Ravenswood VII: Until the Last Minute

A dead man, that's what he was. Josh Gallagher's time was running out fast. The twenty-fourth hour was almost up. He could feel the mystic poison working its way through his system. His arms and legs felt heavier by the minute. A burning sensation stung his eyes. His head pounded. He pulled himself up by the banisters to the top of the stairs, cold sweat plastering the shirt on his back. He could hear a loud argument from somewhere down the hall. He mustered every ounce of will power he had and turned the corner. The door seemed like a mile away but he dragged his feet forward until he neared the room. His free hand found the knob, turned it and pushed it open. His vision was blurry but he saw three men in the room, two were naked and the third was his target. The gun in his other hand felt like a ninety pound free weight. He brought it up.

"Fisher! Prepare to die!!!"

Squeezing the trigger, he heard the gun go off. Then he felt someone hit him and down he went. As his consciousness faded, he recalled how he got here and how he spent the last day of his life.

1. DEADLINE

9PM and Josh Gallagher was still trying to work. He finally gave up and dropped the file on his desk when he realized he had read the same page three times already. He stood up from his chair and stretched his massive frame. His dress shirt was untucked, the tie askew. He walked around the expanse of his office, all dark mahogany and disciplined lines deliberately designed to reveal nothing whatsoever about its occupant. He reached the floor to ceiling windows and looked down from his glass tower at Gallagher Industries at the city lights of New Orleans.

He heard someone open the door and come in. "Mr. Gallagher..." He turned and looked at an attractive young man meticulously attired in a white shirt and tie and black trousers. "Yes, Bruce?"

"I have the file you asked for...but if you don't mind my saying sir, maybe you should take a break."

He smiled and sauntered over to a long couch and fell on it. "Perhaps you’re right. Uh, sorry to be keeping you here so late Bruce. You should call it a day."

"Oh I don't mind sir. Not in the least. In fact, I really enjoy these late hours when it's just you and me," the young man said approaching the couch from behind.

Suddenly, he felt Bruce's hands on his shoulders, surprisingly strong fingers prodding his aching shoulder muscles. He groaned. "Aahh...that feels great. But you don't have to..."

"But Mr. Gallagher, you're so stressed. Your muscles are so tense. And my job is to take care of my boss..." he leaned over to whisper suggestively into Josh's ear. "...anyway I can..."

Josh closed his eyes, surrendering to the dexterous hands manipulating his muscles and easing out the knots on his shoulders. He gave out a louder, approving groan while Bruce’s voice continued to calm and stimulate him at the same time. "Just relax and let me make you feel good…" Too soon, he felt Bruce move away. He opened his eyes and saw Bruce kneeling in front of him.

"Here, let me make you more comfortable," Bruce said undoing Josh's tie and unbuttoning his shirt. After Bruce spread the crisp, white shirt open to reveal Josh's wide, muscled pecs topped by two jutting nipples, he murmured, "There, that's better."

Josh grinned down at his personal assistant who began to massage his chest with deep, measured strokes.