by J.R. Bowles
CHAPTER 41
John lay in bed staring up at the granulated ceiling. He could hardly believe what had happen to him. Through the slightly cracked window curtain he could see it was daylight but it must be early for the external light was faint as if it were just past dawn.
He looked around the hotel room and recalled where he was. Faint flickers of memory streamed into his thinking of how he had gotten there. Billy and Jackie had taken care of him and put him to bed. He reached for his watch where one of them had left it on the night stand, along with the other items he carried with him. Ten thirty! He had slept late.
Must be cloudy, he thought, for it should be a lot lighter outside than what appeared through the crack to the outer world.
He wondered where Billy was, and then concluded he must be in his room. From all that Billy had said the past several nights there seemed to be some kind of enlightenment taking place and Billy seemed to know most of the answers.
These mysterious revelations which seemed to be the origin of the universe itself were most unsettling.
He went to the bathroom for his morning ritual. They had put him to bed in just his drawers. He couldn't quite remember which one had removed his pants. He thought about the woman, Jackie, quite attractive he mused.
As he finished he noticed his side, which had been sliced by the attack of the Black man, displayed no cut, not even a scar.
As he bathed he thought about Morgan for the first time in several days. He groaned as her supple body and angelic face flashed through his thoughts. He hadn't called her and he guessed it was time to rectify his oversight. He had no appointments scheduled for today so he would have time to see a little of the city and make amends to Morgan.
He finished showering and dressed. It was time to interrogate Billy, he thought. Yes, Mr. Billy boy, you seem to have all the answers and it was fine time to let him in on what was going on.
He would see if Billy was awake. He really owed the boy a lot. He couldn't have asked for a better friend and confidant.
He stood before the mirror attached to his wall and combed his hair. As he stood there looking at himself he began to feel he was looking at someone else other than himself.
The images of the incident that had taken place last night rambled through his mind. He had spotted Michael getting off of the boat in Battery Park and was calling to him. Then the black man was between him and Michael. It seemed surrealistically familiar. The other black man had attacked him from the rear and cut his back and accidentally stabbed his friend. Although the stabbing of the black man had been a mistake the man had definitely tried to kill John.
The most amazing thing was not even the primal visitation back to the origin of the universe but was when Michael had told him, no ordered was more accurate, to heal the stabbed man.
He spread his hands and fingers wide before him and inspected them with some awe. They seemed normal he told himself.
As he thought about the man trying to stab him he felt angry. The man hadn't even been arrested and they had all returned to the hotel together. He had felt to tired to protest at the time but remembered feeling upset about them allowing him to come back with them. The black man was dangerous and should be locked up or killed. He wondered where they all were now.
He shrugged―people like him usually got life in prison or a severe length of time to serve. If he had succeeded he might have gotten the death penalty.
Time to find out where Billy is, he thought but hesitated before he opened the door between their rooms. What if they were all still in the next room?
Well so what if they were, he rejected the possibility of fear from confrontation. He smiled, this trip had been a true growing experience for him. A week ago he would have run from his own shadow or even a woman such as Morgan, but now he felt he could handle anything or anybody.
He opened the door and as he stood there allowing his eyes to readjust to the light he discovered a scene which would have shocked his sensitive nature only a week before and only a few days ago would have disgusted him but not this morning.
Yes, he had changed and must still be changing. There in bed laid Jackie her hips spooned up into Billy's groin.
John actually grinned and stood silently like a voyeur watching. As if by some unspoken cue Billy rolled over on his back and looked up at John as if he were trying to determine what John was thinking.
“It's not what you think, boss.” Bill protested.
With the sound of Billy's voice, Jackie's stilled body animated.
“Yeah boss,” she mimicked as if she could already tell their situation had not upset John even though he had assumed they had done the wild thing.
Jackie pulled the cover back to display to John that she was in fact clothed in her pajamas. Unfortunately Billy's lack of clothing was displayed in the same swoop.
Billy didn't try to hide his nakedness from Jackie or John even though his erectness was boldly protruding.
“I didn't say a thing.” John smiled. “But either that's a morning piss hard or Jackie's derriere is very stimulating or both.” John laughed at his own bold words and Jackie joined in with Billy following shortly behind.
None of them including Jackie was embarrassed by Billy’s state of undress.
“Well Billy, I would say you're Semper Paratus.” Jackie said and giggled.
Billy's laughter roared and when he saw John's confused look he said, “‘Semper Paratus’ is the Coast Guard's motto, it means Always Ready.”
They all laughed until Jackie was wiping tears from her eyes and grabbing at her side.
It was the catharsis they needed.
“Why don't you two get cleaned up and I'll treat us to some lunch. It's to late for breakfast.” John volunteered.
“Community showers Jackie?” Billy asked hopefully.
“I don't think so, besides there are two guys ahead of you, waiting.” Jackie smiled and climbed out of the bed shucked her pajamas there in the room in front of John and Billy. It was her way of telling them she trusted them totally. “I'm showering first after all, rank has it's privileges.”
Both guys stared brazenly at her beautiful firmness―appreciating her gentle curves and the warm complexion of her skin.
“While Jackie's showering I want to ask you some questions about what is going on.” John's tone became serious.
“Damn!” John said with the interruption from a knock at the door.
Billy covered up as John opened the door.
“Good morning, Morgan,” John said groping for words. “I was going to call you this morning and see if you want to go sightseeing with us.”
“Sure you were.” Morgan teased. “May I come in?”
“Certainly.” John said opening the door wider for her. “You sure are beautiful today.”
“Hi.” Billy said from the bed.
“Hi Billy,” Morgan answered and sat down in a chair near his bed.
“Jackie's in the shower.” John said not realizing Morgan was more familiar with Jackie than he was. “She should be finished in a few minutes.” He added stressing the she.
“Oh.” Morgan said with no other comment.
“Feel up to sightseeing?” John asked.
“Love to.”
“Why did you come to Billy's room and not mine?” John asked but felt no suspicious anxiety about why she might be there.
“I hadn't heard from you for a few days and I thought I would ask Billy if you were mad at me.” She pouted her lower lip in exaggerated despair. She had known John was there and she knew about Jackie but it was still necessary to keep John in partial darkness as to what was happening. Billy had mentally summoned her after he had concluded John was going to ask him a lot of questions and it was still not time for the in-depth detail of what was happening. Billy was right when he figured John still didn't realize Morgan knew as much about what was going on as Billy did.
Jackie entered the room drying her hair.
The rest of her body clothed only by the glisten of water still clinging to her tender skin.
John cleared his throat to get Jackie's attention and as she looked up and saw Morgan she didn't seem embarrassed by Morgan's presence.
Billy noticed John's look of dismay and crawled out of bed to lighten the situation and paraded proudly toward the bathroom. “Next.” He said and closed the door.
John looked down at Morgan's face to see her reaction. He was surprised that she didn't appear to be shocked but to the contrary was amused. At least Billy wasn't still standing at attention, he thought.
“Morgan, this is Jackie Harris a friend of ours.” John introduced for lack of anything better to say and thought to himself what is this, a damn nudist colony.
“Hi Jackie. Are you going sightseeing with us today?” Morgan asked.
“Hi. Oh, I wouldn't miss it for the world.” Jackie smiled at Morgan knowingly.
John shook his head. What in heaven’s name is going on everyone seems to be in on same joke except him.
They all chatted while Jackie dressed and Billy came back still drying his body and proceeded to dress.
“It's nice to see there's no bashfulness around here.” John finally said.
“That's right boss.” They all chimed in together, even Morgan had joined the chorus.
John grinned and shook his head in exasperation.
As they entered the elevator Billy asked. “Are we going to need my truck?”
“Let's walk.” John answered.
The elevator opened and there waiting in the lobby was Jamal with his friends Mindy and Azid.
“Hello,” Jamal said while looking at John. “We waited down here this morning in hopes we would see you. We didn't want to disturb you.”
“Morning, John gritted his teeth. He wasn't sure if he was ready to forgive and forget. The nature of the incident had been too serious.
Jamal nudged Azid's shoulder. “Uh, Uh, “ Azid stuttered. “Sir,” he began as if he were repeating a memorized speech, which was what he was doing. Jamal had ordered him to apologize. God damn white pigs, he thought to himself but continued. “Sir,” he repeated, “I am sincerely sorry for what I tried to do last night. It's just that Jamal here, is my friend and I thought you meant him harm.”
John stared at Azid for a moment trying to determine if he was in fact sincere.
“Okay,” John answered. “Let's all start over.”
“Thank you.” Azid mumbled and stared down at the floor.
John felt the man wasn't quite sure if he felt the apology he offered but he did get the impression he was thankful his friend Jamal was alive.
“Hi, remember me, I'm Mindy?”
“Yes, how are you?” John responded. “We're all going out for some lunch and a walk about, would the three of you like to join us?”
Mindy looked at Jamal with questioning eyes somewhat demurely as if she were being subservient to his every desire but internally she was thinking Jamal we will go.
“We would like that John.” Jamal said and smiled at Jackie, Morgan and Billy with understanding, although he still felt a reserved confusion as to his own emotional involvement in this whole situation.
The group headed out on to the street. The pavement was slightly damp.
“Looks like it has been raining,” Billy said.
“Off and on most of the morning,” Jamal nodded and offered cordially.
The group stood in front of the hotel discussing where they were to eat since it was already twelve thirty.
The sidewalks were extremely crowded and many disgruntled New Yorkers let them knowing without words that they were blocking the streets. It was so crowded they had to get inches from each other’s face to just hear what the other person was saying.
This is my chance to draw some of his energy, Mindy thought and ever so subtly and without anyone seeing her touched John.
John jerked and turned to Billy in anger, “Who touched me?”
Billy looked confused and shook his head. “John the streets packed with people, you can't even move without getting touched.”
“That's not what I meant. It was different.”
Now! Mindy cried silently to herself.
People on the sidewalk began to run into the street. An oncoming car was flying down the middle of the sidewalk directly at the group. The car was crushing people as it moved and gave no indication it was slowing down.
Billy began to shove John out of the way but Jackie moved in front of them and silently lipped the command “Stop!”
As if by magic the car stopped dead as it hit Azid knocking him fifteen feet into the crowd. Behind the wheel was a gray haired woman weeping and crying aloud, “The gas pedal got stuck, it just got stuck. I couldn't stop it.”
Mindy smiled as she looked over at Azid sprawled out on the side walk and as she glanced up the sidewalk there must have been close to twenty victims either dead or severely injured.
John stared at Azid's bleeding body lying on the street. Had he willed this man dead, he asked himself. Had he desired this? No, it wasn't possible.
John walked over to Azid and kneeled down and touched his head gently. Tears entered John's eyes, I forgive you John thought. He hadn't wanted this, not really. John felt someone's hand on his should and looked up to see Jackie.
“Billy you have to give John your energy.” Jackie mentally thought.
“I can't I don't have the power of the center and neither does Morgan. We were both just substitutes. Michael is the one who has the energy. He was the original center.” Billy mentally responded.
Jackie didn't know if her energy would help, perhaps if he wasn't too near death, it was the solar center which gave the power of life but maybe it would work. She walked over placed her hand on John's shoulder and he glanced up at her.
“It's okay,” was all she said and John looked back down and saw Azid's eye lids began to flutter. He inhaled sharply and then opened his eyes to stare into John's. Azid's body was mending right before them. The rest of the group was gathered around blocking the view from the frenzied crowd.
Slowly Azid, although stunned, was helped to his feet by Jamal who was also crying. There was relief in all of their eyes except Mindy.
Mindy lowered her head so they wouldn't see the anger she was feeling and quickly put up a mental shield so they couldn't sense any reaction from her at all.
“Damn, damn, fuck,” she cried to herself. I'll still get him and smiled internally as she looked up the sidewalk at the chaos and havoc that had happened. Yes, she said to herself as she gathered the spirit energy of those who had been killed, at least not all of it had been in vain.
