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569Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqb2II5Uapn
I shuffle around the nurse's station, scrambling loose paper and coffee cups for lost keys, when I hear the soft jingle of metal on metal behind me. I turn to see my dad sneering, holding the house keys like a fresh catch.
"If you had them, then why was I scouring like a mad lady for thirty minutes?" I jokingly scolded him while folding my arms.
"You didn't ask?" He replied, shrugging as he gingerly turned on his heels to make his way around the desk.
I roll my eyes while following closely and nudging him in the back to pick up speed.
"Can you stop messing around? If Leo sees we're still here, she'll ask us to take another night shift tomorrow."
"Oh? Do you have plans for tomorrow night?" He asked, looking over his shoulder with a single raised brow.
"Yes, no... Maybe? Look, Lilith and the other nurses might want to go out tomorrow night with the recruit, so yeah, maybe." The reply came unsurely, and the day had been so busy I hadn't checked my phone in hours and wasn't sure if I did have a plan for tomorrow night and was just sure that if Leo asked us, it would kill any chances if I did.
"We all aren't old men, ya know? Some of us want to try and enjoy our Saturday nights." As soon as the joke left my lips, a weight grew in my father's back as his movement slowed to a snail's pace.
"What? What happened?" I asked, looking over his shoulder, expecting to see Leo's short and slender frame in front of him, arms and face sharing crossed expressions, but instead, empty, clean white tiles slowed him.
"Oh, sorry Rose, you know us old menwe can't move as we used to." He said grimly while adding a hunch to his back and continuing his slow pace.
"For goodness sake, are you pouting?!" I declared while prodding him in his love handles, forcing him to lurch forward involuntarily. From a nearby corridor, the sound of high heels clattering on tile floors set off alarms in me.
"She approaches." Dad whispers over his shoulder at me; he was now at a dead stop a few more steps from the front door.
"Every man for themselves." That was the only thought I could convey as I quickly stepped around him and hurriedly made my way to the entrance. Noticing the sound of my frantic footsteps being joined by another, I glanced over to see my father keeping pace with me to the sliding doors.
"Mr. Reinhart? Miss Rose!" A tiny yet demanding voice called out to us as the doors slid open and we passed the threshold. Everything in me wanted to act as if we had heard nothing and keep our pace, but we both stopped and turned to look back. A woman half the height of the door frame stood in the middle of the threshold, keeping the sliding door from closing.
"You both seem to be in a hurry, and I was worried that I wouldn't get to thank you for all the hard work tonight." I was expecting her to ask us right then and there but was relieved she didn't and let a genuine smile show for it.
"Of course Leo, what're friends for." My dad replied warmly, giving her a similar and familiar genuine smile. Leo eyed the doorway and then wearily looked over where we were standing for a moment before switching to a hollow but warm smile.
"Well, then you both be safe. If you don't hurry, you'll be late for your bus." She looked down at the cute pink wristwatch hidden by the ill-fitting white coat sleeve.
"Alright, we'll see you Monday night." Quickly fell from my lips while I turned on my heels to walk away. My father nods in silent agreement at Leo, then joins me in my pace. We make it a few feet from the hospital before I look back to catch a glimpse of Leo still standing in the doorway before the sliding doors meet again.
"Geez, not to be rude, but Leo can be a little unsettling sometimes. She was watching us walk for so long." as I finished the thought, my head instinctively turned back to make sure she wasn't right on our heels, as she sometimes likes to do while we worked, finding the sliding doors had remained shut while empty sidewalk filled the space.
" She means well, and she just wants to be sure we get home safe, is all." The words stung a little at the realization, but Leo's youthful look often made me forget she was the same age as my dad.
"Right because we leave our shift at the least safe time of day through the least safe part of town, we're bound to run into all the ghosts and ghoulies." I give a stereotypical monster pose as we walk, which gets a chuckle from dad. The city is surprisingly quiet for a Friday night; a full and bright moon aided the street lamps at keeping the sidewalk and street well-lit but kept the alleyways ideally in shadow as we walked past our stop.
A couple of soft turns and crossings, and we could see the stop now a block away. At the bus stop was an older gentleman well-dressed and alone. As if aware, he was now in the presence of others. He raises his head from his phone to look in our direction as if his focus came with pressure, and a ringing seemed to pierce my ears.
"Can you hear that?" I asked, unaware that my voice hadn't even escaped my lips. I looked at my dad, who stood staring blankly at the man at the bus stop. Dad's mouth moved, but I could not hear his voice over the ringing. My focus returned to the well-dressed gentleman who was now making his way towards us, the sound seemingly emanating from him and growing as he approached.
"We have to go!" I screeched, and yet it was silent compared to the ringing. My father's lips moved with purpose, but none of his words could reach me. Closer the man grew, and now the ringing bore weight on my body, forcing me to crouch and keep my ears shielded. The man was now standing in front of my father, a devious grin etched on his face, his eyes burning with an ornate purple.
"Please!" I begged for the noise to stop, for the weight to leave, for anyone to help. The sound was crushing, and the man's attention once on my father turned to me. Before he could come closer, dark hands writhed from the nearest alley latching themselves to my body. They tugged and drugged me across the sidewalk away from the man and my father. All I could do was watch as the well-dressed man lost interest before the inky alleyway engulfed my vision.
I wake drenched head to toe in sweat, sheets, and pillows thrown to the floor as I kick through the night. The sound of soft music fills the room as my clock switches to its FM-set alarm. The feeling of the dark hands tightly gripping my body gradually faded with the drowsiness of sleep. Quickly I Swing my feet over the edge to sit up. On the nightstand holding the clock, a sticky note stuck to the edge fluttering in the A/C that read "Another bad dream?".
Reading it prompted an eye roll, I snatched it up and started going over the detail of the dream in my head. Standing, I made my way over to my dresser mirror adorn with different colored sticky notes. Starting at the top was a blue sticky note with "Rule one remember your dreams." and "Who was the well-dressed man?" Neatly scrolled on it. Below it were lines of different colored sticky notes with other descriptive words or phrases. Reaching for a new stack of pink sticky notes and a pen, I inscribe a unique detail to add to the mirror. I slap the sticky note on a free space making only my face left to reflect me, and I take notice of the messy reddish crow's nest adorning my head before my eyes flicker to the new sticky note reading Trust yourself. Dad repeated the words in the dream before the hands drug me off.
Checking the clock over my shoulder as it read six-fifteen forced a feeling of urgency. I looked around the room to grab loose clothing articles, quickly inhaling them to find something clean enough. Several tosses and whiffs later, I have a good ensemble that an oversized hoodie will smother. Grabbing my headphones, phone, a bottle of pills, and keys, slip on a pair of worn sneakers, double-check the only window in the apartment to make sure it's locked, and leave.
The hall's mixed carpet cleaner and various smoke smells hit my nose, jolting me further into consciousness. Quickly I pulled the door quietly shut, locking it without allowing the keys to jingle and making sure to move slowly enough to minimize the metallic clicks.
Double-check the knob, then walk as lightly to the staircase as possible. I am passing three doors adorned with numbers. I pause before passing by the threshold of an entrance wearing the letters LL, a custom job done by the landlady herself. A moment passes as I listen for any signs of life in the apartment. When I was sure I took up my last pace, I made it only three steps, though when the door swung open. I was now facing a stout woman wearing a nightgown and disapproving glare while I stood in mid-creep, slightly shaken by being caught.
"An' whir ur aff tae?" The words danced in my ears; I pulled my phone from my pocket and began typing.
"Running late for work." The words I wanted to reply on a white screen that the landlady took her time reading.
"Guid thin, a'll hev ma ren'." She held her hand out palm up at me; I stared into the empty hand for a moment before swiftly typing a reply.
"I get paid tonight and can bring it to you at the end of my shift." After a moment of reading, the landlady sucked her teeth as her mood softened.
" seein' 'at ye're ma ainlie tenan' I lek a'll waet." She said with a smile. I shook my head in gleeful appreciation.
"Thanks, Mrs. Riley. I'll see you later tonight." Shown on the screen.
"aye, aye gae oan afore ye're lat' lass." With that, I turn and pick a brisk pace to the elevator at the end of the hall. I press the call button, and the doors slide open to show a young man in the center of the elevator who stared nervously at his feet. He didn't notice me for a moment or that the elevator had stopped for that matter, but when he did gave a dazzling smile that sat below what I could see now were emerald eyes.
"Sorry, let me..." He sidled past me, allowing room for me to step on, his voice was soft, and I could hear a slight accent resembling Mrs.Rileys, but he couldn't be Mr.Riley, could he?
"Sorry... Again, but you wouldn't happen to know where a Mrs. Riley lives wuid ye?" For some reason, I felt glued to every word. That slowed my already slow responding speed and made me awkwardly gawk at him as he waited for a reply.
"Yes, sorry, the door marked LL." He read aloud as I showed him the phone's screen.
"Thanks..." Realizing he was asking for a name, I frantically erased what I had for a reply.
"Rose." His pronunciation of my name sent a bolt down my spine.
"Thanks a lot, Rose. I hope to read from you again." He let a smirk grow on his face as I replied with quick and enthusiastic head shakes. He waves his goodbye and makes his way down the hall. My curiosity forced me to hold the elevator door open and listen. He reaches the apartment door and knocks softly; Moments later, the door swings agape.
"Yer lat'!" She spat with an almost furious tone.
"Sorry mam, I got lost..." With that, he made his way into the apartment, and I allowed the elevator doors to shut. Mrs. Riley is a gorgeous woman, so it would stand to reason her children would follow suit, but that also made him off-limits rule number ten no ties to where you sleep, which knocked some wind out of those sails. I press the lobby button and lean back on the cold steel wall of the elevator, feeling it slide slowly through the old building. Reaching the bottom, I exit the elevator and quickly cross the empty lobby leaving out of the rotating doors. The city's icy wind cuts through my hoodie with ease as I shuffle towards the bus stop.
An older lady and teenage boy sat opposite ends on the bench, so I happily took the center. The boy with his jet black hair and matching clothing didn't look up from his phone while the woman, on the other hand, offered a sweet smile which I returned warmly before succumbing to my screen. Most phones, I'd assume, are filled with social media apps that are themselves filled with food recipes, little mundane DIY projects, and the occasional twerking video. At the same time, mine would consist of less sharable or viral topics, missing-person videos, or posts.
I follow every account that either is a missing person or relatives still searching in the city. With a city so big and with so many people, the police barely have enough human resources for active violent crimes. It's at the point where someone has created an app specifically for the citizens, PULSE.
The PULSE of the city scrolls across my screen before it flickers to my feed when I open it. Pulses homepage is where you could find all sorts of videos and info, anything from carjackings to possible drug dens littered the app, but most important was the filter function. With this, I could pick specific tags to hone in on particular incidents.
Starting with missing persons and then using the tags like WAT(Without a trace) and Miscellaneous, the feed is compiled into many first-hand accounts and videos of people going missing.
At first, I thought my circumstances would align only using the WAT tag. Still, I appeared blocks away, and my dad and the well-dressed man seemed to have disappeared from the spot with no clues. The added blocks to where the crime happened and where I was made the stories posted seem normal by comparison.
It wasn't until I noticed the miscellaneous tag adding it to the missing person filter made for a tangled web of unusable information that seemed purposefully confusing. When I used the WAT tag in the filters, I found a series of reasonable and unexplainable videos or first-hand experiences. Stories of missing wives who left their children in the middle of grocery stores still in the karts or phones found with videos of black-eyed children chasing people before they were reported missing. As I'm scrolling, I pause on a video with the thumbnail being a shaky glimpse of a teenager with jet-black eyes. The well-dressed man's purple gaze hacked its way to the forefront of my mind.
I had never been someone who believed in magic, but the mysterious way my hair stood on end when looking into those black eyes resonated with the feeling I had in my dream. For a moment, the feeling of being watched rushed over me. Without turning my head, I peeked from the corner of my eye to catch the older lady looking away from me as I did. When I switch to the boy, I find him doing the same, avoiding my eye contact. Assuming the worst, I thought I might have smelled funny due to nose blindness, or maybe my frazzled hair was that amusing. I moved on scrolling to another video titled HYS(Have You Seen) redhead at the bus stop.
I press the play button and watch as an ariel view of the city unfolds. It then pans over the edge of a rooftop. Across the street sits three people waiting for the bus. The video slowly zooms in showing a grainy image of the old lady, boy, and myself all at the stop. The two stared intensely at me as I watched my phone. As soon as I noticed this, the feeling of being watched rushed me again. The image continued to zoom in as the two of them slowly leaned their way closer to me. The sound of weight shifting on the bench sent pinpricks down my spine. They knew now that I saw them, and I was aware of their gaze.
Closer they leaned in, the old lady on the screen began to shift and change growing limbs and torso becoming stringy and elongated, and her hair more ragged and disheveled, the boy's eyes became pitch black, the unearthly crunch and bend of the bench were now deafening. I clench my eyelids tightly together, unable to watch the horrible creatures enclose around me, but then the sound of metal doors snaps me from my nightmare. The bus parked in front of me, the door wide open, and the older lady looked back at me in confusion.
"You coming along, dear?" She asks with a frail little voice.
Still shaken, I give my best smile and firm head shakes before climbing the steps of the bus. I pay my fair take the seat closest to the driver,r and analyze the bus. The teenage boy was at the back, still not looking up from his phone, and the older lady had taken one of the middle seats. She was the same lovely old lady I saw earlier, with no inhuman limbs or body size, giving that same warm smile when she noticed me looking. Visions like these were becoming more common, and as my therapist would say, "it's one of many ways your trauma may manifest." but for me, it was a sign I was losing it.
Taking in a gulp of air, I mustered up my warmest smile and returned to the inky blackness of my phone screen. It took a moment, but I switched it on to view the paused video. It now displayed a car losing control and smashing into a lamppost on an obscure street corner. First I made sure I didn't accidentally switch videos or filters, and then I checked the videos above and below the one I was watching and noticed they were unchanged. The bags under my eyes tugged at the lids. I closed them and applied light pressure to them in a futile attempt at relaxing.
The ringing from my dream persisted in the back of my head. The bus lights were becoming abrasive as a haze fell over my vision. I leaned my head against the cool glass of the bus window, allowing my mind to toil over the video. I was sure I saw myself, the old lady, and the boy sitting on the bench. Their bodies changed and morphed next to me. I even remember hearing it in real-time next to me. Recalling the image brought pain to my temples. I shove my hand into my hoodie pocket to grip the bottle tightly.
My chest felt tight, and I began to sweat as I tried my hardest to remember in finer detail the images from the video. The pain grew as I fought to hold the video in my mind. Finally, I gave in, letting the memory slip away and quickly opening the bottle and popping a pill into my mouth. Swallowing it grimly, I rest my head against the glass, defeated. Slowly the haze lifts and dull grey film replaces it. The video details slip away easily in my mind leaving behind a feeling of anxiety and unease.
The bus ride is quiet, and I'm left alone when the boy and older lady get off a stop before mine and, if I'm honest, undid a lot of the anxiety from earlier, making the last couple of moments on the bus genuinely peaceful. Reaching my stop, I exit the bus to the chill of the night, making my way down the same sidewalk I've walked a dozen nights before. I pause, though when I approach the alleyway from my dreams, peering into the well-lit alley made the notion of dark hands pulling me in ridiculous and somewhat frustrating. Why couldn't I accurately remember what happened that night and how I ended up so far away?
My focused frustration broke by a car's engine rounding the corner. Loud music boomed behind illegally tinted windows. The driver seemed to notice me slowing the vehicle down to crawl as he passed, allowing me to glimpse my distorted reflection in the car's chrome. The driver hits the gas, making the car wheels spin and shriek before tearing down the street. Frazzled, I watch as it takes the corner hard and disappears. A gust of cold wind knocked against me, a reminder I had somewhere to be. I rushed the rest of the way to work, not even giving thought to whatever was going on with that driver. I walk through the sliding door of the hospital and make a b-line for the ER.
"you're late, Mrs. Reinhart." Leo said with heavy disappointment in her tone. Quickly signing, "Sorry, there was a weird guy in a car." That prompted Leo to stop me by grabbing my arm.
"A man in the car?" Concern replaced her previous tone, and worry sat on her brow.
"Yeah, he slowed down in front of me and randomly peeled off... It was odd." Remembering it raised goosebumps on my arms, making me drop it quickly.
"Could you describe him to me?" Not with that illegal tent I couldn't, I thought to myself.
"Illegal tent." I quickly signed, trying to make my way to the ER, just wanting to start my day.
"Okay, come to me if you need anything, Rose." The sorrow in her voice weighed on my chest heavily, so I shook my head, gave my best half-smile, and hurried away.
The emergency department of a free clinic downtown in a vast city is as busy as you can imagine, but I had never felt more comfortable. These people needed me, and helping them was a great way to keep my mind off the anxieties of the day. Approaching the nurse's station, I was greeted cheerfully by a grinning face and hands holding a cup of coffee and a cream cheese bagel.
"One coffee with a shit tone of sugar and a cream cheese bagel from your favorite place in the city." I took the offering sipping the warm coffee gleefully but also waiting for the hook inevitable yank.
"Usually, people get each other coffee and drink it together, but I seem to have drank mine... So why not you and I grab a cup when we get off?" There it was, the hooks hard yank. A genuine smile grew on my face. Every day since I've met her, Lilith has asked me out. I sit the gifts on the counter of the nurse's station.
"Would coffee be the best drink to unwind with after a long night shift?" I asked teasingly. The wheels in Lilith's head spun for a moment before a devious smirk appeared across her face.
"If you weren't planning to sleep, sure." That made me blush noticeably.
"And what were you planning?" I signed with a raised brow and smirk.
"Well, it'll still include the bed just putting coffee to good use." I chuckled hard at the confidence but then remembered rule number ten and almost let it altogether drop the mood.
"I know... Rule number ten, right? Well, what about coming to my place?" I swear steam was coming from both ears by now as I felt my face flush with heat.
"What about your grandmother and sisters?" I asked, genuinely considering the possibility of going home with her. Today had been stressful with the hallucination, and the driver, which I experienced alone, made me feel even more like I shouldn't be.
"The girls are out with their boyfriends, and Amma will be out when she takes her pills." The offer was tempting, and it wasn't like Lilith wasn't my type. She was a whole foot taller than me, stayed physically active, and was covered in extravagant tattoos that intrigued my mind thoroughly. Her purple hair framed mesmerizing ocean-blue eyes that captivated anyone who dared gaze into them. I stood contemplating the offer for a moment until the sound of approaching footsteps roused me from thought.
"Lilith..." A male nurse said with disdain while approaching the nurse's station.
"Jeremy..." Lilith replied with an intensified disdain in her voice.
"Hey, Rose! I'm glad I ran into you. I was wondering since I had two tickets to the premiere of Madness Movie Massacre tonight if you would like to go?" Lilith's eyes rolled hard as she let out a scoff that Jeremy easily ignored.
"Sorry, I don't like horror movies." I signed with the most apologetic face possible. Jeremy looked defeated for a moment before shrugging.
"Alright, that's cool... What about a coffee after work?" I laughed uncontrollably. I expected Lilith's offer for coffee, but two in one night, and from Jeremy, one of the cutest male night-shift nurses, the other being Lilith, sent me overboard. His smooth baby-like face watched in desperate anticipation for me to stop laughing. His emerald eyes worriedly watched me through cute circular glasses, but I was stuck giggling.
"She has plans for coffee Jeremy." That he couldn't ignore, he turned his attention to Lilith.
"And what does that mean, Lilith." He spat, glaring into her eyes, challengingly.
"It means she's already getting coffee with me." She stood, reciprocating the glare unblinkingly. They are both now in a staring contest that forced more laughter from me. The buzz of my phone takes my attention from them. A message from G readout "need to speak tonight.". Before it fled the screen, I waved my hand through the two making them both lose their contest.
"My grandmother needs me tonight, sorry." Jeremy deflates while Lilith, on the other hand, mood switched to concerned.
"Everything alright?" She asks warmly.
"Of course, she just wants to talk, is all." I reply, then quickly rush off to change into my scrubs and prepare for the night rush.
Before my dad disappeared, we worked the ER here at Friggs sanctuary clinic run by Leo. She and my dad knew each other back when they were in university. They moved to America for a fresh start, and when my dad started a family and needed a job, Leo was there. My dad was the most excellent trauma doctor the ER had ever seen. He often said it was the only thing he knew how to do.
"A fixation with all things balanced." He would tell me when I asked why he chose this medical field specifically. For me, it's the understanding of the body and the chemicals within it that led me down the same path as my father. As for Leo, she just wanted to help others, she received steady funding from her philanthropist parents back home to keep her clinic afloat, and as long as Leo aided people, her mother would find any endeavor. Leo is as old as my dad, so her mother must be as decrepit as my grandma.
The anxiety of talking to her after work crept in with that thought. She was abrasive, to say the least, and only seemed to want my attention when I would serve a purpose. A random text every Blue Moon, especially since my father disappeared and my mother went to stay with his family overseas. The sound of the rolling wheels of a gurney broke me from my trance. The patient thrashed blood violently oozed from underneath his shirt and down his neck from sizeable circular wounds. He made gurgled squeaks through mouths full of blood.
The nurses cut his shirt free to reveal more circular wounds and distressing black veins that seemed to grow like routes from the openings. I checked his eyes which had dilated pupils and then tried for a name. The man continued to thrash hard, unresponsive to the nurses holding his limbs and my questions. His squealing grew louder, almost piercing as the veins around the wounds began to darken.
"Any information from the first responders?" I asked one of the nurses urgently.
"No, they found him lying on his chest a block away and rushed him here." The nurses finally got the restraints on him, and his violent thrashes turned into a stiff board-like posture as his eyes rolled to the back of his head. I froze in horror, watching the pained squeaks push out of hard clenched teeth. More and more, the noises sounded mouse-like, and my head began to spin as the haze from earlier began to fall over me. The man's head warped and shifted in front of my eyes. He grew a long snout with whiskers, and his ears elongated with a sag, his thick beard becoming more like brown fur crawling to cover free spots of skin.
Soon I was staring at a human-sized rodent retrained to the gurney. A sharp pain began behind my eyes whenever I looked directly at its face. I could only compare it to having a migraine and trying to stare directly at any light. The memory of the haggard old lady and the black-eyed boy rushed through my mind making me reach deep into my pocket to grip my pill bottle. Leo must have noticed my freeze-up because she quickly took control of the situation, making snap decisions and demands.
"I have this under control, Miss Reinhart. You tend to yourself." I timidly shake my head in affirmation and scurry away, popping another pill shakily.
I waited in a bathroom stall for my nerves to settle and for the effect of the pill to take hold. The haze slowly lifted, and I didn't fight for the memory this time. Instead, I helped where I could, allowing the shift to pass and avoiding Leo as hard as possible. At the end of my shift, I gathered my things and tried my hardest to slip out quietly, but Leo promptly caught me.
"Thank you for your hard work today Miss Reinhart..." She paused, watching me warily, which was more exhausting than just asking her question.
"I won't ask about earlier, but if I may make a single request, would you be willing to allow Miss Lilith to escort you home tonight." My face grew hot, and Lilith, who sat nearby, refused to make eye contact with me when I glanced at her.
"I know you have a set of rules you follow since-
-I won't be going home tonight. I have to visit my grandma nearby." I quickly signed, hoping she would leave it at that. She seemed to realize something at this news as she promptly disappeared behind the nurse's station and back with a small paper bag and a bottle of old-looking wine.
"This is for your grandmother." She hands me the bag and wine, and I can tell in the paper bag is a small bottle semi-filled with something that rattled.
"What is it?" I ask inquisitively. Leo had never asked me to deliver anything to my grandmother before, especially not undisclosed pills and wine. I sat holding the gifts with confusion on my brows.
"The pills are her regulars, and the wine is a favor I owed repaid." She said firmly as if that would satisfy me.
"Also, forget my last request. Your grandmother is protective of where she calls home and strangers knowing, so I won't press the matter." Taking this all as a cosmic pass to escape, I thank her and turn to leave.
I watch, making sure Leo doesn't see me crossing the street, heading to my usual bus stop and not toward my grandma's house. Today was exhausting, and I just wanted to sleep it away. The bite of winter chill chased me as I power walked to the safety of the bus stop. The plastic walls served as some form of shelter from the heavy wind as I waited in the dim light of the moon and half-flickering street lamps. The silence of the city was deafening. Not a single car passed, nor could be heard approaching as I hid deeper in my hood.
I huddled inward as I hugged myself, attempting to keep warm. I stared at my shoes, wishing I could scroll through my phone to take my mind off the cold, but I felt like my fingers would freeze and fall off if I did. After a moment, the rev of an engine broke out over the roar of the wind, and the sound of shrieking tires filled the air. A shiver ran down my spine, and the hairs on my arm stood.
I peeked out of my hood in the direction of the noise, realizing the vehicle hadn't rounded the corner yet. I pulled hard on the sides of my hood and tucked and hid as much of my hair as possible. The sound grew louder as the car was now on my street. Keeping my head down and body hugged and huddled, I prayed the car would pass quickly, or the bus would be right behind it if not. Listening closely, I can tell the driver has picked up speed and approaching the stop rapidly, far too fast to stop at this point. The closer it gets, the harder it is for me to release the sharp inhales I've been taking.
The car passes with force enough for me to feel it as it goes. I finally exhaled all my anxiety and prepared to relax my posture.
*SHRRRRRRRIEKK*
Panic gripped my chest. The car now idled at the end of the street, spewing plumes of thick white smoke. I scanned the buildings around, and to my horror, they all were closed and devoid of workers. The car engine purred to life as it began to reverse to the bus stop. I fought back the tears and tried swallowing through a bone-dry throat. I prepared the most fierce face I could manage. When the car pulls into view, I realize my face has betrayed me. I catch the reflection of my terror in the pitch-black tint of the window before it slowly slides out of place. Behind the tinted window was a handsome face flashing pearly whites at me.
"Now, where are you off to? Precious." The voice was velvet, smooth, and confident sickening me to my core.
"To my grandmas' house." I signed quickly, hoping this would deter any further conversation.
"Well, isn't that sweet? Well, why don't you hop in, and we can take you to grannys?" My heart sank. It would be my luck to get the only creep in this city to be fluent in sign language. He sat with his toothy grin feeling triumphant for understanding me. Realizing he said we, I checked the passenger seat to see a beautiful young woman staring blankly at her thighs.
"Don't worry. There's plenty of room for you. She doesn't mind you sitting on her lap, isn't that right?" He glances at the girl who, without lifting her head, shakes it in affirmation setting off more alarms in my mind. He watches me intently with that weighted smile. My head swam, and my eardrums felt the thrash of my heartbeat. I could see the impatience etching its way around his smile.
"Get in the car..." An ember of rage sparked off his words, and I could have sworn I saw his eyes shimmer with a bright iridescent yellow. The haze returned, making my limbs go numb. Quickly I shove my hand into my pocket and grasp my bottle and clench my eyes shut, which the man notices.
"What you got there-
*SLAM*
The sound interrupted him and echoed through the empty streets. A hand came down hard right above the driver-side window.
"Is there an issue here, Rose?" A familiar voice asked. I opened my eyes to see Jeremy peeking his head into the car so the man could exchange eye contact.
"No problem, friend, just offering Rose... A ride home." The man beams his devilish smile up at Jeremy, who starred daggers back.
"Is that right, Rose?" Jeremy glances over his shoulder in my direction, and the man changes his focus to me as well, still sporting that toothy grin. His eyes shimmered again with the yellowish glow making my stomach roll. I manage to shake my head no while turning my focus downward, trying to steady my breathing.
"Okay, time for you to go, friend." Jeremy's voice was calm, but the rage bled through, the man seemed to start an excuse, but the sound of what I only assume was bending metal cut him off before the sound of spinning tires filled the air taking the car down the street and around the corner. My head rested firmly in my lap as I focused my breathing silence rushed me now that the car's engine had faded away. My racing heart slowed until Jeremy placed his hand on my shoulder, making me jump and pulling me from my thoughts.
"Sorry! Sorry... Are you alright?" His eyes matched his tone, kind and concerned. I shake my head in affirmation mustering the best half-smile I can. He sat next to me on the bench drumming his fingers on his thighs as we waited.
"I know you have a bunch of rules and stuff... Lilith told me, but if your grandmother lives close and we can make it there, I think I should take you there instead of waiting for this bus." The haze hadn't lifted yet, and at this point, I was so exhausted. Getting out of the cold just made more sense, and technically, it wouldn't be the house we were going to. I stood with a wobble that Jeremy remedied as we made our way down the sidewalk.
A couple of blocks from the bus stop, we make it to an old ratty apartment building with many floors. We made it through the lobby quickly and entered an elevator that creaked and whined as we rode it to the top floor. It deposited us into a pungent corridor. The smells of different living styles had solidified into a wall of odor. I was already blind to it, but Jeremy, On the other hand, covered his mouth and nose as he turned a shade of green. Noticing this, I picked up the pace to a worn old door at the end of the hall and quickly unlocked it with my keys.
We enter the moderately sized apartment for an older woman. Little knick knacks littered the room, and that natural older people smell overpowered the hallway smells. That allowed Jeremy to breathe easier as he curiously looked about the living room. My body drained of adrenaline, and finally, somewhere I felt safe became heavy with exhaustion. It carried me as far as a comfy-looking old couch so I could crumple into a heap onto it. Jeremy pensively watched from the middle of the living room as I decompressed.
"Could I get you some water?" He asked, mustering up his softest tone possible. I shake my head yes and thumb at a window in the wall behind me. He leaned to peak at a fridge and stove in a small kitchen quickly. He crossed the room and into the kitchen. Out of sight, I closed my eyes and focused my breathing while listening to the soft opening and shutting of cabinets until he found the cups.
"Found the cups!" He chirped like he solved the case of the missing cups, and I couldn't help but think how cute he was on the whole. My mind drifted back to the car and how much bravery it took for him to intervene. Jeremy wasn't the biggest guy, and in this city, hanging his head outside of a random guy's opened car window wasn't the wisest choice, but it did save me. The sound of a running faucet and a glass cup trapping water enticed my dry throat. He checked the freezer for ice which my grandmother kept none of gave up, and quickly made his way to me in the living room.
I open my eyes to the puppyish look on Jeremy's face holding out a cool glass of water. I swiped it from his hands and greedily guzzled from the cup. I was too tired to be embarrassed and just was glad he seemed to like me enough not to judge. I deflate back into the couch, mustering up my best smile and sadly the weakest "Thank you." I could manage. My usual haze had lifted, which prompted me to push my hand into my pocket nervously and toy with the bottle of pills. Jeremy's eyes flicked to my hand for a moment, then quickly away. Another show of sweetness from him made me smile. I pulled my hand from the pocket and was going to say something when it went limp.
I stared confused at my arm. No matter what I tried, it didn't heed any of my commands. I looked at my other arm and realized I barely gripped the glass. I tried to put strength into my hand but only managed to flick a finger knocking the cup from my hand where it rolls from the couch, allowing Jeremy to reflexively catches it.
"Oops, that was close." He says with a chuckle.
"Don't want glass everywhere." He places the cup down on the coffee table and turns to look me over. My heart sank as fear flooded my mind. Jeremy's face changed to more of a pout as he looked over me.
"Sorry, I know this must be just the worse... I mean, you can't even speak to me right now, and usually, they are at least able to scream when I do this." Jeremy crosses behind the couch back into the kitchen. The sound of drawers sliding open and the clattering of utensils filled my ears. All I could manage was frantically search the room with my eyes.
"Does your grandma not own knives?" The panic boomed from my chest. His almost playful tone made my stomach turn. The tears on my face disappeared as my skin went numb. The kitchen fell silent for a moment until I heard Jeremy mumble a defeated oh well and return to the living room. He stood over me, his eyes examining my limp body.
"I guess I'll have to do this the old fashion way." I watched in horror as his body began transforming his fingers elongated the tips acquiring long talon-like nails. The sound of ripping skin came from horns that began jutting from his forehead. The eerie sound of bone on bone filled my ears, followed by Jeremy's mouth transforming, looking less and less human and more snout-like. Free patches of skin grew hair drastically tuffs of hair burst through his clothing that ripped and tore from his body growth. Jeremy, the nurse, was now a giant horned beast foaming from the mouth in front of me.
My heart thumped in my ears. I dare not blink, not wanting to miss any sudden movements from this monster. Deep pools of yellow interrupted by black slits replaced Jeremy's usual green eyes that never left me as he changed. For a moment, Jeremy just watched me, allowing drool to drop from his toothy maw. Finally, the creature moved, leaning in closely to hover over me. I felt globs of drool fall to my body. It was cold, almost as freezing as its breath on my face. Its breath smelt like roadkill. He took several whiffs of me before quickly standing again.
"Usually, I don't do this without major prep beforehand, but with all your rules, I couldn't find time to catch you alone." His voice was gruffer with hints of growls, but I could tell this beast was still Jeremy. He leaned in for a couple more whiffs. His movements were serpent-like.
"It's this smell. I have no idea what you are, but it's intoxicating..." Slit pupils were heavily dilated with every smell he took from me.
"And I can tell if I consume you, I'll have a significant boost in strength!" His words carried a purr that disgusted me. The haze was working with the drugs to make me feel even sicker. It all became too much and bile filled my throat. I choked, which caught Jeremy's attention. A clawed hand adjusted my head, allowing the vomit to flow out.
"Sorry about that. I didn't have time to measure how much to give you, and I'm not sure what you already have in your system... I can't have you dying on me before I start eating." The gentleness of his words had my head spinning. The fear of becoming a meal filled me, and I was in disbelief that I was going to be devoured alive the tears began pouring again.
"Now, now, I don't like my food too salty." He wiped the tears away and grasped both sides of my head. His jaws opened wide as he lifted me by my head slowly into his mouth. Terror locked my eyes onto the rows of teeth that were dripping with drool. I was sure I was dead but then I heard the sound of keys jingling in a lock. Jeremy paused, his eyes now trained on the front door. With quick, precise movement, he moved me to lie behind the couch flat on my back. The door opens, and I hear two people shuffle inside carrying bags.
"Make sure to lock the door, boy." I heard my grandma say to the other interrupter.
"Yes, Ma'am." The voice of a younger male made me somewhat happy with the idea that maybe one of them would see me catch a glimpse of my foot or hair from behind the couch. I searched the ceiling with my eyes and caught sight of the horror hiding in the upper corner. He had stuck his claws into the ceiling and wall. He held a finger up to his snout, signing to keep quiet. From the bottom of my vision, I watched my grandmother, followed by a young man I didn't recognize, walk past me into the kitchen, and I could make out the sound of them placing plastic bags on the floor and counter. I thought he must be helping her carry groceries, and maybe if he noticed me, someone would have enough time to get help.
"I'll need to prepare my ingredients, and retrieve my knives there in my room." The boy, quick to listen, made his way to the back of the apartment and entered the first door in the hallway. I lay here listening intently to him rummaging through drawers before the returning footsteps. I tried my hardest to move an arm or leg, hoping for even a finger or toe would move so I could make some sign of my existence, all while loathing the fact I couldn't speak tears filled my eyes as my body ignored my will. The steps got closer, and my chances were slipping away, but the sound of footsteps had ceased. I searched the bottom of my vision through the tears to see the young man watching me curiously from behind the sofa.
"Mrs.R there..." The young man's voice was cut short I felt the temperature drop considerably. I watched as the young man instantly froze solid in a block of ice. The beast crawling above him had released a strange mist from his mouth. The shuffling from the kitchen stopped and my grandma made her way from the kitchen to stand in front of the man popsicle in the living room. She calmly examed the block of ice before sucking her teeth in disappointment.
"The youth today seem to be taught nothing at all." My grandma said she rapped a knuckle against the ice before switching her attention to me. The tears were streaming down my face. I was watching in horror as the beast lurked above her. She shuffled over to me, taking a knee next to me. The stealthy beast slunk across the ceiling to hover above us.
"It's alright, child ill fix you up." As she reassured me she hovered one hand over my body with an orb of green light in her palm. She waved over the length of my abdomen. A warmth filled me, replacing the numbness. A twinge in my palms allowed me to move my fingers then my arm was back into my control. With all my might, I pointed towards the ceiling. She looked up to see the horned beast forming an iridescent blue light from its mouth shooting its freezing mist.
Instinctively my eyes clenched shut. I waited to feel the icy winds freeze me solid, but only the warmth continued. My eyes opened to a shell of light protecting my grandmother and me the torrent of chilling wind ended to show a confused monster outside of the bubble of light. He tried to poke it with a clawed finger and was shocked as if he had touched an electric fence.
"You can't hold this field for long, you old hag, and I have all the time in the world." The beast growled. My grandmother sat calmly using the green orb to heal me while watching the beast who kept prodding the shell of light with his hands.
"Or ill eat this man here as a pre-meal snack before I devour my main course of witches." The beast laughed. Its guttural distorted sound made me sick, but my grandma just sighed in annoyance.
"You kids today love your assumptions. First, we aren't witches, and second, don't make a mess in my apartment." The beast and I both shared a moment of confusion at her response.
"A mess!? It's going to be a blood bath!" Maniacal laughter escaped Jeremy filling the apartment. It was like a pack of demonic hyenas assaulting the ears before cornering its prey. It only stopped when the beast felt a liquid at his feet. He wondered for a moment what could have drenched the floor before he swiveled around to see the empty block of ice behind him with a human-sized hole melted in the center. He frantically searched the room, seeing no one.
"Where he go!? Where's the boy?" He demanded.
My body regained movement. I could now sit up on my elbows between the shell of light, and the beast stood the young man frozen in ice—the beast whips around, grabbing up the man and holding him off the ground.
"You think you could sneak up on me? I'll freeze you solid and shatter the pieces!" The beast said opening his jaws wide, the blue energy forming in his maw once again. Before releasing the mist, the young man gripped the beast by his throat and lower jaw.
"Would ashes be fine, Mrs.R?" The young man's voice was calm, almost devoid of feeling as he spoke.
"You'll be sweeping it up." My grandma replied matter of factly.
"Y-you all are going to die..." The beast choked out through his clenched throat. He releases the mist into the face of the young man, his upper half enveloped by mist. When the attack ends, and the mist clears, the beast is shocked to find the man unscathed by his attack. Panic set in as the beast thrashed wildly, trying to get free of his grip. His vision began to go fuzzy. The man's grip tightened on his airway. Not even his claws pierced the strange man's flesh. The beast fell to his knees, his consciousness slipping away suddenly.
The grip on his throat was gone allowing him to gasp for air. Still, a new grip was now on the top of his snout, keeping his mouth wide. His vision returned to the young man towering over him with his mouth agape. A red light formed from his throat, and a plume of flame shot from it into the beast's mouth. He felt searing pain fill his throat and rush through his body. No matter how hard he tried, the mist couldn't stop the intense flames from entering. He flailed wildly, unable to even scream as the fire consumed him, tufts of flames caught patches of hair on fire, and soon the lower half was ashes, the head coming free of its perch.
The young man held the head in his palm iridescent red light lit the head a flame, turning what was left of the monster to ash on the floor. My mind swam with the impossible experiences I went through. Exhaustion took hold, and my consciousness slipped away now that I was safe.
"Take her to my bed and be careful." It was the last thing I heard from my grandmother before I passed out.
~End of Chapter One
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