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Stories posted in this category are works of fiction. Names, places, characters, events, and incidents are created by the authors' imaginations or are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual persons (living or dead), organizations, companies, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.
Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you. 

Third Shift - 3. Simon Peter Concluded

Have you ever felt everything you knew was wrong? Did the world bum rush you and take it all away? This is the conclusion of denial.

4 Simon Peter

February 12th

When he got the call, he couldn’t believe it and he gulped loudly.

His mother had said over and over that bad news comes in threes. Cory always smiled when she said it because you tended to notice patterns even when no such thing existed. The human brain evolved to create meaning out of patterns. This was one of the more powerful things the nervous system could do; anticipate danger.

However, the brain could also create patterns even with non-related occurrences. Cory had learned much of religion and superstition was invented due to such thinking. Some guy writes a book about submission and some Bedouins believe he is a prophet. Another guy has a bunch of followers and when they become dangerous to the status quo, they martyr him. The followers pretend he rose from the dead, and suddenly a cult becomes a full-fledged religion. He was sure this was the truth.

Still, Cory could understand some of what drove believers. When a series of unrelated events overwhelms, it feels like something much bigger.

Cory listened to the caller and nodded. He was dumbstruck by this third set of bad news. As the call ended, he numbly hit ‘end’ and set down his cell phone.

This couldn’t be happening, not all today.

Cory plopped down into his easy chair and looked over at the side stand. There was a note there, crumpled and then smoothed back out. When he read it this morning, he couldn’t believe the words inked on the paper. They seemed almost foreign and he couldn’t believe Sandy had written them.

He picked up the note and read it again, the paper trembling in his quivering hand.

“Cory,

I realize I haven’t been trying as hard as you. I guess I knew it was over before you did. I can’t keep lying to you. I’m in love with Casey, but I’m sure you knew that already. I can’t pretend we are together any longer. It’s not fair to you, or me, or Casey for that matter.

I know you wanted to make it work. I’m sorry to do this, but you won’t listen to me. I’ve told you many times we are done. You don’t want to hear it. Let’s not communicate for a while. You need to accept this. It’s over.

Your friend,

Sandy”

The note had hit him like an anvil falling from the sky. It even hurt his head to read the words. The ideas pounded him in an excruciating way. It was only after he’d scanned it a third time the meaning came across. Cory knew they had problems, but weren’t they working them out? Sure, Sandy had said a couple of times it wasn’t working. They were both trying to fix things though. How could he just abandon them?

It was that fucking Casey. The little bitch had always been jealous of Sandy and Cory’s relationship. He managed to finagle his way between them.

Cory crumpled the note again and threw it across the room. He was breathing hard now, gasping huge lungfuls of air. He could almost see the air shimmer red as his rage toward his former best friend became more real. Cory felt a trickle of sweat drip off his forehead and onto his nose. How could Casey do this to him? How could Sandy do this?

A sudden rush of cold air came over his skin as the latest news reminded him of his fallibility. It rose up in an ache from his gut and he quelled it with a shudder remembering the second bit of bad news today.

John Lawson had been found early this morning beaten bloody. After he’d seen Cory, he was being escorted back to his cell. He was allowed to use the bathroom and it was there he’d been jumped. The guards denied hearing anything, but after being told about how badly he was hurt, Cory couldn’t believe that. It disgusted him the guards could have let this happen.

His boss said Lawson had been taken to Hennepin County Memorial Hospital and treated for broken ribs, a dislocated jaw, and a cracked cheekbone. According to Carroll, his face was so messed up they were worried he’d lose his left eye. It was pretty horrific.

After hearing about it, Cory considered heading out to the hospital to see him. He was exhausted though and in a foul mood given the note he found after work. First, he would get some sleep and then he’d go talk with his patient. It wasn’t like he was in danger now. The hospital had him in the ICU watching him closely.

Then, he got this last piece of news. It was almost too much to bear.

Cory rubbed his face and felt the wet splash of tears on his hand. He grabbed a tissue and blew his nose into it. He stared into space trying to get his bearings.

He felt like everything he believed was all wrong. Maybe this wasn’t the right profession for him or perhaps he wasn’t strong enough to endure. First he lost his life partner. Then he found out one of his patients had been beaten up. Now, he learned he’d been wrong, oh so very wrong about another patient.

Simon Peter Henderson had been found dead hanging from the ceiling, dangling on his own pants.

Next, we move into guilt, feeling like we have done something wrong to cause our loss. Lady Macbeth shows us the way.
Please join us in the discussion thread for Third Shift. http://www.gayauthors.org/forums/topic/41607-third-shift/
Copyright © 2016 Cole Matthews; All Rights Reserved.
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Stories posted in this category are works of fiction. Names, places, characters, events, and incidents are created by the authors' imaginations or are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual persons (living or dead), organizations, companies, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.
Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you. 
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Chapter Comments

So Sandy was on his way out...? Not really a surprise. I somehow think what happened to John and Simon Peter is connected, but perhaps it's not that kind of story... ;) I didn't get a read on Simon as suicidal either. But I guess the guilt is hard to avoid nonetheless.

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Damn, I hate that. I thought Sandy was having an affair, but hoped that's all it was, seems not. Prison isn't a nice place, not even a little bit. I was only in jail, prison is much worse. The people in there can hurt you, living like that can drive you crazy so nothing that happens is a surprise. Things can change over night.
Nice chapter Cole!
tim

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On 05/20/2016 07:47 AM, Mikiesboy said:

Damn, I hate that. I thought Sandy was having an affair, but hoped that's all it was, seems not. Prison isn't a nice place, not even a little bit. I was only in jail, prison is much worse. The people in there can hurt you, living like that can drive you crazy so nothing that happens is a surprise. Things can change over night.

Nice chapter Cole!

tim

I appreciate the kind review. Cory was living in denial about Sandy. When things finally came to a head, he took it hard. The repercussions will continue. Things can change overnight, though from now on the changes won't be quite so drastic. Thanks Tim!

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On 05/20/2016 04:25 AM, Puppilull said:

So Sandy was on his way out...? Not really a surprise. I somehow think what happened to John and Simon Peter is connected, but perhaps it's not that kind of story... ;) I didn't get a read on Simon as suicidal either. But I guess the guilt is hard to avoid nonetheless.

Yeah, Sandy had a foot out the door and was trying to get Cory to accept it. He couldn't or wouldn't. Simon couldn't handle life so he gave up. Now Cory is mixing up his situation with the other two. I appreciate the thoughtful review! Thanks Puppilull

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Well, the hardship is unfolded nicely in succinct and clear writing. It's like Cory's sanity, or his faith in man, is a tiny spec of an island being inundated by rising tides on all sides.

 

A powerful chapter.

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On 05/22/2016 05:44 AM, AC Benus said:

Well, the hardship is unfolded nicely in succinct and clear writing. It's like Cory's sanity, or his faith in man, is a tiny spec of an island being inundated by rising tides on all sides.

 

A powerful chapter.

Thanks AC! It is overwhelming when we first have a loss. We do feel alone and like it will wash us away. Those are the perfect images for how he's feeling. I really appreciate the thoughtful review. :)

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Wait, wasn't Cory's second bit of bad news embroiled in his first bit? Sandy and CASEY? So he lost his life partner and his best friend, all in one goodbye note. "Your friend, Sandy" OUCH!!!!!

 

In my eyes, his three bad things came in at four.

 

So whoever beat John Lawson up must have of course believed he was guilty of what the courts said he was guilty of. Don't they only beat up others if they're like a child molester, a pedo (the same as a molester?), an animal abuser...?

 

Hopefully, Cory won't burden himself with feeling guilty about Simon Peter. He already has too much to worry about. :(

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On 06/06/2016 01:16 PM, Lisa said:

Wait, wasn't Cory's second bit of bad news embroiled in his first bit? Sandy and CASEY? So he lost his life partner and his best friend, all in one goodbye note. "Your friend, Sandy" OUCH!!!!!

 

In my eyes, his three bad things came in at four.

 

So whoever beat John Lawson up must have of course believed he was guilty of what the courts said he was guilty of. Don't they only beat up others if they're like a child molester, a pedo (the same as a molester?), an animal abuser...?

 

Hopefully, Cory won't burden himself with feeling guilty about Simon Peter. He already has too much to worry about. :(

Cory didn't have a good day. Sandy and Cory's best friend left together. Lawson seems to be targeted. There is lots of violence in jail. Gangs, rivals, and of course other situations. This is only the beginning. Thanks for an awesome review. ;)

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