by Allen Dark
Nepolai looked at her funny. He couldn’t figure out where she picked that up from probably some class at school.
“Why?” She asked. He looked like he had something he was trying to get off his chest and rathered ask hypotheticals than getting straight to the point.
Nepolai finished off his coffee and handed the mug back to Bexley. “At the bar right before you got there this lady claimed that she knew everything about me and that she had been following me.”
“Following you?” She asked wondering why somebody would be doing such a thing.
“Yeah following me. She left this card before she left.” Bexley took the card from him.
“Leah?” She asked trying to figure out if she knew anyone by that name. She didn’t. “For how long exactly?” She asked hoping it just started a day ago.
“I guess for years. She knew all about me and my mom.” He said.
“Which means she knows about me and Aubri?” She asked hoping her assumptions were false. But they weren’t.
“Yeah she knows.” Nepolai said under his breath.
“What does she want? She’s got to want something. Why else would she tell you this?” She asked. She started to wonder if they were in danger of being exposed. Bexley started to understand how Nepolai felt when she was blackmailing him.
“I’m not sure what her endgame is but she did invite me to a dinner party tomorrow.”
“Are you actually going to go?” She asked.
“I’m considering it.” He said scratching the side of his head before yawning.
Bexley wondered why but she didn’t ask because at the same time she wanted him to go. She wanted him to see if they were going to try to expose what he and Bexley did. By his hypothetical question she could assume that Leah sparked some type of curiosity within him.
Bexley thought it probably better if she tagalong. “Do you want me to come with you?” She asked with a bit of hesitation.
“Why would you want to do that? Especially considering the relationship we have.” He looked at her as though she was getting herself into something she probably didn’t want to be a part of.
“Well I’m curious too. If they have information and know about Aubri and what we did to keep her alive, I should know. I should know if they plan to do anything that jeopardizes our freedom.” She said crossing her arms.
Nepolai’s first thought was no but he knew how stubborn she was and it would be a waste of time to fight her on it.
“Plus, I’m good with the blade or any knife for that matter. Your meeting with a group of people who might be just like you. It sounds like you might need someone to watch a back.” She said.
Nepolai eyebrows rushed to his forehead. “You got my back?” He asked. It was hard for him to believe. He was starting to think maybe she wasn’t so bad.
“Well for the night anyways.” She said.
Nepolai chuckled lightly. “I don’t need someone watching my back but I guess you can come with me.”
“Great! What’s the dress code?”
Chapter 9
Bexley had spent the whole night sleeping on the sofa with Aubri. She didn’t like it because it wasn’t as comfortable as her bed but she felt it was better if she stayed close to her since her uncle never came home. She moved back and forth from the L-shaped sofa to the soft cushioned chairs across from the sofa. Bexley had set alarms to wake her up every hour just to check up on her. So far she seemed to be fine and was out like a rock.
Aubri jumped out her sleep just minutes 9 am. She groaned and struggled to breathe. Her body was shaking and the way she sprung up from the sofa was like she was trying to fight her way to consciousness. Bexley rushed to Aubri and tried to calm her down and wake her up. She started screaming and crying for help pleading for someone anyone to save her.
“Help me!” Aubri cried.
No matter how hard Bexley shook her she wouldn’t wake. She noticed Aubri’s bandage had blotches of blood oozing from the sides were she had been scratching into her skin.
“What the hell?” She said. Bexley’s phone began buzzing from the alarm notifying her to check on Aubri. She gave her another shake but this time it was more heavy and rough. “Aubri!” Her yell bounced throughout the house and faded out along with Aubri’s cries.
Aubri opened her eyes and seen her sister hovering over her. She was finally able to wake from the cold black pit she had been dragged into.
“Are you okay?” She didn’t respond.
The morning sun danced across her skin revealing an enormous amount of sweat across her head neck and arms. Aubri slide her legs and feet from the sofa and started to feel calmer when she realized that she was back home. The spot she had been laying in was stained with sweat and the shape of her body.
Bexley ran into the kitchen and grabbed a glass of water and offered it to Aubri. “Drink.” She said. Aubri took the glass and down the water in one sweep. She felt refreshed and wet at the same time.
“I’m gross.” She said. Bexley took the glass back and sat it on the table before she sat next to her.
“Aubri, are you ok?” She asked. “Somehow you scratched through your bandage.” Aubri looked down into her shirt and seen the smeared blood in between her breast.
“I did that?” She asked.
“You must been scratching in your sleep.” Bexley said. She grabbed the cloth from the table and patted around the bandage. “Why don’t I to get you new one.”
“What happened? You know back at the bar?” Aubri asked. It was hard for her to remember much but she did know she didn’t come home last night falling asleep on the sofa.
“I would like to know the same. What do you remember?” Bexley asked.
“Well I remember being at the bar with you and meeting your friend?” Bexley nodded even though she didn’t consider him a friend. “And that someone had been screaming.”
“Screaming?” Bexley asked. She didn’t remember any screams.
“Yes. You didn’t hear it?” Bexley shook her head. Aubri’s face was expressionless. There was no way no one else heard that woman crying.
“How did I get here?” She asked.
“Nepolai. He helped me get you home. He carried you inside and then left.” She said.
“Who was he? She asked. “I don’t know what it was but there was something creepy about him. He looked to be fine on the outside, but he made me feel uneasy.” She said.
“He goes to Ohio State too.” She said hoping that would be the in the of her questions about him.
She was supposed to spend the night thinking and sleeping on what she should do about her uncle, but she still couldn’t come up with the decision. She would tell Aubri if she knew she would understand but it was hard for her to think that she would.
Bexley got up from the sofa and took the glass back into the kitchen and rinsed out the bloody cloth. When she came back into the living room she seen Aubri fiddling with her hands. She looked up at Bexley like she had been worried about something.
“Bex, where did they get my heart from?” She asked with almost a frown on her face.
“What you mean?” Bexley was now face-to-face with what she was trying to avoid. Why did it matter where they got heart from she’s alive? She shouldn’t be worried about that she should be thinking about the new life she gets to start and appreciate the time before she no longer has it.
“Before you came downstairs yesterday uncle Arthur mentioned that I was still number twelve on the waiting list. Is that true?” She asked.
“Yes, it’s true.” She said reluctant to even respond.
“How did I get a heart then?”
Bexley took a deep breath and thought about how she should answer her. Would she lie or would she take Nepolai’s half ass advice and tell the truth hoping she would understand. Either way she would be risking something. Her sisters trust if she ever found out or losing her sister because of her not accepting what she did to save her.
I can say it was an ac
cident or the universe giving us a chance to save your life. Bexley thought. She sighed scrambling to put a story together.
“When I was on my way to school there was an accident on broad and high.”
“A car accident?” Aubri asked.
“Yeah a truck had rammed into a van sending it flying thirty feet. I waited a few minutes for paramedics to show up.” She said.
“Why?” Aubri asked.
“To see if the passengers would be okay. The two men in the van were okay but the woman who was in the passenger seat look like she was in bad shape and was rushed off in the ambulance.” She said. Aubri’s covered her mouth as it hung open. “I don’t know what it was but something told me that I needed to follow them to the hospital. So I did.” She said.
“What happened to her?” Aubri asked. Bexley sat down on the sofa next to Aubri.
“When I got there I saw who I now know was the father and his son in the waiting room. His wife was in critical condition. There was nothing I could do because I didn’t even know what I was doing at the time. so I just waited. Even though I was late for my class I couldn’t get up and walk out without knowing if the mother would be okay.
“Jesus! That’s terrible. Did she make it?” Even though she was lying straight to Aubri’s face she felt as though the story was way too convincing and almost felt proud of herself.
“She um”. Bexley paused and ran her hand down her face. She shook her head. “No, a trama surgeon came out about a half hour later and the husband and son lost her. She was pronounced brain-dead. That’s when I realized why was there. If I could convince them to donate their heart to you directly you wouldn’t have to wait. You could skip the waiting list. I gave them some time but I knew I didn’t have that long so I came straight out with it and I told him that you had less than a few days to live.” She said. If that actually happened that would be extremely generous of them she thought to herself. She doubt it was likely that someone would actually hand over their loved ones heart to a complete stranger. I know I wouldn’t. She thought. “Of course the father didn’t just hand it over right away but I believe he understood that his wife was gone and there was no possible way that she would be coming back.” She said.
Aubri shook her head. “Damn that fucking sucks! A tragedy needed to happen to save another.” Aubri hugged Bexley and kissed her on for head before walking into the kitchen.
Bexley was relieved that she believed her story but hope that it would be enough for her to drop it and forget about it. From what she can tell if she would have followed Nepolai’s advice things could’ve went in a totally different direction. But for now her secret was safe.
Chapter 10
Nepolai pulled in to a circular court parking behind several other cars. He had driven Nora’s GLS coupe. To him it was doing her a favor driving it seeing though she never did. She favored her 7 Series BMW far more and as far as he was concerned it was just there to look pretty.
Nepolai got out of the car and looked up at the large mansion that had to be at least 10,000 ft.². He buttoned his sports jacket and walked to the passenger door letting Bexley out. Her red heels clinked on the pavement. She had worn a tight black dress that grew more loose the further they got down her legs. She needed maneuvering room for the knife she had strep to her thigh. Bexley’s hair was pressed back into a bun and for moment Nepolai thought she was stunning.
They walked up to the door climbing a small flight of steps to where they saw a gentleman greeting people as they entered. As they walked past the greeter they were both amazed at how lavish and elegant the inside was. A large wide staircase with red carpet stood behind a large chandelier hanging in the middle of the lobby making the marble floor glisten like gold. “Wow!” they both said.
“Have you ever seen anything like this?” Nepolai asked.
“This would definitely be the first.” She said. The lobby was full with dozens of people who were drinking, eating and laughing like normal people. As she looked around the lobby she was surprised by how normal everybody looked for the house to be filled with cannibals. For some reason she envisioned that they would be savage like and unable to resist eating the person standing next to them. What sane person wouldn’t? She thought. No, a better question is why would a sane person go to a dinner party feel with full of cannibals?
Leah came down from the staircase and she smiled when she seen Nepolai standing at the front door.
“Nepolai, I’m glad you decided to come.” She said reaching down placing her hand over the back of his. She looked at Bexley and her smile shrunk thin. “And I see you’ve brought a guest?” She said surprised as if she was sure she didn’t mention that he could bring one. Bexley took her hand out to shake Leah’s.
“I’m-.”
“Bexley.” Leah finish. She took her hand and shook it. “Your dress is beautiful. It’s very—" She paused. “Black.” It was similar to hers but Leah’s instead had been a dark rich royal blue. “How’s your sister doing? I’m assuming the surgery took?” Bexley’s head arch to the left just a bit. She was put off by Leah and her nosiness. It wasn’t her business to mind. She thought. She had a demeanor as if she knew everything about a you and probably better than you knew yourself. Leah smiled at Bexley it was even bigger than the smell she gave Nepolai.
She was enjoying Bexley’s confusion. Bexley didn’t respond. “I hope her new heart is doing well.” Bexley eyed Nepolai turning her head just a bit towards him as if she was waiting for him to move the conversation elsewhere.
“Sorry if I wasn’t supposed to bring a guest. Besides the dress code and addressed I didn’t really know what the rules were.” Nepolai said.
“No, it’s fine we have plenty of champagne and food to go around.” She said gazing back at the lobby. Leah looked at her watch. “I have to go but please grab a few drinks eat and appetizers and get to know our community.” Leah walked back to the staircase but instead of going up to the second floor she went pass them into a dark Hall that led into the back of the mansion.
Nepolai grabbed a few “appetizers”[DAB6] and handed Bexley a glass of champagne. His tongue flared with the flavor of X.
“Thigh muscle.” [DAB7]He said being able to immediately identify his food. It was so dark and moist from the fat. “Damn that was good!” He said before taking a sip from his glass.
Bexley barely had anything to eat today so when she saw Nepolai stuffing down the “appetizers” she grabbed some off a passing server. It looked delicious and she couldn’t wait to eat it. She held it to her mouth and opened it. Nepolai grabbed her arm. Before she could drop it in her mouth.
“What you think you doing?” He asked. He looked at her as if she was about to make a huge mistake.
“Would you mean? I’m starving.” She felt her stomach cave in a little.
“You might not want to eat.” He said. Bexley was confused. why would she want to eat it? She thought.
“Look around. You’re at a dinner party with cannibals.” She began to realize that the “appetizer” [DAB8]was more than just an appetizer. One side of her nose flared, and her lip arched beneath it. She gave the “appetizer” to Nepolai and watched him devour it. She was disgusted and didn’t know if she could make it to the rest of the night avoiding all food. She thought hopefully it wouldn’t be that long.
10 minutes had roughly past of Nepolai meeting new people who didn’t seem like what Leah was claiming them to be. Most of them seem like they were being watched and for the third time tonight he overheard somebody mentioned The Father. Nepolai wasn’t sure who this man was but he figured the longer he stayed the more likely it was he would learn more.
A shorter gentleman maybe 5 foot seven approached Nepolai and Bexley. Short rectangular glasses sat on the bridge or his nose. His comb back hair went well with his fine suit that looked like it cost more than Nora’s BMW. Though he doubted it.
“Ben.” He said extending his hand out to Nepolai. “As in Benjamin.” Nepolai took his hand. �
��You must be Caesar?”
“Nepolai will do just fine.” He said before letting go of Ben’s hand.
“And you are?” Ben asked holding his hand out to Bexley.
“Bexley.” She said forcing a smile and putting her hand in his. Ben turned her hand over and kissed the back of it.
“Bexley and Benjamin. Don’t those names sound beautiful together?” He asked but she didn’t respond. The last thing she wanted to do is be rude but she was growing uncomfortable. Bexley wasn’t the type of women who cared about sweet talk because she knew it was all a façade, a persona pretending to be the flesh and blood person in front of her. Maybe that’s why she was here with Nepolai tonight. Even though she found what he was and did disgusting she can’t argue with the fact that he was being his true self.
Nepolai took another appetizer from the passing server.
“I just love those, don’t you?” Ben asked. Nepolai nodded. “Have you tried the X[DAB9]?” Been asked.
“No, I haven’t seen any severs with them.”
“My god, There delicious.” Ben said.
“I hope they’re not all gone.” Nepolai said.
“I’m sure they’re not. They probably have some prepared in the back kitchen. Ben said.
“They better. If not I might have to kill somebody tonight and make it myself.” He joked, chuckling.
Ben laughed halfheartedly not sure if Nepolai was joking or not and kind of wondered if they really had any prepared in the back kitchen. He heard a lot about Nepolai and Nora and if he’s anything like her he knew that jokes were never jokes.
“How long have you been a part of—" Nepolai paused looting around the lobby. “Whatever this is? He asked.
“The community?” Ben asked
“It’s actually called the community?” Nepolai was curious to what kind of name it was for a group of cannibals. Although they didn’t refer to themselves as cannibal as if it was some derogatory term. Man-eaters is what Leah called them. Which actually sounds more derogatory. He thought.
