Will You by Kira Stone

Author:Kira Stone [Stone, Kira]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: BIN 009988-03241
Publisher: Changeling Press LLC
Published: 2021-08-22T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

What a Headache

The only surprise Brandon found the next day was not a happy one. While he’d been sleeping, someone had filled his head with a thousand piercing drums. He tried to push away the pain with the over-the-counter remedies, but it only got worse as the morning wore on. By noon, he was wearing sunglasses because the glare of the computer screen hurt his eyes. Another hour and he was in bed. No lights. No noise. Even breathing hurt.

The phone rang, sending a shaft of pure white pain through Brandon’s brain. He hit it but it did no good. The thing just kept ringing at him. At what seemed like great personal risk, he rolled over, peered blearily out from under the cold washcloth on his head, and grabbed the instrument of torture off the floor.

The incandescent buttons were almost too bright for him to look at, but he finally spotted the one he needed and cut off the sixth ring mid-peal. “I’m dying, call back later,” he said, by way of greeting.

“Brandon? What’s wrong?”

Brandon paused in the act of hanging up, lowered the cold compress again, and closed his eyes. “Evan?”

“Yes. What’s wrong?”

“Headache. Bad one.”

“Awww. Guess that means no date tonight.”

“No.” Just thinking about moving hurt. “Sorry.”

“Do you need anything? Medicine? Soup?”

“No soup. No Morgan.”

“Morgan? What does she have to do with your headache?”

His stomach roiled, and it was a long moment before he thought he could speak. “Medicine. Injection. Hate needles. Morgan does it, but she’s gone.”

“I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

Before he could say no -- walking to the door to let him in would be the death of him, Brandon was sure -- Evan hung up. He swam on an unstable sea of mental darkness, drifting in and out of an exhausted doze, until he heard pounding on the door.

“Brandon, it’s me. Let me in.”

Well, at least I’ll get to see him one more time before I die, Brandon thought as he struggled to his feet. Twice more Evan pounded, nearly driving Brandon to his knees in pain from the loud noise before he reached the door. Sunlight poured in through the living room windows. The glare half-blinded him so he had to fumble for the lock and knob.

When he finally got the door open, a very worried-looking Evan stepped inside. “You look like shit.”

“Thanks.” Brandon turned his back on Evan and started walking toward the bedroom. Behind him, he heard Evan moving around but didn’t stop or turn around to find out what he was doing. Then, just as he stepped inside his room, warm hands roamed over his back, soothing him.

“Where’s your medicine?”

“Bathroom. Bottom shelf. Don’t bother.”

“Why not?”

“Needles. Hate ‘em.”

“Hmmmm.”

Evan wandered away and Brandon couldn’t bring himself to call him back. He sat down on the edge of the bed, but the movement was too fast. It sent the room off on a gut-churning spin. He reached for the bucket he’d grabbed from the kitchen when the halos started, and emptied the sour contents of his stomach into it with a rush that left him breathless.

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