to get along without me. But that isn't the way it works. We're brothers and we are supposed to look out for each other."
Joe looked up at him, his eyes questioning. "I don't know if I can explain this," Frank continued, looking down into his brother's face. "All I can say is that when I thought you had died, nothing mattered. All those weeks when I was in school and I thought you had been in camp and the time before high school let out...we could have spent together; having fun, enjoying life."
Frank started crying. "You make me whole. I need you so very much. I doubt you will ever forgive me but please know I love you and I will do anything and everything I can to show you how much."
"Forgive?" Joe mouthed, looking at Frank with his head tilted. He had no idea what Frank was apologizing for. Granted, Frank had been wrong about letting Joe go off on his own. Joe had been prepared to knock some sense into him over that, but it seemed Frank had already realized he had blundered. But he seemed to be apologizing for something else.
"I'm sorry. This whole thing is my fault. I should have stayed home for the summer instead of rushing away. Two measly months wouldn't have made that much of a difference to my education. For that matter, I can wait another year. We can go together. We can share a dorm room or get an apartment. Anything you want."
Joe shook his head at Frank. "Don't say no," Frank pleaded, his brown eyes reminiscent of a puppy's. "Give me a chance to prove I can be a good brother. Please?"
Joe couldn't believe it. Frank had completely lost it. Joe reached up and gently bopped Frank on the head. "What was that for?" Frank demanded, not in the least bit angry.
Joe started to open his mouth to explain but realized it would be futile. He couldn't even write because of the bandages on his hands. Frank sighed and sat down. His gaze remaining on Joe as Joe tried to think of some way to let Frank know he wasn't mad at him.
An idea coming to him, Joe sat up and moved the covers off of him. Frank got back up and rushed back to his side. "You can't get up," he admonished Joe, reaching for the sheet.
Joe hadn't been planning on getting up. He just wanted Frank close to him again. Joe reached up and pulled Frank to him with both arms and gave him as big a hug as he could manage. Frank pulled back a bit and looked down into Joe's eyes.
"You don't hate me?" he asked, shock and surprise warring in his eyes. Joe shook his head vehemently.
"You should," Frank told him. "If I hadn't pulled such a stupid stunt, you never would have had a chance to have gotten involved with Francessca or that cult, or Avery," he informed Joe.
"Avery?" Joe mouthed.
"That is the bastard's real name who did this to you," Frank told him. "I don't know what all he did to you, but I can promise you this, he will never do anything else to you. I'll kill him first."
Joe hugged Frank again, his body shaking. Frank realized Joe was crying, not with fear or sadness but with relief because he was finally safe. Frank held Joe until he had cried himself to sleep and then he eased Joe back onto the bed. Frank sat down in the chair and closed his eyes. It was okay to rest, he thought. There was a guard right outside the door.
Frank awoke to feel a steel blade at his throat and a strong arm pulling him from his chair. Joe was awakened by the noise and sat up in bed, his eyes wide and his heart racing.
"Hello, Little Lamb," said the man who stood in elevator shoes, his hair dyed red with a smattering of cosmetic freckles on his face. "The ritual happened. You have to die."
Frank opened his mouth to shout for help but Avery put his hand tightly over Frank's mouth and no sound came out. "But first, I think you should have a taste of your brother," Avery told a terrified Joe.
Remembering he had been forced to drink his own blood, Joe knew Avery was going to kill Frank and force him to have a swallow of his blood. NO! Joe thought. No way and I going to let you hurt my brother, he vowed. Joe threw back his cover and tried to get up but Avery gave an evil laugh and blood began seeping from Frank's neck where Avery nicked it just a bit to taunt Joe.
"No, no, no.." Joe mouthed, horrified at the sight of Frank's blood. "No, no, no.." he said again, surprised to hear a faint whisper that was so low even Avery hadn't heard. Joe took a deep breath and screamed as loud as he could, "NOOOOOOOOOO!"
The door crashed open and an officer stood there, gun drawn. He saw the knife at Frank's throat, the blood trickling down from where it had pierced the skin. He saw the disguised Avery start to move the hand that held the knife and he fired his gun.
Avery fell to the floor. The officer had hit the only space available he could without taking a chance and hitting Frank. His bullet had entered Avery's head. Frank rushed over to Joe and pulled him into his arms. "It's all right. It's all right," he kept repeating. Joe remained in Frank's embrace, trembling, until a nurse arrived followed immediately by the doctor on call. He was transferred to another room and given a sedative and soon was sleeping soundly.
Frank's neck was examined and required no more than a bandage. Frank called his parents who rushed down to the hospital, arriving in the parking lot just in time to enter the building with Chief Collig who had been called at home about the matter.
"He spoke," Frank told his parents in an excited whisper as they entered Joe's new room. "He spoke!"
"What about Avery?" Mr. Hardy demanded quietly, not wanting to disturb Joe.
"He's dead," Frank said. "He put on a disguise and slipped past the guard and got into Joe's room. But when he tried to kill me, Joe screamed and Officer Steadham came in. He had to kill him or Avery would have killed me."
"I guess since Joe can speak again, we'll find out what happened to him," Chief Collig said.
"Not tonight," Frank told him. "The doctor gave him a sedative but even if he hadn't, Joe needs time to recover before he starts answering any questions."
"He's right," said the doctor, entering the room. "Joe did scream and that means the damage to his vocal chords wasn't permanent, but they are going to be raw and sore. He will have to speak softly, and sparingly, to give them time to heal."
"But he is going to be all right?" Mrs. Hardy demanded, anxiously.
"Given time, Joe will make a full physical recovery," the doctor assured her.
"Physical?" Collig asked sharply.
"He has been through a lot," the doctor replied. "Under the circumstances, I would suggest he see a psychiatrist at least once and let him decide how much therapy Joe may need."
One month later, three days before Joe was to start his senior year at Bayport High, Joe, Frank, Vanessa, and Callie were all gathered at the Hardy home. Their closest friends, Biff, Chet, Tony and Phil were also there. They were having a last get together before they all went their separate ways.
Joe and Vanessa had made up and Joe wore the ring Vanessa's great-grandmother had given her that had belonged to her great-grandfather. Joe sported a crew cut, which was the best the hair stylist had been able to do with the mess Avery had made of his hair.
Joe's throat was still prone to get sore if he talked too much but he and Frank had hashed out their problems, with Joe doing most of the talking. He had insisted Frank go on to college and Frank had agreed; but only if he could live at home and commute.
The case was closed and the families of the couple Avery had killed, were notified. Proper burials were given to the couple who now resided in plots in the cemetery, which held Marshall and Alice Hardy.
Joe had been to see a psychiatrist the week after he was released from the hospital and was scheduled for one session every week until he could come to terms with what had happened to him. Joe felt this wouldn't take long as what he really needed to become well, physically and emotionally, was his brother, parents, and friends. Their support, he knew, would get him through the nightmares, which still plagued him.
With Frank beside him, Joe could handle any monsters, real or imagined, he encountered. It was this belief that had him smiling and goofing around with Chet like the events of the summer had never happened.
Leaning her head back against her husband who stood behind her watching the teens, Mrs. Hardy sighed contentedly. She was happy to have all of her family home where they belonged.
The End
"Joseph!" Mr. Hardy exclaimed, looking over Frank's shoulder, his eyes widening in shock.
Chief Collig rushed forward, saw Joe in the casket and barked an order to the members of the Bayport Police Department that had attended the funeral. "Spread out! I want that sicko psycho found!"
At once, several members of the congregation took off as others rushed to the coffin to see what had caused the commotion. Gertrude Hardy, Joe's aunt who had cut her vacation in the Bahamas short when she heard about her nephew, fainted when she saw him as did Vanessa and Mrs. Hardy.
Mrs. Bender, Mr. and Mrs. Hooper and Mr. and Mrs. Morton rushed to their aid as Mr. Hardy, Frank and Biff helped to lift Joe out of the casket. Callie pulled out her cell phone and called for an ambulance as Chet, Phil and Tony pulled out their pocket knives and started cutting the tape off of Joe.
Once it became obvious Joe was naked beneath the tape, the females were shooed away while Joe was freed. The ambulance arrived as the last of the tape came off and his hands were at once bandaged until he could be treated at the hospital.
It was several hours later and the Hardy's friends had been sent home with promises of visitation privileges the next day. Chief Collig had alerted the FBI to the situation and a statewide all points bulletin had been issued for Cameron Avery.
The remains found in the car were returned to the police station for an autopsy and the remains that had been thought to have been Avery's were also included in the autopsy order. Joe had fallen asleep on his way to the hospital and was unable to answer any questions about what had happened. The damage to his hands had been taken care of and the tattoo was removed. His chest had been taped and both hands were ensconced in bandages before Joe was taken to a room on the fourth floor and IV's attached to his arms.
Until he had regained some strength, he would be receiving much needed nutrients through the IVs as well as antibiotics to speed the healing process. The tests for Joe's throat that were to have been executed before his abduction had been postponed until Joe's health improved.
"Baby," Mrs. Hardy said as she was finally allowed in to see him. "Oh, baby," she started crying as she touched the stubble that had once been a lock of gorgeous blond hair.
Joe opened his eyes and saw her. He touched her hand with his lips. She sniffed and tried to bring her tears under control. "You really scared us this time," she teased him gently. He smiled at her wanly.
"Hi, Son," Mr. Hardy came up behind her. "It's all over," he promised. "Chief Collig has a guard outside the door and..."
"And I'm not leaving you alone for a minute until that bastard has been caught," Frank said from Joe's other side. Joe turned to look at him, his blue eyes hardening. Frank's breath caught and he paled a bit but their parents' were too relieved to notice the exchange.
"They won't allow but one person to stay and short of drugging your brother, there is no way he will leave," Mr. Hardy told Joe.
"We'll be back first thing in the morning," Mr. Hardy promised, bending down and kissing his son's forehead. "If you need anything, let Frank know and he will see to it that you get it even if he has to call us," he added.
Joe nodded his understanding and Mr. and Mrs. Hardy left the hospital for the night to go home and enjoy a good night's rest for the first time in days.
"Joe, I..." Frank began, but Joe closed his eyes and bit his lip. Joe did not want to hear Frank say he couldn't stay longer than the night. He didn't want to hear how if he had been more cautious as told, none of this would have happened. He simply could not handle a lecture. Not now. He couldn't stand the thought of Frank backing away from him. He needed him so very much.
When Joe opened his eyes, Frank was staring at him, a look of anguish on his face. Joe's eyes met Frank's and Joe could see not the annoyance as he had expected, but pain. Frank was hurting but Joe didn't know why.
Frank reached over and touched Joe's cheek. "I'm so sorry, Baby Brother," Frank said softly. "I was so wrong. I tried to push you away because I thought you would be better off if you had to get along without me. But that isn't the way it works. We're brothers and we are supposed to look out for each other."
Joe looked up at him, his eyes questioning. "I don't know if I can explain this," Frank continued, looking down into his brother's face. "All I can say is that when I thought you had died, nothing mattered. All those weeks when I was in school and I thought you had been in camp and the time before high school let out...we could have spent together; having fun, enjoying life."
Frank started crying. "You make me whole. I need you so very much. I doubt you will ever forgive me but please know I love you and I will do anything and everything I can to show you how much."
"Forgive?" Joe mouthed, looking at Frank with his head tilted. He had no idea what Frank was apologizing for. Granted, Frank had been wrong about letting Joe go off on his own. Joe had been prepared to knock some sense into him over that, but it seemed Frank had already realized he had blundered. But he seemed to be apologizing for something else.
"I'm sorry. This whole thing is my fault. I should have stayed home for the summer instead of rushing away. Two measly months wouldn't have made that much of a difference to my education. For that matter, I can wait another year. We can go together. We can share a dorm room or get an apartment. Anything you want."
Joe shook his head at Frank. "Don't say no," Frank pleaded, his brown eyes reminiscent of a puppy's. "Give me a chance to prove I can be a good brother. Please?"
Joe couldn't believe it. Frank had completely lost it. Joe reached up and gently bopped Frank on the head. "What was that for?" Frank demanded, not in the least bit angry.
Joe started to open his mouth to explain but realized it would be futile. He couldn't even write because of the bandages on his hands. Frank sighed and sat down. His gaze remaining on Joe as Joe tried to think of some way to let Frank know he wasn't mad at him.
An idea coming to him, Joe sat up and moved the covers off of him. Frank got back up and rushed back to his side. "You can't get up," he admonished Joe, reaching for the sheet.
Joe hadn't been planning on getting up. He just wanted Frank close to him again. Joe reached up and pulled Frank to him with both arms and gave him as big a hug as he could manage. Frank pulled back a bit and looked down into Joe's eyes.
"You don't hate me?" he asked, shock and surprise warring in his eyes. Joe shook his head vehemently.
"You should," Frank told him. "If I hadn't pulled such a stupid stunt, you never would have had a chance to have gotten involved with Francessca or that cult, or Avery," he informed Joe.
"Avery?" Joe mouthed.
"That is the bastard's real name who did this to you," Frank told him. "I don't know what all he did to you, but I can promise you this, he will never do anything else to you. I'll kill him first."
Joe hugged Frank again, his body shaking. Frank realized Joe was crying, not with fear or sadness but with relief because he was finally safe. Frank held Joe until he had cried himself to sleep and then he eased Joe back onto the bed. Frank sat down in the chair and closed his eyes. It was okay to rest, he thought. There was a guard right outside the door.
Frank awoke to feel a steel blade at his throat and a strong arm pulling him from his chair. Joe was awakened by the noise and sat up in bed, his eyes wide and his heart racing.
"Hello, Little Lamb," said the man who stood in elevator shoes, his hair dyed red with a smattering of cosmetic freckles on his face. "The ritual happened. You have to die."
Frank opened his mouth to shout for help but Avery put his hand tightly over Frank's mouth and no sound came out. "But first, I think you should have a taste of your brother," Avery told a terrified Joe.
Remembering he had been forced to drink his own blood, Joe knew Avery was going to kill Frank and force him to have a swallow of his blood. NO! Joe thought. No way and I going to let you hurt my brother, he vowed. Joe threw back his cover and tried to get up but Avery gave an evil laugh and blood began seeping from Frank's neck where Avery nicked it just a bit to taunt Joe.
"No, no, no.." Joe mouthed, horrified at the sight of Frank's blood. "No, no, no.." he said again, surprised to hear a faint whisper that was so low even Avery hadn't heard. Joe took a deep breath and screamed as loud as he could, "NOOOOOOOOOO!"
The door crashed open and an officer stood there, gun drawn. He saw the knife at Frank's throat, the blood trickling down from where it had pierced the skin. He saw the disguised Avery start to move the hand that held the knife and he fired his gun.
Avery fell to the floor. The officer had hit the only space available he could without taking a chance and hitting Frank. His bullet had entered Avery's head. Frank rushed over to Joe and pulled him into his arms. "It's all right. It's all right," he kept repeating. Joe remained in Frank's embrace, trembling, until a nurse arrived followed immediately by the doctor on call. He was transferred to another room and given a sedative and soon was sleeping soundly.
Frank's neck was examined and required no more than a bandage. Frank called his parents who rushed down to the hospital, arriving in the parking lot just in time to enter the building with Chief Collig who had been called at home about the matter.
"He spoke," Frank told his parents in an excited whisper as they entered Joe's new room. "He spoke!"
"What about Avery?" Mr. Hardy demanded quietly, not wanting to disturb Joe.
"He's dead," Frank said. "He put on a disguise and slipped past the guard and got into Joe's room. But when he tried to kill me, Joe screamed and Officer Steadham came in. He had to kill him or Avery would have killed me."
"I guess since Joe can speak again, we'll find out what happened to him," Chief Collig said.
"Not tonight," Frank told him. "The doctor gave him a sedative but even if he hadn't, Joe needs time to recover before he starts answering any questions."
"He's right," said the doctor, entering the room. "Joe did scream and that means the damage to his vocal chords wasn't permanent, but they are going to be raw and sore. He will have to speak softly, and sparingly, to give them time to heal."
"But he is going to be all right?" Mrs. Hardy demanded, anxiously.
"Given time, Joe will make a full physical recovery," the doctor assured her.
"Physical?" Collig asked sharply.
"He has been through a lot," the doctor replied. "Under the circumstances, I would suggest he see a psychiatrist at least once and let him decide how much therapy Joe may need."
One month later, three days before Joe was to start his senior year at Bayport High, Joe, Frank, Vanessa, and Callie were all gathered at the Hardy home. Their closest friends, Biff, Chet, Tony and Phil were also there. They were having a last get together before they all went their separate ways.
Joe and Vanessa had made up and Joe wore the ring Vanessa's great-grandmother had given her that had belonged to her great-grandfather. Joe sported a crew cut, which was the best the hair stylist had been able to do with the mess Avery had made of his hair.
Joe's throat was still prone to get sore if he talked too much but he and Frank had hashed out their problems, with Joe doing most of the talking. He had insisted Frank go on to college and Frank had agreed; but only if he could live at home and commute.
The case was closed and the families of the couple Avery had killed, were notified. Proper burials were given to the couple who now resided in plots in the cemetery, which held Marshall and Alice Hardy.
Joe had been to see a psychiatrist the week after he was released from the hospital and was scheduled for one session every week until he could come to terms with what had happened to him. Joe felt this wouldn't take long as what he really needed to become well, physically and emotionally, was his brother, parents, and friends. Their support, he knew, would get him through the nightmares, which still plagued him.
With Frank beside him, Joe could handle any monsters, real or imagined, he encountered. It was this belief that had him smiling and goofing around with Chet like the events of the summer had never happened.
Leaning her head back against her husband who stood behind her watching the teens, Mrs. Hardy sighed contentedly. She was happy to have all of her family home where they belonged.
The End
