Voices
of
Conflict
by GCS & LK
Chapter Seven
Slowly coming to awareness, Johnny woke from a deep restful sleep.
He stretched his arms and neck and scratched his hip. It felt stiff from the weight of the cast.
With his eyes still bandaged he couldn't tell if it was still daylight or if it was dark. One thing he did know, it was quiet. 'The party must be over. They must have let me sleep,' he thought to himself. "Roy," he called out thinking that Roy had probably stayed with him. There was no response.
In the kitchen Jimmy suddenly smiled. He reveled in his luck. First the window had been unlocked allowing him access inside, and now his luck had increased. The voices in his head chanted with glee. "He's here!"
Johnny heard a noise in the front of the house. "Roy," he called again a little more loudly. Still he got no response.
Feeling a little uneasy he reached out trying to find the wheel chair he knew Roy would have left nearby.
He couldn't help but feel a little nervous about the lack of response.
Shaking off what he perceived as his own ridiculous thoughts, he grabbed the arm and pulled the chair close to the bed. The metal of the chair arm was cold. He struggled to get the chair in place. If he could just maneuver to the edge of the bed he could slide into the chair without putting pressure on his casted leg.
Dixie stirred. In her sleep fogged brain she had heard a noise. The house grew quiet again; she snuggled back into the warmth and drifted back to sleep.
Jimmy moved to the hall, he stood very still and waited.
He listened, breathing quietly.
"He's here Jimmy. Go get him. Make him pay." The voices urged him on. "Make him remember your wife. Tell him why he has to suffer. Go Jimmy. Go get him."
Jimmy inched gradually down the hall, his excitement building uncontrollably.
He heard a noise in the room where he hoped John Gage was. He stopped, waiting. His hand pressed against the wall steadying him. He stood completely motionless, holding his breath.
The door to the room opened slowly as Johnny tried to keep it from hitting against the wheel chair. It was not an easy task with his eyes covered. After several tries with the door repeatedly banging the wheel he got it open. "Roy, come on man where are you?"
A wicked smile spread slowly across Jimmy's face.
There he was, the man he had been trying to figure out how to grab, there he was right in front of him; right where he wanted him to be.
He let out the breath he'd been holding.
Johnny stopped as soon as he got the chair into the hall. 'Someone's here. Something's not right.'
He tilted his head upward, pausing as he slowly breathed deeply through his nose. He smelled it.
He knew he was not alone anymore.
The hair stood up on the back of his neck; his body tensed.
"Who's there?" he smelled the aftershave again sending tension down his spine. His hands trembled. He gripped the arms of the chair more tightly. "What do you want?"
Dixie heard voices downstairs. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Glancing over at the clock on the bedside table she wondered who would have come over this late. It was almost midnight. 'Whoever you are you had better have a very good reason to be disturbing Johnny at this hour.' Sliding from beneath the warm blankets she reached for her clothes.
Jimmy stepped forward. "You'll find out soon enough Fireman Gage."
Johnny didn't move. His mind reeling. He'd heard that voice before, but where?
"Take him in the front room. Pull those bandages from his eyes and let him see us. Let him remember Amber. Tell him what he did to her, to us. It's time Jimmy, time to make him pay." The voices assaulted his brain. "Let me handle this." He shook off the noise and stepped closer to Johnny, "Now you will do what I tell you to do, understand?"
'Who is he talking to? Is there someone else here? Where's Roy. He wouldn't leave me here alone like this. Is he hurt? Did they hurt him?' Johnny's thoughts raced through his head. He had to get a handle on things. He had to figure out what was happening. He sat up straighter in the chair with a new resolve.
"What do you want?" Johnny asked again.
Jimmy grabbed the arm of the chair whipping it around so he could grab the handles.
Johnny batted at the air trying to make contact with the man he couldn't see. The swift movement made his hurting head spin, but he successfully landed one blow.
The impact only made him jerk the chair harder causing Johnny's casted leg to bump the wall sending white hot pain through his body. He gasped and cried out.
Dixie heard the loud noise and dressed more quickly. She was alarmed at the cry of pain she heard from Johnny. She ran down the stairs stopping in her tracks as she saw a strange man in the hall with Johnny. Trembling in sudden fear she yelled out, "What are you doing?"
Jimmy turned and lunged at Dixie.
"She here too! Oh Jimmy you couldn't have planned this better. Get her. Stop her from getting away."
Jimmy reached Dixie and pushed her to the floor. Surprised, Dixie didn't have any time to react.
She fell hitting her head against a table.
"Dixie!" Johnny screamed and tried to get down the hall, the pain still coursing up his broken leg, the air rushing from his lungs. When Dixie didn't answer he thought she might have hit her head. Behind the gauze tears stung his eyes. "Don't hurt her. Please! Whatever it is you want with me. Don't hurt her. Dixie?"
Jimmy turned around and backhanded Johnny stunning him.
Johnny's head whipped back from the impact, the movement causing bile to rise up in his throat. He gulped it back and swallowed several times. 'Oh God not now, Dixie needs me. Have to stay alert. Not now. I can't lose it now.'
Jimmy scooped Dixie's limp body up and took her over to the couch. 'She's light like my Amber, soft, pretty. I wish she hadn't hit her head. I never would have hurt Amber…but the fireman he's a different story. He should have helped her.' Turning back to Johnny he walked over and whispered in his ear, "Now Mr. Fireman, you will do exactly as I tell you or she will pay in your place. Got it?"
Johnny slowly nodded his head. He had no clue who this man was or what he had done to cause him to be here now, but he didn't want anything to happen to Dixie. "Okay." His shoulders slumped. His hands fell to his lap; his head hung to his chest.
Jimmy reached into his pocket and pulled out the prescription bottle slowly turning it reading his own name. Going to the kitchen he got a glass of water and returned to Johnny's side. "They wanted me to take care of you now, but I want to try to help you calm down first. You will take your medication now." He poured the tablets into his hand. Normally he took one a day, but thinking his captive was too upset he decided on at least two. "Open wide, I'm going to try to help you. I want you to understand that I want to help you see what caused this to be needed. You need to know what happened," he said more gently than he had before.
Johnny knew he was in trouble. "What is it?"
Jimmy overtaken by rage, back handed Johnny again. "Don't ask questions. Just take your meds." He sat the water on the table, grabbed Johnny's face and forced his mouth open pushing the pills down his throat. Then he held his mouth shut until he was forced to swallow them.
Johnny struggled weakly, feeling panic overwhelming his thoughts. He pulled at the hands that held him.
Johnny gasped for breath. He had fought against the stranger, but in his weakened state and still reeling from the pain in his leg, blinded by the bandages on his eyes, and his concussed head pounding from the blows, he was no match.
"Now you will begin to feel better soon. Just relax. We have a lot to talk about when your meds settle your nerves." Jimmy walked back into the kitchen. He was thirsty. Fighting with Johnny had taken a lot of energy. He opened the refrigerator. There wasn't much to choose from, milk or beer. He grabbed a beer. Twisting off the cap and drinking several gulps he turned to face his captives.
Johnny was trying to move closer to the couch. The coffee table was in his way. He leaned forward and reached out trying unsuccessfully to push it out of the way. Jimmy watched him. He could see the tightness around Johnny's mouth, the strain etched on his face and the muscles tighten in his neck as he struggled with the table. 'He's trying to get to her. He cares a lot about the nurse, Dixie. He would sacrifice himself for her. Maybe I was wrong about him.'
He opened the refrigerator again and grabbed a second bottle. He twisted off the cap and took it over to Johnny. He pushed the bottle into Johnny's hand, "Drink this. It will make you feel better."
Johnny brought the cold sweating bottle to his mouth, smelling the distinct odor; knowing it was beer he took a drink needing something to wash down the pills that seemed stuck in his throat.
He reached up to the bandages on his eyes and pulled at them. Jimmy grabbed his hand. "No not yet. When I say it's time."
Jimmy settled in Johnny's recliner to wait for the meds to take affect.
The voices started a low chant, repeating over and over in his head, 'He killed her. He let her die. He's not what you think he is. He's just trying to take advantage of you. He's playing you.'
His own thoughts took precedence over the voices. 'He would lay down his life for her. He tries every day on his job to save people. Maybe Amber was never meant to live. I miss her so much. I need her. Maybe he did everything he knew how to do. I didn't know how to save her either. Maybe this is wrong.'
He stretched his arms and neck and scratched his hip. It felt stiff from the weight of the cast.
With his eyes still bandaged he couldn't tell if it was still daylight or if it was dark. One thing he did know, it was quiet. 'The party must be over. They must have let me sleep,' he thought to himself. "Roy," he called out thinking that Roy had probably stayed with him. There was no response.
In the kitchen Jimmy suddenly smiled. He reveled in his luck. First the window had been unlocked allowing him access inside, and now his luck had increased. The voices in his head chanted with glee. "He's here!"
Johnny heard a noise in the front of the house. "Roy," he called again a little more loudly. Still he got no response.
Feeling a little uneasy he reached out trying to find the wheel chair he knew Roy would have left nearby.
He couldn't help but feel a little nervous about the lack of response.
Shaking off what he perceived as his own ridiculous thoughts, he grabbed the arm and pulled the chair close to the bed. The metal of the chair arm was cold. He struggled to get the chair in place. If he could just maneuver to the edge of the bed he could slide into the chair without putting pressure on his casted leg.
Dixie stirred. In her sleep fogged brain she had heard a noise. The house grew quiet again; she snuggled back into the warmth and drifted back to sleep.
Jimmy moved to the hall, he stood very still and waited.
He listened, breathing quietly.
"He's here Jimmy. Go get him. Make him pay." The voices urged him on. "Make him remember your wife. Tell him why he has to suffer. Go Jimmy. Go get him."
Jimmy inched gradually down the hall, his excitement building uncontrollably.
He heard a noise in the room where he hoped John Gage was. He stopped, waiting. His hand pressed against the wall steadying him. He stood completely motionless, holding his breath.
The door to the room opened slowly as Johnny tried to keep it from hitting against the wheel chair. It was not an easy task with his eyes covered. After several tries with the door repeatedly banging the wheel he got it open. "Roy, come on man where are you?"
A wicked smile spread slowly across Jimmy's face.
There he was, the man he had been trying to figure out how to grab, there he was right in front of him; right where he wanted him to be.
He let out the breath he'd been holding.
Johnny stopped as soon as he got the chair into the hall. 'Someone's here. Something's not right.'
He tilted his head upward, pausing as he slowly breathed deeply through his nose. He smelled it.
He knew he was not alone anymore.
The hair stood up on the back of his neck; his body tensed.
"Who's there?" he smelled the aftershave again sending tension down his spine. His hands trembled. He gripped the arms of the chair more tightly. "What do you want?"
Dixie heard voices downstairs. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Glancing over at the clock on the bedside table she wondered who would have come over this late. It was almost midnight. 'Whoever you are you had better have a very good reason to be disturbing Johnny at this hour.' Sliding from beneath the warm blankets she reached for her clothes.
Jimmy stepped forward. "You'll find out soon enough Fireman Gage."
Johnny didn't move. His mind reeling. He'd heard that voice before, but where?
"Take him in the front room. Pull those bandages from his eyes and let him see us. Let him remember Amber. Tell him what he did to her, to us. It's time Jimmy, time to make him pay." The voices assaulted his brain. "Let me handle this." He shook off the noise and stepped closer to Johnny, "Now you will do what I tell you to do, understand?"
'Who is he talking to? Is there someone else here? Where's Roy. He wouldn't leave me here alone like this. Is he hurt? Did they hurt him?' Johnny's thoughts raced through his head. He had to get a handle on things. He had to figure out what was happening. He sat up straighter in the chair with a new resolve.
"What do you want?" Johnny asked again.
Jimmy grabbed the arm of the chair whipping it around so he could grab the handles.
Johnny batted at the air trying to make contact with the man he couldn't see. The swift movement made his hurting head spin, but he successfully landed one blow.
The impact only made him jerk the chair harder causing Johnny's casted leg to bump the wall sending white hot pain through his body. He gasped and cried out.
Dixie heard the loud noise and dressed more quickly. She was alarmed at the cry of pain she heard from Johnny. She ran down the stairs stopping in her tracks as she saw a strange man in the hall with Johnny. Trembling in sudden fear she yelled out, "What are you doing?"
Jimmy turned and lunged at Dixie.
"She here too! Oh Jimmy you couldn't have planned this better. Get her. Stop her from getting away."
Jimmy reached Dixie and pushed her to the floor. Surprised, Dixie didn't have any time to react.
She fell hitting her head against a table.
"Dixie!" Johnny screamed and tried to get down the hall, the pain still coursing up his broken leg, the air rushing from his lungs. When Dixie didn't answer he thought she might have hit her head. Behind the gauze tears stung his eyes. "Don't hurt her. Please! Whatever it is you want with me. Don't hurt her. Dixie?"
Jimmy turned around and backhanded Johnny stunning him.
Johnny's head whipped back from the impact, the movement causing bile to rise up in his throat. He gulped it back and swallowed several times. 'Oh God not now, Dixie needs me. Have to stay alert. Not now. I can't lose it now.'
Jimmy scooped Dixie's limp body up and took her over to the couch. 'She's light like my Amber, soft, pretty. I wish she hadn't hit her head. I never would have hurt Amber…but the fireman he's a different story. He should have helped her.' Turning back to Johnny he walked over and whispered in his ear, "Now Mr. Fireman, you will do exactly as I tell you or she will pay in your place. Got it?"
Johnny slowly nodded his head. He had no clue who this man was or what he had done to cause him to be here now, but he didn't want anything to happen to Dixie. "Okay." His shoulders slumped. His hands fell to his lap; his head hung to his chest.
Jimmy reached into his pocket and pulled out the prescription bottle slowly turning it reading his own name. Going to the kitchen he got a glass of water and returned to Johnny's side. "They wanted me to take care of you now, but I want to try to help you calm down first. You will take your medication now." He poured the tablets into his hand. Normally he took one a day, but thinking his captive was too upset he decided on at least two. "Open wide, I'm going to try to help you. I want you to understand that I want to help you see what caused this to be needed. You need to know what happened," he said more gently than he had before.
Johnny knew he was in trouble. "What is it?"
Jimmy overtaken by rage, back handed Johnny again. "Don't ask questions. Just take your meds." He sat the water on the table, grabbed Johnny's face and forced his mouth open pushing the pills down his throat. Then he held his mouth shut until he was forced to swallow them.
Johnny struggled weakly, feeling panic overwhelming his thoughts. He pulled at the hands that held him.
Johnny gasped for breath. He had fought against the stranger, but in his weakened state and still reeling from the pain in his leg, blinded by the bandages on his eyes, and his concussed head pounding from the blows, he was no match.
"Now you will begin to feel better soon. Just relax. We have a lot to talk about when your meds settle your nerves." Jimmy walked back into the kitchen. He was thirsty. Fighting with Johnny had taken a lot of energy. He opened the refrigerator. There wasn't much to choose from, milk or beer. He grabbed a beer. Twisting off the cap and drinking several gulps he turned to face his captives.
Johnny was trying to move closer to the couch. The coffee table was in his way. He leaned forward and reached out trying unsuccessfully to push it out of the way. Jimmy watched him. He could see the tightness around Johnny's mouth, the strain etched on his face and the muscles tighten in his neck as he struggled with the table. 'He's trying to get to her. He cares a lot about the nurse, Dixie. He would sacrifice himself for her. Maybe I was wrong about him.'
He opened the refrigerator again and grabbed a second bottle. He twisted off the cap and took it over to Johnny. He pushed the bottle into Johnny's hand, "Drink this. It will make you feel better."
Johnny brought the cold sweating bottle to his mouth, smelling the distinct odor; knowing it was beer he took a drink needing something to wash down the pills that seemed stuck in his throat.
He reached up to the bandages on his eyes and pulled at them. Jimmy grabbed his hand. "No not yet. When I say it's time."
Jimmy settled in Johnny's recliner to wait for the meds to take affect.
The voices started a low chant, repeating over and over in his head, 'He killed her. He let her die. He's not what you think he is. He's just trying to take advantage of you. He's playing you.'
His own thoughts took precedence over the voices. 'He would lay down his life for her. He tries every day on his job to save people. Maybe Amber was never meant to live. I miss her so much. I need her. Maybe he did everything he knew how to do. I didn't know how to save her either. Maybe this is wrong.'
Chapter Eight
The slow squeak of the hinges of the bedroom door echoed across the quiet room.
The light from the hall spilled across the threshold illuminating the doorway.
Roy looked over and silhouetted in the light from the hall he could see his son. "Chris are you sick?"
"I couldn't sleep." came the soft response.
Joanne raised up on her elbow so she could see over her husband. "What's the matter son?"
"I can't stop thinking about something that happened today at Uncle Johnny's."
"What happened son?" Roy asked as he swung his legs over the side of the bed and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. "Come on over here and tell me what's bothering you."
Chris padded slowly over to his father and stood in front of his with his eyes downcast. "Um you know when we were playing ball and the ball rolled into the woods beside the barn?" He waited for his dad to answer.
"Well I wasn't there at the time, but why don't you tell me what happened. Come here and sit next to me and tell your mom and me the whole story."
Chris leaned against his parent's bed and Roy draped his arm around his son. Joanne lay back on her pillow and waited to hear her son's explanation.
"Well ya see the ball rolled into the trees. I was closest so I ran after it. When I got there to get it I thought I heard something." He paused.
"Heard something?" Joanne asked. "Like what?"
"I dunno. It sounded like an animal...I guess." Chris shrugged his small shoulders.
"Son there are all kinds of animals in those woods behind your Uncle Johnny's house. You know that. We've seen raccoons, squirrels, snakes, and even thought we heard a bear once...remember?"
"Yes sir, but it sounded big, and Dad it smelled." Chris looked at his dad with wide eyes. "It smelled funny."
"Funny how son?"
"Well like you but different." Chris looked up proud of his explanation.
"Like your father but different,. What does that mean?" She chuckled at he son's explanation.
"Well...you know dad uses that stuff after he shaves. It smells good. I smelled something like that only it didn't smell as good."
"Aftershave?" Roy asked.
"Yeah and remember Uncle Johnny thought he heard someone in the woods when he was in the hammock. I just can't stop thinkin' what if there really was someone out there?" Chris had finally gotten to the worry that kept him awake.
"Son," Roy pulled his son close and hugged him. "I know you love your Uncle Johnny a whole lot. I also know that his is injured and you worry about him, but I promise you he can take care of himself. He probably had a dream out there in the hammock that made him think someone hid in the woods watching him. You need to go back to bed now and let the adults worry about stuff like that. Okay?"
"Well okay dad, but what if someone really wanted to hide out in those woods and hurt Uncle Johnny?" Chris looked at his dad for a sign that he understood.
"I don't think anyone would want to hurt your Uncle. I'll tell you what. It's just a little after midnight. As soon as I think he will be awake in the morning I will give him a call and make sure he and Miss Dixie are okay. Would that help you to get back to sleep?"
"Yeah dad, that would be great!" Chris hugged his father and turned to leave the room. "Sorry I woke you and mom up."
"It's okay Chris. We're here for you. We love you very much," Joanne told him.
Chris ran around the bed and gave his mother a kiss. "Thanks mom, I love you too." Then he slipped from the room closing the door on the way back to his room satisfied that his dad would take care of the problem. After all his dad could do anything.
Roy got up from the side of the bed. "I'll just go make sure he turned out the lights and got back in the bed."
"Okay," Joanne yawned. "Good night."
Roy checked on his son and daughter and went to the kitchen for a drink before returning to his bed.
Slowly sliding under the covers so as not to wake Joanne he settled once again into his bed to try to get some sleep, but sleep would not come.
Roy tossed and turned for a long time the things his son had said running through his mind over and over mixed in with Johnny's upset that caused him to tumble from the hammock. Could there be something to all of this? Roy hadn't wanted to worry his young son about it. He thought he had assured his son that Johnny could take care of himself. He hoped he had. Now if only he could be that sure.
At the ranch Dixie stirred on the couch. She slowly opened her eyes squinting in the light from the lamp on the sofa table. She could see two figures across the room. She recognized Johnny who sat slumped in the wheelchair, but had no idea who the other man could be.
"What happened?" She whispered as she tried to sit up.
"Well pretty lady you fell and hit your head," Jimmy got up and moved toward the couch.
"Don' tou...touch h..her." Johnny slurred.
Jimmy grabbed his hair and jerked his head back. "You keep quiet Fireboy." Then he pushed Johnny's head forward causing him to sag in the chair.
"Ahhh...don'...hurs."
"Johnny!" Dixie tried to get up from the couch.
Jimmy moved over and pushed her back down. "You stay put."
'This is getting too complicated Jimmy. They are getting restless already. You need to go ahead and take care of that man. Have the broad take off his bandages so he can see you and you can tell him what he did.'
"I'm running this show." Jimmy said his eyes darting up and from side to side as if he looked for the people speaking inside his head.
Dixie noticed his odd behavior. She realized that he must be speaking to what he perceived as voices in his own mind, maybe multiple personalities or Schizophrenia, "Why don't you let me help him? He's injured. I can see something is very wrong with him."
"He's just very relaxed from his medication. No need for you to worry your pretty little head with that one."
Dixie's mind raced...medication? Johnny's taking antibiotics and pain meds...did he give Johnny something. Could he have given Johnny some of his own anti-psychotic medication or tranquilizers? If he did that would explain his lethargy. She had to find a way to get the man to trust her, so she could find out what he'd given Johnny. She watched Jimmy as he reached over and grabbed his beer from the coffee table and drained the bottle.
'She likes him Jimmy. She doesn't like you. She's not like Amber.'
"Shut up...don't talk about her. She could be like my Amber. I'll be the one to decide that not you." Jimmy clearly under the influence of the several empty beer bottles that littered the coffee table talked to thin air.
"Can you tell me what medication he is on?" Dixie hoped to get some information to help Johnny who she now suspected had been drugged. Mixed with the antibiotics and pain medication he already had in his system he could be in real trouble.
The light from the hall spilled across the threshold illuminating the doorway.
Roy looked over and silhouetted in the light from the hall he could see his son. "Chris are you sick?"
"I couldn't sleep." came the soft response.
Joanne raised up on her elbow so she could see over her husband. "What's the matter son?"
"I can't stop thinking about something that happened today at Uncle Johnny's."
"What happened son?" Roy asked as he swung his legs over the side of the bed and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. "Come on over here and tell me what's bothering you."
Chris padded slowly over to his father and stood in front of his with his eyes downcast. "Um you know when we were playing ball and the ball rolled into the woods beside the barn?" He waited for his dad to answer.
"Well I wasn't there at the time, but why don't you tell me what happened. Come here and sit next to me and tell your mom and me the whole story."
Chris leaned against his parent's bed and Roy draped his arm around his son. Joanne lay back on her pillow and waited to hear her son's explanation.
"Well ya see the ball rolled into the trees. I was closest so I ran after it. When I got there to get it I thought I heard something." He paused.
"Heard something?" Joanne asked. "Like what?"
"I dunno. It sounded like an animal...I guess." Chris shrugged his small shoulders.
"Son there are all kinds of animals in those woods behind your Uncle Johnny's house. You know that. We've seen raccoons, squirrels, snakes, and even thought we heard a bear once...remember?"
"Yes sir, but it sounded big, and Dad it smelled." Chris looked at his dad with wide eyes. "It smelled funny."
"Funny how son?"
"Well like you but different." Chris looked up proud of his explanation.
"Like your father but different,. What does that mean?" She chuckled at he son's explanation.
"Well...you know dad uses that stuff after he shaves. It smells good. I smelled something like that only it didn't smell as good."
"Aftershave?" Roy asked.
"Yeah and remember Uncle Johnny thought he heard someone in the woods when he was in the hammock. I just can't stop thinkin' what if there really was someone out there?" Chris had finally gotten to the worry that kept him awake.
"Son," Roy pulled his son close and hugged him. "I know you love your Uncle Johnny a whole lot. I also know that his is injured and you worry about him, but I promise you he can take care of himself. He probably had a dream out there in the hammock that made him think someone hid in the woods watching him. You need to go back to bed now and let the adults worry about stuff like that. Okay?"
"Well okay dad, but what if someone really wanted to hide out in those woods and hurt Uncle Johnny?" Chris looked at his dad for a sign that he understood.
"I don't think anyone would want to hurt your Uncle. I'll tell you what. It's just a little after midnight. As soon as I think he will be awake in the morning I will give him a call and make sure he and Miss Dixie are okay. Would that help you to get back to sleep?"
"Yeah dad, that would be great!" Chris hugged his father and turned to leave the room. "Sorry I woke you and mom up."
"It's okay Chris. We're here for you. We love you very much," Joanne told him.
Chris ran around the bed and gave his mother a kiss. "Thanks mom, I love you too." Then he slipped from the room closing the door on the way back to his room satisfied that his dad would take care of the problem. After all his dad could do anything.
Roy got up from the side of the bed. "I'll just go make sure he turned out the lights and got back in the bed."
"Okay," Joanne yawned. "Good night."
Roy checked on his son and daughter and went to the kitchen for a drink before returning to his bed.
Slowly sliding under the covers so as not to wake Joanne he settled once again into his bed to try to get some sleep, but sleep would not come.
Roy tossed and turned for a long time the things his son had said running through his mind over and over mixed in with Johnny's upset that caused him to tumble from the hammock. Could there be something to all of this? Roy hadn't wanted to worry his young son about it. He thought he had assured his son that Johnny could take care of himself. He hoped he had. Now if only he could be that sure.
At the ranch Dixie stirred on the couch. She slowly opened her eyes squinting in the light from the lamp on the sofa table. She could see two figures across the room. She recognized Johnny who sat slumped in the wheelchair, but had no idea who the other man could be.
"What happened?" She whispered as she tried to sit up.
"Well pretty lady you fell and hit your head," Jimmy got up and moved toward the couch.
"Don' tou...touch h..her." Johnny slurred.
Jimmy grabbed his hair and jerked his head back. "You keep quiet Fireboy." Then he pushed Johnny's head forward causing him to sag in the chair.
"Ahhh...don'...hurs."
"Johnny!" Dixie tried to get up from the couch.
Jimmy moved over and pushed her back down. "You stay put."
'This is getting too complicated Jimmy. They are getting restless already. You need to go ahead and take care of that man. Have the broad take off his bandages so he can see you and you can tell him what he did.'
"I'm running this show." Jimmy said his eyes darting up and from side to side as if he looked for the people speaking inside his head.
Dixie noticed his odd behavior. She realized that he must be speaking to what he perceived as voices in his own mind, maybe multiple personalities or Schizophrenia, "Why don't you let me help him? He's injured. I can see something is very wrong with him."
"He's just very relaxed from his medication. No need for you to worry your pretty little head with that one."
Dixie's mind raced...medication? Johnny's taking antibiotics and pain meds...did he give Johnny something. Could he have given Johnny some of his own anti-psychotic medication or tranquilizers? If he did that would explain his lethargy. She had to find a way to get the man to trust her, so she could find out what he'd given Johnny. She watched Jimmy as he reached over and grabbed his beer from the coffee table and drained the bottle.
'She likes him Jimmy. She doesn't like you. She's not like Amber.'
"Shut up...don't talk about her. She could be like my Amber. I'll be the one to decide that not you." Jimmy clearly under the influence of the several empty beer bottles that littered the coffee table talked to thin air.
"Can you tell me what medication he is on?" Dixie hoped to get some information to help Johnny who she now suspected had been drugged. Mixed with the antibiotics and pain medication he already had in his system he could be in real trouble.
Chapter Nine
"What?"
"What kind of medication is he taking?" Dixie asked hoping she could get some information that would help her to know just what kind of danger Johnny might be in.
He bolted up in his chair and jerked his face toward her, his eyes wild and his movements jerky. "Don't worry about that. I have it." Jimmy seemed to be getting more alert instead of more out of it even though he had already consumed several beers.
Trying to remember her training in dealing with patients suffering from psychosis, thoughts raced through her head. She desperately needed to find a way to earn his trust. Her head pounded in rhythm with her own heartbeat from the knot that had formed when she hit her head, but with steely determination learned from her army days as a field nurse surrounded by rapid fire gunshots and exploding grenades, she continued to try to find a way to gain control of this scary situation.
Johnny moaned. Dixie looked over at him and without moving she observed his breathing by counting the rise and fall of his chest, slow but not alarmingly so. 'He must have given him something like a nerve tablet. Think...what would be prescribed for calming a delusional patient that could be taken daily.' She couldn't remember with the fogginess the blow to the head had caused.
"Shut up fireboy!" Jimmy barked from across the room.
Dixie made soothing shushing noises to Johnny that touched a place in Jimmy's heart reminding him of his Amber. Looking across at the woman on the couch it wasn't Dixie he saw. It was Amber. His thoughts traveled to the time he spent in the psych ward at Rampart. Amber questioned the doctors about him.
The soft face of Amber penetrated his thoughts and floated in front of him.
Can you tell me what medication he is on?
Haloperidol. It's an anti-psychotic. We just put him on it.
He's shaking.
Yes ma'am. Unfortunately, it's one of the side effects. Hopefully, after a few weeks, we'll see a decrease in psychotic episodes as well as with the trembling.
Will it have any other side effects?
Involuntary muscles spasms, restlessness, facial tremors, some atrophy of the facial muscles.
Don't you have anything else? That all sounds horrible.
No ma'am. But if we monitor him closely, and you keep careful records, we can adjust the dosage so that all of those side effects can be minimized.
"What kind of medication is he taking?" Dixie repeated, hoping she could get some information that would help her to know just what kind of danger Johnny might be in.
Jimmy shook his head. The voices of Amber and Dixie merged, separated, merged.
"You were the only one that cared about me," he said softly to Dixie, seeing Amber. "You were the only one that gave a damn. I heard you, you know, that day…that first day when they stared the Haloperidol. I knew you were there. You didn't think I remembered, but I did."
Dixie stared at Jimmy. He'd given Johnny Haloperidol, an anti-psychotic. "What's your name?" Dixie asked softly.
Jimmy shook his head. "What's wrong Amber? Don't you know me?"
"I hit my head," Dixie said quickly. Apparently the man thought she was Amber. She searched her memory trying to connect the name with a record or a face.
Jimmy staggered to his feet.
"Don…hurt…her…"
Jimmy's face turned red. He whirled around. "I would never hurt my Amber. Never! Never! You shut up! Didn't I tell you to shut up!"
Dixie moaned and clutched her head watching Jimmy carefully. She had to get him away from Johnny. "Oh…my head hurts…please help me…"
Jimmy's head whipped around. "Amber? Honey? Did he hurt you?" He turned and faced Johnny again. He reached down and grabbed him by the arms and pulled him upright. "Did you hurt her? Did you? Did you hurt my Amber! Tell me!" He shook Johnny roughly, snapping his head back and forth.
Dixie tried again this time a little louder. "Oh, my head hurts…please help me!"
Jimmy's head whipped around to Dixie and then back to Johnny. Roughly he shoved Johnny back into the chair and then weaved his way over to Dixie. "Amber honey? Amber?"
Dixie moaned and closed her eyes. She felt the man's hands on her shoulders and felt herself stiffen, but she willed herself to remain pliant when she smelled his fetid breath. Think, Dixie, think!
"Amber honey? Amber?" Jimmy was confused when the images of Dixie and Amber separated for a moment and instead of seeing the shoulder length brown hair Amber had that he loved, he saw Dixie's blondness; instead of seeing Amber's softly rounded body, he saw slim arms and legs; instead of Amber's long length, he saw a small, petite woman lying before him. "Amber? You're not Amber!"
Instantly, his memory merged again and he was once again looking down at his Amber.
Confusion rattled his intoxicated brain, but he missed his wife so much and wanted so desperately to have someone to love him. He pressed his lips against Dixie's and held her tight.
Dixie tensed and pushed against his chest, "No. I...I think I'm going to be sick. Please, I need to be sick." She was able to push him away.
Jimmy stumbled back a few steps and stared at the woman before him. 'She's trying to play you Jimmy. She's not Amber.'He wrinkled his brow and tilted his head. He stepped back up to Dixie. "I didn't mean to hurt you Amber."
Johnny moaned and began swallowing and licking his lips and his breathing came out in gasps.
"He's going to be sick. I've seen it before. Let me help him." She pleaded with Jimmy. "Please."
'Let her remove the bandages so he can see us. It's time, before the medication wears off.'Jimmy looked from Dixie to Johnny and back to Dixie. "You helped me."
"I tried, I will," Dixie said softly.
"You can help him if you take the bandages from his eyes. We want him to see us." Jimmy stepped back and let her have access to Johnny.
"What kind of medication is he taking?" Dixie asked hoping she could get some information that would help her to know just what kind of danger Johnny might be in.
He bolted up in his chair and jerked his face toward her, his eyes wild and his movements jerky. "Don't worry about that. I have it." Jimmy seemed to be getting more alert instead of more out of it even though he had already consumed several beers.
Trying to remember her training in dealing with patients suffering from psychosis, thoughts raced through her head. She desperately needed to find a way to earn his trust. Her head pounded in rhythm with her own heartbeat from the knot that had formed when she hit her head, but with steely determination learned from her army days as a field nurse surrounded by rapid fire gunshots and exploding grenades, she continued to try to find a way to gain control of this scary situation.
Johnny moaned. Dixie looked over at him and without moving she observed his breathing by counting the rise and fall of his chest, slow but not alarmingly so. 'He must have given him something like a nerve tablet. Think...what would be prescribed for calming a delusional patient that could be taken daily.' She couldn't remember with the fogginess the blow to the head had caused.
"Shut up fireboy!" Jimmy barked from across the room.
Dixie made soothing shushing noises to Johnny that touched a place in Jimmy's heart reminding him of his Amber. Looking across at the woman on the couch it wasn't Dixie he saw. It was Amber. His thoughts traveled to the time he spent in the psych ward at Rampart. Amber questioned the doctors about him.
The soft face of Amber penetrated his thoughts and floated in front of him.
Can you tell me what medication he is on?
Haloperidol. It's an anti-psychotic. We just put him on it.
He's shaking.
Yes ma'am. Unfortunately, it's one of the side effects. Hopefully, after a few weeks, we'll see a decrease in psychotic episodes as well as with the trembling.
Will it have any other side effects?
Involuntary muscles spasms, restlessness, facial tremors, some atrophy of the facial muscles.
Don't you have anything else? That all sounds horrible.
No ma'am. But if we monitor him closely, and you keep careful records, we can adjust the dosage so that all of those side effects can be minimized.
"What kind of medication is he taking?" Dixie repeated, hoping she could get some information that would help her to know just what kind of danger Johnny might be in.
Jimmy shook his head. The voices of Amber and Dixie merged, separated, merged.
"You were the only one that cared about me," he said softly to Dixie, seeing Amber. "You were the only one that gave a damn. I heard you, you know, that day…that first day when they stared the Haloperidol. I knew you were there. You didn't think I remembered, but I did."
Dixie stared at Jimmy. He'd given Johnny Haloperidol, an anti-psychotic. "What's your name?" Dixie asked softly.
Jimmy shook his head. "What's wrong Amber? Don't you know me?"
"I hit my head," Dixie said quickly. Apparently the man thought she was Amber. She searched her memory trying to connect the name with a record or a face.
Jimmy staggered to his feet.
"Don…hurt…her…"
Jimmy's face turned red. He whirled around. "I would never hurt my Amber. Never! Never! You shut up! Didn't I tell you to shut up!"
Dixie moaned and clutched her head watching Jimmy carefully. She had to get him away from Johnny. "Oh…my head hurts…please help me…"
Jimmy's head whipped around. "Amber? Honey? Did he hurt you?" He turned and faced Johnny again. He reached down and grabbed him by the arms and pulled him upright. "Did you hurt her? Did you? Did you hurt my Amber! Tell me!" He shook Johnny roughly, snapping his head back and forth.
Dixie tried again this time a little louder. "Oh, my head hurts…please help me!"
Jimmy's head whipped around to Dixie and then back to Johnny. Roughly he shoved Johnny back into the chair and then weaved his way over to Dixie. "Amber honey? Amber?"
Dixie moaned and closed her eyes. She felt the man's hands on her shoulders and felt herself stiffen, but she willed herself to remain pliant when she smelled his fetid breath. Think, Dixie, think!
"Amber honey? Amber?" Jimmy was confused when the images of Dixie and Amber separated for a moment and instead of seeing the shoulder length brown hair Amber had that he loved, he saw Dixie's blondness; instead of seeing Amber's softly rounded body, he saw slim arms and legs; instead of Amber's long length, he saw a small, petite woman lying before him. "Amber? You're not Amber!"
Instantly, his memory merged again and he was once again looking down at his Amber.
Confusion rattled his intoxicated brain, but he missed his wife so much and wanted so desperately to have someone to love him. He pressed his lips against Dixie's and held her tight.
Dixie tensed and pushed against his chest, "No. I...I think I'm going to be sick. Please, I need to be sick." She was able to push him away.
Jimmy stumbled back a few steps and stared at the woman before him. 'She's trying to play you Jimmy. She's not Amber.'He wrinkled his brow and tilted his head. He stepped back up to Dixie. "I didn't mean to hurt you Amber."
Johnny moaned and began swallowing and licking his lips and his breathing came out in gasps.
"He's going to be sick. I've seen it before. Let me help him." She pleaded with Jimmy. "Please."
'Let her remove the bandages so he can see us. It's time, before the medication wears off.'Jimmy looked from Dixie to Johnny and back to Dixie. "You helped me."
"I tried, I will," Dixie said softly.
"You can help him if you take the bandages from his eyes. We want him to see us." Jimmy stepped back and let her have access to Johnny.
