REBEL

Chapter Twenty

When Rebel woke up later that morning he was alone in bed but assaulted by the memory of the damn nightmare that kept torturing him.  He smelled what seemed like pancakes and bacon wafting through the air. He also smelled something else.  He sniffed the air and suddenly realized that he could smell Dom on his bed. What the hell?

He yawned and swung his legs out of the bed. Time for his daily morning routine.

First to his adjourning bathroom to piss , shower quickly and brush his teeth.

Then to dress himself in another pair of footie PJs; this time Thomas the Tank Engine.

Afterwards he sat at his vanity table to brush out his hair one hundred times before tying it back with a bright red ribbon. Finally he took all his multivitamins.

As he slipped the vitamin bottles back into the drawer his eyes saw another item near the back. His heart nearly stopped. His brain screamed out " No ". He reached for it.

That night in the bathroom so long ago was the first time he had experimented with needles. Usually he hated needles. He just wanted a deeper purer high. But something had went wrong. The last thing he remembered was of his body starting to jerk all over the floor. The next thing he remembered was Bailey and Yancy by his hospital bedside. They both looked so disappointed. And scared.

( " Do it again, Rebel, and I quit. ")

But his favorite drug of choice was Coke. He cradled the small plastic baggie in his hands . That beautiful white powdery substance was calling his name.

( " Do it again, Rebel, and I quit. " )

He looked in the mirror and saw Ricky Joe.

" Don't do it ! You'll die. Please don't. "

He wanted to break the mirror.

He wanted to stop Ricky Joe.

He hated Ricky Joe.

He wanted to stop the nightmares.

He wanted his peace.

He wanted the Coke.

He needed it.

A hand touched his shoulder gently.

He looked up expecting Dom. But it wasn't Dom. He began to cry. It was Yancy standing there looking like he had before the cancer ravaged his body and soul. He was strong again. Not the weak frail man that had lay dying in the double bed at his and Bailey's condo.

( " Please don't leave me, Yan. " )

Yancy's long dark hair flowed down to his shoulders. His gorgeous hair. It had broken Bailey's heart when it had fallen out during chemotherapy. No matter how much money Rebel had spent on doctors , hospitals , special treatments it hadn't been enough to save his best friend.

Yancy looked at him disapprovingly. He shook his head. " You don't need that clutch anymore. What you need is a good meal. And some good dick. "

" I'm sorry, Yan. "

Yancy kissed him on top of his head. Then he disappeared. Again.

Rebel stood up gingerly and almost ran to the bathroom with the bag of cocaine. Once there he poured it in the toilet and flushed it. As he did he heard Yancy's voice again, saying," Watch out for Jed. "