A Wild Daisy - 18. Chapter 18: Redemption

A Wild Daisy

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Chapter Eighteen: Redemption

Willie grabbed the keys to the Hummer H3 from the key safe in the garage. He got in and punched the remote to open the garage door and looked in the rearview mirror to see Beauregard and Bonaparte sitting in the drive blocking his exit. Oh well, he could use some moral support. He got out and opened the hatch and in jumped the two hounds like synchronized dancers. He left the rear hatch window up; the hounds knew better than to jump out. They were happy though and were talking hound talk. Willie drove straight to the main entrance of the quarry. On the way he tried to decide on an approach for handling this with Blue.

He could just wing it. Say something like: “Blue come home with me. Grandmother wants you to have supper with us tonight. Oh, and I’m sorry.” God, that would convince him. Or maybe try: “We need to talk Blue, but not here. Come home with me.” Or maybe try the truth: “Blue, I fucked your mind and soul over big time and you need help. Grandmother is waiting to help us. Come home with me now.” If all else fails, I could fall to my knees at his feet and beg. Plead for forgiveness. Maybe I should just wait and see how he reacts to seeing me. Would he see the monster in me at last? Would he see the chain, the leash I wear. The restraints. Fettered for the better. What having no limits means? That without self control, I would consume him.

At the entrance gates, Willie let the hounds out of the hummer. They would run themselves out in about an hour and come looking for him then. They wouldn’t hurt any kids hanging around, just lick them messy. He forgot about the make-do parking on the dirt road, he should have checked first for Blue’s jeep. When he arrived at the quarry lake all was quiet. No kids today. Oh well, he must of really repelled them all yesterday with his command to leave, it could take days for them to return. Willie scanned the area looking for Blue. He thought he heard whooping. He looked up the hill above the cliff face. Blue was racing the crest of the hill. Naked. He was jumping or leaping and laughing? He came to a turn in the trail up there and in the middle of a leap his eyes spotted and locked on Willie. Willie watched Blue land and stumble and trip. Down he went head first. The fall and slide and roll and tumble was an eternity. Then Blue was in the air. And suddenly he stopped.

Willie was running. Tearing his way up and up. His tears running down, down his face. The trail endless. Upward. Skyward. His mind white noise. His vision, two hands gripping a stunted pine.

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When Blue got to the quarry lake he wondered how does one dance naked? Getting naked was easy. He stood in front of the lake and stripped. Like skinny dipping. Well he knew some tae kwon do exercises. He would start there. Warm ups first. Then a slow pace of practiced movement. But his muscles knew this exercise and tensed and flexed with the flow of energy from core to fingertip and toe. It was a dance after all. Blue increased his speed gradually until he was spinning and kicking out with his legs. Blocking with arms. Attacking with his feet. It felt good. Really good. And with the exertion came release from the mind torture. Blue felt free. He had broken the shackles. And this time free meant something because he knew what caged meant. Suddenly, he whooped and took off running and jumping and laughing. His spirit his own again. His song loud and clear. Blue was Blue. And Willie? Willie could wait. He would take the trail to the top of the hill and there shout his victory. And plan his next move. He wasn’t defeated.

Blue climbed the hill with the vigor and strength of a healthy male. Grace and beauty in body and attitude. Bold again. Big again. The potential. Ready. Primed. Blue came to the last switchback before the final climb to the zenith. His heart thrilled. Each second a perfect moment. And in the non time between one second and the next, his heart spilled and split again. Willie. Willie was at the bottom looking up. Blue hit the ground and the strangest thing happened. The earth moved away from him and he kept going down, falling, diving. A sharp hit to the head. Wildly plunging headlong to his death…

Instinct. Providence. Luck. Blue became aware. His hands locked in a death grip around the slender trunk of a small stunted pine trying to grow and survive at the edge of the world. Just like Blue was now trying to do. Survive at the end of his fall. His toes were searching for a grip too. One foot found the smallest purchase. It gave him a chance to think. ‘Don’t look down. Pull up. Pull up.’ But he couldn’t. His arms where stretched out by his weight and stunned by the force of his sudden stop. He dangled above the rocks below. He had seconds only. He became calm. Mom. Dad. Ross. Goodbye. Love. My life. Gone. Worth it. Want. More. Willie.

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Willie reached the switchback turn and paused a moment. It was a steep drop off the trail to the cliff edge. He couldn’t see Blue. “BLUE?” Willie demanded with the Voice.

“Willie.” The weakest sound.

“BLUE, YOU WILL HOLD ON. YOU HAVE THE STRENGTH. I’M HERE.” Willie sat on the trail edge and began the thirty foot slide down. At the bottom he turned around and hung over the edge, his body almost up side down lying up the slope. Blue was hanging three or four feet straight down from the edge. Willie reached out with both hands. He stretched and reached. At least a foot short. Willie moved further over the edge; his chest and upper stomach hanging over. He could touch Blue’ hands. But still couldn’t make the grab needed to hold Blue. Willie hung over the edge at his waist, trying to grip the slope with his legs and lower his arms to Blue. Willie’s hands were now it position. He could grab Blue and try to pull him up or he could…

“BLUE, YOU MUST CLIMB UP MY BODY. I AM GOING TO PULL YOU UP AS MUCH AS I CAN. THEN YOU MUST CLIMB ME. YOU WILL DO THIS.” Willie grabbed Blue by the left wrist with both his hands and pulled. He used all the strength of his body and all the strength of his will and the extra strength nature gives, adrenaline. And it was just enough to lift Blue up about a foot. “Blue let go of the tree and grab my arm and climb. NOW!”

“Blue’s hands and arms were cramping now. The pain was burning. His mind was lost in an inferno of despair and terror and pain. But his body could not disobey the command. Blue let go of the tree with his right hand and clawed Willie’s forearm.

“CLIMB!”

Willie felt Blue raise his left arm and let go of his own grip. It was up to Blue now. All he could do was hold still and maintain his own hold on the hill above them. Then fate interfered. Willie slide down a sudden six inches before he could stop himself by gripping the cliff face with his hands.

“DON‘T STOP, BLUE!”

Oh shit. Shit. Willie’s legs were trembling with the effort of holding on. Blue was clawing his way slowly up one hand at a time, but he obviously needed more help. Willie let go of the cliff face with his hands and cupped them under Blue’s right foot and lifted. And the world shifted. And in that instant it was written. Death. For the both of them. Together. Not life together, but in death forever.