fiX - A ParaBnormal Fairy Tale

by Michael Golvach

“I don’t care...” she started, looking lost. “I mean, it’s not important that... It’s never been. It’s never happened before. You should be running. You should be holding your stomach to keep from vomiting at the sight of me. You should feel violated and used. You should be deeply ashamed and mortified. You should wish to kill me for making you a monster like me. But you don’t. You truly don’t.”

  “I guess.” David looked down and lifted his right foot to look at the shadow it made on the floor. “A little bird confirmed something for me today. A little bird we both know. Do you want to know what It told me about you, Melody? Cadence? Whatever your name is? About how equal we really are? About how wrong I am about who you really are? Or were?”

  “That wasn’t fair of It. But I shouldn’t be surprised It visited you. It knows what I won’t let myself... But It’s wrong. And It lies. It only seeks to fix Its own imperfections.” A tear shot from her left eye. It hit the floor before she could reach up to stop it. Then the same happened with her right eye. Soon, she began crying blood. Rivers of it flowing down her cheeks. Her eyes turned a dark purple and blood poured out from her mouth, nose and ears. She dropped to her knees, as blood seeped from the pores of her skin, and her stomach contracted violently. Her mouth spewing out gallons of dirtied water, that couldn’t have come from within her, as her body continued to retch.

  He rushed over to hold her. “What do I do now?”

  “You run, David. You run before I show you my true face. Run, David. Seeing this will not help you provide.”

  “But won’t seeing this help me understand?” he asked. “Like you say you want? Won’t this make me realise I have no option but to leave you? Won’t that happen? Without a doubt? And I thought you just showed me your true face. Was that a lie too?”

  “Well, yes,” she replied. “But you hold me in such high regard. You find me beautiful for reasons I cannot comprehend. You’ve made me feel desirable. That has weakened me. Weakened me to the point I cannot wait until later to do this. I would have spared you this and let you experience it happening to your own body when you were more seasoned, but, now, I feel powerless to stop it. This will horrify you. This will twist your mind. Run, David.”

  “Oh, gosh, You still can’t comprehend. That comes as quite a shock. Why don’t you just be straight with me?”

  He held her in his arms as she ignored his question. Draining of blood as her internal organs and skin liquefied. When the blood finished pouring out from within her, she lay in his arms,. nothing but muscle, sinew and bone in a bath of warm liquid. “Now you have to admit I disgust you.”

  “You’re not done yet,” he said. Sure he had no reason to know or believe what he was saying. “And that last part was a show.”

  “No, David, you’re wrong.”

  “Really?” David held her thin frame in his hands as she struggled to break free. Watching in awe as her skin reformed itself. Growing in rough patches, covered with a heavy white fur. Seeing her face begin to reshape as she twisted herself around. Howling as thick, bony limbs ripped out from between her shoulder blades and her bloodied, damp, taloned wings spread up and out.

  “Let me go,” she roared as she raised her head to face him and opened her mouth wide, exposing her secondary and tertiary teeth. Sticking her extra sets of choppers out in front of his face, threatening to bite. “You can be such an unbearable little brat sometimes.”

  David released his grip and she faced him on all fours. Like a giant wolf with wings, air holes for a nose, big blood red eyes and way too many teeth.

  “Now what?” David asked her as she shook the blood from her fur and scratched at the floor with the spiked nails of her front hands. “I should scream and go running away? Where to?”

  “You are not hallucinating, David,” she said, just as he was beginning to think all those other drugs he’d experimented with in his youth might be coming back to haunt him. “This is not the illusion. This is the reality. Do you understand now? Do you finally see, you insufferable stumbling block? You soft-hearted, pig-headed, blind monkey? Will you finally let me be happy?”

  “Am I what’s been standing in your way? This whole time you’ve been here? During my childhood and adolescence? Am I the reason you’re unhappy? Is it all my fault?”

  Her wings flapped wildly and slammed into the floor, their talons etching into the carpet and tile underneath. “You... I... Apologise for calling you a monkey. That was unwarranted, but...” She roared again. This time something unintelligible. Perhaps something that made sense wherever she came from. “No. But we must make haste back to my beloved’s home.” She snorted blood from her air holes. “Why must you make everything so difficult?” She crept closer. “We have to go now. It’s getting late.”

  “Really? And why do we have to hurry, if we have so much extra time here, in relation to time on the physical plane, when we’re semi-solid? Were you trying to get this over with as soon as possible? Because we didn’t really need to rush to kill those two. We could have become less solid and taken a week. It’s okay, though. I get it. The less time you have to suffer me, the better.”

  He took her left front hand in his, as she regained her balance, and kissed the bloodied fur on the top of it. Then he turned it over and kissed the palm.

  “David, please,” she said. “I wasn’t trying to make sure we had less time together... Okay, I was, as you say. But you should be thanking me for that. And kissing on the palm is far too intimate.”

  “But sucking on my tongue isn’t?” he asked. “Seeming like something I could love wasn’t?”

  She could feel her physical face crying. “You’re only making this worse for yourself, David. You’re not the one. No matter what It tells you. Trust me when I tell you that by running away from me. From seeing this and running in horror, you’ll be doing yourself a favour. This is a gift I’m giving you. If you make me feel any more conflicted, I told you before, things will become much more complicated.”

  “Why? If I run, the rare things that follow me won’t come here anymore. If I run, I can’t provide.” He cradled her spine, that flowed up and down like a snake, laid her in his lap and softly kissed and stroked the fur between her eyes. Hearing the sound of a mobile, and the hum of a familiar tune, in the distance. As he did so, her wings wrapped around him as if to shelter him from harm. And she began to reform. Taking human shape again. His Melody for a moment. Older and even more beautiful. Her features continued to shift until she became Cadence once more. And the more she became human, the more he was able to excite her senses and, soon, she found herself exchanging pleasure. Being dominated, as David controlled the self-sustaining pleasure circuit between their mouths.

  “Because...” She fought to control her jaw. “Because...” Her eyelids closed, and her eyeballs twitched uncontrollably beneath them, as her arms dropped to her sides and she grew damp between her thighs.

  He heard her voice inside his head. You don’t really want me to love you. Just like Brent doesn’t really want to love me, or suffer my presence, yet. He’s a prisoner to his hunger, and you are my partner on this ugly and treacherous path to my redemption. Nothing more. Just a guest. A helper.

  “Brent’s a prisoner to his hunger for you?” he asked. “If so, why won’t he so much as kiss you on the cheek?”

  No, David, she said. A prisoner to his hunger for the meat. If you don’t understand, you will soon. You’ve tasted it. Everyone in this town has. And they’re all hungry. Worse yet. They think they’re starving. They believe they need it.

  “So what we had for supper this evening was—?”

  Human, she finished for him. Yes.

  “A whole town of cannibals? How about that? It could be worse, I suppose. They could be religious fanatics or militia gun nuts. I didn’t fully understand it until we were halfway through tonight’s little adventure, but I guess it all works out. I don’t get killed, you get your snacks.” David looked up and back, recalling the meal. Not remembering it tasting any di
fferent than how he’d expected a steak to taste. “But, human meat. That’s... Well, at least it didn’t taste like chicken. But that’s why he’s loyal to you? That’s why you think...? How is taking people’s lives—however good or evil the world may judge them, however good or evil they may be—going to redeem you? For what? And in whose eyes?”

  Please, David, she said. Don’t insist on arguing these points now. Not after what we’ve done. I’m feeling weak. We’ve just begun to feast again. The truth of it is, I don’t need the provision. I only provide it, and partake of it, for my beloved. So he will love me, truly, one day. See me the way you do when your mind lies to you... I mean, when I’m not myself. I owe him that. ...And please stop. You’re confusing me terribly.

  “But isn’t the provision what’s making you ill? And has he ever seen you that way? How you say I do, which you claim is different than how everyone else does? In all your years together, has he?”

  No, but... she said, becoming more confused.

  “Maybe it’s the waiting, then. For him to love you. Maybe you need to find someone else. Someone who appreciates the beautiful and devoted woman you are. When you present yourself that way. Someone deserving of your affection. There are plenty of good men out there, Cadence.”

  And you? she asked. Stupid question. But if I learn to love you. If I make myself feel, and look like, what only you seem to consider desirable, and you, as you say, become addicted to that. If that happens and you use... Me. Then, even worse than the heroin, you will be a slave to your addiction forever. Nothing will stand between you and your drug. Like nothing used to be able to stand between you and the poison you shot in your veins. You will do anything to have me and you will hurt yourself and others without thought for the consequences. You’ll hurt Juno and you’ll hurt Brent and you’ll hurt yourself. You will do it all to satisfy your addiction. How could it be right for me to do that to a loved one to find redemption? And David...

  “Yes, Cadence.”

  If I learn to love you...

  “According to that little bird,” David replied. “You already did once before. And, as far as addictions go, I think human meat qualifies, based on your list of its nasty side-effects.”

  ...If I let myself love you, I’d be impossible to kick. And I don’t want to hurt you any more. Please don’t make me do that.

  That thought, she could sense, gave him pause. But for the moment, perhaps for the remainder of the evening, it did not stop him from loving her, or making her feel desirable.

  But, for now, she continued. Just shut the fuck up and keep kissing me. Don’t ask why. Just... please?

  “Cadence. Your language. My goodness.”

  He fed the circuit between them, combining their capacities to distribute pleasure and creating a synergistic surge that took them both to heights they’d never before known. She had made him her equal—or as close to that as she could—and, just as she could do to him if she wished, he made her lose all sense of time. And, for the first time in her life, she thought she might truly know what it was to feel fully human. The sensations of the flesh, and the warmth she felt emanating from David’s heart, into hers, overwhelmed her. And she became, for those moments, more capable of experiencing love and passion than any living thing she had ever consumed or tasted.

  “...This is not a fairy tale... And you are not going to ruin this for me.”

  I’m hovering above Its bed as It shares the floor with my favourite monkey and the diseased monkey sleeps beneath Its sheets. Breathing in and out choppily, most assuredly dreaming of the disgusting monkey—or any monkey other than my favourite—and molesting the pillows.

  Its monkey form lays unconscious on the floor. Far too far away from my favourite monkey. Although I must admit I’m glad the distance between them is getting smaller.

  But It’s really out now. Its monkey form asleep and Its self not active. Not planning or scheming. Still and silent. Drained from Its night of showing my favourite monkey how to help It please the disgusting monkey It wishes so desperately to satisfy.

  But right now, I can’t even be sure what I knew less than seven hours ago is still true. My favourite monkey has been doing well. Attacking It from every side and wearing away at Its every defence. And, though it doesn’t entirely baffle me, I’m as sure as I can be that my favourite monkey isn’t pulling It back on the straight and simple path Home because he fears me.

  My favourite monkey is doing it because, though he’s known It in Its true form—albeit messy and not as beautiful as It would be if It cleaned the human filth from Its fur, feathers, wings and mouth—he still desires It. Which makes no sense to me at all.

  But my favourite monkey doesn’t care about what’s beneath the façade. I’ve always known there was something wrong with him, but he’s already mentally categorised Its true form with the mask of flesh and hair every monkey wears to cover its muscle, meat and bone.

  And with It being so far gone—so utterly exhausted from the night’s activities—I can’t feel whether that has angered It more or made It soft.

  Either way, I feel certain It will wake in Its monkey form and It will be confused. Angry, perhaps, but most certainly feeling lost. Either is bad news for the disgusting monkey and that’s a step in the right direction.

  The separation is beginning, whether It wants it to or not, and my favourite monkey is doing what I desire. Yet, now that my favourite monkey has seen It and accepted It, It’s becoming stronger and my vision of his ultimate aim is becoming more blurred and indeterminate. More loose ends to fix up. I feel certain my mission will end with him, but I no longer feel sure my mission will end as cleanly as I’d intended.

  Something inside me tells me my favourite monkey might not want to let It see Its way Home, which would release me. But my favourite monkey doesn’t really know the truth of anything yet.

  “...This is not a fairy tale... And I have so many more nightmares prepared for you.”

  Brent knocked on Cadence’s bedroom door at 7:24 in the morning the next day. It was Monday and he had to get to work, but he wasn’t going to leave without first offering his new guests breakfast.

  “Hey,” he said after he let himself in. Lightly shaking Juno by the chin and watching the saliva on her lips and tongue glisten. “Are you awake?” Her lower lip brushed against his thumb, and he quickly looked at Cadence and David, his face betraying irrational fear.

  “No.” She blindly grasped his thumb and sucked it, forming a seal. Making sounds of contentment. Allowing him to slide it out of her mouth slowly as she bathed it with her tongue and his heart pounded hard in his chest. “It’s a spelling bee. When is my plane coming? I made some chocolate.”

  Brent smeared his hand on his jeans, wearing a well-rehearsed look of disgust on his face, that didn’t do anything to disguise the bulge in his jeans, as he moved to shake Cadence and David. Cadence was out like a light, but David woke immediately.

  “Morning, Davey,” Brent said. “Seems the ladies are going to be sleeping in, but I thought you might like breakfast. I’m cooking sausages and eggs. Sound good?”

  “Yeah.” David rubbed his eyes. “I’ll wake Junie. Is Cadence...?” He pointed over to her, seeing the vacant smile on her face and noticing her eyes twitching beneath their lids. “Is she okay?”

  “Yeah. She’s a really heavy sleeper. And she’s a really vivid dreamer. I wouldn’t touch her if I were you. I give her the one shake in the morning. Sometimes three. And, if that doesn’t do it, I wait to see her in the evening.” Brent carefully checked once more to make sure Cadence was actually still asleep. “I pushed it once. Just once. Shook her until she woke. That was scary. Never did it again since. I think she has horrible nightmares. She woke and just started swinging. She’s got some strength when she wakes up. I thought she was going to kill me. I think she wanted to. She never did tell me whatever it was she was dreaming about that made her so violent. I only asked the once. Who knows, right? Why push it? We have a good thing.
”

  “Yeah,” David said. “No sense in ruining it. I’ll see if I can roust Junie and meet you in the kitchen.”

  “Cool.” Brent closed the door behind him.

  David got up and shook Juno. “Hey Junie, are you still tired? Do you want to sleep more? Brent’s making breakfast.”

  “No.” Juno pouted and shrugged him off her shoulder. “You stole my pencils and now I have to make the blender work.” She pulled the blanket up slightly. “The yummy thumb disappeared. Leave me alone or I won’t be able to fix the baskets.”

  “Are you sure?” He looked at Cadence’s unconscious body and grinned. “This morning’s special is eggs à la Strange and a big breakfast sausage, served in Brent’s lap. He’s got a place underneath the table all set for you.”

  Juno licked her lips and drooled a bit on the pillows. “There’s a creepy little man in my tummy. He says he wants me to play his banjo.” She rolled over onto her stomach and turned her head away. “The monster is going to spill the gas if I don’t wash the sponges.”

  David looked at her and left the room, closing the door quietly, stifling a laugh at Juno’s half-dream speech.

  He met Brent in the kitchen. There were only two plates prepared. “Didn’t figure she’d wake up,” Brent said. “Women can sleep all day, I swear. Especially after a dark, rainy night.”

  “Beauty rest, I guess.” David sat and poured himself a glass of orange juice. Taking three bites of sausage before he remembered what he was probably eating. “Tasty,” he remarked. He wondered if they were still eating Guatemalan or, perhaps, sampling the fresh Hillbilly he and Cadence prepared for consumption overnight. Not feeling sick, like Juno the previous evening, but starting to feel conflicted about killing another human being for what didn’t seem like a necessary reason.

  “So,” Brent said. “More provision?”

  “We’d have to ask Cadence,” David said. “Have you ever done that?”

  “What? Bring home the bacon, so to speak? No. I don’t know how. My way would be too messy, anyway. I’d probably get myself killed.”