Page 72 of Strays
Conversations start to pick up again, loud, with Mike, Hugh and Sônia alltrying to pretend nothing happened and drown out Luc’s voice coming from the front of the house.
But I hear footsteps, heavy and off-balance. A second later, Luc stumbles back into the yard, straight toward Jo. Kacy’s behind him, pleading, but he’s not listening.
Jo doesn’t move. She just stands there.
And that’s when the leash snaps. It’s not a decision. It’s instinct, pure and brutal.
I move. But Jay moves faster.
Calm, steady Jay. He steps forward without a word and punches Luc square in the face.
One hit.
The guy drops like a tree and hits the ground hard. Flat on his back. Out cold.
Kacy screams. “Oh my God! What did you do?! What did you do?! You killed him!”
“No, he didn’t,” Jo says, already moving. She drops to her knees beside the guy and presses two fingers to his neck. “Has a pulse.”
“He’s breathing,” Jenna adds as she kneels next to Jo, already checking his face. All business, no hesitation, like her shift just started.
Kacy is still wailing behind them. “He’s not moving! Oh my God—”
“Jesus Christ, Kacy, you’re a nurse too,” Jenna snaps, not even looking up. “You know better than that.”
That shuts her up.
Jo and Jenna roll him onto his side, careful and practiced. Blood is already pouring from his nose. His face is already starting to swell, cheekbone puffed, jaw slack.
“Definitely a broken nose,” Jo says. “Maybe the zygomatic arch too.”
“Could be a concussion,” Jenna adds. “He hit the ground like a sack of bricks.”
“We’re calling an ambulance,” Jo says. She pulls her phone from her back pocket and dials 911.
Off to the side, Hugh stands frozen, arms folded, lips pressed tight. He looks at Kacy with open disgust, shaking his head once. Mike doesn’t say anything, but I catch the subtle way he steps in front of Hugh, shielding him from the mess.
Fontes moves closer to Jay and stands beside him, silent, hands behind his back like he’s on duty again. Sônia stands stiffly near the table, one hand on her chest, eyes are wide. Then, slowly, she walks over to Jo and hands her a clean napkin. There’s blood on Jo’s hands, and now on her phone too.
I look at Jay. He's still. Quiet. His hands at his sides, knuckles red, jaw tight. He hasn’t moved since the punch. I know we’re in deep shit now, but I’mgrateful it was him.
If it had been me, the guy would be needing traction.
If it had been Shane, he might’ve collapsed half the guy’s skull.
Jay pulled his punch. Controlled it enough to end it without doing the worst damage.
Shane steps up beside him, arms crossed. “You did good.”
Jay doesn’t answer. Just keeps his eyes on Luc, calm as ever. I feel pride swell in my chest. I couldn’t have held back like that.
Meanwhile, Kacy paces in the grass, hands in her hair, mumbling to herself.
“I brought him. I brought him here. This is my fault. This is—”
“Kacy.” Jo calls her. “Stop. Sit down before you pass out too.”
She sits, right there in the grass, her knees to her chest.
