Stock Ch. 19-33

“Then what? You’re going to take things into your own hands?”

“If that’s what it takes.”

“Are you even listening to yourself? That path leads to madness.”

“What would you know? You didn’t live through it.”

The words stung more than anything Elizabeth could possibly have ever said. “You’re right. I didn’t,” Sean whispered and turned away. “And if I could have switched places with you I would have. I would have done anything to save you from that.” He sighed. “But what would I know.” He began walking away but Elizabeth’s hand stayed him.

Elizabeth realized her mistake when her last words slipped out her mouth but it was too late to unsay them. Her emotions roiled within her. She shouldn’t have snapped at Sean but at the same time the anger seethed inside her. Her face grew tired and drawn with the internal conflict. “Sean, you’re right. I overreacted. And what I said wasn’t very fair. I know all of you are doing what you can to help. It’s just that, well, it’s so damnably frustrating to know that he’s still out there walking free after what he did to me. There isn’t even any evidence of what he did to me to show the police, so I have to settle with something else. I shouldn’t have to settle.” Her voice heated.

“I know,” Sean replied, his voice just as tired as Elizabeth looked. He held Elizabeth’s hand in his own. “But do you know what? This is the first time that you’re actually confronting the issue and expressing yourself. The sessions with Dr. Henry are helping.”

“I suppose so. If tearing off the heads of friends and lovers is considered an improvement.”

Sean smiled reassuringly. “It’s better than bottling it up inside.” He brushed his lips on her forehead when a realization dawned across his face. “I just thought of something. Maybe we can nail him for something other than money. Get him for being the bastard that he is.”

“What do you mean?”

Sean guided her to the couch and began explaining his plan.

Chapter 29

A week passed and Elizabeth decided to drop by Sean’s laboratory to have lunch with him; she had cleared away a good chunk of her work and decided to take the day off. They woke up a little late because she had gotten her fiancé to give her a ‘massage’ the previous night after a strenuous workout at the gym and it had taken a wonderful three hours to ‘work the kinks out’. Come morning, Sean rushed off to class without any thought of lunch or breakfast. However, he was thoughtful enough to give Elizabeth a very thorough good morning kiss before running off. Elizabeth was a lucky woman and she knew it.

There was another reason she was going out to see him. When they were at the college rec center Elizabeth couldn’t help but notice the attention that Sean drew in the new workout clothes. His old baggy t-shirt and sweats were so worn she was forced to buy him new tank tops and shorts. She selected his outfit because it looked good on him but she didn’t consider all of the other girls that might ogle him. His new togs drew furtive glances from the college girls on the treadmills as he worked out, his taut muscles on display for the first time. Elizabeth wasn’t exactly jealous but she did feel a little territorial. She stayed close to him and even gave a little public display of affection, kissing him every now and then. Sean was a little puzzled by all of the attention but nonetheless gladly received the kisses. Elizabeth guessed that if she hadn’t made it so obvious that they were attached, a girl or two would have been brazen enough to approach him. Elizabeth studied her naive fiancé, if he only knew.

Elizabeth’s musings followed her up the elevator and through the corridor to Sean’s lab. She found him at a computer analyzing a spreadsheet. She wrapped her arms around him and gave him a warm squeeze.

“Hey there, handsome.”

“Hi, Denise,” she heard him say; she reflexively recoiled. Sean’s chuckle vibrated his chest as he turned around and gave Elizabeth a playful peck on the nose. “Hello, love.”

Elizabeth bristled for the briefest of moments but she couldn’t help herself, then she laughed with him. “Who is Denise?” she mockingly asked in a stern voice.

Sean nodded towards a windowed door to her left and she saw a fifty-year old woman tapping away at a keyboard. “Professor Deltrun’s wife. She comes in here to help him organize his notes. She’s a sweet lady,” Sean answered. “And has been very devoted to her husband for the past twenty-eight years.”

“Mean trick to play on your fiancé, nonetheless.”

“Ah, you love me anyway,” Sean boasted. Elizabeth demurely smiled and nuzzled in his warm embrace. “So what brings you to my neck of the woods?”

“Well, you were in a bit of a rush this morning.”

“Someone kept me up late last night,” Sean parried.

“So I thought maybe I should take you out to lunch,” Elizabeth continued. “To make up for a lost meal. How’s that sound?”

Sean’s stomach growled. “I think that answer’s your question.”

Elizabeth laughed and dragged him out of the lab.

“You know, I think some of my shirts are disappearing,” Sean commented as they waited for the elevator.

“Really?”

“Would you happen to know what’s happened to them?”

“Maybe.”

“And there seem to be some new shirts in my closet that I’m sure I didn’t buy.”

“Gee, I wonder how that could have happened.”

“Elizabeth.”

“Yes, dear?” She played coy as they stepped into the elevator.

“Spit it out.”

“Okay, so I chucked some of the old stuff. You need new clothes.”

Sean sighed. “Yeah, I know. But you could have consulted me about it.”

“I did. I kept bringing up the point that your clothes were looking a little worn.”

“So you decided to take the initiative and buy me a new wardrobe.” He playfully poked her in the ribs.

“Well, you weren’t doing anything about it.”

“Alright, alright,” Sean capitulated. “You win.”

“That’s right,” Elizabeth quipped. “I always win.”

Sean laughed then tightened his embrace from behind her as he nuzzled her ear. “Really?”

The way his voice caressed the fine hairs of her skin ran a thrill through her. “Yes.”

“You always win?” He slapped the ‘Stop’ button and then ran a hand up to cup her breast and the other down to massage her thigh.

“Of course I do,” she answered a little weakly.

He hummed in her ear, a guttural and primal sound that thrummed her nerves. His left hand aggressively cupped her sex through the crotch of her jeans as he breathed heavily into her ear. “Except when I win, correct?” He punctuated the question with a delicious tweak of her nipple.

Elizabeth gasped at the sensation; her body immediately responded and raced at the attention. “No, I always win.”

Sean nibbled and suckled on the lobe of her ear then licked it. His hands grew more aggressive as he ground into her backside. “I win too. Right?”

He attacked her neck and began rubbing furiously at her crotch. Elizabeth moaned as he slowly worked her up. She panted from his ministrations.

“Right?”

Oh, God. “Yes,” her voice rasped in desire.

Sean’s hands abandoned her and she faintly heard a click as Sean thumbed the elevator console to continue the trip down. “Good,” Sean smiled. “Nice to know that we agree.”

Elizabeth’s mind whirled in a haze of lust and surprise as he moved away from her to push the damn button. She was just about to pounce on him when the doors chimed open to reveal a crowd of students waiting for them to exit. Sean led her off by the hand, a sly grin on his face.

“That was not fair,” Elizabeth growled as they left the curious crowd behind and continued on their way to the parking lot.

“All’s fair in love and war,” Sean snickered. “I’m just happy that we agree that I win from time to time. But do you know what?”

“What?” she mockingly pouted.

His arms snared her waist and brought her in close for a soft, heated kiss. “As long as we’re together we both win.”

They were at a crosswalk opposite the parking lot. A curious student or two watched them out of the corner of their eyes, trying to look yet not appear obvious. One student, however, was not so oblique in her scrutiny. “God, you two,” Cheryl shouted from across the street. “Get a fucking room!”

Elizabeth and Sean tried to avoid any direct eye contact with her as they crossed the street. Cheryl continued to glare at them as they passed her by.

“Bitch.”

Something within Elizabeth snapped and brought Sean up short beside her. “Look here, you little tart,” Elizabeth snarled, her patience evaporated in a haze of red. “Sean valued your friendship, always did, until you threw it in his face. What he does with his heart isn’t your choice; it’s his. He was pretty torn up when you had your little hissy fit at the supermarket. Sean has done everything he could to avoid you, including staying away from his friends. He gave up almost everyone he knew just so that you could have your space. Sean cares about you. You had your shot. But guess what, you passed on him.” Elizabeth lifted her left hand, brandishing her engagement ring. “See this? He proposed to me. What we have is genuine. The least you could do is be happy for him. Instead you’re sulking like a spoiled brat.” Cheryl answered with violence, her hand snapped out and swung at Elizabeth. Sean didn’t have to intervene this time. Elizabeth deftly blocked the strike and tripped her, causing the girl to tumble to the ground. Elizabeth stood over her opponent, her soft brown eyes sad and pitying.

Suddenly her world slid away in a disorienting blur of noise and screaming colors. Asphalt rushed up and slammed into her elbow and hip. The sound of a sickening crunch made her wince, then the screeching of tires echoed across the street. She collected herself and looked up from the pebbled asphalt. She found Cheryl coming to fifteen feet away on the sidewalk as her eyes swept across the distance she had traveled. Where was Sean? Her head swiveled left and right, her mind trying to piece together the sudden chaos. Elizabeth followed the rapid tire streaks that skidded over the crossing pad and onto the street.

Oh, God.

Elizabeth scrambled twenty feet on the black road, her limp arms and knees barely supporting her over the distance. Her body collapsed as she fell beside the still form lying on the road. Oh God, Sean. Tears streaked her face as she frantically searched his bloody body for signs of life. His loose wrist held a weak pulse and Elizabeth shuddered with hope. Her heart raced as she tore out her cell phone from her purse and dialed 911. The operator calmly received Elizabeth’s frantic plea and stayed on the line with her. The voice did little for her as she knelt beside Sean and watched his still features pale.

A crowd began to gather but Elizabeth ignored them. Students and faculty stood by and watched the tragic scene as Elizabeth wept and shuddered beside her lover until the ambulance arrived. They managed to get her into a car. By the time she arrived at the hospital her mind was numb with terror and grief. Elizabeth sat silently for a short time as a nurse tended to her minor scrapes and bruises. When she began to focus again she discovered herself in a sterile hall with a squeaky linoleum floor and cold light beaming down. The distraught woman looked around and found Derrick sitting beside her. She turned to face him but no words would come out.

Derrick registered the movement and looked at her. “Hi.”

Elizabeth didn’t say anything; she couldn’t out of fear that her voice would betray the truth of reality against the false hope that this was nothing more than a bad dream. A white coat approached them and Elizabeth cringed in apprehension. Derrick’s hand gripped hers.

Doctor Lander introduced herself and spoke to them about Sean’s condition. Things looked bad, very bad. He was being operated on as they spoke. He had four broken ribs, a punctured lung, a cracked hip, a fractured ulna, and pressure in the cranial vault. It was the latter that everyone was worried about. The doctors would be able to relieve the pressure in his skull but were unsure how much damage was done. An expert was being flown in to manage the situation but it was too early to know the extent of Sean’s condition.

Elizabeth took the information stoically and thanked the doctor for telling them. She found her purse beside her and fished out her cell. Eric was at his apartment, as always, and answered the phone. Elizabeth’s flat voice explained what had happened and asked him to tell Vanessa. He said he would and told her he was on his way. Elizabeth thanked him and hung up.

Derrick stood up and greeted a stranger at the door followed by three others. One by one, others filed in. By the time Eric showed up the room was near full with twenty-somethings. “Who are all these kids?” Eric asked when he found a seat by Elizabeth.

“I’m not sure.”

“Maybe his college friends?”

“Sean said he didn’t really have any.”

“That’s something Sean would say, all right,” Derrick remarked as he crouched in front of the two friends.

“Who are all these people?” Elizabeth finally managed to ask. “Friends of yours?”

“Mine, no,” Derrick grinned. “Sean’s.”

“Sean’s?”

“Didn’t know he was a popular fellow on campus, did you? Neither did any of these people, nor did Sean for that matter. Sean’s helped out every single one of these people but he never hung out long enough for them to thank him. Most of the time he just disappeared on them outright. Half these people had to seek out Sean on their own. I’ve been floating around hearing stories about him. See that guy?” Derrick gestured to a tall black man. “Sean pulled him out of a pool when he got too drunk at a frat party then gave him mouth to mouth.” He pointed to a voluptuous brunette. “That girl over there? She choked on a hot dog and Sean did the Heimlich maneuver. Turns out he even saved one or two girls from a mugging. More than half these people don’t even know each other; they just know Sean. When word spread about the accident everyone started popping up.”

Elizabeth sat, dumbfounded. She tried taking it all in, all of the people. “Sean never mentioned anything like this to me. I never knew.”

“Neither did I,” Derrick echoed. “Not until they all showed up that is. They’ve been talking to each other, sharing stories about how he helped them. They’re all a little curious about you and Eric but I thought it would be a little better if you had some peace before they all rushed over here.” Derrick nodded at her ring. “Being Sean’s fiancée would make you a bit of a celebrity.”

Elizabeth was overwhelmed by all of the people. Eric, also astounded by the mob, simply held Elizabeth’s shoulder. A distraught looking Vanessa barreled into the room and steered her way to Eric and Elizabeth, the whole time wondering what all the people were doing there.

The redhead gave Elizabeth a hug and sat down beside her when Derrick gave up his seat. She asked what was going on and her friends filled her in. When Vanessa learned about all the people she was amazed. “Wouldn’t put it past him,” she commented with a smirk. Eventually a nurse came into the room and told everyone but immediate family to clear out. There were a few complaints but everyone did as they were told except for the two women and Eric. A few members of the crowd raised eyebrows at the three who stayed but kept their curiosity to themselves as they filed out.

“Wow,” Elizabeth commented. The others nodded their heads in agreement; the large showing comforted Elizabeth. With her hopes bolstered, Elizabeth sat and waited for her love to get better. She smiled sadly. There was a theme from ‘The Count of Monte Cristo’, a book that she and Sean both loved. ‘Wait and hope.’

Wait and hope.

Chapter 30

He was falling. Panic seized him in an iron grip as he plummeted for what seemed like forever. He shouted out into the darkness surrounding him. Falling, falling. Black wind whipped his hair as he fell. His stomach felt like it was trying to climb out of his throat. He looked about for the floor that would destroy him but the darkness was so absolute that it was a futile gesture.

He continued to fall.

Slowly, Sean began to master his fear. He was falling forever. There was no floor for his impact, no end to his descent. When he thought about it some more, it was more like flying than falling. Sean floated in the eternal fall.

There was something else here with him. He could feel it, a shadow amongst shadows. It was blacker than darkness, this thing that followed him in the abyss, gliding on silent winds. Sean cast his eyes about and searched for the dark terror and nightmare that crept about the corner of his vision. He knew what it was. He was too familiar with it to ever forget that feeling.

A great light blazed above, throwing warm beams down below and giving depth to Sean’s surroundings. There it was, its black silhouette now on display in the light as Sean felt himself drift up. A great winged terror with terrible eyes and a piercing beak. Its feathers darkly glimmered in the light. The Raven.

The feathered beast beat its huge wings, spanning twenty feet from wingtip to wingtip, and buffeted him with winds that forced him up into the light. So, it has finally come to claim me, Sean thought. He looked up. It was so beautiful, the light. Distantly he could hear a beautiful song caressing his ears as he neared it, beckoning and promising a release from his worries. In the light a pair of shadows stepped forward. Sean looked.

Sean was stunned by the sight of his mother and father greeting him. They gestured for him to come with open arms. Tears streamed down Sean’s cheeks. It had been so long since he had seen them. He reached out and floated towards them of his own volition. He remembered the proud look on his father’s face as it beamed at him now. His mother looked down as well. Sean was saddened that he could not remember her face, so long had it been. But he remembered her warmth when he was cradled in her arms. He felt that now, the light holding him and bringing him to them. Bringing him home.

A fierce cry pierced the silence from below. Sean looked down and saw another bird racing towards him. It was as beautiful as the Raven was terrible. Bright flames blazed over its golden plumage, a creature of fire and passion. It shrieked again, challengingly. The Raven cried out and positioned itself between the Phoenix and him. The two birds collided, a flurry of flapping wings and shrill cries echoed through the cavernous space as the battle was joined. Beaks and claws slashed the air, sending feathers flying about. Sean watched the crazed battle, confused. He looked up again as his parents waved for him to join them, pleading. He drifted up and the flaming bird below shrieked again. His attention was split between his parents above and the battling birds below. Sean was familiar with the Raven; it had been with him for many years. It kept him company in his years of loneliness. Sean looked to his parents. If he joined them he wouldn’t be alone anymore. The light beckoned.

For Sean the Phoenix was a recent development. He knew there was something more to it. Her? Sean shook his head. Why didn’t he remember what the Phoenix was? Or who? The birds clawed one another and beat upon each other with broad wings of flame and shadow. In an exultant cry the Phoenix broke free and hurled the Raven into the darkness and rushed towards Sean. Who was she? Who? Sean felt he should know the answer but his mind was muddled and confused. He strained with all his might to bring back the name. Her voice broke the distorting shrill cry of the bird, calling his name. Sean!

That voice…Elizabeth? Was that her name? Elizabeth! Memories of tender and joyous moments flooded into his mind and he staggered before the deluge. The bright Phoenix changed before his eyes, melting into his Love’s familiar shape. Stay with me! She called out to him, her liquid brown eyes reached out. Don’t leave me!