I went in to strike and the intruder immediately deflected the blow with one smooth swipe of the arm to redirect my attack, using my momentum to send me crashing into the door behind them.
Newton’s First Law of Motion; one.
Dany; zero.
Stars danced behind my vision as I gathered myself to turn and continue the assault.
I was short lived, though.
A surprisingly strong pair of hands gripped both sides of my head and twisted, setting loose a sickening crack to ring through the air.
Before I blacked out, I heard one of my favorite voices speak from above my crumbled body.
“Coullion.”
***
A quiet hum invaded the stirring darkness of sleep.
“Folks say she was crazy and that may be. She sits in the swamp by an old dead tree.”
I flexed my fingers and groaned against the stiffness in my neck and shoulders.
“Je vous aime beaucoup bayou baby.”
It was no easy task to open my eyes. I blinked against the dried tears crusting my lashes together and, when I could lift my hands, rubbed it away with my fists.
“Barb?” My voice was scratchy, roughened by the desert taking up residence in my throat and the thousand pound weight compressing my lungs.
“‘Bout damn time, stupid girl.”
I lifted my head as far as, what I was remembering now, my broken neck would allow. “Are you sitting on me?”
A deep, grumbling purr vibrated my chest in answer.
“Ugh,” I sighed, genuine, relief seeping through my body. “ I’m so glad you’re not dead buddy.”
“Pfft. As if you would be the one to kill Jesus,” Barb grumbled.
“Don’t be so disrespectful,” I said, even though it came out as a wheeze. “He gave his life so people like you could be happy or some shit, and look how you pay him back.”
Barb stood up, her footsteps shuffling as she mumbled obscenities under her breath.
I let my head fall backward and smile.
When she came back, she shoved a pillow under my head.
“Barbara? Did you snap my neck?“
“Is the sun slowly crashing into the Earth?
“Uhhh… yes?” I answered, hesitantly, unsure what the point of her question was.
“Look at that. One obvious answer for two stupid questions.” As usual, Barb was more than willing to slap me with the point. “I wasn’t in the mood to deal with your tantrum. Figured it would be the quickest way to shut you up.” I could hear her rummaging through my kitchen cabinets, followed by the refrigerator and freezer.
She came back with a kitchen towel and ice, draped both over my swollen neck, and sat back down beside me on the floor.
She was taking care of me and it made me want to cry all over again.
