Double Fated (Book One)

by C.K. Mullinax

  Chapter Forty

  “Yo’ Babe…why are you licking the floor?? What are you doing, here??” Lyle asked, shaking me hard to pull me back from my reverie.

  “I’m Audrey…unfresh…demon,” I mumbled, but the music was so loud he couldn’t hear me.

  “Let’s get you up…” he told me.

  I couldn’t tell if my eyes were seeing hazy or if this club has their fog machine turned up on high. Either way, I could barely see a foot in front of me…

  The faces I could make out were normal…human…

  Is Dinah Lynn still singing??

  I saw a demon…a real live demon…or did I??

  My legs weren’t interested in working for me, but for Lyle they do what they should. That figures.

  He pulled me up and dragged me away from the other gawkers. I hope I wasn’t really licking the floor…

  My vision started to clear up in the middle. It was like I could seeing stuff, but through a warped tunnel.

  Lyle is still carrying on a full-fledged conversation with me. Unfortunately, my ears are squealing with, what sounds like feedback. I kept tapping his shoulder to get his attention. Then, I remembered that he doesn’t listen to a word I say. So, why waste the effort if I don’t have to. He’ll keep on talking, anyway.

  The windowless room he led me into was lit only by the dingy bulb from the hallway. Everything looks murky. I could faintly make out the other side. It seems like it’s a mile away. This is some type of tunnel room. Is that it?

  “There’s no light at the other end of this tunnel, buddy boy. Will we see the train coming from this far away?” is what I was shooting for.

  “Suppose…there’s look…not light…the tunnel…boggy…long…too…way away…” is what I said.

  I attempted to say the phrases a few more times. But, the words were issued as useless garble. Finally giving up, I stopped trying to see the dark side of the room or worrying about an oncoming train.

  That’s when the walls captured my attention. They appear to be coated in a sludgy film. I couldn’t seem to stop myself from reaching out to touch it. These morbid compulsions might wind up being the death of me…

  The slime reacted as though it were alive and didn’t want to be bothered. Everywhere my finger travelled the slimy substance slithered away as though my touch could kill it.

  “Up the look…walls…bother…kill ick…it up goes!” I told Lyle.

  “…here for me…you can admit it,” his words began to filter through the buzzing – interesting.

  “Admitted…not…” I said in a slurred, deep voice.

  “Stop yelling…we’re back here now. And, would you quit feeling up the wall…that’s just disturbing,” he told me.

  “Audrey’s disturbing with…out there…” I stated nonsense in my new voice as I attempted to leave.

  Lyle grabbed my upper arm in such a tight vice grip that it was already bruising. I watched it turn blue with disinterest. The sensation refused to sync up with the assault.

  I tried to pull away because I’m on a mission, here. But, I couldn’t wiggle free and I couldn’t say anything coherent.

  “Whoa, not so fast, Speed Buggy…she can join all of us in a minute,” is what I think he said as he squeezed my arm a little harder.

  Once again, my mind got diverted from his words while it was trying to reconcile my reality.

  Lyle’s vice grip should be hurting me. But, the pain refuses to match the assault. That’s weird, but whatever. He can keep on doing it as long as it doesn’t hurt…right?

  The blaring music and annoying buzzing only gets silent when the mindless jock speaks.

  That’s weird, too but it’s even more ironic.

  I am evidently seeing touch-sensitive, gravity-defying slime on a wall that Lyle doesn’t see. Also out of the ordinary, but I can handle that hallucination, as well…

  I wonder if he wants to lick it off my fingers…wait, I don’t want him to touch me…or do I?

  But, my unfamiliar…deep…dark…sinister…voice…that’s what has me completely flipped out.

  Did that demon disappear inside of me???

  Maybe that’s why nothing is hurting!!!

  I can’t say no…Lyle won’t have to listen…he can do anything he wants to me. I can’t stop him because it’s not me that he’ll be doing anything to. It’ll be the demon that has a hold of me!

  “Burn…demon…burn…” I shrieked in a possessed voice, near the brink of insanity.

  My midsection responded by glowing a brilliant orange color.

  “What’s that…” Lyle asked, but the light vanished as suddenly as it arrived.

  Clarity rocketed through my hazy mindset and the demon…disappeared.

  “Owwww, let go of my arm!” I shouted without answering his question.

  The pain finally caught up with me. I kicked his flexed calf muscle to force him to release me. He fell towards the door, landed with a thud and cursed.

  I jerked my body away, tuned him out and took a rapid internal inventory.

  My voice is back to normal – check.

  My vision has cleared – check.

  My ears have stopped buzzing – check.

  My mind seems to be firing on all cylinders – check.

  I had weathered that bizarre storm. I would have to figure out what happened to me, later. For the moment, Lyle was rolling around on the floor in pain and begging for me to help him.

  “I think you snapped a tendon from your freak out! Get over here and help me!” he exclaimed, coaxing me to come over to him.

  I took two steps, but then I thought I saw a shadow move in the hallway. Close enough to help Lyle also places me in a vulnerable position. I will be close enough for that unknown shadow to grab me…

  “You must avow to remain wary of those surrounding you, and every object in the environment, at all times…” Reid’s words echoed through my thoughts, so I stopped moving.

  That shadow could be…the demon.

  “You can’t just leave me dyin’ in agony on the floor. I helped you up while you were out there wasted. Now, come over here and do the same thing for me, please, Doll-Babe…” Lyle begged.

  But, he didn’t seem to be in too much pain and his eyes were filled with…anticipation.

  “Krista, an enemy can use your perceived comfort level to draw you close and strike without warning. Therefore, it is imperative for you to always remain mindfully cautious while in the company of friends…” Jaysen’s words hauntingly rang through the recesses of my mind.

  I shook my head and backed away from Lyle and the shadow.

  “I didn’t mean to grab you so hard. I don’t blame you for being mad. But, you know I’d never hurt you intentionally, right? I’m not some stranger…you know me.

  “I can’t get up without your help. Why am I always having to beg you?” he asked.

  His tone was both loving and frightening. I was filled with indecision. Although I took another hesitant step away from him, I found myself wanting to reach out for his outstretched hand.

  Then, Tray’s words thundered through my brain and I froze. I also covered my ears against the inner boom…it was a useless gesture, but still…

  “…use what we taught you, without showing mercy and without the slightest hesitation. Don’t let anyone play on your sympathies and get the jump on you. This goes double for any friggin’ familiar sucker…”

  I backed away until my body was pressed against the wall.

  Lyle started laughing. But, there was no humor attached to the sound. He stood up without any effort and glared at me.

  “Seriously Babe, this isn’t how I envisioned it. But, like always, you’re not giving me a choice!” he yelled at me harshly and I flinched.

  “You’ve always got a choice, Lyle…” I offered in a quiet voice, attempting to size up the situation without escalating him any further.

  “No, that’s where you’re wrong
! With you, it’s begging and cold showers…well, cold showers when one of your sisters’ isn’t in the full service mood…” he stated with contempt.

  “Is that comment supposed to get a rise from me? Here’s a shocker for ya’…you can’t cheat on a woman you’re not sleeping with. I expected you to be sacking it out with other females, before and after every date we went on. I wouldn’t be mad at them or you – life is one long series of choices. If you were sleeping around while we were dating, then it only proves that we weren’t meant to be. No harm…no foul…on my end, at least. I didn’t lose anything more important than time to you, remember?

  “Here’s another newsflash pal, I’m happy you found a way to fulfill your needs. But, I am sorta curious about why you kept on pestering me for it, too. Oh well, that’s not important at this juncture and you don’t need to answer it.

  “You haven’t listened to a single word I’ve ever spoken. So, I’m wasting too much on this nothing you’ve been fantasizing over. But, I do feel as though I owe you a payback for helping me to my feet out there. Here goes…oh, and you might wanna take notes, because this is the last time I’m saying these words. Then, I’ve got other things to do…

  “You and I are no longer a couple. We’re not together in reality or fantasy. I would eliminate my image from your memory if I had the power because I don’t want to be the reason you’re standing in a freezing shower, filled with resentment. I want you to be happy. So please, I’m begging you to screw your way through all nine sororities on campus if that will make you content. You can even give me a play-by-play and I’ll applaud you and your lovers. If that’s what you need to make you feel like more of a man, I’ll do it. Be my guest and do anyone and everyone you please…” I informed him.

  Lyle was so angry he was shaking.

  “You won’t give it up to me…but, you’ll “first night it” to some hotshot jailbait?” he asked me.

  “What are you talking about?”

  “You won’t give it up to me…but, our rivals get your sympathy…romance you with some BS performance…you’re everything he imagines…right, Beach-Blondie?” he questioned, flicking my hair off my shoulder.

  “This trend is getting annoying…I don’t get it!”

  “You won’t give it up to me…but, you’ve got no problem grindin’ it and strippin’ it in public venues…”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about!” I exclaimed, getting furious.

  “If you think I’m buying your airheaded act, then you’ve got another thing comin’. You knew exactly what you were doing when you dissed me in front of the nation…”

  I sighed and was ready to yell a little louder, but he butted in before I could say anything.

  “Quit playing dumb…it doesn’t suit you! I’m not allowed to walk into your inner sanctum, but Jailbait Freddie gets a personal escort to your bed and between your legs, first night?? Oh wait, I’m sure you two were “just talking”. That’s what everyone does in the bedroom in the dark!

  “Me and my boys take that punk Baxter and his team down on the field. He comes cryin’ to you, post-game because he can’t cut it. I can almost forgive the pity kiss you gave him in our parking lot. But, the secret sing-a-long date was taking the pity party a little too far. I’ll give it to you – you took him to a place where you thought you wouldn’t be recognized.

  “Love that stunned look…never thought you’d get caught, huh? I’ve got eyes and spies everywhere, Cheer-Ho.

  “Those streetwalkin’ stilettos you’ve been wearing have been getting you plenty of attention. But, stripping it down in BlitZed – well, I’ve gotta say that was some class act. I lost count of how many guys you were grinding on. Now, you show up here…who ya’ meeting?” Lyle asked and waited.

  I stared him down, frostily. That was all the answer he was going to get.

  “Wouldn’t be my dog, J-Spot, by any chance…would it? Won’t matter, he’s being stood up anyway.

  “Old J-Spot and Jailbait, they both had a good laugh at my expense. They knew those guys were your brothers because their pictures decorate your bedroom walls, right? Jailbait told me that’s how he recognized them. I’m sure that’s how J-Spot knows them too.

  “You made a fool of me on national television and embarrassed me in front of my dad! I didn’t even know you had any brothers to meet!” he exclaimed.

  What I’m doing with any other single guy is none of Lyle’s business. But, I did feel a slight twinge of guilt over not introducing him to my family or even showing him their picture while we were dating.

  Of course, Lyle feels no regrets, whatsoever, about stalking me! So the guilt subsided, quickly.

  “That’s pathetic. Get a life, Slim Sticky…” I offered flippantly.

  Lyle was enraged. He was huffing like a bull and red-faced from anger. But, the pampered senator’s son hasn’t seen anything like a furious female gypsy.

  All the rage I had reserved for Audrey was now directed at Lyle Harring. I’m finished talking…

  Then suddenly, those shadows in the hallway filed into the room. Six other young men had been standing outside listening. They are obviously Lyle’s friends, but I had never seen them before. They were smugly staring at me with their arms crossed and appeared to be waiting for my reaction.

  “Like I said a minute ago, this isn’t how I envisioned this happening…” Lyle declared as he closed the door and the room started filling with thick, gray mist.

  The masked demon from earlier faded into a distant memory.

  The real evil was seven strong, standing in a line and hungrily staring at me.

  A pack of hungry wolves…preparing to feast…on their sacrificial lamb.