“You know,” David said, “this is illegal in some states.”
“What, gay sex?” Devon asked.
“No,” David said, then kissed Devon, inching closer to him on the ambulance stretcher, “having sex in an ambulance. If I get caught, I’m fucked.”
“Like you wouldn’t like that,” Devon said, sliding his hand across David’s stomach.
Devon worked as a security guard at Fawcett Memorial Hospital in Port Charlotte, Florida. This is where he hooked up with David, a paramedic he routinely received blow-jobs from on Wednesday nights. Devon did not believe himself to be a fag. He was having sex with David because he needed something from him, and he was willing to sacrifice his masculinity (so he thought it to be). They had been having sex for almost one month. Devon, during this time, was able to emotionally detach himself from David. This is something I have to do, Devon continuously reassured himself, especially after ejaculating.
“Fuck off,” David said, standing up, almost hitting his head on the center dome light, “and why do we always have to have sex in the rig?”
“You know it turns me on. I’ve told you that already.”
“Whatever.” David began searching for his pants on the floor of the ambulance.
“Hey,” Devon said as he grabbed David’s forearm, “do me a favor.”
“What?” Devon slipped into his pants.
“Teach me how to give someone an IV?”
“Why in the hell would you want me to do that?” David said, buttoning his pants, and then picking up his shirt.
“It’s just something I’ve always wanted to know how to do. Besides, I’m a security guard. I should know how to do these things. Who knows when the next nine eleven is going to be, you know?”
“I don’t know why I’m doing this,” David said, reaching
above Devon to open the IV supply cabinet.
“Because you love me.” Devon said. Do I love him?
“I wonder about that.” David began to prepare Devon’s arm for an IV, carefully explaining each step. It took almost thirty minutes for the IV to complete. Afterwards, Devon convinced David to give him enough supplies to initiate two IVs.
“Well, I’ll see you next Wednesday.” Devon kissed David.
“You’d better,” David said, holding Devon tightly, not wanting to let him go.
“You know you will,” Devon said “Goodnight babe.”
While driving home, Devon’s cell phone rang. After reaching into his pocket, he took out his cell phone, holding it in sight of his driving vision, and read the LCD display: MOM. I know Mom. I know what day tomorrow is.
“Hi Mom. You’re calling late.” It was ten-thirty.
“I know Dev, I know. I was just thinking about, I was just thinking that, well your father.”
“It’s been ten years, Mom.”
“It doesn’t feel like it.”
“Tell me about it.” Devon said as he pulled off the road. This familiar conversation would require his full attention.
“Devon,” his mother said, “I hope you’re not still trying to find that damn medic. You should let it go.”
“You should take the same advice Mom,” Devon said, placing his hand atop an IV bag, “and I’m not trying to find this medic because I want to kick his ass. I just want to know what happened. That’s all.”
“We know what happened, Dev,” she said, and paused, “Your father died of a heart attack—“
“Well maybe if that damn medic did his job better, Dad would still be alive.” Devon, after realizing he was squeezing the IV bag, released his grip.
“I want to come down and see you tomorrow.”
“No,” Devon said, “I mean, I would love to see you. I just, well, I have plans. I have a date.”
“Really,” she said, “What’s her name?”
“Da—Debra.” Did I almost say David?
After Devon successfully convinced his mother to postpone her visit, Devon returned to the road. Often, he wished his mother would stop calling him on the eve of his father’s death. Each time she called, he felt himself beginning to forgive the medic who took care of his father on the day he died. Ultimately, Devon thought his mothers’ annual call was a distraction, pulling him away from his mission.
Now at home, Devon showered. He believed, after having sex with David, the shower would cleanse the homosexuality from his body. Clean, gay free and dry, he grabbed the IV supplies. Once in his backyard he carefully navigated, in darkness, to his shed. His work often performed at night, required privacy. Inside the shed, Devon placed the IV supplies in the appropriate location, just like David’s ambulance. Perfect, Devon thought as he closed and locked the door.
Before going to bed, Devon logged-on to FACEBOOK. It was this electronic medium which provided Devon the location of the medic he believed to be responsible for his father’s death. This instant communication, and abundance of information had eased the difficulty of murder. Locating an enemy or a potential target was a click away. Often, when Devon first began his on-line search for the medic, he would sing: “It’s a Small World After All.”
Devon was able to begin his search for this medic, Gregory Walsh, because the image of his name badge had been permanently etched into his mind: GREGORY WALSH, US ARMY, EMT. This, of course, was not all Devon was able to recall from that day. He could still see the medic, Gregory, fumbling around the ambulance, desperately trying to establish IV access, which he was not able to do. Devon could still here Gregory’s voice
telling his father: “You’re going to be alright.” He also recalled the grayness that flooded his father’s face, and most of all he remembered his pain and ire.
Devon clicked on the link to Gregory’s profile.
“Tomorrow,” Devon said, deleting Gregory’s page, “This is over tomorrow.” He shut down his computer, and then retired for the night.
Devon had been up and ready to go since five am. At six am he called in sick. Today, his plan was going into action. After careful observation of Gregory’s life, during the previous month, he learned that Gregory was single, living alone with his mentally disabled nephew, Kevin. Kevin, Monday through Friday, attended a local Easter Seals day program. Devon also learned Kevin was able to walk unaccompanied, each morning, to his bus stop.
“Hey,” Devon said, slowing his car down, “Kevin, the bus broke down, I’m here to pick you up.”
“Cool, I hate the bus. It sucks.”
“I hear you bud,” Devon said, now outside of his Dodge Caravan, placing his arm upon Kevin’s back, “They suck.”
Inside the van, Devon grabbed a bottle of Coke and offered it to Kevin.
“Want a Coke?”
“Yeah man, I love Coke. I love it.” Kevin quickly untwisted the cap and gulped half the bottle of soda.
“I love Coke too.” Devon Said. Earlier, Devon injected 10 milligrams of ATIVAN to the Coke Bottle. It would not be long before Kevin was rendered into unconsciousness.
Devon pulled into his driveway along with Kevin, drooling by his side, fast asleep. The driveway extended to the back of Devon’s house. He parked in front of his shed. Devon quickly carried Kevin from the van and into the shed, which he left unlocked that morning, knowing he would need quick access during the daylight hours. Twenty minutes had lapsed before Devon exited the shed. Once he locked the door, he returned to his vehicle. While driving to the hospital, Devon’s cell phone rang. As he did with all calls, he scanned the LCD display. DAVID.
“Hey babe,” Devon said with surprising ease.
“Hey babe, I know you only like to hook up in the ambulance
but I really want to see you tonight. I want you to come over for dinner.”
“Tonight?” This is the first time he asked me to visit his house. Does he know something? “Um, I might be able to. Can I call you in a few hours?” Devon asked, while pulling into the rear parking lot of Fawcett Memorial Hospital.
“Please,” David said, “I really want you to come over.”
“Yeah, I know,” Devon exited his van, “I promise, I’ll call. Okay?”
“You better.”
“I will.” Devon closed his cell phone. Damn fags. I might just need a blow-job after this. Erasing the thought from his mind, he continued to the service entrance of the hospital. Once inside, Devon displayed his security badge to the first kitchen employee spotted.
“Where’s the nearest phone?”
The employee pointed to her left at a door with a sign that read: KITCHEN MANAGER. Inside the office, alone, Devon picked up the phone and dialed Gregory’s cell phone number, which he obtained for an expensive on-line public record’s search.
“Mr. Walsh?”
“What’s wrong?” Gregory asked, after seeing Fawcett Memorial Hospital on his caller ID display.
“I’m afraid it’s your nephew, Kevin. We found your information in his wallet. He was involved in major bus accident.”
“Is he dead?”
“No. No, he’s being treated as we speak. You should come as soon as you can. His injuries are quite severe.”
“Perhaps you should have someone drive to the hospita—“
“I’m on the way.” Gregory said, cutting off the line.
Devon hung up the phone and exited the Kitchen Manager’s office. Once in his van, he drove to the emergency room parking lot. He calmly walked to the bench located adjacent to the ER entrance. Sitting, hoping his supervisor would not see him, he waited for Gregory’s Green Honda Accord to race into the parking lot.
The left side of Devon’s upper lip curled upward when he saw Gregory’s car. Gregory, not bothering to stop his engine, or close his door, leaped out of his car and ran for the entrance. Devon stopped him by placing his hand in the center of his chest.
“Mr. Walsh?”
“Yeah, my nephew, he’s hurt. Wait, why are you waiting for me. What the hell happened?” Gregory said, attempting to push his way forward into the emergency room.
“Mr. Walsh, please calm down. You nephew was just transferred to Tampa General Hospital. I was asked to meet you outside. Please, come with me.”
“Why?” Gregory asked as Devon placed his arm upon Gregory’s back, just like he did with Kevin.
“I was asked to drive you to Tampa.”
Inside Devon’s van, Gregory scrambled to find his seatbelt. As Devon drove out of the parking lot, Gregory turned toward Devon.
“Do I know you?” Gregory asked.
“No, I don’t think so, I just moved to Florida.”
“Since when do security guards drive people to hospitals? This is really fucking strange. I mean, what do you know? Was Kevin awake, did he say anything? Was he awake? Was he breathing on his own? Was he as—“
“Mr. Walsh, here,” Devon handed Gregory a bottle of water, “drink some of this, and please try to calm down.”
“Thanks.” Gregory sipped from the bottle.
“No problem.” Devon said as he continued to drive, hoping the increased dose of ATIVAN would take quick effect.
The ATIVAN succeeded in placing Gregory into a brief oblivion. Devon carried Gregory into his shed, like he did Kevin. This time he did not exit. This time he waited
inside, anticipating the opening of Gregory’s eyes.
“What the fuck, what happened? An accident?” Gregory asked, trying to move, but finding it difficult.
“No. Not an accident,” Devon said.
“Wait, why can’t I move?” Gregory asked, looking downward upon his body, taking notice of the duct tape, which bound him to the chair in which he sat. “What’s going on?” he asked again.
“It wasn’t an accident.” Devon said, walking closer to Gregory.
“There’s no windows, this isn’t an ambulance,” Gregory said.
“No, not a real ambulance. Pretty cool, yeah?” Devon asked, placing his hand upon an IV bag hanging from the ceiling, “It took almost a year to complete.”
Gregory then noticed that the IV bag Devon was holding was attached, via tubing, to a line connected to his bound nephews arm. Kevin, unconscious, was also bound, to an ambulance stretcher.
“Kevin! Kevin! I swear if you hurt him I’ll kill you!” Gregory said, while attempting to escape his confinement.
“You’ll kill me like you killed my father?” Devon asked.
“What?”
“You heard me. Like you killed my father. Don’t remember me? Think hard asshole. You let me sit in the same chair you’re sitting now. I watched you run around like a stupid fuck trying to save my father from dying and you couldn’t do it. You didn’t do shit.”
“I remember, I remember,” Gregory said, beginning to breath more rapidly, “I do, I’m so sorry man, I really, really am. I was young, I was an army medic, not trained well enough, I did everything I could, I did, I really did, please don’t hurt Kevin, please—“
“SHUT THE FUCK UP!” Devon yelled, grabbing hold of the drip chamber attached to the IV tubing connected to Kevin’s arm.
“Please, man, don’t,” Gregory said.
“You know,” Devon said, while his hand traveled downward, embracing the IV tubing, “giving an IV is very safe. It’s very safe, as long you bleed the line of air.”
“Don’t,” Gregory said.
“Oh shit, I didn’t bleed the line,” Devon said, opening the line.
“Greg, is that you?” Kevin, now awake, asked, “hey, this isn’t Easter Seals.”
“Yeah,” Devon said, “that’s Greg, Kevin, and I’m about to ease his pain.”
“Hey, this really hurts, Greg. Something really hurts.” Kevin spoke his last words to Gregory, followed by violent convulsions, and drool.
“You’re so fucking dead.” Gregory said.
“Me?” Devon asked, walking toward Gregory with a fresh roll of duct tape in his left hand, “not today.”
After Devon sealed Gregory’s mouth with five layers of duct tape, completely surrounding his head, opened the shed door and was about to shut off the light.
“You know what, I’m going to leave the light on. So you can watch Kevin rot before you die,” Devon closed and locked the door of the shed.
While walking back to his house all Devon could think about was a scene from “Gone With The Wind.” After Scarlett killed a Union soldier she said: “Well I guess I’ve done murder. Well I won’t think about that now. I’ll think about that tomorrow.” Why the hell am I thinking about Gone With The Wind, and Scarlett? Am I a fag or something?
Inside the house, Devon dialed David on his cell.
“Hey babe, what’s for dinner?”
