21 Tattoos by Monica Broussard

Author:Monica Broussard [Broussard, Monica]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

Brutus’s incessant talking could be heard from behind the sunbaked apartment door as Derek approached. Using the spare key to enter, he gently greeted the bird to reassure him that he was not an unwelcome intruder.

Deeply absorbed in thought, he grabbed a beer from the tiny refrigerator. On his way out to the patio, he stopped to flip the switch for the ceiling fan. For a moment, he stood transfixed, watching the blades slowly build speed.

It surprised him how naturally he had fallen into Kendal’s routine. Her relaxed lifestyle was a dramatic departure from his orderly routine. He wasn’t sure if he was feeling so comfortable in her small apartment because of her hospitality or his dire circumstances. He and Kendal had been sharing a lot of personal information that would never have been discussed in the office.

He had felt her pain. He was curious what she was thinking. It was beginning to feel more like a friendship. He understood that Kendal was protecting her identity as an independent woman by trying to live true to her values, even though sometimes he threatened that.

It seemed they had entered a new place in their relationship. He was genuinely starting to admire Kendal. He understood that he needed to keep their newfound friendship in perspective by not taking advantage of her generous nature. She inspired him to be a better person. But it was hard to understand and share her feelings. He really needed to concentrate on figuring out how to save himself.

He stepped out into the sunshine on the deck. Closed his eyes and lifted his face toward the sun. He breathed in slowly through his nose, allowing his chest and stomach to rise as he filled his lungs. He exhaled slowly through his mouth. He felt the fatigue. His brain ached from the nonstop thinking.

Taking a swig of his beer, Derek stood at the railing, staring out at the horizon. He flashed back to the dream where he was trapped inside his high school. When he looked out between the threads of the web that stretched across the front doors, he could see the evil-eyed demons waiting.

He took a hard swig, but the beer couldn’t wash away the fear. Pacing the length of the rail, Derek remembered another recurring nightmare that terrified him. He was in the school woodshop. He could hear the banging of lockers and yelling in the hallway as they came toward him. He hid behind the closed door, wishing he could feel the comfort and shelter of his grandmother’s arms, as he had done when his father had passed away.

Then the demons burst into the room. Panic-stricken, he always woke in a cold sweat.

Looking down into his empty beer bottle, he saw the one nightmare that would always cut him to the core. The demons huddled in a circle, focused on something on the ground. They stepped back to reveal his grandmother, looking up pleadingly. His eyes connected with hers as the stick whistled down.

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