Page 8 of Angels Fall

“What?”

“Maddie,” I say again.

“Maddie?” he asks. “What’re you—? Maddie… Maddie ... Maddie ... Clayton?”

I nod. I can’t see all that clearly just at present, but I can see enough to note the worried expression that lights his face.

“What about her?” he asks.

“The stripper. The angel. Scarlett,” I say.

“Yeah?” he half-says, half-asks.

I don’t say anything. Just letting him work it out. The realization washes over him like watching the sun rise. It creeps up slowly and then it’s just there, all at once.

“Oh, my fucking shit,” he says. “Did you guys…?”

I nod.

“Oh, my shitting fuck,” comes bumbling out. “I—” he says, “I don’t even—”

Just then, Rod, the South Boston transplant who works in Evan’s station house, comes over. “Jesus, Tyler,” he says, “you’re one strong son of a bitch. Bear was sure we lost you up there, but I said, ‘It’ll take a lot more than a little smoke inhalation to kill Tyler fuckin’ Morgan!’”

Bear, the company officer, approaches next. “Nice, Rod, that’s a solid bedside manner you got there.”

“Fuck did I say?” grouses Rod.

Bear leans into Evan and says something, but I can’t hear what. Evan nods. He looks back down to me. “Okay, brother,” he says. “We’re gonna get you to Sunrise and get you checked in.”

“I’m fine,” I say, as I start to get up. “I gotta find Maddie, she—”

Evan gently pushes me back down. Whispers down to me. “You flat-lined for almost three minutes, T. We need to check you in. Please, brother. Come on. There’s time.”

I look into Evan’s eyes and see something there. Normally his darkened gaze prevents any insight into his emotions, but what I see now is fear. And love.

Fuck, man. Damn.

So I nod, and lie back again. Which is probably for the best because I feel like I’ve been run over by a rhino stampede. Not that I ever have been, but I imagine it feels shitty and surreal. And so does this.

The only thing I know for sure is that Maddie Clayton left my apartment earlier tonight and went off into the streets with a fuck-ton of unfinished business between us. And what I have to do now is correct my mistakes. Be absolved of my sins. By her.

I owe Maddie Clayton. And whatever I have to do to, whatever price I have to pay, mountain I have to climb, or dragon I have to slay to show her that I am worthy of having this chance to make it right between us, bet your fucking ass that I will do all that it takes and then some.

Swear to fucking James Franco.

Chapter Three - Maddie

Carlos just stares at me with an expression that says, I’m being very patient right now, but don’t push it, bitch. “Maddie—”

“Listen, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—Look, I’ll pay you back. Every fucking cent. I just—I can’t stay here and—”

He looks like he might just choke me right now.

Beg for your life, says the devil.

What? Angel says. That doesn’t sound like you.

Fuck it, says the devil. Alive and embarrassed or dead and dead.