Corn, Cows, and the Apocalypse (Part 1)

by Felicia Jedlicka

“I didn’t know he was actually going to punch you. I thought he was just going to scare you.”

  I laughed hard and loud. The only person that got the joke was Garrett, but he didn’t join in. Everyone else looked concerned by my reaction, which made the anger I was harboring that much stronger.

  “I don’t mean now, as in right now. I mean, why are you coddling me after my three months are over? Your sympathy for my pain is useless. Your heroics against my abuser are too little too late. You wanted me trained. I’m trained. You just didn’t ask him how he was going to do it.”

  “Garrett?” August looked to her brother with the question that Devin never wanted to ask me. “I told you to go slow with her.”

  “We did go slow.” Garrett moved around Devin to stand behind me. He was in view of everyone but me. I tensed as instinct taught me. “Didn’t we, Lenore?” I didn’t nod, but I tilted my head to keep his voice in my far peripheral. “Once we established that we weren’t playing anymore, we made great strides.”

  Everyone looked to me for the answer. “You wanted me trained.” I said flatly turning all their anger for Garrett back on them. “I’m trained. Every scar was a lesson learned from a mistake not to be repeated.” I pulled my hair aside to show the full length of my head scar that went through to the bone. Devin grimaced at the view. Haden looked like she was seeing it for the first time. August just looked down. She must have suspected it was a hard three months, she just didn’t realize, how hard.

  “So, thank you for defending me, but Garrett’s fists are the least of my concern. I imagine this…” I touched my cheek under my eye where the majority of the pain was, “…is the only way he knows how to say hello to me.”

  I looked back at him. The expression on his face a little dumbfounded, but not enough for me to feel I’d succeeded in anything. “Hi, by the way,” I walked off not offering anyone the opportunity to say anything to make me feel better, or make themselves feel better.

  -Dirty Laundry and Dirtier Bathroom Stalls-

  It’s funny how people will ignore you if they think you are emotionally troubled, but the minute they see your face is beat to hell, they start to worry. The assumption must be that if someone is truly troubled they would reach out and ask for help, but they never do. That was perhaps why I appreciated Priest’s offer so much. He knew I didn’t want to talk, and probably didn’t need to talk, but I did need to cry, even if I didn’t want to.

  I got a few looks on the way to the restroom, but in this type of place, it probably wasn’t unusual to see a few black eyes. As it was, nearly everyone I passed had a gun in there hand or holster. I wondered if I shouldn’t have asked Haden to come with me, since she was my new hero.

  I entered the long alley bathroom and did a double take at two women making out against the wall between the air dryers. At least someone was having fun. I bent myself over the sink basin and washed the blood from my nose and lip. It was starting to hurt more and the bruising under my eye was already dark red.

  I laughed at my mirror image. I thought I was done with that. The two lesbians joined me by the mirror and handed me a paper towel and a freshly lit homemade cigarette. I took both. I blotted my face off and noted that their kindness might have been them hitting on me. I was never sure what the rules of the new world were. Were threesomes back in, or had they never gone out.

  “Poor baby, did your man do d’at to you.” The woman on my left was black and covered in shiny diamonds. With a little less bling she might have looked elegant. Her New Orleans accent was a refreshing change to the mumbled drawl I was used to.

  “Something like that.” I said. Her friend, as white as white could be, with a shaved head, and as many piercings as New Orleans had diamonds, clicked her tongue and tipped her head in sympathy to that.

  “You best give up on d’em men.” New Orleans leaned over the counter to look at me in the mirror. “D’ey nothing but trouble. We can give you anything d’at man can, and twice as good, and twice as long.”

  “Mm-hmm,” buzz cut agreed.

  I smiled even though I was uncomfortable as hell. I took a drag off the cigarette and all at once, I realized it was pot. I hadn’t smoked tobacco more than twice in my life, so marijuana was even more trying to my lungs. As I coughed, the girls took it upon themselves to pat my back.

  “Sorry, I thought that was a cigarette.” I handed the joint back to them.

  “D’at’s okay, why don’t you give it another try.”

  “Pot is the new cigarette.” Buzz cut added when I didn’t take the joint.

  I was well aware that I was being hit on at this point, but I decided that being punched in the face might warrant a little drug experimentation. I shrugged and took the joint. Before I could take the hit, Garrett yelled at me from the door.

  “Lenore, no!” He marched over scattering the girls and ripped the joint out of my hands, and crushed it on the floor. He turned to the irritated women and shoed them like they were crows. “Get out!”

  They glared back at him, but shuffled out the door. I stared after them confused. “Crap, Garrett, since when are you so anti-drug?”

  “Did you take a drag?!” He said looking me over for signs of it.

  “No—well I did, but I couldn’t hold it.”

  “Shit.” He rubbed his chin stubble. “Do you feel okay?”

  “I don’t think pot hits you that fast.”

  “I’m not worried about the pot. I’m worried about what they spiked it with.” I looked down at the crushed joint futilely trying to see what he was referring to. “Those were gang scangers!” He said as if I should know what that meant. He rolled his eyes. “Boy you are a country mouse. They drug women and take them home to rape and molest like live blow up dolls. Some of them just pimp the women out on the street to whoever is willing to offer good drugs for a nearly passed out woman.”

  My eyes must have come out of my head, because he put his hand out like he thought he should stop me from running. “It’s okay though,” he spoke softly. “They won’t come back.”

  I hugged myself. Crap what a bad night. “What do they spike the pot with?”

  “Roofies, Ecstasy, sometimes just really strong pot. Just something to make you…pliable.”

  I groaned and turned back to the sink and splashed cold water on my face. When I looked up he was watching me through the mirror. “What are you doing here?”

  “I came to check on you. Straighten your nose if necessary.”

  “I don’t mean that.” I turned and he moved in to check my nose. I instinctively tensed at his proximity, but I was more than familiar with his Mr. Fix-It side. He yanked on my nose, and I cringed at the pain. “I mean here in the O. I thought you went back to Chicago.”

  “I did. I came back for the tournament.”

  I hadn’t really expected him to say that he had come back to see me, but the fact that he still hadn’t acknowledged the relationship we had developed over three months of close proximity, was insulting to my ego…and my heart.

  “Well, have fun with that.” I turned back to the sink to fluff my hair. “I won’t be cheering for you, but don’t assume that it’s because of Haden.”

  “Don’t be mad at me, just because you wouldn’t defend yourself.” He scolded. “August was right. You were ready for me you just gave up.”

  “I didn’t give up, you arrogant ass! I stood up!” I yelled at him through the mirror. “I am not going to be your fucking puppet! Anyway, I’m not mad because you hit me! I’ve gotten used to that by now.”

  “Why are you mad then?!” He asked throwing his arms up. I crossed my arms and turned around to face him. My eyes double dog dared him to guess why. He flushed. “Look, Lenore, I told you that I couldn’t stay with you.”

  “That’s not…we can come back to the subject of a fling versus a one night stand, because there is a difference. What I’m mad about is you didn’t even say hello to me, you asshole.”

  “I wasn’t sure how to handle you, give
n how much I’d put you through, including the one night stand.”

  “Well, you start out with a greeting, pick your favorite. Then you ask me how I’ve been instead of talking to your sister about me like I’m a lab rat.”

  “I didn’t want to…August doesn’t need to know about us…I mean what I do is my business.”

  “Oh, my god you’re such a dick!” I stomped toward the exit.

  “Hello, Lenore.” Garrett said it without ire, and perhaps even smoothly if that was possible with only two words. It stopped me in my tracks. “You look well. Aside from where some dirt bag decided to overstep his boundaries.” I turned back with a slight smirk. He was smooth when he wanted to be. Too bad he didn’t want to be very often.

  “You look good too. It’s good to see you.” It was good to see him. I may not have missed the endless training, but I had missed him.

  -Did Someone Say Ecstasy?-

  It was probably the drugs. I had only had a little bit, but there was no other explanation for me diving on Garrett like a fresh batch of cookies. He was momentarily shocked and tensed for battle, but as soon as my tongue forced its way in his mouth, he came around.

  He grabbed at me pulling my body against his. When he moved his hands to my arms in an attempt to get control of the situation, I pulled his pelvis against my hip. He pulled away with a groan and took a few breaths. Perhaps he wasn’t pulling away, so much as searching for air.

  “Lenore I still can’t be with you.”

  “I know.” I said kissing and licking down his neck until a reached his t-shirt. Clothes suck.

  “I’m leaving after the tournament. I won’t see you. This is all we would have.”

  “Why are you still wearing your pants?” I ground out while I reached into his pants for the real feel. He wrenched away despite the moan of pleasure he offered. This was certainly the drugs.

  “Okay, okay, slow down though. Save some for yourself.” He tried to push me to the counter, but I pushed him into one of the stalls. We immediately left that stall and found another. I wanted sex not dysentery.

  After a quick discussion, it was decided, that his pants would stay on, slightly lowered, with the fly open. I on the other hand disrobed the lower half, and offered the use of my front clasp bra for the purpose it was intended.

  With my t-shirt behind my neck and my panties around my wrist, lest they touch anything in that bathroom, I took my place on my throne. I nearly climaxed just from the pleasure of that first encounter. That was definitely the drugs.

  -Never Enough Time or Apologies-

  “Let’s go again.” I said even though I knew I had spent him.

  “I can’t. I’m going to be late for the preliminaries.”

  “Oh crap, I still have to watch this damn tournament.” I cringed, but retrieved some hope for a happy ending. “We should hook up after, before you leave, okay.”

  “I’ll try.” He said.

  “That means no.” I rolled my eyes.

  He pulled me down for a hard kiss. “I’ll try, but I can’t exactly pull you into a bathroom after the tournament, there won’t be an empty stall for miles.” I nodded disappointed, even though I knew by the time the tournament was over, I would probably be regretting this rendezvous as it was. “Is this one of mine?” He asked touching one of my now many scars. He tickled my stomach and I flinched. The giggle I couldn’t help but let out made him smile. That was a rare treat.

  “That’s my appendix scar.”

  “I thought so. I know what my handy work looks like.” He lost his smile, though I wasn’t sure why since he was the one trying to make light of the scars.

  “Well, you stitched most of them up, you should recognize them.” I offered to assure him that I wasn’t holding him accountable for doing August’s dirty work.

  He touched one such scar that marred my belly. It was from a broken beer bottle. Not so much from him, but from my inability to control my weapon during a fight. “That one made me want to stop.” He looked up at my head and pushed my hair back to see the long gouge from the fire axe. “That one too.”

  “They all kind of made me want to stop.” I was intending it as a joke, but he grimaced.

  “You know I can’t apologize for any of these don’t you?”

  “Why because you’ll lose the advantage of me being afraid of you?”

  “Are you…afraid of me?” His faced looked pained. He might have actually been wounded if I said yes.

  “You’ve hurt me a lot, but you’ve offered me a good deal of pleasure.” I flexed my groin for effect since I hadn’t dismounted yet. “I’m not afraid of you in this position.”

  He rubbed my arms which made me break out in goose bumps. “I can’t apologize for them, because I’m proud of them. I’m proud of what I’ve forced you to become.” I nodded. I wasn’t quite sure how to respond to that. “Also…you’re going to hate me for this, but I think they’re kind of hot.” I scrunched up my nose at the idea of him preferring my body with scars.

  Before I could reply, he pulled my face down for a kiss. He pulled on my shoulders driving me onto him. I hadn’t even realized he had revived. I responded in kind widening my stance to better receive his generous second helping.

  -The Mecca of Mecca-

  By the time I met back up with August and Devin in the main entryway, they looked wrought with concern. I could sense they wanted to console me, and explain, and blah, blah, blah. I was running on a high from good sex and the energetic cheering vibrating through the stadium like heavy bass. I didn’t want to talk about my past. I was actually excited to see the tournament.

  “Oh, don’t be such sour pusses.” I said coming up. “I’m fine.”

  Devin approached me prepared to take me in his arms, but at the last second he flinched, concerned he might break me. I wrapped my arm around his waist instead, and he kissed the top of my head. August looked at ease to see me calm, but worry was still etched on her face.

  “Did my brother find you? He wanted to check on you, even though I insisted he leave you alone.”

  “Yes, he found me. He sorted out my nose. We both yelled and screamed for a bit, but I think we’re satisfied now.” I almost smiled at my inside joke, so I changed the subject. “Where’s Haden?”

  “She’s already inside.” Devin said. “The preliminaries have already started. You still want to watch don’t you?”

  I could have told him I wanted ice cream and he would have driven me straight to a walk in freezer at a DQ, but I knew how much he wanted to see the games. Plus it would be super rude to not support my new savior in her quest to be the best at the Qwest.

  Oh yeah, I said that.

  “Of course I want to see the tournament. It sounds like a concert in there.” I nodded to the general direction of the hoopla.

  “Oh, you’re going to love this, Lenore.” He took my hand and led me. August strolled behind us offering a slight smile, amused by Devin’s boyish excitement as well. “This place is packed with people, some of them from three states away. Apparently, we aren’t the only ones starving for some excitement.

  Devin released my hand to open the door for me, and a wave of noise, and heat hit me. It was enough to make me pause, but the awe of it drew me in. I had been in stadiums before, I had been to concerts, and football games, but there was something different about the atmosphere of this occasion.

  Perhaps it was simply the fact that I hadn’t been in the presence of more than a dozen live humans in over a year. Or perhaps it was the electrical energy that people naturally produce when they are joined together in one common goal. I thought it was something else, though. This event was a reincarnation of an entertainment that humanity had not permitted publically in centuries. The crowd wasn’t shaking the stadium floor because they wanted a high score. They wanted blood.

  I felt the energy sink in as I got a view of the first stage of the tournaments, which had already begun. The first ranking would rule out the least skilled competitors. The a
rena was filled with sand, amplifying the Greek coliseum imagery. The men and women stood in line like old west gun fighters ready for a showdown. Grim were lined on the other side of the arena caged like horses before a run. They’re clothes distinctive to their lane.

  The horn sounded and the grim were released. Unlike horses the grim jumped out with no agenda other than killing. Some ran straight at their shooters. Others ran sideways in an attempt to get to the “handlers.” The shooters fired at their specific grim regardless of how off track they got.

  The gun’s fired. Most of the grim went down with one shot, some took two. The few stragglers that were missed twice by their shooters were given bullets in the head by sharp shooters in the rafters. I looked up at the military personnel dangling in crow’s cages 30…40…a bunch of feet up. The mayor had outdone himself to ensure the safety of the competitors, as well as the crowd.

  Devin guided me along by the elbow since I was no longer looking where I was going. I was vaguely aware of the goofy smile I had on my face. Once guided to the front row of the balcony seats, Devin pulled on my arm and patted my butt to sit. I did so without any question or concern that he would lead me wrong.

  He leaned over to my ear and spoke loudly. “Magnificent isn’t it?” My smile widened and I grabbed his hand to squeeze it. He squeezed back. I was aware that he was watching me more than the games, but I was too stricken to care.

  Around the bend was a series of box seats that were normally reserved for VIP’s. I could see our illustrious mayor and his entourage golf-clapping the festivities and drinking wine—anything to distinguish themselves as better than the surrounding honky beer drinkers.

  One of his minions caught my eye he was particularly attractive. Not the model that our own Devin was, but definitely a diamond in the rough of fat, old, greying politicians. He was a blonde Ken doll, with a perfect natural wave that made it look like he spent hours gelling it into position. His grey suit jacket and cream turtleneck sweater was screaming rich, but casual.