Lucidicy

After his small smile he grimaced in pain holding his side. He lurched forward nearly falling, I caught him and held his shoulders with mine. He felt so cold, I noticed his lips were nearly blue.

“Lee oh my God.” I said.

“Oh my God is right look at those pajamas you’re wearing.” he noted. I just now remembered I was wearing my hideous Christmas nightgown with elves on them. The only reason I have them is because they’re wonderfully comfortable. He stood himself up as I took his face in my hands. My thumb brushed over a bruised cheek.

“Who did this to you?” I asked.

“I went to see what was out on that pasture that got you so scared, apparently they don’t like the company.”

“I’ll call the police.” I announced ready to grab my phone from my room. Leland grabbed my hand.

“No police, remember like you said they don’t care.” he shook his head.

“But this time they beat somebody!” I defended. I was really more upset about the fact that he got the living daylights beaten out of him, I wanted it taken care of.

“I just came by to tell you to lock your door…and that the key to my hotel room got lost in the snow and I’m freezing my ass off,” he ran his hand through his hair. I saw something on his palm, out of immediate habit I grabbed it to see, his hand was ice cold. There was a huge cut across his palm, Leland pulled his hand away “barbed wire.” he said. I closed the door and locked it. Leland winced holding his side again.

“Here I’ve got a first aid kit in the bathroom.” I tugged on his suit jacket. He followed me to my bathroom as I turned on lights along the way. Once in the bathroom Leland took off the suit jacket. His white dress shirt was tucked in, a bit bloody where he kept holding his side. He loosened his tie and removed it completely. I had him sit on the counter, I searched for the first aid kit in a near drawer, then remembered it was under the sink. When I had it in hand and stood back up Leland was completely shirtless. It was hard not to stare. I’d like to say he was very fit. He held his hand over the gash on his side.

“Stop touching it, it’ll get infected.” I lifted his hand away.

“Who knew I’d have such a caring nurse to take care of me.” he replied cheekily.

My face was probably turning bright red, I tried to hide it. Which only made it worse.

“You’re extra saucy tonight.” I said, I immediately regretted it. I didn’t intend to say it out loud.

“Saucy or flirty?” he countered like lightning.

If my face wasn’t red before it sure was now. I tried to ignore it by rummaging through the first aid kit. Leland wiped his face with the warm washcloth I gave him as I started to patch up the gash on his side. He hissed when I dabbed it with alcohol.

“We need to figure out a place for you to sleep.” I said resting gauze on his side.

“I slept on the couch last night?” he suggested.

“My roommate is passed out on it, if you didn’t see her laying on it when you came in.” I told him.

“I’ll just move her.”
I took Leland to the kitchen to get some ice for his eye. The color had returned to his face since he was no longer freezing. Krista suddenly sat up from her slumber on the couch.

“What time is it?” she grumbled.

“It’s-“ before I could finish she projectile vomited on the couch. She whined and pouted for a moment before getting up and going towards her room. Leland furrowed his forehead and looked at me.

“Well…guess you can’t sleep there.” I said.


Leland stood in the doorway of my room. He was in nothing but boxers, he had stripped down the rest of his bloody suit. Not to mention it’d actually be terribly uncomfortable to sleep in.

“You can come in here.” I said walking into my closet where I kept my hamper. Luckily the sheets and blankets I let him use the night before were still in my closet waiting to be washed next to my hamper of clothes. I folded blankets at the foot of my bed for him. Leland was looking at the various things in my room.

“Are you sure you don’t mind sleeping on the floor?” I asked.

“Not at all,” he sat down on the patch of blankets. I crawled in my bed and got beneath the covers, I leaned over and turned out my lamp. “Sue Ellen?” Leland asked in the darkness.

“Yeah?” I replied. I thought he was going to thank me for the hundredth time tonight.

“You won’t go walking around at night by yourself anymore right? Like how you walk home from work”

“I won’t.”

Just then I could hear panting coming from Butter, he walked in my room. Almost forgot about him as he put his paws on the mattress side. I knelt over the ledge to scoop him up but he walked off around the foot of my bed.

“Hey there little dude.” I heard Leland say. Butter’s collar jingled, I could hear him settle down.

“Goodnight.” I said.

“Goodnight Sue Ellen.”