In the Pages of My Mind

718

Hutch’s soul is divided. It’s up to Starsky and Huggy to free him from the evil bonds.

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Chapter One

Starsky trudged to the icebox to pour himself a glass of root beer and retrieved the two-day-old cheese pizza that was cold as hell. He chomped on the hardened dough; not caring that it tasted like cardboard, and thinking pizza sure didn’t age gracefully like a fine wine. His head pounded and his throat was on fire. Yet he tried to force down some nourishment.

Too wound up from the day’s events, he sat on the couch taking a swig of his soda. Starsky tossed the pizza aside; he really wasn’t feeling too good. It was then he noticed the black leather bound book that sat on his coffee table. He wondered how it got there; sure wasn’t his. Sipping a little more on his root beer he stared at the book. It was thick and large. Stars and a moon had been intricately tooled upon the black leather. He blinked twice. He thought he could almost see the shining light that came from the pictured sky. He gingerly reached for the book, setting down his glass. Hutch must have left it here for him. He had no other explanation for how it got there. He opened the cover and peered at the first page. It was blank. He flipped to the next page noting the gold edging and fineness of the pages. He began to read the deep black words that etched across the paper.

He didn’t get past the first few words; which read ‘the pages of your mind.’ Then the words began to blur and mix before his eyes. He squinted hard and tried to focus on the page. The more he concentrated the fuzzier things got. Must be over tired he thought as a rolling wave of nausea came over him. He was about to close the leather bound book. He felt strange as if he were being pulled downward. He looked up from the book to see his apartment before him shrinking away. He felt a sickness fill his stomach. It crept up toward his mouth but he swallowed it back down.

A soft blue, magical glow beamed outward from in between the pages of the book he held in both hands. He wanted to drop the thing and run but something held him to the black leather; wouldn’t release him. He felt suspended between heaven and hell. Falling as if he were being sucked down a rabbit hole he tumbled over and over through a glowing blue light.

Words floated through the air around him; he could almost reach out and touch them. He could hear his voice mixed with that of his partner’s jabbering in his ear. Voices spewed all about yet his mouth was shut and Hutch was nowhere nearby. His body tensed as the words seeped into him in no particular order or timeline.

I hear that sound, Hutch, the ball’s in the air. How many more cops gotta die before I’m s’posed to become expendable? What took ya so long? Game set and match. I’ve had more intelligent conversations with a turtle. Seemed like a good idea at the time. Starsky you know I love you. How bout strike one. Starsky get down! Whaddya go and do that for Partner? Easy Buddy, I’m right here, right here. I’m right here. Try to relax easy. Starsky I think I love that dog. Me too, Hutch, me too. I’m not going to dig, you dig. You never did like her. You’re the best friend I got in the whole world. Starsky, kids grow up Uncle Elmo’s move away. Ever get the feelin’ you’re all alone in the world an’ nobody loves ya?

He kept tumbling deeper into darkness, not seeing, not feeling, and only hearing words he knew had been spoken at one time or another by himself and his partner. What the hell was going on?

Next time you want scrambled eggs don’t let me talk ya out of it huh? Ya know something; you really stink at this game. Will you give me seventy dollars? Hey Starsk, I think they found their favorite tree, it’s me. How could anyone be called three zebra’s? Ask Nellie; the bad guys suck it all up. This didn’t happen Bernie. I’m Starsky, he’s Hutch. Heads or tails? Watch the master at work huh? Why you lousy phony. I thought you were dead. Bulletproof vest remember. Tough break Foxy. Where’d he go? He flew he flew. This is really lunatic time. How bout that Dracula was named after a real person in the 15th century in Transylvania.

The words and voices came to a complete and utter silence as darkness ebbed away. An enormous stone castle lay before him. The night air was cold and still. He could hear the crash of rolling waves. He watched the vapors rise up off the sea, blanketing the land. The scene before him seemed to echo the quiet, nothing daring to stir and shatter the silvery silence. The moon managed to pierce through the clouds every now and again sending its bluish rays across the barren ground; only giving enough light to see the dark silhouette of the castle before him. He was drawn closer; walking like a zombie up the cobble stone walkway he came to rest at the large wooden door.

The towers of the castle reached for the sky. A winged granite beast loomed high over the wooden door. Starsky wondered what kind of sick person would want such an evil looking bird as a welcome mat?

Starsky’s left hand trembled as he reached for the heavy, skull-shaped knocker that hung on the door. He knocked with it three times and let his hand fall away still trembling. The door opened with a sinister creaking sound. Still drawn to this place, he moved inward barely through the archway when the door slammed shut scooting him in the rest of the way as if a hand had pushed him through. The detective turned quickly on his heels and tried to reopen the door to no avail.

He stood in an airy, darkened lobby lit only by torches sticking out of the walls. The marble floor looked like a chessboard. The large black and white square tiles showing through a layer of dust. Thick cobwebs draped over several large paintings and lurked in every corner. “Where’s Fi Fi when you need her?” He weakly joked to himself, his voice echoing through the otherwise empty room.

He was wondering where he should go next when a black cat crossed his path, its yellow eyes flickering like candles as it gazed at him. Starsky shuddered under their scrutiny. There was something peculiar about the feline; it seemed to possess a higher intelligence. The cat, with tail held high, gracefully padded through a doorway looking back only once before disappearing. “Can’t be good, when a black cat crosses your path that’s bad luck.” He moved to follow the feline.

An immense oak table with two large candelabras upon it was centered in the room. Heavy wooden chairs surrounded the dining table, with place settings for three upon it. The fine, white bone china glowed in the flickering light. Along the far wall he noticed the massive fireplace. A cold wind groaned down the chimney and washed over him. Starsky shuddered as chilly fingers crept up and down his back making the hair on his neck stand on end. He was beginning to feel very alone and quite out of his mind to boot.

The lightning of an approaching storm filled the room. In that hellish light a figure appeared standing directly in front of him. He was lonely no more but instead was filled with a grizzly fear as he stared at the dark shadow before him. The next bolt of light flashing across the shadow revealed the identity of the form. It was a tall blond, whose hair was slicked back like a greaser from the 50’s. He wore a billowy, white shirt and a glimmering ebony cape draped over his shoulders.

“Hutch?” Starsky questioned as the figure moved into the candlelight placing a hand that bore long pointed fingernails on Starsky’s shoulder. The cloaked figure smiled showing pearly white fangs and laughed when the curly haired man recoiled from beneath his touch. “Hutch?” Starsky questioned again shrinking away from the hand that sent a wave of evil through his blood and bones.

“No and yes,” the dark figure retorted. “Hutch is a part of me now. He gladly gave of himself for the cause.” Starsky shook, gazing into the blue eyes that he knew belonged to his partner, quaking as he realized the eyes were hollow. The vampire before him looked like Hutch but the voice and the eyes were different.

Starsky stumbled back against the wooden table almost knocking both candelabras over. “Thank you Starsssky.” The vampire hissed. “It is you who feeds my powers. You, who opened the book and released me.” Starsky’s blue eyes were wide and unbelieving. “I will feast upon your kind and your world till there are no more. Everyone I slay to be laid at your doorstep.” The vampire’s smile made him look more like a saber tooth tiger than a man. “They will all die, David Starsky, at my hands, feeding my life’s force. Their last dying breath gasping your name.

They will all die and it will be your fault, buddy.” Another flash of light and the blond vampire vanished.

Starsky stood against the table staring at the emptiness that now occupied the space before him. The words ringing in his brain as he tried to make sense of what he just witnessed. Starsky felt another whoosh of frigid air come from the stone fireplace and watched the wood self-ignite. As the glowing firelight filtered through the still icy air words echoed through the dining room and reverberated off the walls. “My brother, partner and my friend, you shall die a long and lingering death. But not before all those you hold dear and love die first. I shall start with the one who lives in me first. Hutch will die at your hand. And I will forever occupy his soul.”

The electricity in the air caused his neck and arm hairs to stand on end. He felt the prickly fingers skitter up and down his spine. The fear almost rocking him to the ground. A hand gripped tightly at his shoulder and he spun reaching for his weapon that was no longer there. Starsky whirled around to face the lean, black man whose eyes were also wide with fear. “Huggy!” His voice almost a scream of fear mixed with shock and surprise. “How the hell? What the hell?” Starsky was still trying to comprehend the whole nightmare.

“I don’t know my man but this place has got less charm than Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood. And that partner of yours is acting awful strange. Like batman gone batty, ya dig?”

“What are we gonna do huh?” Starsky held his head in his hands. He had to save Hutch. Had to stop the evil caped crusader from harming those he loved most of all. But how could he do it without hurting his friend, who now seemed to have an uninvited guest living in him. Two souls, one body. Huggy held up a wooden stake and hammer with a sorrowful look upon his face. Starsky’s eyes grew wide in horror. “Hug. we’re talking about Hutch here. Put that thing away.”

Huggy lay the wooden stake down on the table. “Well, there is this.” he reached into his pocket pulling out a small leather pouch. “Got this from an old woman when I was in Chinatown last week. She gave me the willies man. Placed this in my hot little hands and said keep it on me always day or night. Said my life and the life of my friends would depend on it.”

Starsky took the pouch from Huggy lifting an eyebrow at him. A note inside read: At midnight place the frog’s legs, bat wings and lizard tongue in the burnt out hollow of a tree stump in the ancient plot of the dead. You must burn the stump to the ground before the bell tolls again. Only then will the soul divided become one once more. Starsky and Hug looked at the revolting witch’s brew with disgust upon their faces. Closing the pouch Starsky handed it back to Huggy. “That’s ridiculous Hug, sounds like something I saw last week on Super Host.”

“Brother, this note’s talkin’ about that blond beauty partner of yours. Soul divided Starsky. That bug-eating rodent has his soul. This is the only way we’re gonna get Hutch back in one piece, ya dig?”

 

Chapter Two

They headed down a corridor paneled in mahogany. Large tapestries of hunting scenes hung tattered and torn upon the walls. Two doors stood at the end of the hall. Starsky looked at one of the hanging rugs that adorned the hall wall, taking in the detailed picture of hunters upon horses with rifles in hand. Foxhounds had cornered a large black bear that dripped blood as one of the dogs hung off its neck. Both men looked at the floor as the blood dripped from the tapestry to a large soupy red puddle that they now stood in. Both men’s eyes became huge “Like I said, this ain’t Mr. Roger’s neighborhood.” Huggy tried to joke uneasily. The string bean of a black man placed a hand on Starsky’s shoulder. “Beats the hell outta dogs playing poker huh bro?” Starsky gave Huggy a sheepish grin. He was out of wisecracks for the first time. His worry for Hutch had his brain in gridlock. “Hey my man, do you want what’s behind door number one or door number two?”

“Hug, this ain’t no game. Hutch needs us, knock it off will you.” Starsky’s fear and frustrations built to boiling.

“Okay, my man, okay. Don’t worry we’ll find the other half of the Lewis and Clark team.”

Softening his words Starsky spoke. “You take the right door I’ll take the left. We gotta find a way outta here.” Both men looked at one another, a moment of be careful’s flying between Sinatra blues and sienna browns. With nods of their heads, they turned and each opened their prospective wooden doors in silent fear.

Starsky’s one blue Adidas shoe no sooner took one stride through the doorway, than he plummeted downward landing on a narrow ledge. Grasping the sides of the slick wet stone, he held himself to the castle wall. Somehow he found himself outside just below a tower window. The night air whistled around him, trying to knock him from his perch. From somewhere a raven squawked and flew by him only adding to his fear of heights. He admired the wings as he watched them flap through the air in slow motion. He looked down at the twisted wood, rotting in the turned earth far below him. His fingers slipped against the smooth icy, slickness of the castle stone. He felt his fingertips give and began his descent of no return when he felt a hand clutch his wrist and yank him up. Starsky life hung in the balance, his legs swaying over the void, and his arm threatening to rip from his shoulder. He gazed up to peer into the eyes of the creature? The vampire? Hutch? His brain a mass of jumbled confusion. The caped figure grinned toothily and let Starsky’s hand slip sending fear through the curly haired man’s body.

Starsky dangled helplessly, at the mercy of the half-hearted creature. “Hutch! Hey! Don’t you recognize me? It’s me Starsky.” The fair-haired figure let him slip a little more still grinning.

“Me and thee Buddy. Come on, snap out of it.” Starsky pleaded with his partner as he felt himself slipping from the hand that toyed with him.

A light seemed to cross the dark face. Hutch looked with worry in his soft blue eyes at his partner hanging by a thumbnail. His smile no longer fanged, he began to pull Starsky up and through the open window, and into a hug. “Starsk.” Hutch’s warm breath was moist against his partner’s neck as his body relaxed against the chest of his best friend. “What are you doing out that window, Gordo? Where are we?” The slick blond head questioned with anguish in his voice.

Starsky held his partner to him. “Blondie I don’t know where we are. You feeling’ okay Partner?”

“I feel fi….” Starsky felt his body hurled back against the open window. Hutch’s face had darkened and the white fangs glistened, and dripped with saliva as he spit out. “I am the power. Hutch is mine.” The alter ego took advantage of his prey’s shock, slinging him around the tower and knocking him repeatedly into the stone wall. He would not let this foolish detective ruin his cunning plot to infiltrate the real world and feast upon it forever.

The vampire held Starsky by the throat with one hand, and squeezed very slowly, harder and harder. Pushing his head back into the rock and blocking his air passages, keeping breath from reaching his lungs. Starsky tried to gulp in any amount of air. The whites of his eyes turning blood red, he was on the edge of blacking out. His throat bruised a deep blackish purple. Starsky’s body began to twitch involuntarily as he struggled to stay alive. “H…H…H..” He couldn’t get the word past his strangled vocal cords. His eyes rolled up and down, his fingers weakly twitching in a failed attempt to touch his best friend who literally had the power to save his neck. Suddenly he felt the vice grip release and he slid down the stone wall coming to lie at his partner’s feet. He gasped and gurgled trying to get his abused throat to work again. The blond vampire dropped to his knees reaching for the stricken man who lay like a stranded fish trying to suck in air.

“Oh my god, what have I done? Starsk, relax Partner, breathe. Come on, breathe for me.” Hutch placed his hand on Starsky’s forehead trying to hold his rolling head still. ” Easy, slow down pal, slow. Starsk? You hear me?” Hutch removed his hand from his partner’s head when he felt Starsky’s body pull away from him in fear and confusion. “Buddy, it’s all right, just me. I won’t hurt you Partner. God Starsk, I won’t hurt you.” Hutch’s hand trembled as it moved in an up and down motion wanting to touch his friend but holding back. He had nearly choked the living life out of his partner. Hutch felt the presence in him stirring wanting to be let out, he forced the being away by sheer willpower. He wouldn’t be able to hold him at bay for long.

“Hut.. wh.. the hell’s g…on?” Starsky choked out, trying to get up off the dungeon-like floor. He looked into the face of his half good half evil partner. Hutch wanted to touch Starsky to heal the hurt he had caused but his hands just hovered near by trembling. Not wanting to cause more injury to his best friend. He couldn’t understand what was happening to him but something was not right something was terribly wrong. Hutch’s body jolted, as the evil within him tried to make another appearance.

Starsky watched as one eye glowed like a red ruby while the other eye of his partner remained blue as the ocean swells. “Star….sk g….o.” Was all Hutch could get out as Starsky watched the transformation before him. One hand grabbed his shoulder squeezing it with the usual Hutchinson tenderness while the other hand’s fingernails extended and pointed out like the talons of a falcon. “Stars….k.” Hutch’s voice half hissed half pleaded as he desperately fought the transformation that was taking place. “Get aw…ay from me g…o on par..tner. I can’t, ca…” Starsky held his breath as the conjured up image of the vampire reappeared in his partner. The evil one reached and latched onto Starsky’s already savaged throat and began its slow hard squeeze again. Only this time the good within the divided body wouldn’t let that hold have its full strength. Starsky watched the vampire struggle with the inner glow of his partner. Hutch was there, hidden behind the fangs and red gleaming eyes, fighting to help his partner. Fighting to keep the wicked, ice-cold fingers from clutching and squeezing his partner’s throat so hard his head might just pop off.

As good fought the evil within, Starsky choked and took breaths in alteration as the hand that held his throat relaxed and tightened in an unseen battle of wills. Just as Hutch seemed to lose his battle and the vampire’s crushing hold wrapped around Starsky’s throat, Huggy barreled in through the door. He took in quickly the scene before him, and with wooden cross in hand he ran toward the creature of the night. Releasing his grip on the choking man the vampire whirled around to see the holy weapon. Hissing out in fear he vanished in a ring of smoke.

Huggy pressed Starsky against the wet stone wall using it as a crutch to help him slide the solid mass up off the dungeon floor. He held Starsky against the wall with both hands. “I found this inside a mirrored box in the other room. Remembered watching the late, late show. Vampires hate crosses, and mirrors.” Starsky started to slip down the wet wall. Huggy held him tighter against the stone. “Look my curly haired friend, I found a way out of here. Can you walk, Starsk?” Starsky nodded holding his neck gingerly with one hand as they headed out the door.

 

Chapter Three

The duo headed through the heavily rusted door back into the night air. The drizzle that had been falling lightly suddenly became a torrent of icy rain. The crackle of lightning zig zagged across the starless sky.

Rotting trees sparkled as their branches were illuminated like blue webs in the bolting light. The streaks of hot white light slammed earthward with unnatural energy. Huggy caught sight of a tree stump off in the distance as the last electrical silver flame hit a little too close to home. “Man that was closer than Ozzie and Harriett.” Huggy pulled his leather pouch from his pocket and clutched it in his hand. The cascading sheets slowed and only static electricity remained sizzling around them, as they made their way through the mud puddles toward the tree stump.

The muddy ground they walked upon turned to soft rolling hills of damp grass. The water soaked into their shoes with each sinking step. The two were drenched and chilled to the core. They came to stop in front of a round cement basin. Two demonic figures posed in the center of the fountain spurted water out of their mouths. The clear liquid turned to crimson red. Starsky stood hypnotized by the flowing fluid. He thought he heard Hutch call to him. “Hey there Partner, how you doin’?” Starsky felt a warmth wrap around his body. He looked at Huggy who stood rummaging through his leather pouch. “Hey Buddy, I’m here with you. Can you hear me Starsk? Come on. I need you to talk to me.” Starsky looked over his shoulder for Hutch who sounded so damn close but saw nothing. Huggy never once gave any indication he had heard the voice. Starsky felt a hand roam through his hair and a warm hand on his forehead. He shook away the feeling that he must be going insane. “Hug, let’s get movin’ huh?”

Huggy pointed toward the tree stump. “Over there, Starsky. We have to burn it with the witch’s brew in it to break the hold the vampire has on Hutch.”

Sloshing their way over to the old, burnt out, hollow stump Huggy dumped the bat wings, lizard tongue and frog’s legs into the center of the rotted tree. He lit a match tossing it in. The flames reached out toward the sky. Red fog mixed with blue flames rose and filled the air with a grotesque smell of death and decay.

Starsky turned his head away from the revolting smell. His sparkling, lavender eyes took notice of the tilted granite headstones. Only one stood tall and straight while others lay on their sides crumbling. The ancient plot of land seemed to echo with the voices of those who now lay beneath the earth’s crust. Huggy stood watching the flames mesmerized, as Starsky was drawn away toward one head stone in particular. A black cat sat upon the gray cinder stone, jumping off and running away when it caught the approaching figure’s sight. Starsky moved toward the stone with great difficulty something about it made his stomach churn and he choked back the film of yellow bile that rose to the back of his throat. He heard each sloppy footstep he took blasting in his ear. With each step closer to the stone his feet got heavier and heavier. “Easy Buddy.” Hutch’s voice again rang in his ears. He touched his shoulder as he felt the hand of his partner there but couldn’t see a thing. A foul mist rose up off the thick mud covered ground hiding the brown earth and his shoes from him. A few remaining dried leaves fell from the twisted, dead branches of the surrounding trees. The silence was almost deafening. He could hear the first leaf float through the air and come to rest on the dead plot of land. Starsky knelt before the immense stone grave and wiped away the green mold that covered the inscription. His hand quivered as he saw the first three letters appear KEN. He felt exceptionally weak and shifted his weight as he continued to reveal what he feared in his heart. “Starsk.” His partner’s disembodied voice was soft in his ear. Starsky swore he could feel the moist breath whispering in his ear. He shuddered as more chills fingered their way down his spine and clutched at his sides.

HUT.. He let his eyes fall closed. Not being able to uncover the next few letters he knew he would find. This was not real. “This isn’t real.” He shouted out to the dark deaf silence that incased him in this evil world. He gagged as he tried in vain not to succumb to the sickness he felt creeping up in his throat. The essence of evil permeated the air as he looked up to witness the vampire sinking to his knees, sweat beading on his brow. With a wail of pain the slick, blond head arched as far back as it could go, its features stretched and transformed as gradually two distinct forms appeared. There, just a few feet away, Hutch stood in the grasp of the caped beast as the two souls had separated. Starsky glanced to the fiery tree stump where Huggy stood frozen and unmoving. The stump was almost burnt to the ground. That’s probably why Hutch had been extricated from the creature that was now trying to sap the life from his partner.

“You shall now die, Hutchinson, and I will forever embody your soul.” The blacker-than-night figure slashed at the throat of the helpless blond with prong like teeth, sinking them deep into a pulsing artery to feast. Starsky watched as his partner’s hands, that were clutching the ebony cape tightly, lost their hold and dropped to dangle like broken branches swaying in the wind. The demon tightened his grip around Hutch. His talons dug into the flesh of the limp blond’s shoulders to keep the deadened weight from falling out of his grasp. He continued to suck the life force from the neck of the good spirit that he now held in his talons. His face contorted with raging hatred, and newfound strength as he sipped the last traces of life from the blond man’s wobbly neck and soul. Starsky teetered against the granite, propelling himself off it and stumbling weakly toward his partner. “Hutch.” Starsky felt a sickening chill and gut wrenching pain wash over him. He couldn’t move through the mud fast enough. He slipped and stumbled in the mucky ground watching with horror as the light in his partner’s eyes faded away rolling upward into his skull.

Starsky stopped dead in his tracks, as the vampire removed one blood-ridden hand from Hutch’s shoulder. Holding it up in the curly haired man’s direction like a traffic cop stopping a car for an old lady to cross the road. He stood unable to move another inch, he seemed to be chained to the earth. The vampire laughed as a blinding flash of lightening surged through the graveyard.

“The transformation is complete.” He hissed looking back at Starsky. “I no longer need this empty shell to house my soul. He dwells within me now and he and I will roam the earth. In your name, we both will feast upon the living for eternity.” Starsky still was glued ankle deep in the mud. Unable to move or speak his body shivered and his heart sank to his feet as he watched the vampire drag the helpless, broken body towards him by the collar of his flannel shirt. Hutch’s feet and legs twisted limply, splashing through the mud and tangling together. His arms also flopping lifelessly through the murky earth.

“I have won.” The vampire’s paralyzing words writhed out. Starsky took one quick glance over to the still burning stump and Huggy who now slumped to his knees with hands pressed hard to his eyes as the bells began to toll. “It’s too late.” The black man’s enraged cry howled as the wind caught it carrying his voice out to the ebony sea. Turning back to the vampire Starsky watched as he lifted Hutch up to him. The blond’s body draped in the evil ones arms like a sheet hung out to dry in the summer sun.

Starsky stood like a statue; numbness flowed through him at a feverish pitch. He couldn’t respond to the horror before him. The caped creature flung the lifeless sheet toward Starsky who in reflex reached out for his partner. Hutch sagged in Starsky’s arms like a wet paper towel. All his extremities hanging toward the ground swaying slightly as Starsky staggered under the weight. In a crackle of elemental light and laughter and sparking orbs the fanged demon spun in a gloat of triumph and vanished from sight.

Life holds so many priceless things and Starsky held his entire life’s savings in his arms with a heavy- laden heart. He walked back and forth in front of the granite tombstone with his partner’s lifeless shell. He didn’t know what to do, where to go. He was trapped in this dark lofty world of doom. He no longer cared. If he couldn’t save his partner, life held no meaning, no desires. It was all so pointless. Weakened finally, by what seemed like hours of pacing with his partner’s dead body, Starsky crumbled to his knees. Hutch’s twisted form tangled upon his lap as Starsky buried his face in the fawn colored hair. “Hutch.” His breath caught in a choking fit and some of Hutch’s hair stuck to his lips as he wailed into the lifeless form that was his only hold on life. He heard the creature’s voice reverberate around him. “Where’s your partner now, Starsky? Your back up? Your reason for living? Hutch is dead. Your hands are tainted with his blood. You were not strong enough to save him. You’ve dishonored your father. You’ve let your partner down. He’s dead because of you. So many are dead because of you.”

Still holding Hutch, Starsky felt so cold. He coughed as a feeling of vertigo overcame him. He leaned his upper body over his friend. Starsky murmured something incoherent. He heard his own voice but didn’t know what he had said. He felt chilled and then hot, and then chilled again. Sweat rolled down his body and in his delirium he watched Hutch’s body slip from under his and sink into the ground before the stone grave. He feebly tried to grasp his partner back to him not wanting to let him go. Not wanting to accept the death of his whole entire world. As the last of his partner disappeared into the soggy plot of land Starsky’s scream for help wouldn’t escape as his throat seized up in grief. He felt himself sinking into the soggy ground and he fell like a rock sinking to the bottom of the ocean. Tossing and turning through thickened liquid he coughed more. He felt himself land hard on what felt like a bed of nails. He could feel the thousand punctures as they pierced his flesh. The pain flew through every part of his body he owned and maybe even some he didn’t own. He crumpled into himself trying to hide from it to no avail.

 

Chapter Four

Suddenly he bolted straight up, the hindered scream finally escaping and resounding around him. Cold sweat soaked the bed sheets and trickled down his back. It seemed so real, so damned real. Was it real? He looked around in a daze as sunlight beamed in through the cracks of the curtains casting shadows about the room. Dust floated through a beam of light that streaked to the floor. He watched the particles dance and float as if they were living breathing beings. A dark shadowy figure hovered over him concerned yet with a pleased smile on his face that he was awake. The figure reached out to touch him and Starsky shrank backward in fear. “No, get away. Stay away. Hutch, Hutch.” Starsky had himself sealed to the headboard of his bed. “You ki- ki- killed Hutch.” Starsky weakly swatted at the hand that came toward him and he quivered under the covers.

The figure sat next to him and wrapped large hands around Starsky’s wrists ignoring the swats that came their way. “Buddy hey, hey there, Partner. It’s me just me. Come on Starsk, wake up. You’re with me.” Hutch chuckled some at the little boy before him. “Starsky will you wake up. Look I’m here, right here. I’m alive Buddy. You were dreaming.” Starsky stopped struggling under the hold that kept him from flailing about to look unbelievingly at Hutch.

It took several minutes for his red feverish eyes to focus on the shadow that was his partner. As his life and his world came back into comprehension he sighed shakily and slipped back down to his pillow. Hutch helped ease him down, still holding both his wrists. Starsky looked for answers in the compassionate face that smiled gently down at him as he rung a wet cloth out and placed it onto Starsky’s head. Which, by the way, felt like it just came out of an oven and pounded like the Jolly Green Giant was popping popcorn in there. He was sprawled on his bed feeling like he had spent two weeks being some shark’s piece of bubble gum just now had been spit back out. His whole body hurt.

Hutch saw the questions fly across Starsky’s fever ravaged face and began to explain. “Buddy, I found you on your couch a couple of days ago. You wouldn’t wake up. Had a fever that hit the roof pal.” Hutch smoothed the sheets around Starsky as he continued. “Doc came over and let me take care of you here at home. You were really out of it Buddy. You were having one hell of a hallucination. Thought I got through to you a few times you seemed to come close to coming around.” Starsky closed his eyes slowly to the freshness of the dream that still lingered on the outskirts of his mind. He couldn’t shake the feeling, the all-too-real feeling of holding Hutch dead in his arms.

“Hutch.” His raspy voice barely heard. “H.. he.. k.. k…ill..ed yo..u.” Starsky wiped at the tearing that came from his emotions as well as his feverish state. Hutch popped a thermometer into his friend’s mouth hushing him up sternly with a frown.

“Buddy, no one killed me.” He chuckled again with a slight quiver on his lips. “You just were out of it Partner. I had a hell of a time keeping you quiet. You were tossing around with a vengeance. Almost fell outta bed a few times. Hutch removed the glass stick and examined it up close squinting. “Still high Gordo 102.9. You’re not going anywhere for a while. That was one nasty virus you picked up.” Hutch took the warm towel off his partner’s head wetting it again and bathing Starsky’s face before leaving it lie on his forehead once more. Starsky relaxed more as the nightmare seeped to the back of his mind. Thanking anyone who was listening silently that it was only a dream. “How are you feeling Buddy?” Hutch asked with worry.

Starsky cleared his throat before answering trying to make his savaged vocal cords work and sound convincing. “Fine, just fine, terrific.” His throat clearing didn’t ease the raspy breathy words that came out weak and slurred.

“Yeah sure ,sure you’re fine. You look terrible Partner. Try to go back to sleep will you.” Hutch began to stand to leave when Starsky grabbed onto his forearm not letting go and pulling Hutch back down to him.

“What Buddy? What is it? I’ll be right in the next room, go on back to sleep.” The crease between Hutch’s eyes deepened at the grip his partner had on him.

Starsky shook his head back and forth.

“No what, Buddy?”

“No more sleep Hutch not right now.” Starsky had no desire to retreat back to the pages of his mind that held such horrors. He needed to be awake for a while to let the demons that lingered in his mind flow away before he could even try to close his eyes again. “Want to go lay out there with you on the couch.” He pleaded like a child wanting to go out in the snow with no coat on. “I got you killed Hutch.”

Hutch burst out laughing at his still confused friend. “Buddy, I’m alive and I’m right here. See.” Hutch picked up Starsky’s hand and brushed it over his cheek. “Starsk, you would never let anything happen to me Buddy. You’re the best partner I could ever have got that pal?” Hutch could see the familiar guilt on his friend’s face. In his feverish state, his subconscious mind had had a field day with his partner.

Starsky smiled, knowing Hutch was right. “Okay, help me up will ya Blintz.”

Hutch couldn’t resist the little boy’s charming blue eyes. Even in their hot feverish state, they twinkled with the begging gaze of a puppy. “Okay, okay Buddy we’re gonna try to get you up now.” Hutch lifted Starsky’s head up off the pillow. He noted the tumbling head as he got his first glimpse of how the virus had weakened his friend. Hutch sat him on the edge of the bed. He waited for his friend to gather some stability and then lifted him up onto his feet. “You got it, Buddy? Right here, I’ve got you right here.” Hutch moved slow and steady till they made it to the sofa where he eased his aching groaning package down with care. Before he could finish arranging Starsky on the sofa there was a knock at the door.

“Come on in, the door is open.” Hutch’s voice was loud as he covered Starsky with a blanket and sat down to replace the wet cloth on the hot forehead. He smiled, chuckling under his breath as he thought, his partner’s head could be hot whether he had a fever or not. Hutch looked up to see who had entered. ” Hey Huggy, thanks for bringing over the soup.”

Starsky swallowed hard. “No food uh.” He turned his head away from the steaming bowl that Huggy held.

“Okay, okay, anyone ever tell you you’re a difficult patient, Starsky?” Hutch sat back on a chair across from his friend. “Better now? He questioned. Starsky just nodded with a small smile of thanks and closed his stinging eyes.

Huggy tip toed over whispering to Hutch. “I brought this book over; thought maybe you and the virus king could pass the time away with it.”

“Huggy, I’m not asleep, you don’t have to whisper.” Starsky’s damaged throat barked out dryly.

“Ya well, here ya go.” Starsky cranked open one eye to see Huggy handing Hutch a black leather book with stars and moon tooled upon it. Before Hutch could even open it, Starsky sat bolt upright, half falling off the couch. Hutch dropped the book to the floor and in one stride he was easing Starsky back onto the sofa.

“No books.” Starsky’s scream croaked out stiffly.

“Okay Partner. Okay, take it easy.” Hutch was getting a little annoyed at his difficult partner. He was beginning to think he was easier to take care of in his delirious state.

“Sorry, my hot headed man. Didn’t mean to upset ya. Huggy took the book and waved goodbye to Lewis and Clark thinking they sure made a perfect pair.

Hutch flicked on the TV. “There, Partner, that should relax you.” Starsky watched the commercial of the Italian guy eating his wife’s pasta and saying, “now that’s a spicy meatball. His stomach rolled at the sight of food. Okay, this should be better, he thought as the movie started. A castle appeared on the screen lit by a bolt of lighting as a caped figure flew across a graveyard.

Starsky sat bolt up once more. “Hutch.” His scream held new strength. Hutch jolted from his chair spilling his coffee all over the newspaper he was trying to read. “Wha.. what happened?” He watched Starsky huddle under the covers.

“Turn that thing off will you, please.”

Hutch stepped over, taking a quick look at the horror film playing on the tube. He clicked off the button and fumbled with his wet, ripped newspaper. “Starsk, what do you want? You need to settle down, Buddy.”

“Hutch, just sit here with me please.”

Hutch sat next to his friend trying to distract the distraught man. He brought up the subject of next week’s Halloween party. “Think I’ll dress up as a vampire this year, Starsk, how about you?”

Starsky’s bolted up again knocking Hutch to the floor. “NO” he screamed out.

“Starsky, what’s gotten into you? You sure you’re okay? I think I’d better call the doctor.” Hutch got up off the floor.

“No, no I’m okay. It was just those nightmares. Hutch, just do me a favor, don’t let me watch the late, late show any more will ya huh?”

“You got it, Partner.” Hutch sat back down. Easing Starsky’s head into his lap, he began to hum softly and ran his fingers through the thick curls. Looking down he watched the red, fever-bright eyes close finally drifting off into sleep. “That’s it, Partner. Sleep, that’s it, you’re okay. I’ll stay here with you.” In an even softer humming tone Hutch’s voice whispered, “I love you, Partner.”