King of the Woods, or Trivial Pursuit

Part 36 - Clot

Trivia kissed his cheek. "Men do not heal like we do, but you do heal."

"Can I stand?" Ray said.

"Are you sure?" she asked. He nodded, and she helped him up.

"My arm is tingly but I think the bleeding stopped." Ray tapped Roosevelt's shoulder. "Thanks, but could you let go of my arm now? Your hand's really warm and it burns a little."

"What burns?" Trivia said

Grinning, Audubon gave herself silent, millimeter-width applause.

Roosevelt let go of the scarf. No more blood seeped through the fabric.

"What happened to your face?" Wilson said to Roosevelt.

"Burned," Roosevelt said, speaking clearly. Surprised at his own voice, he touched his face. The hole in his cheek that had revealed his teeth had filled in with brown, healthy skin. Patches like molten plastic still marred his face, but the clouds in his eyes had dispersed. His disfigurement no longer hid the man he had been before the fires. He looked about forty years old, although his eyes called that estimate into question, and his features were strong and symmetrical. He ran his hands through his curly black hair and smiled.

Audubon wolf-whistled.

Trivia looked between Roosevelt and Audubon, confusion clear on her face.

Wilson clapped his friend on the back. "How do you feel?"

"Tingles." Roosevelt's cheek pouched outwards; he was testing it with his tongue.

Ray peeked under the scarf wrapped around his arm. "Holy shit, you guys! Roosevelt healed me!" All that remained of his injury was a thin, white scratch covered with dried blood.

"Some men heal like we do," Audubon said.

Trivia shook her head. "This isn't right."

"Oh, no," Wilson said.

"Thanks, man," Ray said to Roosevelt. "And, no offense, but you look a lot better this way. Got kind of a Wesley Snipes thing going, if Wesley Snipes were freaking huge."

Roosevelt furrowed his eyebrows at him.

Ray chuckled nervously. "Always bet on black, am I right?"

"Aye." Roosevelt raised his hand. Ray tried to give him a high-five, but could not jump high enough.

Audubon pumped her fist.

"Roosevelt!" Trivia said.

Roosevelt looked away from Trivia. "Too many have died." He gestured at Ray. "Good man, but only a man."

"Gee, thanks." Ray handed the scarf back to Wilson; to his alarm, Wilson rewrapped his face.

"Roosevelt's in favor of making you King of the Woods," Audubon said.

"Oh, that's cool." Ray attempted to fist-bump Roosevelt and, left hanging, pretended to adjust his hair.

Trivia wore that miserable, guilty look that Ray hated so much.

"That's not cool?" Ray said. "What's going on? My arm feels great, Roosevelt looks great, why aren't we happy?"

"What's going on is, you aren't a sex wizard," Audubon said.

"I never said I was, okay?" Ray said.

"Yes he is," Trivia said. "We performed a ritual, a powerful, joyous one. It wasn't big enough to protect all of the woods, but it worked."