Heroic Measures (continued)

He forced himself up into a sitting position. A shower, at least, he decided. It was something that needed to be done.

While he waited for the water to warm up, he avoided the mirror. Although he felt no different physically, he was convinced that he could contend with what he might see there. He was tempted to simply shower in the dark, but recognized just how foolish a notion that was. His reflection, he knew, could not follow him into the shower.

He stood under the steaming water for a long time, long after the amount of time had passed that it might have taken to wash the confluence of shared body fluids from him. He studied the long rivulets of water ran down his body, watching as they flowed down the drain, hopefully taking all traces of his infidelity with him. It could not, however, wash away the turmoil that roiled within him.

A short time passed, and he started to feel more clammy than clean. He gave up and shut off the water flow. For a while he remained there, letting the water drip from his body until he began to fell chilled. He then reached for towel, dried himself, and began to dress. He knew that he would find a way to get through the day because he had to. Tomorrow, though, when he returned home, would be a different story.

#

June 10, 1986 . . .

Walter charged after the fleeing perpetrators. One of them decided to take a stand, stopping to turn and begin firing his automatic weapon in his direction. Walter felt the spray of bullets as they impacted his body armor, but was confident in the protection provided by Thomas Raynes’ new design.