carefully placed stitches, he knotted the last thread and proclaimed that he was finished. “Travis, you have to be careful for a while. If these don’t hold, you need to get a doctor to stitch you up properly. You’ve got quite a goose-egg on the back of your head. You might have a concussion, or even a fracture. You really should be checked out by a professional.”
Slowly shaking his head, Travis said, “We don’t have insurance. My mom would have a fit if I racked up a big medical bill.”
Malachi nodded, understanding full well what it felt like to have to watch your money. “What about your ribs, Travis? Did he get you in the ribs, or chest?”
“Not too much. He was mainly focused on smashing in my skull.”
“Yeah, he did mess up your pretty face. You’re going to have a scar on your cheek.” Trying to be reassuring, he continued, “But that’s okay. Girls find scars sexy.”
Travis attempted to smile, which caused him to wince in pain. “Ouch.”
Malachi went to the cupboard and grabbed a bottle of ibuprofen. He handed Travis two of them, with a glass of water and said, “Take these. It will help with the pain and inflammation.”
Travis swigged them down.
Malachi grabbed a bag of peas from the freezer. “Here, use these like an ice pack to keep the swelling down.”
“Seriously, thanks for everything. You probably saved my ass out there today. Then you bring me back here and fix me up like this. I owe you.”
“It’s all good, son.” Malachi said with a little nod. “I just hope that you’re okay.”
Travis brushed it off with a wave of his hand. “Ah, it’s nothing. I’ve endured Junior Barnett’s wrath many times. I’ll survive.”
Malachi scowled at him and let out a big sigh. He folded up his glasses and tucked them neatly away in the chest pocket of his faded flannel shirt. “What happened out there, Travis? Why was he so angry with you?”
He shrugged. “Jeremy was bored and headed out this way. I asked if I could tag along. As luck would have it, just as we were pulling out, Junior jumped in the backseat and Jeremy let him ride along. When we got to Cry Baby Bridge, they stopped to drink some beer. Junior wanted to drive. He said that he was responsible and would never drink and drive. He’d just stop and throw a few back and then drive around tipsy. That was his asinine idea of responsibility.”
Malachi laughed at how absurd that sounded.
Travis agreed, “I know, right? The guy’s a real douchebag and Jeremy is too afraid of him to tell him no.”
“So why was he wailing on you like that?”
“He got a little buzzed and then started with the spray paint. I told him to stop it and that royally pissed him off. He doesn’t like anyone telling him what to do. Junior has a real short fuse and I lit it and forgot to run. He had me on the ground slamming me before I even knew what hit me.”
“I can’t figure out how he cut you like that with his fists.”
“He’s just a lard ass. His punches alone don’t amount to a whole lot, but he likes to wear this old skull and crossbones ring on his middle finger. It’s got a raised edge on it and if he hits you just right it’ll rip through your flesh. Guess he hit me just right.”
Malachi shook his head. “The kid’s a real roughian. I always say that it’s better to be pissed off, than pissed on. But, in your case, I’m not sure that’s true.”
Travis tried to laugh and winced in pain. Once the tenderness subsided, he took a few shallow breaths and began to relax again. Slowly, he reached into his pockets and pulled something out. He extended his hand towards Malachi and opened it. Four amulets dropped into Malachi’s waiting palm. He looked at Travis, confused.
“I finished those. That’s why I bummed a ride from Jeremy, so I could bring them to you. Do they look okay?”
Malachi leaned back in his chair, dumbfounded. He put his reading glasses back on and inspected each one meticulously. He could
Slowly shaking his head, Travis said, “We don’t have insurance. My mom would have a fit if I racked up a big medical bill.”
Malachi nodded, understanding full well what it felt like to have to watch your money. “What about your ribs, Travis? Did he get you in the ribs, or chest?”
“Not too much. He was mainly focused on smashing in my skull.”
“Yeah, he did mess up your pretty face. You’re going to have a scar on your cheek.” Trying to be reassuring, he continued, “But that’s okay. Girls find scars sexy.”
Travis attempted to smile, which caused him to wince in pain. “Ouch.”
Malachi went to the cupboard and grabbed a bottle of ibuprofen. He handed Travis two of them, with a glass of water and said, “Take these. It will help with the pain and inflammation.”
Travis swigged them down.
Malachi grabbed a bag of peas from the freezer. “Here, use these like an ice pack to keep the swelling down.”
“Seriously, thanks for everything. You probably saved my ass out there today. Then you bring me back here and fix me up like this. I owe you.”
“It’s all good, son.” Malachi said with a little nod. “I just hope that you’re okay.”
Travis brushed it off with a wave of his hand. “Ah, it’s nothing. I’ve endured Junior Barnett’s wrath many times. I’ll survive.”
Malachi scowled at him and let out a big sigh. He folded up his glasses and tucked them neatly away in the chest pocket of his faded flannel shirt. “What happened out there, Travis? Why was he so angry with you?”
He shrugged. “Jeremy was bored and headed out this way. I asked if I could tag along. As luck would have it, just as we were pulling out, Junior jumped in the backseat and Jeremy let him ride along. When we got to Cry Baby Bridge, they stopped to drink some beer. Junior wanted to drive. He said that he was responsible and would never drink and drive. He’d just stop and throw a few back and then drive around tipsy. That was his asinine idea of responsibility.”
Malachi laughed at how absurd that sounded.
Travis agreed, “I know, right? The guy’s a real douchebag and Jeremy is too afraid of him to tell him no.”
“So why was he wailing on you like that?”
“He got a little buzzed and then started with the spray paint. I told him to stop it and that royally pissed him off. He doesn’t like anyone telling him what to do. Junior has a real short fuse and I lit it and forgot to run. He had me on the ground slamming me before I even knew what hit me.”
“I can’t figure out how he cut you like that with his fists.”
“He’s just a lard ass. His punches alone don’t amount to a whole lot, but he likes to wear this old skull and crossbones ring on his middle finger. It’s got a raised edge on it and if he hits you just right it’ll rip through your flesh. Guess he hit me just right.”
Malachi shook his head. “The kid’s a real roughian. I always say that it’s better to be pissed off, than pissed on. But, in your case, I’m not sure that’s true.”
Travis tried to laugh and winced in pain. Once the tenderness subsided, he took a few shallow breaths and began to relax again. Slowly, he reached into his pockets and pulled something out. He extended his hand towards Malachi and opened it. Four amulets dropped into Malachi’s waiting palm. He looked at Travis, confused.
“I finished those. That’s why I bummed a ride from Jeremy, so I could bring them to you. Do they look okay?”
Malachi leaned back in his chair, dumbfounded. He put his reading glasses back on and inspected each one meticulously. He could
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