Crimson Collars

Chapter 4

                    Δ RED COLLARS Δ

Carter

< Chapter 4 >

Wait. Stop. One second. What the heck is going on?! It took me a while to sink this in. My mom knew her.

"What?" I asked completely confused.

"Oh, Honey this is Laurel Ironstone. Her family helped us settle in the first week we were here, remember?" his mother said, but she had eyes only for Laurel.

    To be honest the first week we were here I was up in my bedroom staring blankly into the wall while having flashbacks of the rebellion, and Penelope  dieing.

I had always thought to myself what would have happened if I wasn't developing weappns? Then reminding

myself that it wasn't my fault. That the anarchists had control of the psych bombs and there was nothing I could do to stop her from releasing them on the schools.

    But no matter how many times I reassured myself this, it never helped.

Penelope, poor Penelope. She had never done anything wrong. Her life had been cut short by me.

Shaking my head and bringing himself back to the present from the past I noticed how Laurel studied me quizzically as if she were trying to figure me out.

    I cleared my throat loudly and looked to the window. Obviously not for scenery reasons but because I felt ashamed. This was the second time she'd seen me crying. I felt like an over emotional little kid.

    She startled me by giving me a hug, wrapping her arms around my waist, and burying her head in the crook of my chest. "You okay?" she asked, her voice muffled by my shirt.

"Just fine." I replied shakily with my voice cracking half way. Hugging her back I realized how much I needed this.

                                                                                            *      *      *

As I watched her reach for the doorknob I asked worriedly "So you'll be at work tomorrow?" She laughed as she heard the nervousness in my voice

"Yes. I'm going to work tomorrow. Now tell me, how many more times do I have to tell you until it finally sinks in?" she said placing her hands on her hips.

I stepped out onto the deck for privacy, 

" Can you come to my room for another," I glanced around the yard to see if any one was listening,"psychiatric session?".

"Sure." she said with a wink, "I'll see you tomorrow." she said as she dashed down the steps with her little sister Olive.

"Why are you running away so fast Ironstone? Am I that ugly?" I teased while making a ridiculous face. She just stuck out her tongue. As I entered back into the

house I laughed. All of a sudden there was dead silence. With a quick look across the room I saw my family staring at me,

"What?", I asked.

"Its just you haven't laughed in the longest time." said my six year-old sister Daisy  who was the only one brave enough to say it.

"Well that is going to change." I said as I scooped her up and tickled her. Her peals of laughter were so infectious that you couldn't help but join in. so we did. We all ended up breathless on the floor clutching our stomachs.

    For some reason I couldn't wait for tomorrow. I wanted to know all about her. Leaving the house and heading back to my hotel room I heard a gruff voice say,

"Hey! Ya you pretty boy."

    I turned around and a meaty fist materialized out of thin air and grabbed the front of my shirt.

"Listen kid," the voice went on, "stay away from my girl  you hear? Or that pretty face of yours'ill be smashed in."

    I looked up at my attacker, "Excuse me?", I asked "Who are you?".

He abruptly pushed me back and my hands met the cement. "Ray Fletcher, that's who, little punk. Now stay away from my girl and no one gets hurt. Got it?"

    I could smell the fumes of alcohol on his breath and instantly I knew he was drunk.  But from all my experiences back home with drunks (and there were a lot), I learned that you just agree with them. Especially if they're big like this one. This guy was huge! He beat my height of six-foot-one by about another four inches, and he looked like all he did for a living was to pick up and move heavy things around.

My assumption was probably true since this was the building province, they could have used him instead of a mechanical crane. But I'm the stubborn type. So I guess my face will eventually get smashed in.

    "Who's your 'girl' ?" I ask contemptuously. Picking me up by the scruff of my neck with his index finger and his thumb as if I was a kitten, he exhaled slowly into my face.

"Don't be acting stupid on me. Laurel Ironstone. She's meant to be my wife next year, so don't you screw it up pretty boy. Next time I see you talking to her me and my crew'll come and you wont be able to talk again, kapeesh?!".

    I nodded solemnly, and sincerely. But without another thought he threw me haughtily- and painfully-  to the ground, and continued the dark dirt path that led 

to nowhere in particular while warbling off tune, drunkenly  to a random song called "Pedobear.".

    Brushing myself off,  I walked casually down the road as if nothing had happened. Whatever "Ray Fletcher" said didn't bother me. I need to see Laurel tomorrow. So I will.