Screaming
Somewhere during the night Bailey fell asleep in one of the Doc’s leather upholstered chairs. She was woken up the next morning by a deep voice calling her name,
“Bailey?” Bailey was awake in a second, one of her handguns out and ready. Aimed right at Stranger. Once she’d realised this Bailey lowered the gun and squinted up at him, not quite ready to say anything just yet. “Good mornin’ ter you too Bailey.” Bailey opened her mouth but closed it again without a sound coming from her. She slowly got out of the chair.
Stranger looked worn but in fit condition, he was smiling even though when he moved like he was slightly stiff and he had dark circles around his eyes, a proper bandage was wrapped around his middle though.
Bailey wanted to hug him, but she didn’t want to hurt him so she held back, feeling awkward. Until Stranger made the first move and swept Bailey into an engulfing cuddle. Completely oblivious that she was a good two feet off the floor Bailey gave a muffled sound of happiness and relief and threw her arms around Stranger’s neck. She didn’t cry. But she buried her face in the mane of fur on his jaw.
A cough broke into their reunion and Stranger put her down. The Doc was standing in the doorway looking extremely smug. Bailey walked over to him. Even though he was more confident, the Vykker’s smirk faltered and he flinched when Bailey moved her hand, but it was only to offer a handshake.
Hesitantly the Vykker took the proffered hand but he cringed when he looked into Bailey’s amber eyes. There was gratitude there, but no warmth and no trust. There was a polite thanks, and nothing more.
“Thank you.” Bailey said and inclined her head.
“N-n-no th-thanks are n-n-necessary.” The Vykker stammered, one look from those eyes told him that there was no way he was going to be able to call a favour for this later. “I-it was my p-p-pleasure.” Bailey tilted her chin momentarily in a small nod, never taking those eyes from the Doc. She let go of his pincer-like hands and the Vykker shrank back. “Don’t forget Stranger, this afternoon.” Stranger nodded as he pulled on his poncho and hat.
“I won’t. C’mon Bailey, I need somat ter eat.” Bailey nodded and followed.
“What did he mean, to come back later?” she asked once they were outside, Stranger didn’t answer. “Is…it for the operation you told me about?” Bailey ventured. Stranger whirled on her and seemed to become twice his normal size. Bailey froze and for the first time, she was afraid of the fire burning in Stranger’s green eyes. But she didn’t back down or show her fear. She met his gaze with her own. “Well?”
“How did you find out about that?” Stranger growled through gritted teeth, absolutely furious.
“You told me, you might not remember but how would I know otherwise?” Bailey answered, refraining from a snarky retort. Stranger deflated and rubbed his face.
“I’m sorry Bailey. I shoulda not shouted at yer.” Bailey shrugged, feigning nonchalance. “When we get somat to eat, we’ll talk…it was about time I toldja some things…” Bailey frowned,
“Where can we go?” she was obviously thinking of her bounty. Stranger grinned,
“I don’t think yer as in as much danger as I originally thought. Plus not many people know about yer. Yer up fer riskin’ it?” Bailey thought for a moment, her stomach complained.
“I think we’ll take that as a yes.” She finally grinned.
“C’mon then.” Stranger and Bailey made their way to a very familiar tavern.
“Well, this looks familiar.” Bailey remarked as they stood outside. Stranger gave her a serious look.
“No card games this time Bailey, don’t press yer luck.”
“I wasn’t going too!” Bailey protested. Stranger raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms in a disbelieving kind of way.
“Reeeally.”
“Really.” Bailey said, not breaking eye-contact. She was either telling the truth, Stranger thought, or she was a really, really good liar. Stranger made a sound in his throat, disbelieving but accepting and went into the tavern, followed by Bailey.
They were greeted cheerfully enough and Stranger guided Bailey to a small out of-the-way table instead of the bar. Bailey was very amused by this.
“What are you thinkin’ Stranger? Romantic, candlelit dinner perhaps?” Bailey asked and snickered, Stranger swatted at her head but Bailey ducked, sniggering to herself.
“Actually I was thinkin’ along the lines of being inconspicuous.” Bailey put on a mockingly impressed expression,
“Wow, you came up with that cover story pretty quick.” Stranger scowled and Bailey spluttered to herself to keep from laughing out loud. Just then one of the Clakkerz serving came over to them;
“What canna git ya and ya lil’ friend Stranger?” she asked cheerfully. Stranger glanced at Bailey.
“Surprise me.” Bailey shrugged.
Half an hour later when the food actually arrived, Bailey wished she hadn’t said anything. The
thing stared at her accusingly from the plate with one, dead eye…
Bailey sank down until her eyes were level with the tabletop and stared at the thing with wide eyes.
“Stranger,” she said in a strangled voice, “It’s still got it’s head on…” it was Stranger’s turn to be amused now.
“Yeh,” he nodded sagely, “Romantic candlelit dinner.” And grinned hugely.
Bailey scowled and gave him a kick under the table.
Stranger ignored the kick and leaned over the table, only Bailey’s eyes and hair were still visible.
“Don’t try an’ bait me kiddo, I’ll always win.” And his grin widened by a few teeth.
“Uh huh.” Bailey managed to get out, still in a strangled voice.
“Yer can at least try it, it’s good I promise, although the brain’s an acquired taste.” Bailey’s pale, freckled skin went an incredible shade of green. Suddenly she jumped up and bolted for the door. Stranger leaned back in his chair, picking at his teeth with a toothpick from his pocket and chuckled. Maybe his last comment had been a bit too much for the kid to handle… He got up and left the tavern and nodded to the shocked patrons,
“Kid’s got a weak stomach.” He said, the Clakkerz nodded sympathetically and the female server clasped her wings in pity,
“Oh tha poor dear.” She clucked, Stranger tugged his hat brim and left. He found Bailey throwing up into an unused water barrel outside. He went over and rubbed Bailey’s back.
“Easy Bailey, easy now. Bring it all up if it makes yer feel better.” He said soothingly.
“That,” Bailey gasped and vomited again, “Was really,” Bailey groaned and threw up again, “Low.” Bailey took a deep breath, “You jerk.” Stranger chuckled.
“Don’t say I didn’t warn yer kid. I’m not to be messed with.” Bailey wiped her mouth,
“No, you like screwin’ with people’s minds.” Stranger shrugged,
“That too. C’mon, we’ll get somethin’ more agreeable on yer stomach fer yer ter eat.”
“Anything without the head still attached is fine.” Bailey muttered as Stranger put a hand on her shoulder and steered her back towards the tavern.
“Funny, those lizards yer won, you were alright with them.”
“I beheaded them first!” Bailey squeaked, still feeling abit green.
“Alright, alright. Stop thinkin’ about it.” the pair of them got back to their table and Bailey slumped in her chair, feeling miserable and sorry for herself. Stranger patted her knee,
“Aww, c’mon ‘Lee, cheer up, it could be worse.” Bailey crossed her arms and scowled darkly at him,
“Oh really? How?” Stranger shrugged,
“I dunno, but it could.” Bailey grunted but the corner of her mouth twitched in a half smile. The female Clakker was back and she immediately began cooing over Bailey in a motherly fashion,
“Oh ya poor dear, lemme git ya somat easier fer ya poor tummy ta handle.” Bailey opened and closed her mouth in surprise and looked like a trout for a moment. Stranger stifled his amusement and told the female Clakker to go and get a meal of the dish that Bailey couldn’t say. “O’ course, I’ll go an’ git it.” when she went Bailey plonked her forehead on the table,
“Ug, that was embarrassin’.” She muttered into the wood. Stranger patted her head.
The female Clakker soon returned and Bailey, after some hesitation and cajoling from Stranger, tucked in and found it much more to her palate’s liking.
When she had half finished her meal Stranger stood up. Bailey looked up quickly,
“Where yer goin’?”
“I gotta go see the Doc.” Bailey went to get up as well up Stranger put a hand on her shoulder and pressed her back into her seat. “No. You stay here, finish yer dinner. I’ll be at the Doc’s. I ain’t goin’ anywhere kid.” Stranger pressed his nose to Bailey’s hair affectionately and left, Bailey watching him like a hawk.
When he’d gone Bailey let out a frustrated sigh and leaned one elbow on the table, resting her head in on her palm while she pushed the food around her plate with the fork, suddenly finding that her appetite had gone…
Why did she have a very ominous feeling about this whole situation…?
¤§¤
Finally Bailey couldn’t take it anymore. She got up and went towards the front door, nodding in thanks to the serving female Clakker.
“You be careful now yer hear!” Bailey tugged on her hat brim in an affirmative and left the tavern, following Stranger’s trail to the Doc’s surgery. She let herself into the unlocked office and took a seat outside the back room of the practice.
“Man, I hate this place already.” She grumbled, “I’ve seen this place enough times to last me two lifetimes-” her muttered tirade was cut off like it had been put through a guillotine, by a scream. A loud, agonised scream in a voice she knew.
Stranger.
Bailey was frozen in shock, she couldn’t move, couldn’t make a sound, she was fixed into place, the only movement was her fingers gripping the arms of the chair so hard that the knuckles turned white and bloodless.
That was Stranger screaming.
Another shriek tore through her like a smoking bullet. Bailey fell out of the chair. She fell to her knees, gripping her hair in both fists. The screams tore at her heart and she felt like screaming too. It hurt her to hear Stranger. Hurt almost as much as he was hurting.
Another scream wrenched from behind the door and Bailey scrabbled at the carpet, dragging herself forward before she got to her feet. Bailey staggered into the wall as yet another yell of pain ripped through her skull.
Bailey gave a dry sob that clawed at her throat and sank to her knees again, sliding down the wall.
¤§¤
The shrieks continued for fifteen agonising minutes and Bailey could not find the strength of mind or body to get to the door.
Finally silence fell. Bailey stumbled to her feet and made her way to the door, just as the Vykker Doc opened it from the inside and came out, wiping his pincers on a white towel stained red…
He closed the door, turned, and found himself slammed against the wall and once again in a choking grip, Bailey’s strong fingers squeezing his windpipe and the cold barrel on one of her handguns jammed under his chin, digging into the soft part where his head connected with his neck.
“
What have you done to him you little jerk-weed?” Bailey snarled in a voice of deadly calm, her teeth were bared and her eyes were blazing in cold fury. The Vykker knew that she would shoot him at the slightest wrong move and she would not think twice about it.
“I-I-I have done nothing that he hasn’t paid for.” Stammered the Vykker. Bailey’s hand and the gun barrel were shaking erratically.
“What Have You
Done?!” she hissed.
“I cannot tell you, patient confidentiality.” The Vykker wailed. Bailey cocked the gun.
“Tell me. Now.”
“I
can’t.” For a second Bailey and the Doc stood eye to eye. Bailey’s eyes burning and the Vykker’s eyes fearful. Both straining in their own ways, both desperate for the other to break their locked gazes.
With great effort Bailey released the Doc. And put away the gun.
“If I find out you have done
anything to him. I swear you’ll wish I
had shot you.” The Vykker whimpered and scuttled away, sitting at his desk, immersing himself into a pile of paperwork, occasionally throwing terrified looks toward Bailey.
Bailey stood at the entrance to the operation theatre for a moment, her hand on the door.
But she couldn’t go in. She couldn’t bring herself to see what was on the other side on that door.
It scared her.
She was afraid of what she would find, of what she would see… Bailey took a deep, calming breath. The Doc opened his mouth to say something, maybe something to stop her from going in, but he kept silent.
Bailey pushed the door open.