Page 93 of The Devil's Revelation
FORTY-FOUR
TORQUE
This is all my fault, but I will make it up to her no matter what.
“Where did Izzy run off to?” my mother asks as she comes to stand beside me.
“You just missed her,” I answer. “She went up to bed. She’s tired.”
“Shoot, I wanted to ask her something,” Mom says with a frown. “Maybe I can catch her before she heads to bed.”
“Better run,” I chuckle. “She threatened me with bodily harm if I wake her up.”
Stone snickers. “More like she told you not to wake her up with your limp dick.”
I flip him off. “My dick isn’t limp, want me to show you?” I taunt him, reaching for my belt.
“Boys,” Mom says in exasperation. “I don’t want to see your dicks. Already saw enough of them when I had to change your diapers and wipe your asses as kids. Now, I’m going to talk to Izzy and when I get back I better not see any dicks other than your father’s, got it?”
We gag, while my father grins wickedly at my mother. “You hurry back and I’ll be happy to show you my dick,” he leers at her.
“Fuck off,” I groan when my mother laughs and hurries off. “Why?” I demand when she’s out of ear shot. “Why do you insist on doing that shit? Haven’t we suffered enough? It’s bad enough you’re getting busy with her as often as possible now and we know it.”
My father shrugs. “Life’s little pleasures,” he smirks. “Consider it payback for all the shit you boys put us through growing up.”
“What the hell did we do?” Stone demands. “I don’t think we’ve ever been the ones to forget to lock a damn door.”
“What is the story with that?” Sniper asks curiously. “None of you have ever enlightened the rest of us on why you keep saying that.”
Stone, King, and I share a slow grin, while my father glares at us. Hard. The kind of hard that warns us he will kick our asses if we dare breathe a word. “What’s it worth to you for us to keep it quiet?” Stone drawls.
“I’m not doing this shit again, you little con artists,” Dad growls. “Your mother will…”
“Torque!!!!” my mother’s scream is so loud the entire room freezes for a moment before we’re bolting into action and running for the stairs. The absolute panic and terror in her voice is enough to have me knowing that something is wrong.
Very wrong.
My father and I are neck in neck as we race up the steps, everyone else behind us. Any other time I might make an offhand comment about my father not being as old as I thought, but the only thing I can think is to get to my mother. To Izzy.
We race down the hallway, and when we reach my room, my entire world focuses on my mother leaning over Izzy sprawled out on the floor. A very still, and deathly pale Izzy, with a syringe lying on the floor next to her. “She’s not breathing,” Mom sobs, between breaths as she tries to revive her. “She’s not breathing. Come on Izzy, come on.”
I don’t think, I move. I’m on the floor beside my mother, and as gently as I can, I move her out of the way. “Fuck,” I hiss, panic racing through me as I take over, but she isn’t breathing. “Call an ambulance,” I roar. “And where the fuck is Medic?”
“I’m here,” my brother’s calm voice says as he runs into the room. He carefully picks up the syringe and inspects it, smelling it. He turns and barks at Shadow, “Get to my room and get my bag. I need the Narcan. Now.” Shadow is gone before the words are even fully out of Medic’s mouth. “Someone get on the phone and tell 9-1-1 we have an overdose, not self-inflicted, and we’re doing CPR.”
“Come on, baby,” I breathe as I try to revive her. “Please, don’t leave me. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. Come on.”
I repeat the mantra over and over, and it feels like forever before Shadow comes back into the room and Medic grabs his gear. I barely hear people moving around, orders being screamed and barked. “Torque,” Medic says calmly, “I need you to stop for a second. I need to give her the Narcan.”
I don’t want to stop. Stopping means that I’m not helping her breathe. I’m not helping her live.
“Come on, son,” my father says gently, pulling me away. I resist but he holds firm.
I watch, detached, as Medic administers the Narcan and then starts compressions. It feels like an eternity before he finally says loudly, “I’ve got a pulse. Tell the operator, they need to hurry.”
I pull away from my father and hurry back to Medic’s side. “Let me help,” I beg him. “Please.”
Medic glances at me before he gasps out, “I’m going to save her, brother, come hell or high water.”
