Walking an Endless Path Pt. 01

Robbie watched them finally head towards the club exactly as he knew they would. It was almost time for him to go on a garbage run, and this one would be spectacular.

The ladies approached a large seating area with multiple couches in the corner. A waiter arrived and took their order. Sparkling waters, sodas, juices, and non-alcoholic mixed drinks were all part of the underage clubbing experience. The girls laughed and chatted, leading Joe to the dance floor one by one. The music was high energy, and the beat was driving. Joe soon felt his inhibitions dropping as his body heated up with the dancing and the gentle touches the girls made on his arms and back as they jumped, laughed, swayed, and shook to the music. Joe started to really enjoy himself. At one point, he was surrounded by six ladies, all moving in perfect synchronization with the beat. It was magic! All of them were breathing hard and grinning like mad fools. He looked around and couldn't see Hanna, but Chloe and Elizabeth were having a very animated discussion over by the wall. He noticed that Elizabeth seemed to be crying. He went from feeling glorious to feeling concerned in a flash, and he could feel himself slip out of sync with the other dancers in his group. He excused himself and started to make his way across the floor toward Chloe and Elizabeth.

-=-

High above the dance floor, Robbie cursed violently. There'd been a perfect opportunity to hit Joe and six sluts in one shot, but he'd been too slow to get through the fucking door because of that stupid shit stacked on the walkway. He'd just positioned himself above Joe, holding the bag directly above his head, when Joe suddenly started moving to the side of the room. Robbie looked through the hanging scaffolds and saw Joe was making his way over to Chloe. Perfect! Robbie pulled the heavy bag over the rail and scuttled as fast as possible to put himself over Joe and Chloe. With a grunt, he dipped the bag over the railing again as he rushed back towards the edge of the room, trying to catch up to Joe, who was now striding briskly across an empty section of the dance floor.

Robbie didn't see the light effects machine in the path of his hand until it struck the heavy trash bag and ripped it open. The foul liquids poured into the scorching hot, electrically charged device. There was a pop and flash of sparks shooting up from the machine.

Then came the explosion and fireball.

The gases trapped in the bag ignited first, caught the grease and oils trapped in the wrapping paper, and the entire bag went off in a huge fireball, splashing flaming cheese across the walkway and over the right side of Robbie's body like napalm. He screamed and ran for the stairwell door. The concussion from the blast and Robbie's yanking on the door broke the remaining ties on the heavy stack of pipes.

They suddenly broke free.

With the agony of his burns, he never saw the pipes that slammed into him, carrying him over the railing to the dance floor below.

-=-

Joe was almost at Chloe's side when he heard the boom above his head. Everyone ducked and looked up. They could see a fireball rolling along the ceiling above the lights and heard what sounded like a scream. Something wet was pouring onto the dance floor behind Joe. Then came a loud series of ringing bells directly above.

Instinct made Joe rush the final steps up to Chloe and Elizabeth. He grabbed them and tucked them tight against each other and under his body. He braced himself against the wall with his arms above his head just as the first pipes struck him. Then came the rest. They hit his arms, his back, and his legs. He was almost driven to his knees under the pounding, but with the two girls huddled under him, there was no room for him to drop, so he pushed himself back up. The sound of the bars striking the floor was deafening! It was like being trapped in a crazed bell tower.

As suddenly as it started, it was over. Joe glanced up to be sure, but nothing was left to fall. He looked down and saw Chloe and Elizabeth's shocked eyes staring at him. They seemed to be all right, thank god!

Then he noticed that most of his shirt was missing. His pants and underwear were also in tatters. Damn, he was... hanging out in plain view. Chloe and Elizabeth stared wide-eyed in shock, but they were no longer looking at his face.

Then his legs finally gave out, and he heard yelps from the two ladies as his mostly naked body collapsed on them.

Darkness took him.

Chapter 8

Joe slowly woke in an unfamiliar room. With awareness came pain. He groaned as every muscle reminded him of the beating he'd taken.

Suddenly, he felt a tiny form fall against his chest, a head press into his neck, and he heard racking sobs. His eyes popped all the way open, and he looked down to see Amy laying across his chest, tiny fists clutching the sheets.

"Amy! Shhhh, what's wrong?" he whispered to his little sister, raising his aching arms to gently rub her back.

"I-I'm s-s-so sorry I f-forced you to g-go to the club," she wailed into his chest.

"Amy, please! That's silly! You aren't to blame for anything! I had a great time! I really did! I was going to thank you. I love you!" He stroked her hair and felt her begin to calm down. He looked up and saw his parents standing at the end of his bed with relieved smiles.

"Son, can you wiggle your toes?" Karl asked.

Joe did as his father asked, and the smiles on his parent's faces grew. They looked at each other and pressed their foreheads together.

"Dad, what's going on? What happened?" Joe asked.

Karl moved up the side of the bed and gently attempted to pull Amy from Joe's chest, but she clung tighter. He smiled and left her there. Clara joined him.

"There was an accident in the club. A boy named Robbie Wexler was on the catwalk above the dance floor when you and the girls were dancing. The police aren't sure what he was doing up there, but he might have been carrying some kind of home-made bomb. There was an explosion, and he was badly burned. He then knocked loose some improperly stored scaffolding. It fell, and he was pushed over the railing and fell to his death. The rest of the scaffolding fell over you and the two girls you protected. No, don't worry, they're both fine!" Karl said when he saw Joe's worried expression.

"You were all rushed to the hospital, and they called the parents. When we got here, Doc Watson was in a rage. The x-ray machine broke as they were trying to determine your injuries. We've been waiting for you to wake up. That was sixteen hours ago."

Joe gently shifted his muscles from his head to his finger tips and toes. Everything seemed to be working, but damn, was he sore!

"Aside from feeling like I was beaten with hammers, I feel okay. Everything seems to be moving properly," Joe said.

"Oh Joseph, that's so good to hear!" his mother gushed, tears coming to her eyes too.

"Wait—Robbie's dead?" Joe gasped, the fact finally registering.

"Yes," Karl confirmed.

"Do you feel up to some visitors? Two young ladies in the hall would very much like to see you," Clara asked.

Joe blushed scarlet as he recalled just how much these two ladies had already seen. "Uh, I guess that would be okay."

Clara gently pried Amy from Joe's chest, and Joe gave his sister a gentle touch on her cheek and a smile to let her know he loved her. Karl led his family outside, and Joe steeled himself for the next visit.

Slowly Chloe and Elizabeth appeared in the doorway and looked in. When they saw him looking towards them, they both rushed forward. Chloe took his left hand in her hands, and Elizabeth rounded his bed and held his right. Neither seemed to be able to talk. They just stared down at him with expressions Joe couldn't read.

"Are you two okay? You're not hurt?" Joe asked.

Suddenly, both girls were laying across him, crying on his shoulders.

What's with all this crying?

Joe realized that aside from the pain they were causing in his muscles, it felt really good to have them pressing against him. He was pinned to the bed by two wonderfully soft goddesses. He'd been facing Chloe when she landed on him, and her hair smelled like delicious vanilla. Elizabeth's long black hair was flung across his pillow. Since they weren't looking, he gently turned his head slightly to the right, brought his nose into contact with the silky strands, and breathed in the fresh, clean scent of melon.

"Shhhh, please don't cry," Joe said gently until he heard their sobs turn to sniffs, then stop. They both pushed back but remained sitting on the edges of his bed, each holding one of his hands.

"Listen, I'm okay. I'm not hurt... well, I'm really, really sore, but nothing's broken. I was damn lucky! I was so scared you two would be hurt," he explained. They both looked relieved.

"Elizabeth, why were you crying at the party?" he asked.

Her face flushed as she recalled her earlier tears. "I was just feeling sorry for myself. I mean, you had all these beautiful women around you. Chloe, especially. I was sure you wouldn't even see me. Then you—you saved my life!"

"Not see you? Elizabeth? How could I not see you? You're beautiful!" he gasped. He couldn't believe this gorgeous woman couldn't see that!

Suddenly, she was back on his chest, planting kisses all over his forehead, eyelids, cheeks, chin, and LIPS! He felt the tip of her tongue brush his lips, so he copied her actions. Fireworks went off in his brain, and rational thought was lost. He felt waves of pleasure radiating outwards from their joined lips, and it was almost too intense. The kiss continued for one eternity, two... the waves built, and his awareness began to slip away. Then Elizabeth pulled back with a loud gasping moan and clenched her hands in her lap. She scooted back off the bed and wobbled from the room, her fair skin flushed deep red and her eyes wild.

Not to be outdone by her friend, Chloe placed her hands on both sides of his face and said, "I want to thank you for saving me as well." Then she lowered her lips to his and kissed him deeply.

Joe was keenly aware that he really liked kissing, especially how Chloe did it. The sensual feeling of her warm, soft lips on his was heaven, but the exquisite pleasure of her tongue invading his mouth, sliding against his, overwhelmed him. Instead of a sensation like radiating waves, it felt like he'd been hit by a tsunami this time. His mind blanked, and he began to white out. Chloe suddenly gasped, and her whole body trembled fiercely. Her hands gripped the blankets tight, and she moaned into his mouth. Joe felt her relax onto his chest to rest her head on his shoulder. Joe lay there dazed, blinking at the ceiling. Feeling slowly returned to his body and, with it, the pain.

His Dad stepped back in with a puzzled look on his face after watching Elizabeth scurry down the hall to the exit. Joe was laying back on his pillow, and the other young lady seemed to be asleep on Joe's left shoulder.

"Joe?" he whispered.

Joe looked over at his father and smiled. Then he noticed Chloe drooling on his shoulder. She appeared to be unconscious. That wasn't supposed to happen when you kissed, was it? Joe looked desperately at his father. His dad turned and called for Doc Watson, who'd been speaking with Clara in the hall. The doctor rushed in. After a quick check, he and Karl moved Chloe to the empty bed next to Joe's. He confirmed she was breathing normally, her pulse was strong, if a little fast, and her pupils were responsive. Earlier, he'd examined both girls and found them uninjured. He decided that she'd probably become emotionally overwhelmed after the tragic events. He pulled the blanket over her and turned back to Karl and Joe.

"Let's just let her sleep. There doesn't appear to be anything wrong with her physically. I'll keep an eye on her. You okay with her being here, Joe?" he asked.

Joe just nodded and looked at Chloe's sweet face. Suddenly, he felt his fatigue sweeping back over him. His eyelids felt heavy, and he slipped into a deep, dreamless sleep.

Chapter 9

The weeks after the tragic death of Robbie Wexler were a blur to Joe. He left the hospital a couple of days after the incident and had to take it easy at home for at least a week. He was instructed to only sleep and eat during that time though he did sneak in a few hours with his free weights as he began to feel restless with the inactivity.

Then his Dad told him that Robbie's father had specifically asked that Joe and his family not attend Robbie's funeral. As many of Joe's friends were going, he was confused and then angered by this, but Karl told him that people did strange things when they were grieving, and it was best to honor his request.

The day after the funeral, his dad took him to get his driver's license. Now he'd be able to help a lot more at the farm, and his parents told him he'd be allowed to get a job. Joe knew exactly where he wanted to work. He'd been visiting St. Germain's Feed and Supply with his Dad for years and felt very much at home there. It didn't hurt that Donald St. Germain, Chloe's father, was the owner and operator of the business. He liked Joe and had hinted if the boy was looking for a job, there was always an opening.

A couple of days later, Joe drove his Dad's old pickup to the store and walked in to look for Chloe's Dad. If he happened to spot her, too, that would be great. She'd been avoiding him since that day in the hospital, and he was desperate to ask her why. He was directed to the office at the back of the shop, where he found Donald working on some receipts.

"Hello. Mr. St. Germain," Joe said.

"Oh! Hi Joe! How are you feeling?" Donald asked.

"Much better, thanks! How is Chloe doing? I haven't spoken with her since that day."

Donald's forehead wrinkled in thought. "Chloe's been acting a little off since she returned from the hospital, but she won't tell us what happened. I understand from Doc Watson that she collapsed when she visited you, but that's all I've heard. Her mom Gene will bring her in for her shift this afternoon if you'd like to stick around and speak with her."

"Yes, I'd like that." He took a deep breath and launched into his pitch. "Uh, what I actually came here for today was to ask if you were still interested in offering me a position. I'm sixteen now, have my driver's license and my parent's permission to get a part-time job. I'm a hard worker and strong too!"

Donald was very pleased that Joe had remembered his offer. "Sure! I could definitely add you to the part-time roster. When can you start?"

"Any time, sir!" Joe said with a smile.

"Can you stick around until Gene arrives this afternoon? She can give you the required forms to fill out. Then you can speak with Chloe," Donald explained. "In the meantime, ask Rene to give you a quick tour of the shop and fill you in on the responsibilities of the part-timer positions."

Donald reached across the desk and shook Joe's hand. "Welcome to the team, Joe!"

"Thank you, sir!" Joe said.

Rene Duval was a petite redhaired woman in her early thirties who primarily worked the customer service desk. Even though she was older, Joe thought she was very pretty. She had the most intense blue eyes; you could almost feel it when they locked on you. Sometimes he found it a little unnerving. Joe preferred to not be the center of attention, but when Rene focused on you, you definitely got the impression that you were the center of her universe at that moment. Her face was covered in light freckles, she wore those half glasses for reading, and she had an angry-looking scar on her neck that ran from her left ear, crossed her neck, and disappeared in her cleavage, though Joe tried to keep his eyes from following it that far. He'd spoken with her on numerous prior visits. She knew where everything could be found in the store, kept track of deliveries, and had an uncanny memory of their inventory. Chloe joked that Rene was Oracle to her Dad's Batman. Donald ensured she was happy, saying the place would fall apart without her.

"Hi, Ms. Duval! Mr. St. Germain hired me part-time and asked me to ask you to give me the tour and explain the duties I'd have," Joe said.

Rene looked up over her half glasses and focused on Joe. "Hi, Joe! Welcome to the team!" she said warmly. She'd expected this day would come. She'd picked up on Joe's interest in working here and knew Donald thought highly of the boy. She also knew Chloe was sweet on him but thought maybe Donald was unaware of that. Locking her terminal, she exited her station, led Joe to the employee-only doors at the back of the shop, and began her tour. She'd been doing them for years and had it down pat.

An hour later, Joe felt his mind spinning with the information Rene had jammed inside. Rene smiled when she saw his dazed expression and patted the arm to let him know he'd be fine. She noticed his arm was thick with muscles. He'd certainly get to use them here with the heavy lifting involved in the job.

There was a ding from the front door, and Joe saw Mrs. St. Germain enter the store, followed by Chloe, who walked with eyes downcast. Joe was surprised as Chloe typically looked so confident wherever she went. Chloe's mom smiled and waved when she saw Joe, and he waved back. First, though, he wanted to speak with Chloe.

She suddenly stopped and gasped when she saw Joe standing before the customer service desk. Her eyes looked a little desperate and panicky. She seemed to be looking for a way to escape and clutched her hands together up by her throat.

"Chloe?" Joe asked quietly and gently, like she was a fawn preparing to leap away.

She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths to calm herself. It seemed to do the trick, as she could look at him when they reopened. "Hi, Joe," she said quietly.

"Can I speak with you, please?" Joe asked just as quietly.

"Sure, follow me," Chloe said as she glanced at Rene, watching them both with interest. Chloe led him back through the employee door to the empty loading bay at the back of the store. Rene watched them leave with curiosity in her eyes.

"I've tried to reach you since that day in the hospital. But it seems like you've been avoiding me." Joe's face was turning a deep shade of crimson. He was so uncomfortable talking with the pretty girl. Confronting her was a special kind of torture for him.

A hint of Chloe's former confidence returned to her eyes as she saw the effect she was having on Joe. Then her eyes dropped to the floor again. "Joe, what did you do to me that day?" she whispered.

"What?" he asked, confused.

"I remember sitting on the edge of your bed, holding your hand. You were being so sweet, worrying about Elizabeth and me when you were the one injured. Elizabeth kissed you, then ran out of the room. When I kissed you, it was so good. Then I couldn't catch my breath, and my whole body was exploding with ecstasy." Chloe paused, and a tiny shiver ran down her spine. "I remember not wanting it to end, ever. I was willing to give up everything to get more. When I woke up the next day, I was terrified by how much I wanted to feel that way again. That... need gets smaller every day, but it still scares me. I have plans for my future, Joe. I'm going to go places and do things. Become someone. I've known this since I was a little girl. A couple of weeks ago, I'd have given all that up just to feel that pleasure again." Tears were beginning to drop from her eyes and run down her cheeks.

He reached forward to comfort her but flinched back when she pulled away from his touch. "Oh my God, Chloe! I—I'm so sorry! I've never kissed anyone before. That was my first time! I thought that's what it was supposed to feel like. When you kissed me, I thought the top of my head would blow off! It felt so good I almost passed out! When I saw you unconscious, it really scared me! I woke up the next morning, and you were gone. Then you wouldn't return my calls. Elizabeth's not returning my calls either, and I have no idea why. I would never hurt either of you! You have to know that!"