Totem (11 page)

              “Hey asshole!” I yell making as much noise as possible.

              The man’s body straightens. He let’s go of the woman. She crumples unnaturally to the ground. My heart races as adrenaline replaces some of the fear. I tense up as it pumps through my body. I look at the lifeless person lying in a pile beneath the man’s feet. Is she dead? I cannot think of that right now all I can think about is landing this metal pipe into his head. All I can concentrate on is fighting this guy to get him away from the woman. I need to know she is ok.

              Slowly his thin frame turns around revealing the face of the blacked haired man. My heart stops as I watch glowing red eyes lock onto mine. His skin is pale white causing the red in his eyes to reflect. A smile creeps upon his face revealing long pointy canines jutting out of his mouth.

              What have you gotten yourself into? Where the hell is Andrew?             

              “This must be my lucky night,” hisses the man through a very toothy smile. “Very rarely does someone as succulent as you walk so willingly into my midst. I’ll have you know miss, I like my women with some spice.”

              “What have you done to her?” My question demands an answer.

              “Same thing I am going to do to you.”

              With speed faster than my eyes can catch he is running towards me. Without hesitation I swing the metal rod. Contact! I feel the metal vibrate painfully shaking through me as I send my assailant flying back into the alley. The act would have perhaps knocked out a normal man. However, it only angers him. He jets back toward me. I swing one more time. This time the attacker is ready. He dodges to the side and grabs me by the throat and shoulder dragging me deeper into the alley. I hit him with the pipe one more time, but it does no real damage. It only seems to anger him more.

              Where the hell is Andrew?! The attacker slams my back up against the wall.

              This whole thing is happening way too quickly. It feels like hours but in all reality it is probably only a minute. I struggle and kick my feet fighting against him for what seems to be my life. I look down at my assailant. There is a cut across his face from where the metal rod made contact. Blood unnaturally gushes out of the wound. Rage sparks from his red glowing eyes as he lifts me higher. I take one more deep breath before my air supply is cut off completely. Pain fills my senses as white stone hands close tighter around my neck. My feet dangle helplessly. I look into the eyes of a demon. I will never regret the decision I made to try and help someone. Even if it means I will be lying right next to her in only a few short minutes.

              “I am going to enjoy this more than you will ever know,” hisses the demon. His fangs begin to grow longer as he opens his mouth and pulls my neck towards him. I look away. I will not have my last vision be him.

              Before his fangs can pierce my skin I see a flurry of fur. My body collapses to the ground. On the way down, I feel the back of my head slam into the brick wall and I am in a pile beside his other victim. Through blurred vision I look at the lifeless mass of the woman. I cannot see her face. Her head is turned the other way. I want to reach out to check on her, but the action going on around me mixed with my fading vision causes my body to still on the ground.

              My eyes close in hopes this is all just a bad dream. My other senses heighten allowing me to decipher what is going on around me. I hear the scuffling of feet as two things fight unrelentingly. I hear the growl of a dog or beast. Then I hear what sounds like the tearing of wet clothes. A gurgling sound rises up met only by the growl of some huge animal. The scuffles die down. I chance a look. Through my limited sight, I see my attacker lying on the ground in front of me with a giant wolf like dog tearing his flesh apart.

              This must be a dream. The bump on my head must have instantly knocked me out.

              Through swirls, I see the demon become limp then dissipate leaving nothing but a pile of clothes. His flesh gradually shrinks turning to dust. My eyes flutter then close. My brain wants me to rest. The adrenaline plus the bump on my head is making me sleepier than before the attack. I will my eyes open. The air in front of me looks like it is vibrating as the form of a man appears. My eyes flutter open and all I see is Ty’s face in mine.

              I must be dreaming. Maybe I am not dreaming. Maybe I am dead. Maybe the demon of a man finished me off and somehow my afterlife is finding peace with Ty as my guide.

              “Kimber,” I hear the urgent, worried voice of Ty. “Are you ok?”

              “Am I in heaven,” I whisper.

              All around Ty’s face is swirling. I cannot make sense of it. I feel Ty’s hands touch the back of my neck. He feels around for a few seconds. His attention then goes to the woman beside me. Within seconds he is back with me.

              “Kimber!” I hear my name called out in the distance.

              “Kimber, who is that?” demands Ty as he continues checking over me.

              His words are deliberately slow so I can process them. The demand in his voice forces me to stay with him until I know I am completely safe.

              “Andrew,” I say my breath no louder than a whisper. I am so tired. “My neighbor… my friend.”

              I hear Ty hustling. My eyes are droopy as I lie on the ground where I fell. I think I see him grab the clothes of the attacker and put them on, but I can be wrong. This cannot be real. Why would Ty need more clothes? My mind is in a haze. This one is not caused by alcohol. There is something seriously wrong. It is as if my mind and my senses are detached. One cannot make sense of the other. I close my eyes willing the two to work together. Then I feel my body lift off the ground. The air moves around me as I feel myself being carried forward. 

              “Kimber!”

              Andrew’s voice pierces through the muddled haze in my mind. I hear the fear and concern as footsteps rush closer. Ty draws me into his chest holding me tighter to him.

              “Is she ok?” Worry and concern etches through Andrew’s voice.

              “She fell,” replies Ty. “I think she has a bit of a concussion. Why weren’t you with HER?”

              Ty’s voice is angry. I can feel the rumbling building up in his chest as my head presses into it. He is tense. Every muscle in his body seems to twitch with anger, yet his hold on me is gentle and sure. I touch his chest with my hand hoping to calm him. His body stiffens under my unexpected touch.

              “We were,’ replies Andrew. “We just got caught up a bit and she was ahead of us.”

              Andrew’s excuse sounds like that of a reprimanded child. I hear pain in his words.

              “Who are you?” Demands Andrew finally finding his voice

              “I am Ty. Kimber, Michelle and I are all in class together.” His voice etched with disgust towards Andrew.

              “YOU’RE Ty,” scoffs Andrew.

              A long pause follows. My eyes remain closed. I can feel my body slump in fatigue. My mind drifts off. I want to sleep. Ty repositions my body. My head falls closer to his heart. He wraps my arms around his neck. I do my best to hold on.

              “She needs to be checked out,” states Ty. “I am taking her to the doctors.”

              “I can do that,” interjects Andrew.

              “Clearly you cannot,” Ty’s angry voice rings out in my ears, “Otherwise she would not be in this state. Now, pull out your phone and take down my number. Give it to Michelle as well.”

              I fall asleep as Ty begins to shout out numbers. No longer can I stay awake or control my body. I am completely helpless. My thoughts drift to Ty. I am in his arms. He has rescued me from only God knows what kind of fate. However, there can be no more thought of that. All I can do now is rely on Ty. I am helpless in his arms.

             
I jerk awake
.  The sun filters through the window shedding light on an unfamiliar room. I am in a bed I do not recognize. My head is pounding. Where am I? My mind tries hard to think back to last night. I remember Bourbon. I remember a dark alley, the woman, and then… Ty.

              Ty was there. He rescued me. I look out the window trying to grasp my location. My eyes lock onto the long poles reaching for the sky. I look past them to see boats tied up onto rows of docks. The poles must be from sailboats. The only place I can think of is the Marina. I must be in one of the boat houses in the Marina. A knock on the door startles me and my heart takes flight. Last night’s events are a blur in my mind, but the few fragments I remember cause me to be on edge. The door cracks open a bit as Ty pops his head into the room. He doesn’t look at me just yet. He looks at a wall nowhere near me as if waiting for my permission.

              “Do you mind if I come in?” asks Ty.

              “Please come in,” I say.

              I sit up right in the bed. I quickly run my fingers through my hair. I feel like a hot mess and am sure I look it too. Ty opens the door revealing a tray he is carrying. He sits it next to me on the queen size bed. On the tray is a plate filled with toast, eggs and bacon. Next to the plate are two glasses. One has orange juice and the other water. I also notice the little packet of Tylenol resting on the napkin. This is the first time a guy has brought me breakfast in bed. I feel my face flush at the thought even though the circumstances are beyond ideal.

              “Thank you,” I reply.

              I grab the juice first and take a drink. The liquid soothes my throat. Ty walks around the bed and sits in the chair by the window. I begin to dive into the food. My stomach growls welcoming the nourishment it is about to receive. I bite into a piece of bacon. Ty watches me eat.

              “Did you eat already?” I ask

              “Yes,” replies Ty with a crooked smile.

              “How long have I been asleep?”

              “For about eight hours,” replies Ty. “After the attack, I brought you to my home. I was worried about letting you sleep, but my sister Sarah said your concussion was only minor and as long as we monitored you, it should be ok. Sarah is a nurse in the ER. She has seen enough to know if we needed to take you to the hospital or not. That’s why I brought you here. You were lucky I was walking past. I had been out with my friends... Do you remember any of last night?”

              I search my head for memories as I take another bite of bacon. The food is incredible satiating something deep in me. I think hard about the events of last night. There is nothing but fog. I rack my brain trying to remember but all it does is cause my head to hurt more. One thing I do remember is the woman.

              “Is the woman ok?” I ask.

              I can see Ty noticeably tense up at the question. He studies my face. Cautiously he begins to answer my question.

              “She is fine,” he states hesitantly.

              “I was so worried about her,” I reply, “and what of the attacker?”

              “He is gone,” responds Ty blankly.

              “Was there a wolf?” I ask

              Surprise registers across Ty’s face at my question. I drop my eyes down to my shirt. The last thing I need is to shock my hero. That is when I notice that I am no longer in my clothes from the night before. In its place is a baggy shirt.

              Did Ty change my clothes?!

              Panic rises up in me at my thoughts. I tug on the old T-shirt. Across the chest is Crescent City Classic 1999. The shirt itself is a few sizes too big. Slowly I pull up the blanket so I can look at what I am wearing as bottoms. I become quickly mortified at the sight of Men’s boxers replacing my blue jeans. My eyes widen.  I look up at Ty. He looks back at me inquisitively. He cannot read my expression.

              “My clothes,” I say. “Did you undress me last night?”

              Ty waves his hands vehemently as a crooked smile crosses his face.

              “No no no. It was Sarah. She was the one who changed your clothes. I wasn’t even in the room when she was doing it. Your clothes were dirty from getting knocked to the ground last night and needed to be cleaned. My only contribution is getting you the actual clothes that you are wearing now.”

              Relief washes over me and I physically slump down into a relaxing pose in the bed. I like Ty. The thought of him changing me is more than I can take right now. His sister is almost as bad, but she is a nurse and probably used to it. My mini crisis is averted.

              “There is some Tylenol on the tray for you to take as well,” replies Ty. “I imagine you have a head ache.”

              I look at the Tylenol and nod appreciatively. I open the packet and pop both pills in my mouth. Then I take a swig of juice. I stay silent the rest of the time I eat. Ty watches me intently taking in every mannerism. His intense stare causes me to be even more aware of myself as I eat, but how can you tell the person who saved you not to watch. I take a bite of toast making sure I chew with my mouth tightly closed. As I swallow, I feel a dull pain in my throat. My hand automatically touches the spot on my skin where the internal pain is located. Immediately I regret grabbing my throat as even more pain shoots across my neck.

              “You have a nice bruise forming there,” states Ty.

              Worry creases his face as he watches me slowly rub it. I look at him. Had it not been for him, I am sure it would be more than just a bruise. I drop the toast on the plate deciding not to eat any more. I will eat later when the Tylenol kicks in. I look around the room more thoroughly taking in my surroundings for the first time. The room is sparsely decorated with the only furniture being the bed I am in, a night stand and a dresser. On the wall opposite the bed is a sliding door that must be a closet. The walls are an off shade of white and the blue blankets I am wrapped in match the blue sky outside.

              “Where are we?”

              “I brought you to my house. I live in the marina only about five minutes away from campus.”

              “Does your sister live with you?” I ask

              “Yes,” replies Ty.

              “Is this one of those boathouses where you park the boat underneath?”

              “Yes.”

              Ty smiles at my question. It is a silly question, but the idea of a house being on stilts with a boat underneath is a new concept to me and thus intrigues me to no end.

              “Do you have a boat?”

              “Yes. We have a few boats.”

              There he is again with the word a few as if alluding to a fleet of boats all at his disposal. I finish off the juice and begin on the water. The pounding in my head is slowly going away. I hear a tiny knock at the door and turn around. In the door way is a small woman with a big smile. Her eyes and skin are the same color as Ty’s. Her long hair cascades down in layers. It would have been completely the same color as Ty’s hair had it not been for the grey streaks in front framing her face.

              “Hi, how is our little patient?”

              Her voice is kind. I can tell she is a gentle person by her tone. Perhaps years of being a nurse made her that way. I smile back at her. Her smile grows causing crinkles to form around her eyes.

              “I’m doing fine,” I respond. “I have a bit of a head ache, but the Tylenol seems to be helping.”

              “That’s to be expected with a mild concussion,” she replies looking me over really well. “I have your clothes in the dryer. They should be ready in a half an hour.”

              With those words and a kind smile, she disappears closing the door behind her. I look back at Ty. He looks at me blankly as if his eyes never left me. The thought of Ty watching me so intently makes my head swoon even more than it did last night. I smile at him as my heart begins to race and the butterflies in my stomach take flight. As if answering the call of my beating heart, he smiles.

              “What are you thinking about?” asks Ty.

              “Nothing,” I respond.

              The real answer is I am thinking about him, but it is not something that should be spoken out loud. My cheeks blush forcing me to remove my gaze from him. I look down. He is so beautiful. Not only did I find him attractive, but now I owe him my life. He is my own hero. How could I ever thank him?

              “If you are up for it, I can take you on a little tour around my house while we wait,” states Ty.

              “I would like that,” I respond feeling my heart leap.

              I rise up out of bed careful not to flash him my panties in his oversized boxers. I thank Sarah secretly for leaving my undergarments on. I am not comfortable walking around without a bra in front of guys I barely know. Ty rises from his seat and walks around the bed. He reaches for my hand sending the butterflies scattering in my stomach. I smile at the feel of his touch and my heart beats faster again. Ty looks at me inquisitively. Then he smiles pulling me through the door and into the hallway.

              “This is the upstairs,” states Ty. “You were sleeping in the guest room. Over there is Sarah’s room. This is the hall bathroom. And through that door is my room.”

              “Can we go into your room?”

              My curiosity is getting the best of me as I wonder what type of room a guy like Ty has. He shoots me one of his brilliant full smiles as he pulls me toward the door. Ty opens the door revealing not a bedroom like I expected but a huge walk in closet. I say closet but in all actuality, it wasn’t much smaller than the guest room I was just in. In the middle of the room framed in clothes is a spiral staircase. Absent mindedly, I run my fingers across the row of t-shirts to the right of me. They are soft to the touch.

              There must be over a hundred shirts here and one of every color, I think to myself.

              “I have a weakness for Banana Republic t-shirts,” Ty rubs the back of his head gauging my reaction.

              “I like you in them,” I say with a smile. “So where is your actual room?”

              “It’s up the stairs. Originally this was a room, but we converted the attic into my room and this into a closet. It is a bit unorthodox, but I kind of like it.”

              Ty smiles and tugs my hand as he heads towards the stairs. We begin walking up in a circle. As we reach the top, I am amazed at the room. It is huge and one side still held the shape of an attic sloping downward leaving only enough room for a long desk. The side opposite jutted out further allowing for a normal size wall. This wall was completely made up of ceiling to floor window that opens onto a deck. The view overlooked the harbor and is beyond spectacular this sunny Saturday morning. His king sized bed framed the wall in front of us. A huge picture of the swamp rests above it adding color to the room.

              “This is my room and this is my bathroom.”

              I look over to the corner of the room I had not noticed yet. The glass walls blended into the ones leading outside causing my eyes to initially allow me to think it is part of the wall thus skipping over it. As I look closer, I notice that a distinct corner of the room is taken up by a separate smaller room. He slides open the glass door revealing a luxurious bathroom. Everything is sleek black. Ty steps into the bathroom and presses a button. My mouth drops as I watch the foggy white tempered glass that surrounds the room turn clear revealing a panoramic view of the marina. My mind drifts to the thought of taking a shower with the waterfall shower head looking out to views of Lake Pontchartrain.

              “That’s amazing,” I reply breathless.

              “I like showers.”

              Ty shrugs his shoulders as he cocks a half crooked smile. I knew exactly how he felt about showers. They are a favorite part of my day now that I moved down in to the Louisiana heat. I stare at one of the most amazing showers I have ever seen in person.

              “Does anyone ever see you taking a shower?”

              “You can’t see in if you take a shower during the day. At night, I turn on the tempered glass,” replies Ty. “But if anybody has seen me, they have not said anything.”

              I wouldn’t say anything either in hopes you would do it again.

              We finish upstairs and find our way down to the main level. It is simple enough. Large tile floors in an open space with no walls serve as the main living area. The living room opens up onto the kitchen with a bar separating them which in turn opens up onto a balcony with a hot tub. To the side of the space sits a small office and half bath.  I take in every inch. My eyes, however, hover on the fireplace which is framed with items that I recognize to be Native American. I am not skilled enough to know the tribes they come from but I admire them all the same. Pictures of people in traditional attire sit on the mantle as wood carvings of various things speckle around.