The Brink of Insanity

[Megami*]

((Continued from: The Casualties of War.))

Since leaving Lyndi Thibodeaux at the hillside cliff some hours before, Cody had ambled aimlessly around the island, pausing for a moment and chuckling to himself as Mr. Danya had made the ninth announcement, signalling the tenth day across the island. Cody couldn't help but smile as Danya verbally bashed his arch nemesis, Adam Dodd. When Sidney Crosby was mentioned as being alive and still in action, Cody had found a renewed sense of self, and since that time, he'd been slowly circling the remaining areas in a scrutinizing search for Sidney Crosby.

He'd been getting ready to make a bee-line from his hidden position behind the small house as Lucinda Garnett had maliciously run over one of the biggest players on the island in a car, and this event had piqued Cody's interest. For some time, he had stalked the duo involved in the car chase around the island, being sure to stay far enough behind them where he wouldn't be noticed on Loretta. As the duo had exchanged shots at the helicopter crash site and had yet again taken off, however, Cody had lost interest in the events, and had meandered elsewhere.

Now, as Cody once again blazed a trail through the dark and overgrown area surrounding the ravine, he couldn't help but feel an impending sense of doom. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, and that was when he heard it: the sputtering noise coming from Loretta, before all at once, the motorcycle coasted to a stop. Groaning in irritation, Cody tried again and again to restart his galliant steed, but to no avail. Loretta coughed and sputtered, before finally going silent. Hoping off of the motorcycle, Cody turned to face it, half cradling it in his arms.

"Loretta? Loretta!"

His pleas were, of course, gone unheard by the motorcycle. But, to Cody Jenson, Loretta was so much more than just that motorcycle. In his mind, Loretta had formed a life of her own, a sort of embodiment, and now he had lost her, the one thing he cared about the most. No more grand adventures, no more riding off into the sunset with Loretta. He'd lost his best friend, the love of his life. For what might have been the first time ever, tears of sadness started spilling from Cody Jenson's eyes, streaking clean splotches down his dirty and grimey face.

He'd done so much, so much to protect her and keep her safe from harm. He'd cared for her, he'd ... he'd loved Loretta, and now she was gone. Of course, to anyone else, it would seem almost stupid that Cody Jenson was getting so upset over the fact that his motorcycle had run out of gas. The ten days that he had been caged up on SOTF island had long since gotten to Cody, though. Naturally, the gunshot wounds, tire iron to the back of the head, and countless internal injuries weren't helping, but in his delusional state, he truly believed that Loretta was on her last leg.

Perching down in the dirt next to the bike, his back facing toward the large crack in the earth lest someone sneak up on him, Cody stroked the body of Loretta once more, a sigh of frustration and anxiety escaping his paling lips. He'd be here to protect Loretta from harm, no matter what. Pulling the gun from the front of his jeans, Cody went about checking the magazine and ensuring the gun still had plenty of ammunition left. Leaning his back up against Loretta, he closed his eyes for just a moment, not allowing the exhaustion that had set in to take over.

He'd protect her now, in her time of need. No matter what.

((Continued in: The Tangled Web We Weave))