Jade

Chapter 11

My whole body aches.  I have never felt pain like this before.  I wonder if I have broken bones.  I wish I had a cigarette about now.  I don't even know if I could smoke a cigarette.  My face hurts and my lungs burn.  These are the thoughts running through my head as we wait.  I wonder what Yaris is doing to him.  Do not worry about it.  Do not look.  I'm not looking.

My head hurts and I feel nauseous.  “I'm going to be sick,” I tell Ripley.  He opens his door up and helps me crawl across his lap.  He holds my hair up as I vomit outside onto the alley.  Such a waste of good chicken.  I finish and he helps me back in, every bone and muscle in my body screaming.  I don't know if I am going to survive this.  You will be fine.  You just need to rest up for a few days.

“I need to look at the back of your head,” Ripley says softly.  I lean forward, more like slump forward.  I'm pretty sure that all grace has left my movements.  Theo switches on the lights.  I moan, feeling nauseous again.  Ripley gently parts my hair and inspects my scalp, “I believe she has a concussion.”  “We need to get her home, clean her up and put her to bed,” Theo stated.

“I'm going to be sick again.” Ripley helps me again.  I am fairly certain that there is no more chicken left in me.  When I am done and back slumped against Ripley, I beg Theo, “Please turn the lights off.”  He turns them off and It helps a little.  Aris, are you almost done?  I don't feel so good.  You just called me Aris.  That is what I am hearing from the others.  I am almost done.  I am sorry.  I will call you Yaris.  It was a slip of the tongue.  No, I want you to call me Aris.  Okay, I will call you Aris.  I will hurry.  Do you talk to them like you talk to me?  Yes, but it is different.  Okay.

Minutes later the front passenger door opens and Antony gets in.  He turns on the radio to a classical music station, “he said that this will help calm her.”  “I hope so.  She is trembling so hard that I can hear her teeth chattering,” Ripley replies.  “I am sorry,” I apologize, “I just can't help it.”  “You have nothing to be sorry for.”

The rear driver's side door opens and Yaris enters, covered in blood.  “Kale is staying behind to finish up business.  We need to get her to the hotel, using the back entrance.  We are going to get cleaned up and leave tonight.  Antony, make sure that the jet will be ready and waiting.”  Antony pulls a cell phone out of his pocket and makes a phone call.  “Jade come sit on my lap.  I will make you feel better.”  I look at him, “you are covered in blood.  Are you injured?  I don't think I want to.”  “I am perfectly fine.  It's all dry now, come on.”  I move closer to him and he helps me get on his lap.  He smells horrid.  So do you.  I smell him all over you.  I smell him all over you.  He takes a hold of my right hand and starts rubbing small circles on my palm.  I instantly relax.  I still hurt all over.  I can help with that too.  The pain dulls a little.  Just enough to where I feel myself get groggy.  I start to doze off.

Before I know it, we are at the hotel back entrance.  “Do you think you can get out and stand for a minute?”  “I will try.”  Ripley gets out and comes around to open our door.  I get out and he helps keep me upright while Yaris exits the car.  Then Yaris scoops me up in his arms.  Ripley opens the hotel door.  The car drives away.  They will be up shortly.  We use the service elevator to go to the top floor.  The elevator door opens to the same vestibule as the other, just farther down the hall.  We use the service elevator when we do not want to be seen.  We enter the apartment to a mess.  Someone has broken in.  Yaris sits me down on the sofa.  Stay right there.  He and Ripley check the apartment room by room.  “Whoever it was is long gone,”  Ripley says.  “I am sure they are sorely disappointed with their booty,” Aris states, “as I don't keep anything of real value here.”