Page 14 of Sweet T

“We didn’t dally,” said Shelly.

“No one goes back out before the ambulance gets here. Have you got a gun, Tucker?”

“Yeah. In the safe.” Tucker lowered the man’s shirt.

Shelly took Tucker’s hand and placed it on the compress to hold it in place. She went to the safe.

“You’re sure you don’t know him?” Brody asked.

Tucker lifted the compress to see the man’s face better. One of the man’s eyes was swollen and his lower lip was puffy and split. Despite all of this, he was beautiful, almost angelic looking.

Tucker shook his head, reapplying the compress.

Shelly stood with the pistol, looking badass without even trying. Behind her, red lights flashed in the tavern's windowed door.

Three

Evan was on the set of his latest movie. But he was having trouble remembering his lines.

“Get him up here,” someone said. “What happened?”

He was resting, near napping, high on some scaffolding and awaiting the second unit director’s call.

“We almost missed him. He was lying in the shadows by the dumpster.”

Too bad for him, Evan thought. I like it here in the clouds.

“Ten minutes.”

Call time.

“I don’t think so. He could have a concussion.”

Oh, no. Someone below must be hurt. I hope they’re OK.

His eyes remained closed, but the light lessened. The sun was going behind a cloud. He felt something cold against his forehead. It felt wonderful.

“I don’t recognize him. Do you, T?”

What? Why wouldn’t they recognize him? He was–

“Holy Christ.”

Jesus. He was playing Jesus, and he was high in the clouds awaiting his call, trying to remember his lines.

“You’re sure you don’t know him.”

Why doesn’t anyone remember me?

* * *

Evan opened his eyes. The room was dim but white, hazy. He heard beeping.

To his immediate left, he saw a vital signs monitor, the steady pulse of the green, jagged line rising periodically as it moved perpetually to the right.

He was in a bed with white linens. Tight, heavy linens. It was hard to move.

Beyond the foot of the bed, he saw a door ajar and a sliver of brighter light spilling in.

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