The Last of the Twenty: Broken Pawns

Chapter 2

"Air honey, air." He managed to get out with the little air he had managed to suck in. She loosened her grip up enough for Raymond to breathe in heavily, moving just enough to let him sit up in the road before burying her face against his shoulder. Awkwardly, Raymond used one arm to wrap his coat around her thin shoulders, doing what he could to try to push the girl away. Uncomfortable with the feel of her body against his, Raymond awkwardly patted her back, using his other hand to wave Keith over for help.

Keith just stood watching the scene unfold. His face still pale from shock, he was coughing and rubbing the sore spot on his arm where Kelly had grabbed him. Already he could feel it swell up a little, and hoped it wasn't fractured. "Damnit Ray, what is she?" He spat, finally catching his breath.

Looking up, Raymond just shook his head. He had no idea. He had, after all, watched this poor girl die. He needed to get her out of the road at least, before they all got run over. He wrapped his arm awkwardly around her shoulder, doing his best to reassure her, knowing he was probably doing a pretty poor job. Kelly, sensing how uncomfortable he was with her leaning against him, slid her body back just a bit, all the while keeping her head firmly on his shoulder. "Kelly," Raymond said gently, "we need to get up out of the road, take you to the hospital."

Immediately her sobs stopped. She jerked her head up to quickly look into his eyes, her face a mask of fear. "No please, no. I can't go back there, I can't control it, I can't..." She put her head against his shoulder once again and began to cry once more.

Raymond knew what she wanted, and against all his years of experience and better judgment, a tiny voice in the back of his mind nagged at him. She wanted to come with them. Normally he wouldn't consider it, wouldn't hesitate to call his fellow officers in to take care of her, but something about her was different. What was she, and how was she even alive? He just hit her with a car for God sakes! Raymond looked Keith in the eye, sending a silent message. From the way Keith's eyes widened he knew he got the message.

"God, Ray, no..." Keith said looking down at them.

Raymond looked up at him and shrugged. In all honesty, Raymond had no idea just what the hell he was doing, but at least he had the one person in the world with him that would help him, and both men knew it. He held his hand out to Keith and nodded, trying his best to reassure him. "OK, Kelly can you get into the car? Are you able to walk?" Raymond closed his eyes and cursed himself, after all he just watched this girl do he was wondering if she could walk? Stupid question.

Her sobbing calmed and she nodded into his shoulder, seeming reluctant to let go before slowly getting to her feet. Raymond's heart was still racing wildly when he stood up quickly, not thinking to take his time or take into account the scare his old system just went through. White spots formed in his vision, and for a moment Raymond thought he would fall over when his head began to spin. Keith ran over and caught him by the arm, both men hoping Kelly hadn't witnessed his near collapse.

"Thank you..." Kelly whispered. Raymond smiled weakly and motioned to the car, watching as Kelly slowly slid into the back seat and closed the door.

"Ray what the hell are you doing?" Keith snapped. "She almost killed me! Damnit Ray, she shouldn't be that strong! We need to call someone to take her or make her go to the hospital or something, just not with us." His eyes pleaded with Raymond's and his hands shook as if trying to re-enforce his case.

Raymond sighed loudly. In all honesty Raymond had no idea what to make of all this. Still, he couldn't shake the feeling that he needed to help the girl out, whatever she was. The near fairy tale like events that had been happening around town mingled in his mind with the story Kelly had told him at the hospital, mirroring fake events he had grown up reading about in fiction books or in movies. As impossible as it seemed, a tiny voice in the back of his mind was starting to insist that she had been right about what attacked her, and if she was right about that, then what they were dealing with at the station may be a lot more than anyone in town was equipped to deal with. Raymond was, for the first time in a long time, scared. Scared and in need of answers that Kelly may be able to provide, weather she knew it or not.

"Keith, I can't tell you what's going on with her or even what she is, hell she shouldn't even be here. Keith, I watched her die. I saw her body wheeled out of her room at the hospital not even 24 hours ago, and now tonight I watched her appear out of nowhere and shake off being hit by a car. We can't take her to the hospital, or anywhere else around other people for that matter. At least until we know exactly what she is, then we can figure out what to do with her. I don't know why, but I can't shake the feeling that I have to help her, and I need you with me. Buddy, I'm too old to do this alone, and to tell the truth I need someone with me just so I know I'm not going insane..."

 As Raymond talked, he led Keith to the still open door of the car, trying to talk low enough so the girl in the backseat didn't hear what he was saying. Keith didn't argue, or say much of anything for that matter. Mostly he just rubbed either the bruise on his arm or the bump that had formed on the side of his head while nodding silently. Raymond could see how scared Keith was, but he didn't dare face this alone. He needed Keith.

"I think you are insane buddy..." Keith said at last, laughing weakly while he glanced quickly in at the girl. "We shouldn't have anything to do with this and you know it, you'll either get us fired or killed."

"I know," Raymond admitted, "but I don't think she's dangerous, at least not intentionally. I think she's just scared and in need of help. But most of all, I think she may have some answers to what's been going on around town. Keith, I need you, please."

Keith looked in on Kelly who was staring out the side windows, almost swallowed alive in Raymond's jacket. Her shoulders still shook a little from crying and she didn't seem to be paying attention to the conversation. He looked back at Raymond and let out an exasperated growl, rubbing irritably at the bump on his head. After a long moment he tried to give Raymond one final pleading look before rolling his eyes and opening the door.

"God damnit Ray!" He said as he got in.

Raymond slowly walked back around the car, looking in on Kelly as he passed the back window. She looked up and tried to smile back, her efforts unconvincing.

"God damnit indeed." Raymond whispered to himself as he painfully slipped behind the wheel.