Omorphi (82 page)

Michael nodded. “How long will it take?”

A quiet thump sounded on the outer wall of the bathroom.

“A minute,” Sam said, and he ushered the other man from the room. “Back cabin clear,” he announced to the customs official with two thumbs-up. “Cockpit is all that’s left.”

The customs official turned a gregarious smile on Yosef. “Thank you for the courtesy, Mr. Sanna.”

“I need my coronet back!” Yosef snapped.

“Oh, certainly. It’ll only be a moment.”

M
ICHAEL
heard the air valve hiss. “They’re pulling you out now, babe. Stay quiet.” Michael closed the hatch and felt a thump against the floor as the refuse tank was removed from the plane.

“What the hell are you doing in there?” Yosef shrieked from the bedroom doorway. “Get off my plane, you stupid American idiot!”

That was the end of Michael’s rope. He charged Yosef.

M
ICHAEL
was pulled off a beaten Yosef and lifted into the air by two strong men as he screamed, “You put him in the toilet tank, you sick son of a bitch!” They dragged him down the center aisle of the plane and unceremoniously shoved him into the hands of two uniformed police officers.

“Get him out of here.”

They escorted Michael from the plane none too gently, and he broke free and went to where Christy lay on a gurney. One of the EMTs tried to push him back as they braced Christy’s neck and started IVs. “Let me see him!” Michael shouted as he pushed through them again and bent over Christy. “Christy? Christy? Christy, can you hear me?”

Michael couldn’t prevent the sob that tore up his throat when Christy slowly opened his eyes.

Christy lifted a shaking hand to Michael’s tear-stained cheek. “I knew you would come for me.”

Tears streamed down Michael’s cheeks as he petted Christy’s curls. “I’ll never let anyone take you from me, Christy. Ever.”

Three
weeks later….

“W
HERE
are we going,
filos
?”

“It’s a surprise.” Michael pulled into the parking lot at the waterfront.

“But it is Tuesday. Everything is closed.”

Michael said nothing as he exited the car, pulled the wheelchair from the back, and snapped it in place. He went around and opened Christy’s door. “Need help?”

“I can do it.” Both Christy’s legs were in casts, but Michael’s dad had given him walking casts. Christy slid carefully down from the car, pivoted, and lowered himself into the chair.

“Excellent.” Michael closed the car door, locked it with a click of the key fob, and pushed Christy down the silent, empty boardwalk.

“Why are we here, Michael?”

“You’ll see.” He pushed Christy to where the Ferris wheel loomed overhead and opened the gate.

“Michael, you cannot do this.”

“Yes, he can,” Smitty said warmly.

Christy turned quickly. “Mr. Smitty?”

“The one and only. Ready to take a ride?”

Christy’s mouth gaped. “There are no customers.”

“This ride’s just for you, Christy.”

Christy’s eyes went wide with surprise.

“Come on,” Michael encouraged.

Christy rose from the chair and trudged the two wooden steps to the car that awaited him. Michael seated him and joined him in the car. He reached around Christy to fasten the safety belt and was pleased to find Christy trembling with excitement. Smitty pushed the safety bar back, pulled the lever, and their car began to ascend as the Ferris wheel turned.

“Oh, Michael!” Christy hugged Michael in one of his too-tight hugs.

Michael laughed and buried his face in Christy’s ringlets. When the wheel slowed and their car came to a stop at the pinnacle, Christy turned to Michael. “Why did we stop?”

Michael brushed a rogue ringlet behind Christy’s ear. “Thought you deserved to spend a little time in heaven, babe.”

“Oh, Michael, thank you.” Tears filled Christy’s eyes, and this time Michael knew they were tears of joy. Christy leaned back against Michael’s chest and looked out over the horizon with a sigh. The day was warm and clear, the sun bright, the heavens infinite. Only a lone seagull coasting on air currents flawed the celestial sky. For once, Christy’s turbulent world was at peace. “I am in heaven.”

~The Beginning~

T
HIS
novel wouldn’t have been possible without the support of the real life Christys who endure and struggle every day to survive and heal. I have nothing but the utmost respect for you.

Until you have endured the violation of abuse, whether by a single act or a chronic condition of suffering, you cannot know the meaning of self-loss. It isn’t only the obliteration of all of your belief systems; it is also the annihilation of your human worth and the unrecoverable larceny of your
self
. Painful beyond description in myriad ways, debilitating, and tragic, abuse—including bullying—leaves everlasting, invisible scars.

Abuse is not only fostered by secrecy, it depends on it.
Tell someone
. There is hope and there is help and, no matter what anyone tells you, it’s okay to ask for help.

For those of you finding yourselves trying to understand an abused friend or family member, please keep an open mind. Imagine how hard it is for them to reorganize and come to terms with what has happened to them. The abuse suffered by Christy in this story is based on real events. The best thing you can do is to listen. You may be the only one in the world they can turn to.

One final note. If you are a victim of abuse, please remember that abuse does
not
define you.
Never
judge yourself by what others have done to you.

Thank you for reading this book.

If you are in crisis:

RAINN (Rape, Abuse, Incest National Network) 1-800-HOPE (4673)

NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

ALI FORNEY CENTER FOR HOUSING FOR HOMELESS YOUTHS 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929)

THE TREVOR PROJECT 1-866-488-7366

The Trevor Project is the leading national organization focused on crisis and suicide prevention among LGBTQI youth. It operates the only accredited, nationwide, around-the-clock crisis and suicide prevention helpline for LGBTQI youth.

If you are not in crisis and need help finding people who can help and support you, go to ReachOut.com at http://us.reachout.com/get-help/finding-people-to-help-and-support-you

If you need advice on how to help a friend, go to ReachOut.com at http://us.reachout.com/get-help/help-a-friend/relationships

If you are an adult male survivor of abuse, go to 1in6.org at http://1in6.org

Abuse comes in many forms, and if you’re having trouble figuring out whether you’re experiencing abuse, check this out: The Power and Control Wheel at LoveIsRespect.org http://www.loveisrespect.org/is-this-abuse/power-and-control-wheel

Parents, teachers and first responders, Be One with Courage at

http://www.onewithcourage.org/

My blog also contains a Resources page

http://www.ckennedyauthor.blogspot.com/p/resources.html

A little bit of inspiration,
Please Hear What I’m Not Saying
by Charles C. Finn http://www.ckennedyauthor.blogspot.com/2012/12/please-hear-what-im-not-saying_1.html

Raised on the mean streets and back lots of Hollywood by a Yoda-look-alike grandfather,
C. K
ENNEDY
doesn’t conform, doesn’t fit in, is epic awkward, and lives to perfect a deep-seated oppositional defiance disorder. In a constant state of fascination with the trivial, C. contemplates such weighty questions as: If time and space are curved, then where do all the straight people come from? When not writing, C. can be found taming waves on western shores, pondering the nutritional value of sunsets, appreciating the much maligned dandelion, unhooking guide ropes from stanchions, and marveling at all things ordinary.

Find C. here:

Website: http://www.CKennedyAuthor.blogspot.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CodyKennedyAuthor?ref=hl

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5816900.C_Kennedy

And C. is now on Twitter! @CodyKAuthor