Short Story Part 3

Aaron broke his gaze and looked through Damon when he said. “We plan on using our opponent’s over confidence against him.”
Sensing the fun was gone Damon turned serious. “OVER CONFIDENT! You’re damn right! That’s it; I am going to be all over you like a fat man on doughnuts!”
As Damon marched out of the bedroom, Aaron sat there, knowing that he had struck a cord.
It was 8:30 and Aaron had not spoken since their exchange over an hour ago. Damon was getting a little anxious, ready to deliver his death blow to Aaron. Aaron was also anxious, but for very different reasons. He pondered what he could do to help Chester be free from his addiction. He also knew that Chester had gotten himself into his present situation and that Chester would have to make the first move to get himself out.
Aaron tried to convince himself that tonight would be different, but existing in that fantasy was not long lived when Aaron looked down and saw his chains. Aaron refused to believe that there was no hope, but the situation was becoming all the more desperate, at least from his perspective.
Like a father, waiting for the birth of his first child, Damon paced the floor, wringing his hands and flexing his fingers. He also mumbled something under his breath almost as if getting ready to deliver some grand speech or take part in some major sporting event. Aaron just watched as Damon paced, but the look was unmistakable. Damon had his game face on and he meant business.
Finally the headlights from Chester’s car lit up the living room, and Damon began to bounce around and shake his arms like a boxer preparing to answer the first bell.
“Here we go, here we go” shouted Damon and pointing at Aaron. “You are done, do you hear me? DONE!”
Aaron didn’t move, much less respond.
“Yes sir! I am gonna show you ‘over confident’. You just wait.”
It seemed like an eternity before Chester entered the house. His arms were full of the items from his day, each telling their own story of the places Chester had been and the things he had done. He sat his things on the kitchen table and then proceeded to check his messages. No calls. Hungry, he decided to rummage through the fridge for a snack. He found some leftover spaghetti and a bottle of water. Not bothering to heat the food, Chester strolled from the kitchen and into the living room where he plopped down on the couch, turned on the TV and began to devour his meal.
If one word could describe Chester, it would be average. Not to be construed in a negative way, but he was just that, average. Average height and weight, average build and average looks. Nothing too flashy about his personality or the way he conducted his every day life. He was very out-going and he rarely had trouble making friends. As he sat channel surfing and finishing his meal Chester seemed a million miles away, as if something heavy lay on his mind. Aaron knew this look all too well. It was an internal interrogation that Chester would work through most nights after arriving home. Aaron only hoped that Chester would reach the right conclusions once the session was over. Suddenly, as if the opening bell had been sounded for a prize fight Damon started bouncing around the room even more. As per his usual custom Damon addressed Aaron only once to say, “Here I go!”
Aaron looked on with impatience.
Damon, now slowing his bounce, moved around behind Chester to begin his “suggestions”. “Man, I am bored tonight.” Damon whispered into Chester’s ear. Just like clock work Chester repeated the phrase word for word, seeming to forget the things that were on his mind 30 seconds ago. “Man what a day I had.” Chester repeated this phrase as well. As minutes passed like seconds, Damon continued in this vein trying to ease Chester into his trap. Damon then proceeded to escalate the suggestions by saying: “Gee I wonder what’s on HBO?” Chester obliged him.
Damon had used this doorway numerous times before and he figured, “if it’s not broken why fix it.” It was at this point usually that Aaron would try to interject a slice of reality by suggesting that: “Maybe I shouldn’t be watching this stuff, again.”
But Damon would always have a quick retort in return to thwart any effort Aaron might put forth. Thus the war was on, and as per their usual, Damon would fire the first shot and send Aaron reeling.
With the channel selected, Damon began to toy with Chester’s mind as the images on the screen rolled past his eyes. Chester’s thoughts and imagination became focused on what he was viewing and thus consumed by them. While Chester was occupied with the TV, Damon turned his attention to Aaron who was trying to contemplate his next move. Damon’s words were stern and direct. “You are finished, Little Man!” And with that Damon produced the leather strap once again and he moved in Aaron’s direction.