Chapter 01 An Accident and a Good Samaritan
Author's Note: This is a work of fiction, part of a multi-chapter, two part novella. Copyright, 2023. All characters portrayed in sexual situations are over 18. BD
The first chapters are told from Geoff Peters' POV
I was driving my pickup home early in the morning after dropping my younger brother at hockey practice. I had graduated last May pre-med at UT-Austin. It is near the end of summer before I begin med school in Houston. My Dad is an ER doc and has worked all night, leaving me to do the early morning car pool for my brother Matt and his friends. I've been working at the ER as a go-fer, although I did some EMT training last year, both jobs secured with Dad's help. I think I will follow in his footsteps. I was daydreaming and looking forward to a few more hours of sleep before my weekend plans unfolded. It had been a late night celebrating with co-workers at the brew pub. I even got to take home a party favor, a co-worker and a hunky, blonde dude.
I'm 23, 6-5 tall, about 185, dark straight hair (currently a little long so with a bit of a curl), olive-skinned, deeply tanned, with dark blue/black eyes, and in shape. My mother's Italian genes certainly trumped most of my father's Irish in me. I was a four year varsity swimmer at UT, naturally endowed with pretty long arms, large hands and long fingers. My strokes were back and breast--so my pecs, delts, bis and tris are very well developed. Back-lit, I tend to look a little threatening, almost feral. But, my body is hairless except neatly trimmed pubes. I played a little basketball in high school, primarily selected because of my height, but UT's Longhorns are professional-grade so I didn't even try out. I've enjoyed this last summer before med school, but I've worked hard. I plan to spend the rest of the day in bed or tanning by the pool before my last weekend of partying. Maybe I'll get lucky again tonight.
Mom is away on business in Rome and Dad will probably sleep most of the day. After practice, Matt plans to crash and video game play with his friends at one of their houses. So our place will be quiet and cool. I can already feel the soft cool sheets.
It's about 6:15--hockey practice is based on 24 hr allocations of time at the only, very busy ice rink. You take what you can get. Today we had an early morning start. I've dropped off the four guys at the rink. Someone else will pick them up. It's dark, but there is a light streak along the eastern horizon where the hills flatten out into prairie. We live in the exurbs--Texas ranching hill country with big properties, narrow roads, and few lights. It's peaceful and pretty deserted. The stars are beginning to fade and the moon has already set. I am alone on the road, and I have the MP plugged with high volume to a mix of heavy metal music to keep me awake. Not my favorite, but it serves the purpose.
I'm approaching a familiar curve in County Road 51, not far from home. As I come over the hill and begin to lean into the curve, I see several small reflectors ahead. Some are stationary, but a few are blinking by the side of the road. I slow, move right and pull up behind the scene, partially blocking the lane, and keeping the headlights on. I flip the blinkers on for extra safety. Ahead I spot a young man, slumped against a small cottonwood tree. A few feet farther on lies a silver bike, missing its front wheel. I get out and approach. The young man is obviously a serious cyclist. This is a high end racing bike. I've considered one for myself so I know. He's dressed in black and yellow striped compression shorts and matching jersey--almost like a bumblebee. His yellow helmet with its long white visor and goggles rests beside him. There is some blood and the boy's eyes are shut.
"Hey. Can you hear me? Are you hurt? Can I help?" I get my phone out ready to dial 911.
The boy's eyes open slowly, cobalt blue and very large, easily reflecting the bright headlights. He blinks a few times and turns away from the lights. In a slow deep drawl, he begins, "Thank you for stopping, sir. I'm gonna be ok. Just a bit stunned. My right side is sore. Scrapes and cuts. Pain in my left shoulder, but I don't think anything is broken. I'm just restin' for a few until I recover enough to move. My bike didn't do so well. Y'all are kind to stop."
He looked hurt and vulnerable. "What happened? How long ago?"
"A few minutes ago. I started my morning training around 5:30, expecting the sun to soon provide me with more light; I've been trying to get my ride in before the temperature becomes unbearable. I'm not from here. By this time it is already dawn where I come from near Savannah. I guess I left a little too early this morning since I was alone at home. I was approaching this curve and moving pretty fast as I neared the bottom of the hill, when the rearview mirror on my helmet caught lights behind. I moved right, but the driver didn't see me. Or maybe, he was one of those guys who see cyclists as targets. He passed very close and something on the right side of the van, maybe his right mirror, touched my back. It was an Amazon delivery van, and he didn't stop. I lost balance, swerved from the pavement, and rolled a bit on the gravel shoulder when I must have hit a rock or stump, and here I am. I went down hard and must have blacked out. I feel like such an idiot. I should never have been riding before dawn on a dark and strange road."
"Ah'm Chester Morrissey. They call me Chet. Thanks for stoppin', sir."
"I'm Geoff--Geoff Peters. And, I'm not a 'sir'. I'm not much older than you. I just dropped my bro at hockey practice and I was heading home for a bit more sleep. Let's see what we have here. I work at the ER, but I'm not a doc or a nurse. I did the crash course in EMT last year. May I come near? May I touch you? I don't want to freak you out. I promise that I'm safe. I am not packing--a gun anyway. This is Texas after all."
"Sure" Chet replied as he began to make out my silhouette in the bright light. I think my height and size may have initially frightened him. But I was not dressed to threaten-- a tight white tee, Hawaiian print knit sleep shorts, and flip flops.
I approached, knelt on the grassy shoulder and examined--with eyes and hands. I held up two fingers. "How many fingers do you see? Do you have any head pain? Did you remove the helmet or did it come off before you fell?"
"Two. Yes. I took the helmet off. Slow down so I can keep up," he added in a slower southern drawl." Man, he was so cute. I'm really glad I showered before bed last night.