Blood Vane

The next morning found both Alistair Boot and Royal Pope standing in Roddy Malone’s hospital room with almost identical gob smacked expressions plastered on their faces.

It had taken that long to speak with Roddy because they had had to wait until the anesthesia wore off, and his pain medicine was ever so slightly reduced. Not that it was a conversation either of them was particularly looking forward to. Rather it was one that Alistair Boot was required to have, and Royal Pope, being curious about Seth Edwards involvement, had tagged along for.

However, neither one had been prepared for the boys actual answer when they finally got to ask what happened.

“What?” Sputtered Alistair. “You?”

Roddy Malone was lying propped up on two pillows sipping from a small container of grape juice and feeling no pain. Narcotics truly are wondrous things.

“I fell.” Roddy stated firmly again, his eyes never leaving Alistair’s face.

“You fell?” Alistair said again, as though he was sure his ears were deceiving him.

“I fell.” Roddy insisted stubbornly.

Royal was also giving the boy an incredulous look. “And how exactly did you get your balls almost ripped off if you fell?” He inquired.

Roddy shot him a dirty look. “I don’t know…. Maybe I was unlucky enough to land on my dick and they got in the way.”

“You fell.” Alistair repeated again.

“Is there an echo in here?” Roddy sneered. “Yes, I fell.”

Alistair really couldn’t help himself. “You fell.” He said once again, just to make sure he wasn’t hallucinating.

“I fell.” Roddy crossed his arms over his chest mulishly. “That’s what happened and no matter how many times you ask, that’s the answer you’re going to get……. I fell.”


::::::::::::::::::::

It was a quiet drive back to Salem, Georgia from Atlanta. Both Royal and Alistair were wrapped up in their own thoughts and neither seemed to be in much of a mood to talk.

Finally, just before they reached Augusta Alistair spoke. “What am I supposed to do about this Royal?” He said broodingly. “I know he’s lying but there’s nothing I can do if he’s not willing to tell me what happened.”

Royal nodded sympathetically. “I know… I just… I suppose you’ll just have to let it go until you can gather some other evidence.”

Alistair snorted. “What evidence? The only other person there was Seth Edwards and he’s hardly going to incriminate himself. He‘s already said that Roddy was like that when he found him.”

Royal bit his bottom lip. “You think Seth’s lying? From what you’ve said he was pretty upset when they found him”

Alistair nodded. “He says that he just freaked out when he saw how badly Malone was hurt.”

“Well…” Royal said, blushing hotly, “it is a pretty disturbing sight.”

Alistair almost snickered but managed to catch himself. Royal was obviously embarrassed about fainting.

“I don’t understand why Roddy would lie though.” Royal mused. “You would think he would want whoever did that to him punished.”

“Maybe he plans to punish them himself.” Alistair sighed. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”

“Could be,” Royal agreed hesitantly, “but I don’t think so.”

“No?”

“No.” Royal mulled it over. “For some reason I think Roddy has something else in mind.”

Even under the best of circumstances, Alistair had never really been accused of being an optimist. “Yeah,” He sulked, “probably something a lot worse.”

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Morning came much too soon to the tiny cell in unit J that was currently the residence of Thomas Vane and Seth Edwards. Neither boy had had what you could call a restful night, and when the guards came by banging on the bars to rouse the inmates at six o’clock, both were still tired and grouchy from a lack of sleep.

Seth cracked open one blood shot eye and groaned loudly. It was definitely too friggin early for this shit.

On the bunk across from him, Blood wasn’t feeling much better. He had managed to sit up, but was now just cradling his face in his hands. The sunlight seeping through the window of their cell was driving razor sharp shards into his sleep befuddled brain, and it hurt damn it!

Both boys jumped when a guard smacked his baton loudly against their cell door again. “Rise and shine!” The man said with a wide grin before ambling away to spread more good cheer amongst the population.

“Sadist!” Seth spat.

Blood numbly nodded in agreement.

It took a supreme act of willpower, but Seth finally managed to haul his protesting body up off of the bunk.
As he stood and stretched he couldn’t help noticing something odd was sitting on Blood’s pillow.

“What’s that?” Seth frowned and pointed.

“What’s what?” Blood garbled through his hands.

“That.” Seth said, still pointing. “On your pillow.”

Blood reluctantly raised his head to squint at the object that now lay in the space his head had occupied just a minute before.

“Holy fuck!” He gasped.

Cautiously, Seth edged closer to the other bunk. “What is it?”

Blood didn’t answer him right away. He couldn’t. All he could do was sit there and gape in shock at the lone shiny black feather that had mysteriously materialized on his pillow.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::