The Reluctant Assistant - Book One

Story Teller Part 26

It was the third day that he did not really get to see Raymond, except for him rushing in and out of the office. Now he was standing in front of his flat door, in the middle of the night, like a lost child.

"You do know that you have your own house?" Raymond asked as he let Jackson in. "Why do you have a suitcase with you?"

"I don't even get a hello?" he frowned at Raymond who was still looking from Jackson to the suitcase. "Anyway, since you refuse to stay over at my place, I thought I'd stay over at yours." He smiled, kissing Raymond on the mouth, moving his case to the bedroom.

"And you realize how small this place is, right? Where are you going to put everything?" Raymond looked around the flat. He didn't have that many things, but what he did have filled every corner of the flat.

"Why do you live in such a small place anyway? You'd think I don't pay you enough." he returned to where Raymond was standing in the living room.

"You really don't pay me enough," Raymond countered with a smile. "You saw my dad and sister, right? Where do you think my money is going?"

"Right, sorry about that." Jackson was embarrassed that he'd forgotten about Raymond's responsibilities. "I can help you, you know?" He pulled Raymond with him onto the couch.

"Jackson, in the six years that we've known each other, have I ever asked you for anything?" When Jackson shook his head, Raymond continued, "So why do you think I will ask for help now?" he quizzed. "I've handled everything fine so far, you don't need to be my knight in shining armor, because at some point I'll have to shine that armor," he smiled, "Now, why are you here so late?"

"Well, I think it's time to take our relationship more serious." he put his arm around Raymond's shoulder, bringing him closer. "You've shown me your side of life, I think maybe it's time that I tell you my story." He took a deep breath to steady himself, not knowing if he really wanted to tell the story and relive all the regret, fear, rage and confusion.

Raymond stayed quiet, resting his head against Jackson's shoulder, wrapping his arms around his waist. Whatever Jackson was going to tell him, obviously wasn't easy for him to discuss.

"You know how we met and I was so miserable? Well, that was about the time I lost a good friend of mine and went through the worst experience in my life." Raymond almost didn't hear what he'd said, as he spoke so quietly, staring straight ahead of himself, as if reliving the memory. "Connor and I were roommates throughout college and as thick as thieves. He was just as competitive as me, we were always trying to out do each other." he smiled sadly. "He'd often come to my place during the holidays, and it was like having a brother." Jackson was trying to delay the inevitable, but had to forge ahead. Pulling Raymond in tight, he continued.

"One night, we were walking from campus to a party. Nothing was out of the ordinary, you know?" Jackson still remembered the quiet of the night as they walked over the park to get to the sorority houses. It was clear, not a cloud in sight, not a whisper of wind. "That's when they jumped us." Raymond could hear the strain in his voice. "Some guys had grabbed us, from behind, it happened all so quickly, I didn't know what was happening and thought it was some sort of prank, but when they started beating us into submission, I knew it wasn't. The next moment bags were placed over our heads and we were shoved into a van. I was too scared to say anything, I could hear Connor loudly breathe next to me. We were dumped into a room, hands still tied, bags over our head. It was the longest night of my life. I didn't know if we were going to die in that hole they placed us in or for how long they would keep us alive.

At some point, they ripped the bag off my head and made me read a ransom note. At first I didn't want to, but they kept beating me, then threatened to kill Connor if I didn't. I don't know for how long we stayed there, night and day became the same. I didn't know what happened to Connor. Once the bags were removed from our heads, they'd separated us. Screaming and begging did nothing. Unless they were recording me, I was left in that dark, musty room, that was so cold, it crept into your bones." He took a deep breath, "The next time I saw Connor, we were both on our knees. By then I was beyond fear. Despair had settled in. I couldn't make sense of the fact that I'd put my friend in such danger." He was quiet for a while,