by Liz Thomas
She held eye contact with him as she rose from the table. “Goodbye, Cody.” She said in a final tone, “I’ll see you again when things have been put right again.”
Cody watched her go. She didn’t look back as she exited the bistro.
Placing a hand on her driver’s chest, she leaned up and whispered something in his ear.
The driver looked at Cody and nodded.
He then held open the door for Alyssa, who got in. As he closed the door, she did not look at him. He then strode over to his side of the vehicle and disappeared inside. The car then pulled away.
Cody left what he owed for the coffee on the table and reached for his phone. He was about to call Cassilia when he realized that his phone, on silent, had received seventeen missed calls.
Most were from his coach, and the others came from a number he didn’t recognize.
He fired off a text message to Cassilia, asking that she get back in touch as soon as she could and not to talk to anyone else. He then called the number that had repeatedly tried to reach him.
He was routed via automation to Mercy General Hospital’s intensive care unit.
Horrified that he was too late, he stated his name for the automation and waited for someone to pick up.
An older nurse answered the phone and informed him that a friend of his, Matt Bryant, had been admitted to the hospital.
He was not in intensive care. He had been transferred out.
He was now in coma care.
Twenty minutes later, Cody charged into Mercy General. The registration office had been told to expect him, and he was quickly ushered up to coma care.
The ward was on the top level of the hospital and felt sterile. Cody exited the elevator into a long, wide hallway that made up the coma care ward. It was beige and eerily silent. The sounds of his footsteps echoed throughout the chamber as he passed each door, searching for Matt. He peered into some of the rooms and wished he hadn’t; some victims were completely bandaged from head to toe.
Towards the end of the hall, where the ward split off in two directions, Cody found Matt.
His was the only room that was still lit. There was an older female doctor in his room on the left side of his bed, tending to his machines. On the right, in a plain wooden chair, was Coach Kruger. His head was down but as Cody opened the door, the man raised his head to acknowledge him. His face was ashen. He looked as though he’d aged ten years.
Matt was completely bandaged, save for his nose and mouth. A long, thick transparent cord ran down his throat and they had hooked him up to a breathing machine that was hooked up to his nose. His head listed to the left. He showed absolutely no signs of life. The high-pitched beep of the EKG machine was too loud and disconcerting.
Cody nearly burst into tears as he gasped, raising a hand to his mouth. “Oh my God, Matt…”
He stepped forward and took his hand, which was wrapped in bandages. Cody winced as he gripped his hand, and felt the bones give like wet, brittle branches.
“Young man,” the nurse spoke up sternly, “I need to ask you not to do that.”
“What happened to him?” Matt asked, oblivious to her request.
The nurse looked at the coach, who nodded his approval. “He’s okay.”
“I’m afraid your friend took quite a beating.” The nurse explained, adopting a more sympathetic tone. “Both of his legs were broken, along with his arms and five ribs. He suffered severe trauma to the head, his spleen is lacerated and his lungs were punctured.”
The nurse sighed. “It’s a miracle he’s still alive.”
She walked up to him and rubbed his arm. “He hasn’t regained consciousness yet, and to be honest, we don’t even expect him too.” She leaned in, “Do you have any idea who did this to him, son? He obviously means a great deal to you.”
Cody was already nodding, unable to suppress his anger any longer.
“Cody…” Coach Kruger spoke up.
Cody turned on him, glaring, “Nah, Coach, screw that! Look what she did to him!”
“She?” The nurse asked.
“Yeah, that bitch of a girlfriend of his, her name’s Michelle Dawson, and she lives—“
Coach Kruger sprung to his feet. “Nurse, can we have a moment, please?”
Cody was pacing, his face flushed as he was unable to take his eyes from Matt. The nurse looked at Cody apprehensively until she got an approving nod from the coach, and then she exited without acknowledging Cody.
“She’s with them, you know.” Coach Kruger said calmly, once they were alone.
“What do you mean, ‘them’?” Cody demanded as he stopped pacing. The coach slouched in his chair, a man defeated. “Them, Cody. Them. The powers that be. That ominous ‘they’ everyone talks about when they say ‘they’re out to get you.”
Cody shook his head. “Look, Coach…”
“She’s with the powers that control this town.” Coach said flatly, “She’s with the same group that wants us to throw the game to Allan. She’s with the law enforcement. Don’t you notice that Matt’s not under guard? The police haven’t been through here, and they’re not going to be.”
Cody said nothing, growing angrier.
“Matt crossed the system, and he paid for it.”
Cody turned and punched the wall. The entire ward boomed like a bomb had gone off. Coach didn’t move.
“Feel better now?” He asked after a moment.
“Matt never hurt anyone, Coach.” Cody whispered angrily, “I don’t care what he crossed or what he did, he didn’t deserve this.”
“I know that.” Coach replied, “None of you do. But this is what it is.”
Cody whirled on him. “Damn you, Coach! How can you be so fatalistic?!”
Coach said nothing.
Cody pointed at Matt and stormed towards him, “Look at him! They tried to kill him! This was your friend too, man!”
Coach’s continued silence made Cody want to tear his head off. “Damn you! Say something!”
Coach Kruger slowly shook his head. “There’s nothing to say.” He whispered, lowering his head, “Cody, I love you, I do, and I love Matt…I love all you guys. But this is the way it is. You cross these people, you end up here or in the ground. And there’s nothing you or I can do about it. We exist at the whim of these people.”
“Maybe you do.” Cody declared, “But I don’t.”
“Really?” Coach smirked, looking up, “What do you think is gonna happen when that little nightmare you’ve been messing around with finds out about that sweet little girl you spent the night with?”
Cody blanched, rearing back. “How’d you know about that?” He said with bated breath.
The Coach shook his head and laughed. “That’s what I mean, Cody. The system here runs so deep that there’s no escaping it. Everyone knows about it. Some wanted to tell Alyssa about it, but I believe in you. I told them you had a big heart; that you’d never actually step out on your girlfriend…” Coach trailed off, looking up expectantly at Cody.
The boy shook his head, suddenly hot. “I didn’t.” He said quickly, clearing his throat, “Coach, I swear to you, I never touched her. I slept on the other side of the room.”
Coach smirked and chuckled. “You don’t have to convince me, kid. Personally, I think a pet dog would make a better companion than Alyssa.” He shuddered as if cold. “Woman doesn’t have a single compassionate atom in her entire little body.” As the machine keeping Matt alive beeped, Coach looked at Cody quizzically. “I’ve always wanted to ask you; what did you ever see in that spider?”
Suddenly on the spot, Cody opened his mouth to speak and then thought against it, blushing as he smiled uncomfortably, putting his hands in his pockets.
Coach Kruger laughed. “Never mind, I get it. I was in my twenties too, once.”
The laughter subsided and Coach looked at Cody, smiling warmly. “So. Tell me about this girl you’re risking everything for.”
Cody looked at his coach apprehensi
vely. “You can trust me, Cody.” Coach told him, “I promise.”
“…her name is Cassilia Abernathy.” Cody beamed as he spoke, and Coach slowly mirrored the expression as Cosy went on. “She’s an art student, third year. She likes to read and lives on the west end of town.”
Coach frowned. “The west end? She related to Helen Abernathy?”
After a moment, Cody nodded, remembering what Cassilia had told him about her mother. It as something they connected on. “Yeah, I think so. Helen was her mom. She died about the same time dad did.”
“Yeah. She was murdered.”
Cody didn’t know which was more stunning; the fact that Coach had that kind of knowledge on hand or who’s matter-of-fact delivery of something so chilling. “What?” It was the only word Cody could manage.
“Yup.” Coach nodded, “Helen was good people, not like the other leeches. But she got conned by a world-class pick-up man named Roger. As soon as she outlived her usefulness, put him in her will…”
He made a slashing motion from left to right across his neck. “That was it for her.”
Cody was stunned to silence. Everything Cassilia had ever told him suddenly rang true. Now that he knew the truth, he realized what terrible danger she was in.
“Sad thing, too.” Coach continued, musing. “Roger is scum even by Black Eagle standards. I think Helen knew what he was, knew what his daughters were. She just felt sorry for them. She was just that kind of person…”
Coach trailed off when he saw Cody anxiously fumbling in his pocket. When he finally pulled out his cell phone, he almost dropped it. “What’re you doing?” Coach asked, perplexed.
Cody looked at him with the phone at his ear, breathing quickly. He shook his head. “I haven’t heard from Cassilia in a couple of hours.”
After a moment, he cursed, terminating the phone call. “Dammit. I can’t even get her voicemail.”
Cody turned to his coach, his friend, and was about to speak again when Coach waved him off. “I’ll keep an eye on Matt. You go get your girlfriend.”
Cody looked from Matt to Coach, and then nodded as he turned towards the door. “Thank you, coach.”
“And Cody?”
Coach caught him at the door as it opened. Cody turned, raising his eyebrows. “Yeach, Coach?” Cody smiled. Despite the circumstances, it felt good to be addressing his coach properly again. “When you find this girl,” Coach said, “Leave this place. Don’t look back.”
Cody knew he couldn’t do that. He also knew how dire the circumstances were if Matt was on life support and he was being told to disappear.
He nodded and left, determined to find Cassila before she came to harm.
Almost like new.
Cassilia sat back and smiled, allowing herself a brief moment of happiness as she surveyed her painting. It had taken nearly a day and a half, and she was beyond exhausted, but it was worth it.
She was so tired that she nearly leapt through the ceiling when the door to the art room was suddenly thrown open with such force that it ricochet against the wall it was hinged on. Cassilia gasped when Annalise, looking worn and ragged, exploded through the door.
“There you are!” She panted, putting her hands on her knees. “Do you ever check your phone?!”
Cassilia realized that she had forgotten all about it as she made her way over to Annalise and rubbed her back lovingly. “I’m sorry…” Cassilia offered meekly, “Are you okay? What’s wrong?”
Annalise sat up quickly, her eyes quivering with obvious terror. “Listen to me.” She said quickly, “Don’t come back to the house.”
Cassilia frowned. “Why not?”
Annalise thought about telling Cassilia everything, but wasn’t sure how that would affect her. Knowing Cassilia, she’d try to cut Roger in or something, since she was just that nice. She chose her words carefully and said, “Roger. He’s going to try to kill you.”
Cassilia went cold inside, the blood leaving her face. “…what?”
Annalise nodded. “Don’t come home. Please just trust me, I promise, when the time is right, I’ll tell you everything, but for now, your life is in danger. Do not come back to the house—”
Again, the door opened suddenly and Annalise yelped like a hurt puppy as the two women turned to the door.
This time, it was Cody, who beamed happily as he saw Cassilia. She blushed, smiling back. “Thank God.” He breathed, “You’re okay.”
“Of course I’m okay…” Cassilia replied, mindful of what Annalise had just told her. “Why wouldn’t I?”
She realized that Cody was staring at Annalise accusingly, and she was withering under the glare. “Cody?” She said sweetly, “This is my sister, Annalise.”
“Nice to meet you.” Annalise said softly, offering her hand. Cody hesitated, looking at Cassilia, who nodded. “It’s okay.”
He shook her hand. “Nice to meet you too.”
She looked up at him, daring to smile brighter. “So you’re Cody, huh?”
Annalise looked at Cassilia. “Good job!”
Cassilia blushed and looked away as the handshake ended. “…thank you…”
“Listen,” Cody said, once again all business. “I need you to come with me, right now.”
Cassilia frowned. “Why? Is everything okay?”
Annalise pushed her towards Cody. “Go with him.”
“Please.” Cody urged, “Trust me.”
“I do trust you.” Cassilia nodded.
She gave him her hand, and the two dashed from the room.
Alone, Annalise turned back to the painting Cassilia drew and gasped. It was a stunning work, painted in shades of deep blue and gray, of Roger as the Grim Reaper, overtaking Trina and Ramona. Annalise was struggling to escape.
Cody entered his home first, Cassilia feeling hot and flush as she entered behind him. They hadn’t spoken the entire ride, nor had they ever released each other’s hand. She didn’t need to know why he felt a need to rescue her. She was just glad he had.
He sighed, his back to her. She wanted to reach out to him, try to help with whatever weighed heavily on him, but then she remembered; he still has a girlfriend.
“I broke up with Alyssa.” He said, as if reading her mind.
No way.
Cassilia’s lower half began throbbing. She exhaled with breathless anticipation at the possibility that he had done it for—
“I’m sorry.” She said, chastising herself. She knew she was lying. That was the best news she’d gotten in awhile.
“Don’t be.” He said with undeniable finality. He turned, and looked upon her in a way that no man had ever looked at her before. Except for Roger, and he didn’t count.
“Cassilia,” He said slowly, taking a step towards her, “…I’ve never met anyone like you. I don’t think anyone else would’ve helped me in the cemetery that day.”
“You were hurt.” She was acutely how close they were, “It was the right thing to do.”
He was gentle at first, taking hold of her shoulders and lowering his head to her neck. Cassilia had to keep from melting into a puddle as his lisp grazed the her neck and shoulder before kissing and lingering. Her hands ran up his back, pulling him close as he began to explore her body with his mouth and hands.
Unable to control herself any more, she tore his jacket off and tackled him to the floor.
His ferocity was still unlike anything she’d ever experienced, even from what she’d done to herself. Once again, Cassilia found herself in a unique position, taking Cody into her deeply as she lay on her side. She was sweating profusely from the workout, her head turned into the mattress to muffle her screaming. Cody was…it was hard to tell. He was beside her, pressing his cock as deeply into her as she could, and it throbbed with her clit as he seemed to penetrate further and further into her with each push. So intense was the experience that she’d forgotten to breathe on a couple of occasions. He was seating on her right leg and held her left leg up on his shoulder. It was a bea
utifully odd sensation, to feel the tip of her clit on the side of his cock as it had its way with her.
They’d started off traditionally; Cassilia had laid on her back as Cody had gently overtaken her, entering her slowly. She’d gasped with the first push, and like a gentleman, Cody had immediately stopped to ensure she was okay. Of course, she was; she just hadn’t been prepared for him to be so big. Even as he returned, the head of his cock slowly pushing into her exceptionally tight pussy, she let go of a long, slow, ecstatic gasp as he seemed to fill every inch of her. He was loving it too, and Cassilia enjoyed the fact that her body was bringing this much pleasure to a man. He savored every second and wouldn’t rush, sliding into her gently, pushing all the way up to his balls as his eyes tightened, his mouth falling open slowly, and at last groaning as he pushed deep into her.
He’d kept himself up on his arms as he began slowly withdrew and then pushed back in, but Cassilia wanted all of him. At first, when he slid back into her, she’d tried to be subtle. She didn’t want to ruin the moment. So she used her legs, raised and wrapped around his waist, to push him deeper into her. They both enjoyed that, groaning with the added push. Cody seemed to loosen up after that and began to pound her, pulling his entire cock out of her before slamming it home, over and over and over again. Cassilia was learning that she was indeed a screamer. Cody must’ve taken the hint because as he pounded her, he lowered his face to the side of her neck and kissed, sending a warm, tingling sensation throughout her body. As he continued to pound away at her, she wrapped her arms around his shoulder and back and held him close. In return, he hooked his hands under her arms and held her shoulders. Using her for leverage seemed to help and he was nearly pushing her off the bed. She came twice in that position, and felt Cody control himself as her pussy throbbed uncontrollably, spasming, squeezing his cock.
“You can cum…” She whispered seductively into his ear, “Cum inside me. I want you to cum inside me.”
He nearly had, too. Instead, he whispered into her ear that he wanted to try something new with her.
She was apprehensive but only for a moment. She quickly smiled, savoring the sensation of his temporarily-still, yet throbbing cock inside of her, and nodded quickly. “Whatever you want.” She said quickly, “You can do whatever you want—”
