Avalon Expandable Heart: The Wild Heart Series

by Shantelle McKinnon

  “I do,” Av and the old lady chorus. Av adds, “if it’s the right one.”

  Jill bites her lip. Nathan moves and plants himself next to Av grabbing her wrist and pretending to take her pulse. Then pulling the stethoscope from his neck and fiddling. “This better be quick, I bloody stole an ambulance to come here. Cherokee doesn’t have brakes or a GPS.”

  “That bed doesn’t either anymore,” Av replies with a smirk.

  Jill drops her papers and glances around at Nathan wide-eyed. Pop pinches the bridge of his nose. Nathan leans back and gives me a look that comes armed with a shitload of pure hydrochloric acid. Av pings his mask against his face. He grins down at her before settling artic blue eyes on me.

  “I’ve been passing judgement on these types of hearings for a long time,” the Judge starts causing me to break off the staring match. “So long that I have developed somewhat of a nose for identifying those who are treading the unerring path that will lead them to partake in further criminal activity through their adulthood. It is rare that my instinct is proven incorrect. It is also rare I see someone that I can envisage is set on a road so steep in moral downfall that I feel the need to maximise every charge available to protect the public against the person’s future self.”

  Lead drops into my stomach. Nathan mutters something under his breath. Av growls.

  “And that was the case here. I saw in you something dark, something cold. Something that left in the wrong hands could be extremely perilous. A malignant tumour of the exponential growth variety.”

  Av scoffs, and I hear her utter quietly, “This guy could be the next Stephen King.”

  Jill moves imperceptibly. The Judge holds up his hand. “I am aware of his family history, and I am apologetic for it. No child should endure anything of the sort. But unfortunately, that history only colours the choices he has and will make. History does not set us on a path that we cannot deviate from. Even with the outstanding council that you have received and has supported your plight, I felt sure that you, Noah, was someone that needed to be restrained.”

  “Restrained?” Av whispers under her breath. It wards of the cold that wants to possess me again. I wish she could climb on my lap so I could hold her.

  “Yup. Restrained. Who knew you would have picked the future Hannibal Lector, Av.” Nathan snickers.

  “Shh,” Pop mumbles. I feel Nathan’s glare on my back, freezing my skin to the bone.

  “Better than that matron you’re going to marry,” she teases.

  “Shh,” Pop’s tone brokers no more mucking around.

  “That perception was solid until an escapee hospital patient barged in with a defunct GPS and an ability not only to persuade police to stage a breakout but to encourage a person, that according to my records has not spoken a word in ten years, to converse,” He smiles at Av, who nods carefully looking him straight in the eye.

  “Defunct would mean I didn’t get her here, thank you,” the old lady says, crossing her arms bumping the many balloons straining from her bed frame.

  “Which I paid you not to do,” Nathan says quietly but in a deadpan voice.

  “You underestimated the power of the dark side, Dr ... Mal Praktis,” Av giggles again.

  “Variables,” Nathan lifts his lip in distaste.

  “You should have nicked some intestines or something to dangle around your neck, you would have looked crazy awesome,” she goes on quietly.

  “I searched for some,” Nathan replies, cold eyes warm when he addresses her. “You can go heaps of places dressed like a doctor. We should do this for a whole day when you’re better. It’s like an all-access pass.”

  “It was then I imagined the person that you could be if you had reason enough to desire to make that change. And I think you do. I saw it in your eyes, the change in your body. So, with that in mind, these are the terms. If I ever see you in here for another violence related incident, you will be serving time. Maximum sentence time. You will serve two hundred community service hours on the farm so cited by your council and agreed to by the gentleman owner behind you. You will report personally to me every fortnight with a signed timesheet as well as a written reflection on the choices you have made within that time frame. Please see the court admin for further details. Good luck.”

  Jill grins at me. Av flies over the seat to hug me like I’ve just been cleared of a murder charge. I wrap my arms around her, inhaling her scent. I have never loved anything like I love her.

  “Are you excited? You get to work on the farm with us? We’ll definitely put you on preg testing duties,” she teases me. Suddenly, she is removed from my arms. Nathan’s face descends to mine, and instantly I’m ready to fight him. His vibe is pure violence.

  “I know it was you that did that to my sister’s side. Touch her again, and I will tear the flesh from your powdered bones one centimetre at a time with my teeth.” He pulls back to let his threat sink in with full force. Normally, I would be in a full-on brawl right now, but his words floor me. I swing to Av who’s chatting happily with Jill.

  The thought of hurting Av shreds me more than anything else I have ever felt. Like my insides are in a meat grinder.

  I turn to Nathan and nod. He can kill me if I hurt her again, his threat would be so much more pleasant than what I’m feeling now.

  “Excuse me,” two police officers walk in. “There’s an ambulance out the front that’s been reported stolen.”

  Nathan and Av exchange a flurry of hand movements, she collapses on the floor. I freak out skidding on my knees to her side. “Av, God, please be okay. I’m so sorry. Why didn’t you tell me or show me?” I thought back to the night of the fight when she placed my hand on her stomach, I thought it was her period that was hurting her. Not something I did to her side. My mind works frantically to when I could have hurt her. I see it then, the kick I delivered to her when I thought she was someone else in the cell. Then I remember her attacking Ahomana, and her tears. Had she been hurt more then? Again, because of me.

  “Officers,” Nathan’s voice is commanding overhead. “I’m Dr Amazin, I commandeered the ambulance to assist this patient. Please make yourselves useful and get the stretcher and bring it in here.”

  The police hesitate.

  “NOW!” His voice rings with confidence.

  Pop moans, “God help me.” For the tenth time as the police jog out.

  Av opens her eyes for a second to wink at me, “It was an accident. I’m fine now. It looks worse than it is.”

  Nathan squats down next to Av, his blue eyes rise over his mask to grind into mine. “You want to see, arsehole?” Before Av can stop him he lifts up her side, most of it is bandaged but blue, purple and yellowish lines spider out from over the top and beneath the fabric. My throat constricts, I’ve hurt a lot of people but not one I’ve cared for. Not like this. I feel like standing up and yelling lock me the hell up!

  “Noah, it’s a bruise. Stop looking like you’ve cut my head off and eaten my brains accidentally. Bloody hell,” Av rolls her eyes. “If you had meant it I would have castrated you and made you watch while Alby, Mangles and Co chewed on your balls.”

  She searches for Harry, “So loved how you called them that, I would have never been able to have said that sentence otherwise.”

  “I’m so sorry, Av,” I mutter again.

  “You will be,” Nathan growls.

  “Come visit me,” Av grins. “I’ll give you an X-ray.”

  I chuckle. She always comes up with derailing sidelines.

  “I’m serious, I saw where they do them…”

  The sound of feet and squealing wheels has Av shutting her eyes quicker than the speed of light. Nathan goes into full medical mode as he places Av on the stretcher, shouting instructions and wheels her out. The officers wheel the old lady out as per Nathan’s instructions.

  “When Avalon was born, it was a hard time for us on the station.” I turn to find Pop watching the old lady disappearing through the door. “My son, Av’s fat
her, and I were out for long periods. Av’s mother... she... anyway.” His eyes go that rock hard I’m getting familiar with. “My wife and Nathan pretty much raised Avalon. They always saw her as primarily theirs. It was hard for them because... in some ways, unfortunately, Avalon is one of those people that belong to everyone she meets. It’s always good to have some perspective. To Nathan, you’re not only another person that is staking a claim to his best friend and the person that understands him best, but you’re also someone... that, for the first time in many new ways, Av in return has staked a claim on. And you aren’t from home. I’ll see you on the farm.”

  Pop tips his hat and walks out, letting his words sink in.

  “I’m sure I will have to drag you out kicking and screaming to the farm every day as surely this has to be the worst sentence you’ve ever heard of,” Harry says sarcastically with a smile. “See you later, son.”

  No one understands, except maybe Nathan, that I did get the worst sentence I could have. I have to live with the image of what I did to Av for the rest of my life.

  back to normal

  Avalon

  I lay still as I hear Nathan slide into the driver seat while the police officers close the back door after settling May in next to me. I’m not surprised that Nathan pulled that off in the least, what I am is bloody annoyed that he showed my side to Noah.

  I saw his face. Those beautiful green eyes fill to the brim with self-hate and loathing. It was definitely something I didn’t want him to see. I mean sure, if he did it on purpose, I’d be returning the favour and everything. Hell, if some guy hit me on purpose, I’d rip his hands off, cook them and make him eat them... and Nathan says Noah is Hannibal. He should know that I wouldn’t ever deal with that.

  And Noah would never hurt me intentionally. Yeah, sure he looks like he’d choke his own Nan or something when he gets that cold look but that’s more of a protective mechanism. He’s one person I could push and push and he would do nothing, not that I would do that but... I just know he wouldn’t. I feel it.

  Nathan reverses, as the mechanical voice of a GPS states the hospital as the destination, I hear him utter a tight laugh of triumph. I’ll show him damn triumph. I’m mad and not mad all at once. I’m stoked that Noah is going to be working with me, over the moon that my brother is here but mad that Noah will be turning on himself, hating himself. Most likely convincing himself that it’s better if he stays away. Lucky that he has to work at Harry’s. Harry has a huge hug coming his way.

  I go to turn over only to find my ankles and wrists restrained.

  “What the hell!” I growl, arching my neck back to see Nat flick his blue eyes in my direction for a millisecond.

  “It’s ambulance procedure, precious,” Nat is fully grinning I can tell. Probably marking that up as his second triumph. “Wouldn’t want any patients going mental on the awesome driver for over something ridiculous, would we?”

  “Bullshit,” I try to manoeuvre myself out of the cuffs. I miss my knife.

  “Where is my knife?” I stop and twist my neck in Nathan’s direction. No wonder I’d felt extra lost since the hospital. No horse. No knife. No bull.

  “In Harry’s truck,” Nat says almost distractedly before the ambulance goes over something it’s not meant too. “Stupid fricken things in the middle of the road. What a waste of cement! I need to cross!”

  I try not to smile as I think of only the other night when I said those exact words driving Noah’s car. I try not to sigh. I know what he is probably thinking right now. That he is a monster. Bloody brothers. Maybe I should have asked Jordie to come. They’d get on great and then Noah may just want to come back with me because that is what I realise I want to happen. I know it seems terrible considering Noah would have to leave everything he’s used too. Maybe he could come to test it for a while. I must be like Angus, just decide and that’s it for me, it’s certainly feeling that way.

  But what would all that mean if Noah hates himself now?

  “Why the hell did you do that?” I snarl, knowing Nathan would know precisely what I meant.

  “First, because I didn’t want the police shipping you off to the insane asylum because you attacked an awesome, one hundred per cent certified doctor as he was trying to save your life and secondly, because I had to see his reaction.”

  “Great, you could have just asked me what his reaction would be,” I reply letting my annoyance flood my tone.

  Nathan scoffs. “Blinkers”.

  That word! I can’t even believe Nat said that. Considering the number of times I’ve been told I have blinkers on in regards to him! That’s actually probably why he said it. Nat has times where he wonders as well.

  “What? I don’t have blinkers! I knew he would freak out that’s why I didn’t tell him! I know him. You don’t!”

  “Not yet,” Nat replies ominously. “I know you, though, and if this guy is going to be around you, I had to know that he won’t hurt you and he had to know what it would mean if he did. From his face I can tell he wouldn’t,” Nathan says begrudgingly, “but least next time he might wait before kicking the crap out of someone he doesn’t know.”

  “That’s the kettle calling the pot black!” I strain at the cuffs. I feel tired all of a sudden. My side had resumed hurting on the way to the courthouse. I throw May a chilly glance, all that extra pushing I did.

  “Please...” Nathan draws it out before the GPS voice states he needs to go left in two hundred metres. “Everyone who knows you knows never to assume anything. Otherwise, you’d have been shot at least a hundred times over. You can get angry, I don’t give a shit. It’s my job as a brother to shit stir your... your interest.”

  “My brothers always annoyed me,” May hiccups, drawing my attention to her again.

  “How did you get that bottle past the cops?” I ask watching her, she gives Nathan a fist shake as we go over another median strip with a body shaking bang. Nathan shouts something out about city drivers. I’m pretty sure he’s hanging half out of the window because I can see a bit of his arm. “If you come to my hospital, dickhead, you’ll wake up tortured, dead and eating sausage made out of your intestines!” he yells. And people wonder where I get it from.

  “Men never want to feel old ladies up, remember that, darling heart,” she pats my head like she’s bestowing some advice I should find riveting and life-changing instead of utterly gross.

  “Anyway Av, I thought I was greatly restrained. Being a doctor has changed me.” Nathan laughs evilly, I twist again and see him flicking switches. Giving a “hell yeah” when the sirens blare to life. “Doctors have this secret ‘trust me’ vibe going on. It’s practically life changing.”

  “Are you over it yet?” he asks after a second.

  I consider it.

  Nathan is my best friend; if he was involved with someone... I didn’t know... in a courthouse for violence, and he was hurt ‘accidentally’ by that friend... how would I act toward them?

  I understand then just how ‘restrained’ Nathan was. I don’t know how he managed it.

  “Guess so,” I mumble not wanting to let him off the hook with ease.

  “Just put yourself in my shoes, did ya?” he smirks, before using the horn and yelling an insult out that should melt the recipient’s ears off.

  I ignore him, then I wonder if he’s got something planned for Noah.

  “Are you over it?” I ask.

  He takes a minute to answer.

  “I’ve pondered the positives of the situation,” he replies cryptically.

  “What does that mean?” I scowl thinking of what it would mean if I said it.

  “Slug guts, it means... just... whatever.”

  He curses just as I do. Whatever to Nathan and me is like... not really answering but wanting the situation left alone and only addressed if it comes up again. It’s better than Nathan hellbent on killing him, which he will if he goes stir crazy.

  “Nat,” I say as my mind ticks over. “If I have to stay in
the hospital tonight, we should make the most of it right?”

  Nathan rubs his hands together, “Why yes, Avy Magoo, I believe that is something we should do.”

  “I don’t want to be involved,” May interjects. “I got what I want.”

  “Money, grog, courtroom drama,” Nathan laughs. “Why stop there? We could operate...”

  “Hmm, no on the operating, thank you. Though,” May pauses. “I guess I haven’t had sex for a many a year,” May eyes the back of Nathan’s seat with interest. “You wanna have some real fun, sonny?”

  I laugh. Nat swerves the ambulance, nearly throwing May out of her bed. “I’m sure I wouldn’t cope.” He chuckles.

  “We can always test that theory,” May giggles, swigging on her bottle eyeing my cuffs. “You could always restrain me. Or vice versa.”

  I groan. “God, why can’t I cover my ears?”

  “So, what are we going to do?” Nathan throws his arm to the seat next to him. The back of the robe thing is pulled tight against his muscles.

  “Two words, big brother, two words,” I say suddenly excited.

  “The Hat,” we say in unison.

  “Wow,” May drones sarcastically. “You guys are way too much fun. Throw me out in the traffic now.”

  The ambulance stops suddenly with a scream of rubber. I’m glad that I was restrained as Nat hops out. The back doors swing open and Nat starts grabbing at May who plopped on the floor.

  “What are you doing?” she screams as he pulls at her.

  “Throwing you out into the traffic,” Nat shrugs like it should be obvious. Nat doesn’t like to be challenged either. “Time to lose the ball and chain, Avy.”

  “I was joking! The Hat seems amazing, so, so, SO amazing,” May hiccups.

  Nathan watches her, blue eyes twinkling probably like mine are. The Hat is a game not for the faint-hearted. What The Hat says, must be done. Everyone at home hates The Hat with a passion. Angus bans it when he’s in charge. Jordan would rather lay prone with a slimy dog ball shoved in his mouth, in a silo of puppy poo than play. Daryl’s name goes into it a lot so his hate eclipses all.