Bender by Gene Gant

Author:Gene Gant [Gant, Gene]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: ya
ISBN: 9781634768849
Publisher: Harmony Ink Press
Published: 2016-06-15T22:00:00+00:00

THE KNOCKING is loud, hard, persistent, and urgent. I open my eyes. Muted daylight fills the room. The sky must be overcast.

“Mace. You in there? Open up.” Dex’s voice is full of authority as usual.

I pull a pillow over my head.

“Come on, Mace. I haven’t seen you in a couple of days. I’m starting to get a little worried here.”

I don’t move or say anything. He’ll go away. Eventually.

The doorknob rattles. It’s locked, of course. “Okay,” Dex says. “Here’s your fair warning. I’m coming in.”

Keys jingle, the lock clicks, and the door opens. A wave of air rushes in from the hall, cool against my right arm exposed above the covers. The door closes, and I hear Dex’s footsteps as he crosses the room. His hand is on my shoulder. He gives me a shake. “Mason? Wake up.”

I keep hoping he’ll go. He shouldn’t be here.

He pulls the pillow away. “Jesus. Are you drunk again?”

No, I most certainly am not drunk. I have been very careful with the bourbon this time, mostly because I want to make it last as long as possible. I’ve been sipping just enough to get me floating, to lift me out of my life. Once there, I put the bottle away. Until I start to come down. Then I sip more to take me back up again. I’ve been doing that since…. God, what day is it?

“Get up.” Dex yanks the covers off me. I’m not wearing a shirt. I have on a pair of jeans. And one sock. I think. A fresh sip would be just the thing now. I reach out and grab the bottle from the little table by my bed. The bottle feels strangely light. Oh right, that’s because it’s empty.

Dex snatches the bottle from my hand. There’s a loud, angry-sounding clink as he sets it aside. He grabs my arm and pulls me out of bed. I’m on my feet for maybe two seconds before I feel myself listing to one side. Dex slips an arm around my waist and holds me upright.

He lifts my head, trying to make me look at him. “Your eye…,” he says.

My legs suddenly seem to disappear. Dex tightens his arm around my waist to keep me from slipping to the floor. He hauls me across the room, and then I’m vaguely aware of being stuffed into the shower.

Cold water slams into me, lighting up every nerve in my body as if I’ve been hit by lightning. Curses fly from my mouth like bats scared out of a cave. I try to open the shower door, but Dex is leaning against it with all his muscle.

What a friend.

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