PROJECT ANDERSON

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR: ANDIE/SARGE

"Are you sure you should be the one doing that?" Jesse asked as I was preparing the sutures and gauze.

"Do you have any idea how to do it?"

"No, but it would be safer if I did it."  Jesse answered before kneeling down beside me. "Talk me through it."

"Fine, we're going to need some alcohol."

"How can you think about drinking at a time like this?" Jesse asked before getting up and heading over to an unlocked liquor cabinet, located by the fridge.

"Not to drink dumbass, its to clean the wounds and to relieve the pain."

"Pick your poison, vodka or tequila?" Jesse as he looked through the cabinet.

"Do hey have any whiskey?"

"Jim or Jack?" Jesse asked as he held up the two bottles.

"Jack." I answered confidently.

"Here you go." Jesse said as handed me the bottle of Jack Daniels.

"Thanks." I said before I took off the cap and poured me it over my cuts. "Fuck, whoever thought that this relieve pain was a fucking idiot."

"That's why they drink some of it."

"Yeah, that's not gonna happen."

"What happened to my party girl?"

"She tried to kill herself in a bathtub and then got pregnant at sixteen, now hurry and stitch me up."

"Just tell me what to do."

"Hold the needle at a 90 degree angle, make sure to go through the skin and not the fat."

I must have been sitting on that couch for an hour before I started to feel tired, but I couldn't sleep.

Not that I didn't want to, there was just too much on my mind.

I was worrying too much and I knew that, we were safe for the moment; but my mind couldn't rest.

I was worried about Andie, especially after our last conversation.

Hopefully we can get a hold of her tomorrow, maybe that would help put my mind at ease.

And then there was Amber, I still couldn't figure out how she made it to the cabin without being attacked.

Someone had to have been covering her, but according to Johnny they never got a shot off.

And there was no way she was fast enough to use that bat to protect herself.

"Fuck, you motherfucker." I uttered through clenched teeth.

"I told you to take a shot before I started." Jesse said as he inspected his work.

"And I told you...uh...I don't drink anymore."

"Since when?" Jesse asked as he began another stitch.

"Since that night in the bathtub." I answered with a low hiss.

"We nearly lost you that night." Jesse said as he tied off the last stitch. "Good news you only needed eight this time."

"Just two less than last time."

"Yeah, now you can get some rest; I'll bottle up the blood." Jesse said as he finished taping up the gauze.

"I'm sorry." I said softly as I slowly stood up.

"You have nothing to be sorry for Andie, just promise me that this won't happen again." Jesse said as he held my hand gently. "We can't let them win remember?"