Hey! You! Get Out of My Way! Part 24 Back in Albany New York

Jonathans mouth drops open and he begins to silently mouth words. Then It happens in an instant. Jonathan takes one more step up the stairs and Leo pounces on him like a wild animal.

Jonathan is almost to the top of the landing when Leo flies over the railing and tackles him. His face bounces off the top step. 


Leo is quick to his feet and drags Jonathan up the rest of the steps. Jonathan’s face and arms bounce helplessly over the last remaining stairs.

Leo tosses Jonathan into the living room where he slides across the floor and slams into the stove. Jonathan is making guttural sounds and spit hangs in a long string from his mouth.

“Do you ever listen to anything that I tell you to do freak?” screams Leo as he approaches Jonathan and grabs him by the back of the head. Leo leans in close and their eyes meet. I can see the fear in Jonathan’s eyes. Leo pushes him back down to the floor and places his foot on the back of his neck.

Jonathan begins to gurgle, he is no longer making words with his mouth but these sounds come from deep within.  He is crying and trying to push himself back up to standing. Leo grabs the back of Jonathan’s shirt and begins to drag him back to the staircase.

Leo gathers speed and slides Jonathan over the top step. Jonathan is airborne for a brief moment before he lands face first on the stairs. I can hear him hit every step on the way down to the front door. Leo is right behind him. The bell tinkles as Leo drags him out the front door.

I run to the front window just in time to see Leo dragging Jonathan across the New Scotland Avenue and up a side street. Jonathan looks like an overgrown puppet that can’t get his footing, he s flopping all over the place.

An hour later, Leo without a scratch on him arrives at my front door. He is still wearing the tiny Speedo and smoking a cigar. His shoulder length hair is held away from his face by a leather string. Pieces hang in front of his eyes.

He reaches towards me and takes my hand where he leads me to the bedroom. “You shouldn’t be seeing him anytime soon.” Leo whispers into my ear as he pushes me down onto the bed. Once again my superhero has saved and protected me.

“Did you even ask him if he did it?” I ask. “That freak is guilty as hell, no need to ask.” Leo pauses on each word as he leans in close to me. “Is he dead?” I ask slowly laying back on the bed. “Not yet,” Leo sighs as he turns off the lights.

At six o clock in the morning I can hear someone opening the front door. I reach me arm out and realize that Leo has left my bed. This must be Jonathan coming into the house. I can hear the slow “Clomp, clomp,” of Jonathans feet as he walks up the stairs.

Swinging my legs over the side of the bed I place them on the floor and crack open the bedroom door. I can see Jonathan clearly. His face and hair are matted with blood, what’s left of his clothing is a torn mess. His long sleeve shirt is missing its sleeves and he has no shoes on.

Jonathan is quietly sobbing to himself.

“Are you ok?” I ask sticking my head into the living room. “He….he….he…tied me to a tree in the woods,” sobs Jonathan. The tears are released in chocking sobs. I put out my hand and place it on his back. He flinches as if he’s in a great deal of pain.

I slowly steer him back to the bathroom. On the way I begin to peel whatever’s left of his clothing from his body. I sit him down on the closed toilet seat. He is sobbing with great heaving sighs. I reach down and turn the knob on the tub.

Once the temperature is warm and the bath is full. I undress Jonathan and help him climb into the tub.

To be continued……

Geoffrey Doig-Marx holds all written and electronic rights to his writing "A Day in the Life". It can not be reprinted in part or whole without his written consent.