Aftercare

Jeff Johansen was tired. The tall, longhaired man with the Jesus beard sat on the floor of the abandoned house. In some sick twist of fate, this arena was a bastardization of his childhood hometown. Scratching his densely matted facial hair, he wondered aloud just how much of Ormond, Alberta was reflected in this place? He knew the small town of Ormond was a shithole truck stop that was why he left when he did. It was a place of loneliness, depression, yet that place at least felt like home. There, he could feel his father's compassion, love, and support. With that came a sense of hope, but not here. This place was a manufactured abyss meant to harvest emotions of fear, pain, and desperation.

And he would know. Jeff had lived a thousand lives, long before being trapped in this vision of Hell. Fishing in his pocket the weary man managed to locate a single cigarette. "My lucky day," he muttered sarcastically. Now all he needed was a light. With rough, callused hands, he rechecked his pockets. He didn't remember dying with the cigarette so it was possible he had hidden a lighter or a box of matches somewhere on his person. No such luck. "Well fuck it." Jeff hurled the cigarette across the room. He couldn't help but laugh.

"What the fuck?" Kate charged through the open door. The young southern-redhead looked more fiery than usual, her anger evident with every stride of her faux leather cowboy boots. "Are you kidding me? We don't even know who the killer is this round!"

"This round," Jeff replied with a chuckle. "How long have we been at this game? Four of us land in an arena, we get hunted by a randomly chosen monster. Best case scenario we work on opening a door just to go back to the main hub where we wait for the next game." The main hub was always the same: a campfire in the middle of the woods on a dark night. No one ate, slept, or even aged. After a while, Jeff could only assume every 'contestant' was dead, and just had no memory of it.

Kate put her hands on her forehead rubbing her temples. "Fine, that's fine."

"I'm glad you think so." He knew she could have left him at any time. A normal player would have run for any one of seven generators, to work towards opening the door. Or some other task; she could set a trap for the monster or even try to rescue whoever was injured. Instead, for whatever reason, she stayed, walking around the small dilapidated space.

Kate sighed. She stretched her arms over her head, looking like a relaxed college student on her way to a yoga class. "So, this is Ormond, Alberta? I've never been this far north. Is this the part of the country known for snow?"

Jeff chuckled. "Did you just ask if Canada is known for snow?"

She rolled her eyes. "Snow sports; ski resorts, skating, you know what I mean," Kate said with a laugh. She paused, touching her hand to her cheek as if amazed that she still had the ability to smile. "Ever think about why we're here? I know I'm here because of greed; I used to be an artist, playing music from the heart, but somewhere along the way I lost my muse."

"You lost your muse?" Jeff asked with a smirk. He knew a little about her story. Kate was a country starlet who got involved with the wrong people; her agent, her producer (boyfriend) they all wanted her to try to be the next Taylor Swift by transforming her work into marketable synth-pop. From what he knew of her fireside confessions, this caused her mental breakdown, resulting in her disappearing into the local woods. "I believe that's called being a sellout."

Kate nodded, with a knowing sigh. "What about you?"

"Why am I here? That's a good question. Ormond is where it all started; where I grew up, and where my old man died." Those were the main points, and why sitting on the floor of the old ski lodge brought back such strong memories and emotions.

"What happened in between?" Kate asked with naive youthful optimism.

Jeff shrugged. "Life happened."

"Such as what?" Kate asked, crossing her arms over her chest. "Were you ever married?"

"No, marriage never crossed my mind, not after what I watched my parents live through." Jeff's mother had been physically abusive, which drove his father to addiction. Yet somehow, she got full custody, post-divorce, allowing Jeff to become her new target of aggression.

"You've been in love, right?" Kate nervously rubbed her arms for warmth.

"Everyone has a love story."

"I like to think I have," Jeff said with a sarcastic smirk. He had nothing to prove to Kate, but still, part of him wanted her respect and admiration. "During my time as a roadie, I've had more than my share of love. Black, white, young, and old, all lining up for a chance to meet their idols."

Kate didn't laugh. "You traded blow jobs for backstage passes?" She had gone on tour with men and boys, she'd seen it all before.

To see her turn away from him nearly broke Jeff's heart. "There was one girl. She was special. Loving her nearly cost me my eye."

"How's that?" Kate asked checking the window. It was clear the girl was preparing to run. She would play her role in the game, giving her attention to someone more deserving of her company, while leaving the old wannabe rockstar alone to his depression.

Jeff knew he had to continue the story. "She was beautiful, kind, and engaged to the lead guitarist." The name of the girl had been lost to time, but he remembered her face; red hair the color of fire and green eyes the color of jade. She wrote poetry about him; calling him her lover, her saint. her salvation. Just thinking about her brought a tear to his eyes. "The one time we had sex was the last. I'd been balls-deep inside her when her man (and his bandmates) burst in and proceeded to kick the shit out of me. I had to take myself to the ER to get my eyeball put back in my skull."

That got a laugh. "Wow, tough luck."

"Yeah, I thought you'd like that story." He figured Kate likely had seen more than her share of men like that.

In the distance, they could hear more screams more wood breaking, and what sounded like a chainsaw, but it was too far away to be certain. The sounds brought the pair back to reality.

Kate came closer, leaning against the wall. "We both know you're not here for hooking up with groupies."

"You're right. I'm here because I ran away from home and never looked back." Jeff nodded. It was the truth and the first time he'd had the courage to admit to it. "My father died alone in hospice care; complications from lung cancer, I didn't even know he was sick until I got the message to come claim his estate." That fact hurt worse than dying over and over at the hands of any randomly selected monster Hell had to offer. "I was partying in California, smoking pot, drinking overpriced microbrews. My father knew where I was." That was clear by the estate agent's ability to find him. "He was proud of my success, and he..." Jeff could see the note in his mind. Just before his death, Jeff's father wrote a long-detailed letter about how proud he was. He said that Jeff, his son, his precious boy, became the man he always knew he could become. His father couldn't have been more wrong. Jeff was an addict; an alcoholic unworthy of love. "That's why I'm here, why I deserve to be here."

Kate sat by his side, placing her hand upon his thigh. She patted the dark filthy denim like a fellow warrior and friend. "Is this your solution, to just give up?"

"I'm not giving up, just taking a break." Jeff was grateful to have her as a friend. During his years as a roadie, he had met more than a few souls like her; people who saw the world in a way that was beautiful, unique. Those were the kind of people who survived. Not out of fear but because the world is too much of an adventure to simply give up on.

Jeff shifted his leg. He didn't intend for her hand to come to rest on his crouch but that was what fate had in mind. And at this point, he no longer gave a shit. Jeff leaned back, relaxing his sore shoulders as he unzipped his jeans letting his sweaty, flaccid cock air out for the first time in what felt like forever.

This would have been the perfect time for Kate to get up and leave. Maybe test her fate against whoever was causing all the bloodcurdling screams. And yet the country girl didn't recoil. The red-head kept her hand where it was, with her fingers exploring his newly exposed shaft the way one would a guitar. "I never realized how much I missed my guitar." She gently maneuvered Jeff's foreskin revealing more of his throbbing manhood.

Jeff glanced down at himself. Like any male with an uncircumcised cock, he was concerned about his personal hygiene. In his twenties he had offended more than his share of groupies, losing out on potential blowjobs. In his thirties, he made it a point to keep clean with soap water or at the very least, flushable wipes. But ever since getting trapped in Hell, he had not bathed, or even pissed. Thankfully he had nothing to worry about. He was erect, clean, and his tip was already wet with pre-cum.

Kate was jerking him off, her thumb rubbing his tip, coaxing out more lubrication.

Jeff gasped, taking in breath for the first time since forever. He spread his legs, guiding her hand lower, to massage his thick sweaty testicles.

Now Kate was moaning. Where was her other hand? Was she masturbating? Did she crave touch as badly as he did?

It was only then he found the courage to look her in the eyes. Kate was beautiful inside and out; an innocent soul, someone who had no business being caught in this game.

"Do you want me to suck your cock," she asked with the breathy voice of an angel.

"No." Jeff cupped her face, pulling her close for a kiss. Outside there was a crash, followed by a scream. The bad guy was near, and they would need to run; same old song and dance. 'Fuck it.' Jeff held the kiss while Kate started to slip out of her denim shorts.

He expected to feel the moist cloth of her underwear. Did she wear cotton, maybe silk? It was something he often thought about.

He could feel Kate's naked pussy. Like many she did not have a means of shaving but that only resulted in a thin layer of hair, framing her soft, moist lips.

Kate kicked off her shorts, before taking a seat on his lap. She locked eyes with him, giving Jeff a chance to feel the warmth radiating between her legs. She was like a wild animal in desperate need of a release. Kate gasped as she lowered herself onto him. "You're so big." She kissed his neck, burying her face in his beard.

Jeff's cock was of average size but after an eternity of celibacy, their bodies were starved. He could feel her walls tighten, like a virgin on her wedding day. Each thrust had her hips grinding against his soft stomach.

Her tits were still covered as she rode his cock but he could feel her stiff nipples through the thin fabric of her t-shirt. Kate moaned, softly crying in his ear. "I almost forgot what it was like."

"To what?" Jeff put his arms around her lifting her legs to switch positions. With her back to the rough wall, he made love to Kate pounding into her with renewed strength. He brushed a lock of hair from her ear, before pressing his lips to her lobe for a tender bite. "What did you forget?"

"To fuck," she said with a gasp.

The word sent a shiver down his spine. Jeff had wanted to fuck the gorgeous singer from the moment he laid eyes on her. "What else?"

"To taste." Kate's hands moved under Jeff's shirt, prompting him to remove his jacket then his sweat-covered undershirt, stripping down to reveal his tattooed arms and chest. "I've missed so much."

She cupped his face, her chest heaving as she struggled for breath. "To feel, to live." She kissed his lips, soft and slow while tracing her fingers along the ocean wave shaped tribal pattern on his arms. "I miss being held by a big strong man."

Jeff could hear the sound of a chainsaw. That meant the killer of the round was one of two tall angry rednecks who wielded such weapons. Jeff only laughed. He had heard the sound so often it was like a bird or an animal. And he was close to climax. With his belt open his jeans fell to the floor, revealing his naked backside.

Suddenly he felt a rush of cold. his back had been torn open, with blood dripping from his shoulder, along his spine. This was the point where most contestants would try to run. Jeff would not be running, especially not in his current state of undress. Instead, he aimed to finish what he started.

Jeff could feel the chainsaw retract before being plunged in a second time. The attacker made another, deeper cut, from Jeff's shoulder to his hip. Seeing that this was not a fatal blow, the monster quickly ripped out the weapon. Jeff knew the attacker was repositioning for the kill. Within seconds the chainsaw was plunged through Jeff's chest, shattering his ribcage. His mouth filled with blood and bile as a layer of gore coated his skin.

Kate leaned in close, pressing her chest against the roaring blade until it broke through her sternum. "Yes, oh God, yes!" she was bleeding, dying, all while experiencing a deep intense orgasm.

Jeff could feel her muscles tighten, clamping onto his cock; in one last show of passion, Kate's pussy was holding on to him for dear life. He climaxed inside her over and over. He wanted to die with his cock inside her. Blood was dripping down his back, to his ass crack, as the floor became covered in gore, feces, and cum.

Jeff locked eyes with Kate for the final time. He was desperate for a kiss, but with the blood loss and nerve damage, he was in no condition to lift his hand to her face.

As if sensing his desire, Kate cupped his cheek, dragging her nails along his facial hair. She kissed his open mouth, allowing them to share their last breath. "I guess I'll see you in the next round."

Jeff's world went black. This was the part when he would wake up face down in the dirt, like the rest of the players sitting around the forever burning campfire. The hub world was a place of never-ending night. So, it was a shock, to say the least, when he opened his eyes to the sight of a majestic sunrise over the Golden Gate Bridge.

Jeff was in a soft, clean bed overlooking an expensive San Francisco view. A basset hound trotted through the door. The happy creature glanced in Jeff's direction before making itself comfortable in a sunny spot. This was his dog, his apartment, his home. Jeff was about to take his first step on to the plush carpet when a little boy ran into the room.

The toddler had been focused on catching up to the dog, but upon seeing Jeff he turned, rushing towards the bed with arms outstretched. "Dada!"

Jeff cupped his hand over his mouth, overwhelmed with emotion. the child had his dark hair with Kate's green eyes. He sat back down on the bed, hands trembling. Was this a dream? It had to be.

Kate entered the room wearing the uniform of a grocery store employee. "Jeff, Sweetheart, have you seen the baby?" She spotted the little boy, lifting him in her arms. "There's my little pumpkin." She pressed her nose to his, making the child smile. "You just wanted to see your daddy."

"Kate?" Jeff noticed a familiar ring on her finger; a plain gold band with a small sapphire set in a heart, this was his mother's ring. Was Kate his wife?

Before he could ask, Kate placed the child in his arms. "Have fun you two."

"Wait!" Jeff grabbed her arm harder than he would have liked. "Please stay." He quickly let go, muttering an apology. "Could you call in sick or something, please."

"I told you before, I need my part-time job to keep a clear head. I just need you to watch him for a few hours. if he gets fussy you can play him Mommy's song." Kate walked over to a desk with an open laptop.

For a brief second, he could see her music set up; she was working on a digital album with well over a dozen songs. "Which one?"

"You know which one." Kate pulled up an editing program. She had been working on placing a lyric track over a soft instrumental beat.

"You are beautiful,

You are brave.

Your love is of the peaceful kind

Won't you dance with me.

You are everything I always wanted.

I'm so grateful that you're mine."

As the music played Kate stood up. She put her arms around Jeff, slow dancing with their son between them. "In this life, we all get what we deserve."

Jeff blinked his eyes, as he pinched his hand over and over. This was not a dream.

When the song ended the little boy started to reach for something on the floor. It was a brown leather-bound book, "Urban Legends: the tale of Bubba Sawyer."

"Yeah, about that," Kate said as she picked up the book. "We were walking past a thrift store and Sawyer just fell in love with that thing.

"Sawyer."

The boy giggled. Looking at Jeff with deadpan doll-like eyes. "Da-da."

Kate shrugged. "Who knows maybe it'll inspire him one day." She kissed Jeff's cheek and left out the door.

Alone, Jeff stood looking down at the child. The little boy only smiled. This was his wish, his story. And he had been kind enough to take Jeff along for the ride. For now, that would have to be acceptable. The old rockstar could play Daddy if it meant staying out of the game.