Unbelievable Pt. 09

"So, I got to ask, what's up with the bag? Do you like to cosplay as Indiana Jones?" Johnny inquired, his green eyes falling on it.

"Oh, this, this has all my artist supplies. Thought I could sketch you," Yasmine said, patting her bag. Not hiding her bemused smile at what he had just said.

"Me? You want to sketch me?!"

"Mmmhmm," Yasmine nodded. "Also... I was hoping we could talk some more, only if you're up for it. I don't want to pressure you."

"Do you need to talk?" Johnny asked, knowing what she was inferring.

"A little," Yasmine said shyly; also, she had to know why he had that comic on his desk.

"Okay, we can talk... later," Johnny answered after a few moments of deep thought.

"Of course, and thank you," Yasmine said in a bashful tone.

"No problem. If I get out of here tomorrow, do you want to go with me?" Johnny asked, knowing she knew what he was speaking of.

"I'll... give it a try," Yasmine said after a moment's hesitation.

"Annie knows the time; she takes me to it. She's a good listener," Johnny said, praising his sister, who blushed as he did.

"Johnny," her voice drew his attention to her, "I got you some comics so you won't be bored too much," Annie stated, watching how his eyes lit up at that.

"Really?"

"Mmmhmm," Annie nodded with a wide smile on her lips.

"Where are they?" Looking around for them, he could have sworn she didn't have any in her hands when she first entered his room.

"They're right here, Johnny," Annie said, pulling out her tablet along with the charger, seeing the confusion in his eyes as she did. "I download a ton of them, so you'll have lots to read while you're in here." Showing him how to power it on and where to find the files she had extracted from the RAR files that they had come in.

"Oh, that's a lot... You got the Watchmen?!"

"I did," Annie nodded, seeing the elation on his face as he peered up at her.

"How did you know I wanted to read that series?"

"Because you've watched that movie like a hundred times," Annie said, knowing how she could repeat every single line of the movie given the number of times she had overheard him watching it.

"Come here, closer, closer," Johnny cooed as Annie bent down. Feeling the heat flooding her cheek as he placed a kiss on it. "Thank you, Anastasia."

"You're welcome, Johnny," Annie replied with glistening eyes. This was the first time he had ever used her given name without having his seizure bringing it out. Noting how his eyes sparkled as he scanned down the other files in the folder she had placed them all in.

"Johnny..."

"Right, sorry," Johnny apologized and powered down the tablet and set it on his lap. "So any word on the house?"

"Signing the papers the end of this week, have three construction companies coming out to give your father and me a quote on the price of the work for the extension," Janus said, noting how John hung onto every word.

"The baby stuff is still being delivered Thursday, right?"

"It is, you'll help set it up, won't you?" Janus asked, smiling down at him when he nodded.

As they talked, he noted how Yasmine had her sketch book out. Her eyes flicking up every so often, then her hand would continue its frantic pace over the paper. Until sadly, Annie and Janus had to leave in order to get home before those men arrived, along with Annie having to head off to her afternoon class, leaving him alone with Yasmine.

"So... you wanted to talk," Johnny said once he was sure they were well enough away so as not to overhear. Noting how she got up, set her pad on the seat of the chair, and picked the whole thing up, and carried it over to his bedside.

"Sorry, didn't feel like speaking from all the way over there, and given what I have to say, I rather not stand if you don't mind," Yasmine stated, setting her chair down by the side of his bed.

"Not like I can stop you," Johnny uttered, tugging on his shackles, causing the railing of the bed to wobble slightly.

"Can I ask you a very serious question?" Yasmine asked; her tone had a curious feel to it.

"Shoot."

"Why do you have the 'Family Secrets' graphic novel in your room?"

"You been in my room?" John's voice grew hard. He didn't like anyone that he didn't know well around his things.

"Only after Janus invited me in," Yasmine said, trying to still his anger she could see rising.

"Oh. Okay, if she let you in, I can't say too much about it then," Johnny said in defeat. "Why do you want to know?"

"Why did you get it?"

"I didn't per se; at first, I wasn't all that into what they were doing. Yet, the sex witch angle, as odd as it was, was intriguing. Plus, the author of it kind of reminds me of Todd McFarlane before he quit drawing Spawn." Arching an eyebrow as Yasmine's eyes lit up, and a wide smile lifted the corners of her lips. It was a peculiar expression, at least to his mind.

"So you like how that person drew that graphic novel?" Yasmine asked, knowing if she revealed this secret to him, then she knew John wouldn't tell a soul. That's just the feeling she got from him.

"Oh yeah, the other two novels of his are just as good as that one. I hadn't seen a hair of his skill dropping..."

"Hers," Yasmine corrected.

"Huh?" Johnny uttered as he stared at her in confusion.

"I'm Damien Sol," Yasmine said, sitting proudly in her chair.

"Come again?!"

"I'm the one that draws and writes those graphic novels that it appears you enjoy," Yasmine said, still seeing the disbelief in his eyes.

"You're fucking with me, right?" Johnny spoke, wondering why she would draw those kinds of graphic novels given what she had went through.

"I swear I am not. Here, I don't normally do this, not with something I'm working on. But I want you to believe me," Yasmine said, pulling out the sketch pad that had the mock ups panel for the next 'Porn Star Family' graphic novel she has been working on.

"No way?!" Johnny said in shock as he stared down at that penciled drawing of Ira. He knew this style of drawing from anywhere given the numerous times he had read, alongside his mother and sister, the ones he had.

"Yes, way," Yasmine said, smiling down at him. "Go on, you can look through it, just don't touch the sketches."

"Wish I could draw like this; you got talent. Can I ask, why?"

"Why, what?" Yasmine asked, arching an eyebrow. She had been ready for this question to pop up.

"Why draw incest?" Johnny inquired, handing the pad back to her.

"Well... long story," stuffing her pad back into her bag when she retook her seat and pulling out the one she was doodling in that she hoped if John gave his approval to make a new comic out of, "after what happened, I got real dark, and it showed in my work," Yasmine said, seeing John nod in understanding. "My therapist that my parents back home forced me to go to showed her how dark, how evil they were. Tried to get me to find some other, more healthy way to express my emotions..." Peering up when she heard John snort.

"Yeah, I barely listen to my own. I know where you're coming from."

"I mean, sure they're helpful sometimes, but mostly they just muck up the works, you know what I mean?" Yasmine replied, flashing John a smile.

"I totally do."

"I don't remember how it turned into full-on incest. But well... it's paying the bills. Plus, I'm kind of fascinated with it."

"Huh?" Johnny spoke, raising an eyebrow. "Care to explain?"

"I mean, just a little over a hundred years ago, it suddenly became taboo?! Why? What for? Before the 1900s, when the first incest laws went into place, it was a complete and normal thing to do. Nobility has done it for countless centuries. Not counting those families so far removed, say out in the plains when the first settlers started to make their homesteads. Do you think there was an abundance of wives or husbands? I don't. Not when, at the time, say traveling twenty miles took the better part of a day by horse. So I don't think a whole lot of dating was happening as we know it today. While I might not ever experience it. At least not right now, being with a man like that makes my..."

"I understand," Johnny said, nodding in support when he saw her shiver.

"Can I ask, how long have you and Janus been going out?"

"A few months. Known her since I was ten, although I can't remember anything that early without landing up in here," Johnny stated, gesturing to his surroundings.

"Why? I'm not trying to be nosy, just curious," Yasmine quickly said when John gave her that look.

"The damage in my brain is blocking my access to that part of my long-term memory, or that's what my doctor says. Anything after that, I have no problem remembering," Johnny said; a look of sadness filled his eyes as he dropped his chin. "Can you do something for me?"

"Sure, Johnny, what is it?"

"Can you put on the Counting Crows 'A Long December' for me?" Johnny asked, as his eyes glistened as he peered at her.

"Okay," Yasmine said, drawing out the word. She had no idea why he wanted to hear that song. Yet, she could see something was happening in his mind.

As the intro of the song filled the room, John turned his head, peering out the window. Seeing Julia's image playing along the glass. The way she would smile at him. To how she would look at him. Not as some freak or some weird thing that was meant to be hidden away. No. That was never in her eyes whenever they were together. Even in that Hell, that nightmare that would never end, even now, after all these years, he was still there in his mind; she was the only light that kept him rooted. The image of the courtyard soon found its way onto its surface. He could still see that smiling face of hers. "Johnny..."

"Don't... don't touch me right now, please," Johnny said when Yasmine started to reach towards him, as his hot tears fell onto his lap. How he hated himself. How weak he felt. How pathetic he was for allowing it all to happen. Although, in truth, John could never have stopped it. That didn't mean he wouldn't hate himself because he wasn't strong enough.

"Johnny, why would you want me to play a song that you know would make you upset?" Yasmine asked, drying his eyes for him; when he nodded, it would be okay, given how he couldn't at the moment.

"I lost someone in that Hell. Someone that meant a great deal to me," Johnny whispered, tugging hard on his shackles to vent his anger, his sadness, his grief onto. Causing Yasmine to jump back in startlement.

"Would it happen to be this Julia you spoke of yesterday?" Yasmine inquired, seeing John nod.

"I didn't mean to frighten you. I just hate myself. Hate those men for what they did to us. What that so-called doctor did, and all the misery and pain he inflicted upon us."

"Why would you hate yourself?" Yasmine asked, trying to understand.

"Because I loved her, and I was powerless to stop it," Johnny said, hanging his head in shame.

"Johnny, you know it isn't..."

"I know, but that doesn't change how I feel," Johnny uttered, cutting her off.

"I'd like to know more about her if you'd mind sharing Julia with me," Yasmine said, retaking her seat. Flipping her pad to a clean page sketching out what Julia appeared to him as, as John detailed their time together. Then the room grew somber as they reached the day Julia killed herself.

"I don't blame her for taking her own life," Johnny said sadly after describing how he had found her in the courtyard. "If I could have, I probably would have joined her, but they..."

"You don't mean that do you, Johnny?" Bill cut in, making his and Ruth's presence known. He didn't want to eavesdrop, yet he didn't want to interrupt his brother either when he was finally talking to someone about his pain. He knew that was the only way to truly heal from it.

"Yeah, I would have," Johnny stated coldly. "Been listening long, I take it?" Eyeing his brother as they neared.

"Please, Johnny, we didn't mean to, yet we didn't want to interrupt either," Ruth said, trying to placate his temper.

"Uh-huh," Johnny mumbled as his icy exterior grew.

"Johnny?"

"Yeah?" Turning his head to look at Yasmine.

"Would you like to see what I've drawn while I've been here?" Yasmine asked, trying to break the tension she had felt forming.

"Sure." Noticing how she had purposely blocked his view of his brother as she handed him her sketch pad.

His jaw muscles clenched as he opened it. Seeing the front entrance of Raven Dale staring up at him. Knowing she must have looked it up given the detail of the drawing. If he could, he would have torn it off and wiped his ass with it. However, he couldn't do that. Nevertheless, a cruel, sadistic smile formed on his lips when he noted how she depicted the staff of that vile place on the next page. Then his head snapped up, his eyes bored into her as his own image peered up at him. "Me?! Why?"

"I have an idea, but it will have to wait till later when we can speak alone," Yasmine stated, seeing that hard look in his eyes.

"We can give you two some privacy if you two still need to talk," Bill said from behind Yasmine. Hating that he was the one that caused his brother's mood to shift. Wondering when they would ever get back to like it once was.

"If you don't mind, I promise it won't be long," Yasmine uttered when she turned to look at Bill and her sister.

"No problem, sis, I'm glad you're opening up to someone," Ruth said, smiling at her, lightly placing her hand on Bill's left arm. Giving him that silent signal to let them have the room for a few more moments.

"Explain, and it better be good," Johnny spoke once the door to his hospital room closed, narrowing his eyes dangerously.

"I was thinking, if you'd let me, I'd like to tell yours and Julia's story," Yasmine said, retaking her seat.

"Why?"

"Because people need to know that this happened, that this vile act happened here, in the States, that if it can happen here, then it can happen anywhere?!"

"But why us? There're other patients that were in there with us. Why exactly the two of us?" Johnny asked, feeling his heart racing. Unsure if he could put his dark history out there for all to see.

"Because yours and her story needs to be told. So that maybe it will help to put her memory to rest and bring those that profited and/or partook in those evil acts sees what a prison cell looks like. Of course, I wouldn't use yours or her names; I'll just put a disclaimer on it stating that it's based on a true story and that names have been changed to protect the innocent."

Johnny eyed her, unsure what she was suggesting could actually be done. Could her graphic novel actually bring awareness to the horrors that happened at Raven Dale? Would anyone truly believe it? If they did, what could possibly come out of it? These questions John rightly didn't have an answer to. Yet, she was right. Julia's story, not for his sake, so that people would know she was a human being. That she existed! That she was someone's daughter, that there were those that loved and still loved her. That had suffered the most horrendous of horrors that anyone could possibly imagine.

"But to do so, I'll need to know everything, I mean everything that went on there," Yasmine said, seeing how his mind was deep in thought.

"You sure you can handle it? You couldn't handle me describing what a month of their rapes was like. Can you truly handle the true horror that went on there?" Johnny asked with a very pointed look.

"Hey, I'm not saying I won't puke my guts out. But if you work with me, then I'm going to see this through to the end," Yasmine said, her eyes were set in determination.

"You promise me that if I do this, that there won't be any sugar coating on your part. If the world is going to hear, or read in this case, about what truly happened at Raven Dale. Then I need to know, I need your absolute assurances that our tale will be told as I remember it," Johnny stated, setting his foot down, metaphorically speaking.

"That's the great thing about being a self-published artist like myself. I can do whatever I want within reason, depending on who picks up the artwork. But... if we label it as graphic horror, then I doubt we'd run into too much trouble given what the content will be about. So... what do you say?"

"Personally, I'd tell you to go fuck yourself. But..." Blowing out a breath, "this isn't about me; this is about us. You promise me that mine and Julia's names will not appear anywhere in that comic?"

"You have my word," Yasmine nodded sternly. She wasn't about to break it either.

"When do you want to do this?" Johnny asked, looking right at her.

"No time like the present," Yasmine said, trying to put a light spin on what would be a very gloomy atmosphere.

"Then you might want to call Bill back in here," Johnny said, knowing it was going to take him to a very, very dark place. A place he might not be able to come out of on his own. The motor of the bed hummed as he raised the head portion to a comfortable position. If he was going to recount what had happened, he didn't want to be disturbed by muscle strain sitting up for that long. His eyes followed his brother and Ruth as they walked back into the room. "Sit, and listen, that's all you have to do," Johnny cut off his brother as Bill started to speak.

"I can do that, Johnny," Bill said with a nod. Arching an eyebrow when Yasmine pulled out her phone and pointed it at John.

"Are you recording?" Johnny asked, peering at Yasmine's phone.

"Mmmhmm," Yasmine hummed, "whenever you're ready."

"My name is Johnathan Evan Masters; what you are about to hear is the true account of my two years while I was institutionalized in Raven Dale sanitarium," he said, speaking his full given name for the first time in five years. Noting how his brother's brow was raised when he uttered those words. "Let me tell you about what truly happened behind those closed doors that people seem to willfully ignore."

******

"What's going on in here?" Katherine asked, noting the very pale, very sickly faces, except for John, when she arrived later in the afternoon so she could stay with John for the evening until Brandan arrived.

"Telling them a story," Johnny said darkly.

"What kind of story could it be that makes them appear to be green in the gills?" Katherine inquired as she moved towards the side of his bed.

"A true story," Johnny said in a matter-of-fact tone. "We just only covered a fraction of it. I had to stop, given." Pointing at his brother and Ruth, who appeared to be on the verge of losing their lunches. "Got to admit you hung in there," he said, peering at Yasmine.

"I have to, not saying I won't be hurling up my lunch afterward, but I had to make sure you weren't interrupted," Yasmine said, feeling how unsettled her stomach was. Also noting how John's mother was eyeing the two of them. "But I think I'm at my limit for today," she uttered, stuffing her phone into her satchel.

"Hey, you get a reprieve from it, I do not," Johnny stated in a cold tone.

"I know, I didn't mean for it to sound..."

"It's fine; I think you two should show her back to her motel room," Johnny spoke, looking over at Bill and Ruth.

"You sure?" Bill asked, uncertain of John's mood.

"I'm fine; this is nothing new to me," Johnny uttered, seeing the confusion on his mother's face.

"Johnny..." Katherine's voice stilled when John peered up at her like he was waiting for something to happen. A Dodo to land on her head, the sky to split apart and all time to cease? She rightly didn't have a clue as those green eyes gazed at her.

"Say it. I know you want to," Johnny prodded. Seeing the heat flooding his mother's cheeks.

"Oh, I think you're the one that's wanting me to call you my Li'l John," Katherine spoke, her smile lifting the corners of her lips.

"I... hmm... honestly, it sounds weird. I know not to you, but to me, it does. But I told you that you could, so I'm not going to tell you, you can't," Johnny said after a few moments.