TEN SECONDS , The Kenny Ackerman Story BOOK ONE~ ORIGINS ,by Melly O'Hara

AFTERMATH

CHAPTER 1    AFTERMATH

From beneath the brim of ma battered black cowboy hat, she watched as ma shadowed face crumpled with pain. I willed ma self ta be strong, not some lame bitch that turns on the waterworks every time life done kicks 'em in the guts. Squeezin' my hands inta fists; sorrow battled with control as l fought ta maintain ma composure. She me knew well. My friend. Knew what l were; a murderer. A murderer turned bodyguard for the King. But a murderer non-the-less.
An' she stayed anyway.

She gently fingered ma jet black hair as it hung in tendrils around ma angular unshaven face, curling slightly on ma shoulders as the strands fell freely from beneath ma hat. Avoidin' her gaze so's she wouldn' see that ma steel grey eyes, hard and unrelentin', were now as an ocean in a storm; troubled and moody. Betrayin' me as I battled the emotions that threatened to engulf me. Gone were ma self contained arrogance, ma faint superiority over the rest of 'em mere mortals; now 'twere a quiet seriousness that none but she ever saw. I dunno if'n she even knew that. Knew that she were the only one l ever let down ma guard with. Not even Uri.....
Aware of the warmth of her small hand in mine, l knowed that she were willin' me the strength ta go on.

A gentle breeze caressed her beautiful face and she turned toward it; escaping ma gaze. The breeze lifted an' tangled its way through her long blond hair as she gave inta its gentle warmth. What in the Church o' the Walls were wrong with me? I were Kenny the Ripper, fo' fuck's sake! Friend of the King. The scourge of Paradise Island. Ma name alone were enough to inspire fear. And here l sat, a shadow. Balancin' on the knife edge of an emotion that threatened me with tears?!
Shakin' ma head, l tried ta dislodge the pain, but the tears still threatened. The pain, that had been ma constant companion since sunset, lay hollow in ma chest. The breeze continued its caress. And she continued ta wait. Fo' me.
Ma eyes focused on the deep blue o' the night sky. The soft grey clouds moved gently through the stars; hiding and revealing the near full moon in turn. From our high vantage on the Palace turret, we was able ta gaze down onta the Royal gardens below as the shadows of moonlight danced upon their beauty; first illuminatin' the manicured trees and shrubs, the sandstone paths and shorn grass, and then obscurin' them.

Swallowin' the lump in ma throat that kept ma silent, l finally turned to face her; prayin' the night would hide the glint of tears that pricked at the corners of ma eyes.
But courage, for the first time, failed me . And again l avoided her silent eyes, an' resumed some vague appraisal o' the magnificent palace gardens; aware o' the warmth o' the grey stone of the castle turret where we sat. Moonlight, the silvery white clouds above us. At any other time this would have been the perfect romantic settin', but she weren' waitin' for romance, she were waitin' fo' me. Fo' the truth.

"Jas....?" I whispered.

"It's okay Kenny, take your time. I'm here", she replied softly.

"He... I... err... I...didn'...", l cleared the phlegm from ma throat as ma voice trailed inta silence.

She held me close, runnin' her fingers through ma soft dark hair and kissin' ma rough unshaven cheek. She held me 'til ma control was complete.

"Thanks, Owl", l cracked, and she smiled at the familiar pet name. Younger 'an me by ten years, she had a wisdom an' insight that paralleled Uri. A knowledge that were jus' outta ma reach, but left me feelin' that if'n l could jus' hear a little bit more that I'd understand. ' twere like a drug that kept me hooked. That elusive feelin' o' peace. O' understandin'. An' if'n l stayed long enough, I'd know what she knows. An' I'd be free. The world would make sense.
I'd make sense.

"Ya know that l don' always stays here, at the Palace, dontcha Owl?" I asked.

"Yes, l know. You've always disappeared. It seems like lately you've spent even less time here than before. Actually, when I think about it, for the past few years, I've barely seen you at all", she replied evenly.