Afterlife (Afterlife Saga)

by Stephanie Hudson

  He tried her again on her cell and as before she didn't answer. Ok, so now I was getting a bit worried, why didn't she leave a note or pick up her phone. This wasn't like her, unless her stomach pain had turned more serious and she did in fact go to the hospital. I walked into the kitchen and was just about to tell Frank to call the ER but he was already on the phone and it wasn't to Libby.

  “No, ok well thanks.” He finished and put back the handset on the wall.

  “She's not at the hospital.”

  “Ok, maybe something at work came up?” I said and he grabbed the phone again punching in the numbers impatiently. But before the phone could register the numbers the front door opened.

  “Olivia, where have you been?” Frank said in a relieved but frustrated tone. Libby looked innocently at our frowning faces and put a plastic bag behind her, Frank didn't notice but I did.

  “What, I just popped out for some Peptol Bismal. Jeez paranoid much,” she said as she walked past us and went straight to the bathroom, leaving Frank and I with the same expression.

  “Well, I called your cell like a million times babe and guess what...you didn't answer!” Frank was upset, that much was clear.

  “I was driving!” She shouted from inside the bathroom.

  “Since when has that ever stopped you?” Frank snapped back.

  “Well aren't you the one who’s always telling me to be more careful! And what's with the third degree?” She asked through the door. I had gone into the kitchen to put the kettle on and also to give them some privacy.

  “Well I was worried, I mean you're ill so I just thought that something could've happened...I mean Christ I called the hospital Libs!”

  “Oh honey, I'm fine, look I'm sorry if I made you worry.” And with that I knew it was over as I could hear the sound of kissing, so I got up and closed the door which made them giggle like teenagers.

  I couldn't help but think that Libby was hiding something, as the rest of the night she was acting... well kind of weird. For starters she stuffed her face full of the beef stroganoff I made and then she tucked into a tub of Ben and Jerry's Phish food!

  “Well, it looks like someone is feeling better,” Frank said as he too dug his spoon into the tub getting out some brown goo of chocolate. Frank had filled her in about our trip to Bobby's and she laughed until she cried especially when Frank added,

  “Yeah should have seen his shiny head, it looked more like a solar panel for a sex machine! Horny old bastard!” Then we were all in hysterics.

  “Well it looks like Keira is catching everyone’s eye.” Libby said nudging Frank as they shared a not so private joke. I just rolled my eyes and took my plate back into the kitchen, saying, “Kids” as I went passed them.

  The truth was I was still a bit freaked from what I had seen in Bobby's eyes. I just couldn't put my finger on it but there had been something deep and lurking about the way he looked at me. I tried to shake it off as I did with most things these days, but it still remained at the back of my mind. To be honest ever since I had met Draven I had felt something in my life clinging on, like my mind was being controlled by another entity. It had heightened my senses, adding another one, acting like a third eye. It was making me see things that I couldn't explain and who knows, it could even be controlling my dreams.

  I know thinking this was crazy but considering the facts, what else was there? That it was just all down to me and my imagination? Maybe the fact that I had seen monsters in people since I was seven had something to do with it. Either way I looked at it, the same conclusion always came up....

  There was something wrong with me.

  Chapter 25 - Weeks gone by.

  Things at the club changed after the Saturday that I walked away from Draven. Weeks had gone by and yet not a word from him. It seemed that he didn't take kindly to being disobeyed and my punishment was being ignored. He didn't even look my way when I went by and the pain of this got worse, not better. The one time I thought I was close to receiving a reaction was when he walked past me at the end of my shift one night. Only instead of a friendly word, I got an evil glare that made my fists clench and my heart pound in my chest. I was very close to screaming at him but thankfully I was still scared of him and my bravery from that Saturday hadn't lasted.

  Apart from my nights of being ignored at the club, my days had found a routine. I would spend my time juggling college and working, with the occasional night off, spending it with RJ and the rest of the gang. My problem was that the more time I spent with Jack, the clearer he was making his intentions. I tried to talk to RJ but it fell on deaf ears as she would have liked nothing more than for me and Jack to become an item. It made me wonder how differently I would feel for Jack if I had never laid eyes on Draven.

  I had soon got used to my new car and was loving the new found freedom that went with it. I took it in turns with RJ driving to College and it didn't take long before my glove compartment was filled with RJ's favourite CD's. Of course she preferred it when I took my car, as unlike hers, it didn't sound like a lawnmower on crack! She showed me all around the town and I took her out to eat at a Mexican restaurant to say thanks. It felt good to do this again, making me feel less like a teenager and more of the adult I was. We all went to the movies one night and they all laughed at me when I had called it the flicks. However, Jack's flirting never went unnoticed as he made every effort to be near me.

  I felt as though I belonged, a feeling I hadn't felt for a very long time. But at the back of my mind were my own demons inching their way to the front, never letting me forget the sense of security that I felt when I was near Draven. It would only stop when I was at the club making me feel as though I had come home. A piece of me was empty and that hole would only be filled when I was there. It was like the building itself was one giant entity that fed from my emotions. It wanted me there, it wanted to keep me and it was using Draven as the key.

  Then one day everything changed and I was once again thrown into a world I didn't understand. It had started just like any other day, the only difference being that Jack had asked me on a date and this time I couldn't find any more excuses to give, so I agreed. I was caught in the middle of a war with my mind and heart. Both wanted different things. My brain convinced me that after two weeks of silence and being ignored finally convinced me that Draven didn't want anything to do with me and no amount of wishing it, would make it happen. My heart, of course, didn't want to give up, so it hadn't been an easy decision. I just kept telling myself it's only a date, what's the worst that can happen?

  We had arranged for Friday night as I had the night off due the day shift I was going to do on Saturday. I had never worked the club in the day before so I wasn't really sure what to expect. I wondered if Draven would still be at his table as surely they couldn't just sit there every day and night, could they?

  I had two separate friendships with Sophia; there was the usual everyday one in class and the other very different one at the club. She had tried to explain it once to me but I told her that she didn't need to explain anything and that I fully understood why this was. She had a position to uphold and couldn't spend the time talking to me when I was working. After all she was one of my bosses.

  It wasn't as if she just wouldn't acknowledge me, she would always wave and occasionally she’d come up and say hi but you could tell it was frowned upon by her brother. In class though we acted like normal friends, laughing and joking about Reed, and she would do her usual trick of asking a million and one questions about me but never revealing anything about herself. She remained a mystery just like her brother. She never once mentioned him and I never asked.

  She did however ask about Jack, the day that he asked me out.

  “I noticed you were talking to Jack before class, any development there?” She said as she twisted a black barrel curl around her finger.

  “Yeah kind of, he asked me out this Friday night and I finally said yes.” She didn't look shocked, as if she had been waiting for it, k
nowing all along what he felt for me.

  “Umm that's nice, you’re not working then?” There was something off about her tone but I couldn't put a finger on it.

  “No, I have the night off but I'm in on Saturday,” I said trying to figure out her expression.

  She quickly dropped the conversation as Reed entered the room. My relationship with Reed had smoothed out after the misunderstanding was rectified and the evidence that my work was always handed in early and above all always received a good grade. This wasn't only down to the fact that I wanted to prove a point, in truth it was more down to whenever I spent any time alone with myself, my thoughts would be consumed by Draven and the only way to stop this was to set my mind on a different course. As a result I was ahead in all my classes.

  It was Thursday and I was working at the club tonight. I got in from college to find Libby home already and cleaning again. Lately Libby had been acting weird, ever since her stomach bug. She would clean constantly and eat everything in sight. I didn't understand her behaviour, as she had never been one of those cleaning freaks or one for over-eating. Granted before I came to live with them, there was mainly junk food and a microwaveable meal on every shelf of the freezer but they were also fitness fanatics. But Libby had stopped doing yoga and gave up her Pilate’s class at her health club.

  I was on my way upstairs after saying hello to the bottom part of her as her head was stuck in the oven cleaning it like a woman possessed, when it hit me! I ran back down the stairs flinging my body round the corner so fast that I almost slipped and shouted,

  “You’re pregnant!” Her head emerged from the foamy oven and she smiled.

  “I knew it! Why didn't you tell me?” I shouted not being able to contain my excitement. She got up and pulled off her rubber gloves, throwing them into the sink. I couldn’t help running up to her and giving her a big hug.

  “WOW, too tight, too tight” she said as I squeezed my arms around her.

  “Oops sorry, but come on tell me, does Frank know?”

  “No and I don't want you saying anything, not yet.” She said holding me back by my shoulders so she could look me in the eye.

  “Ok I won't but why? Is he not ready?” I asked not believing the question. I knew that he was ready to be a dad, anyone could see that when he was around other people's children... he loved kids!

  “It's not that, look there's a reason I didn't tell anyone this and you have to promise not to say a word!” She said holding out her hand for the special secret hand shake that we had made up as kids and still kept to its sacred seal. I placed my hand on hers and did the moves she knew so well ending in a disgusting spit in each palm rubbing them together. Of course back when we were kids we would just wipe our hands on our trouser leg but now we both got up and washed our hands, laughing.

  “So come on, spill it.”

  She took a deep breath and said, “Frank's got a low sperm count.” I couldn't help it but I laughed. I knew it was wrong and Libby didn't look happy about my reaction but I laughed more about the way she said it than the actual meaning behind it.

  “I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do that, it’s just way you said it, I half expected you to tell me that Frank’s a spy or something.” She rolled her eyes and continued.

  “Well, I have my first scan next week and I wanted to wait until after then, just to be sure...I don't want to get his hopes up.”

  I nodded and held her hand saying, “But when did you find this out and why didn't you tell me?”

  “I don't know why I didn't...I wanted to. It's just that I thought I would be jinxing it if it told anyone.” She squeezed my hand back before getting up to make tea.

  “I found out when you and Frank went out to buy your car, when you left it me got thinking about why I was sick and then I remembered I hadn't had a... well you know what, so I had to get a test.”

  “And that's why you were all weird about it when you got home?”

  “Well yeah, I mean I even heard my phone go off in the car and was about to answer it when I thought...no, I have to be extra careful now, as I might be living for two. It even slowed down my driving.”

  “So you went to get a test and it was positive?” I said passing her the milk out the fridge.

  “No I bought four tests and they were all positive.” I couldn't help my eyes welling up at the thought.

  “Aww Lib's that's great news, God mum is going to freak out.” She shot me a look and I quickly said, “Don't worry my lips are sealed as long as you promise me I can be here when you ring her.”

  We sat and chatted about baby stuff until Frank walked in and I realised that I would be late for work if I didn't get a move on. I ran upstairs grabbing my stuff and ran out to my car. I turned up five minutes late but because I was still wearing the stuff I had on for college, it made me even later as I had to change in the back room before I could start.

  “I'm sorry I'm late Karmun!” I said as I whizzed past him taking my first tray to my tables. When I came back for my next one he stopped me.

  “Umm sorry honey but Mr Draven wants to see you.” My heart dropped. This had been the last thing I was expecting. I couldn't help but ask,

  “What about?”

  “I don't know but he wants you to go over to his table now.” He said it as if he hated being the one to tell me this. Once again I felt like running. I had never been over to his table before and it was somewhere I never wanted to go. Not only did I have Draven to face but now I had to face a whole table of unfriendly faces! Sophia was the only one I wasn't scared of but against six others I didn't think it was going to make much of a difference. So I placed down my tray and took a deep breath, feeling as if I was about to be thrown to the lions.

  It was like walking towards the electric chair, I couldn't stop from shaking and I could feel my pulse pumping under my scars at what I was about to do. I could see them all as I got closer and their faces became clearer. But my eyes focused on the man that had requested my presence at his table. I decided that I wasn't going to speak. I would just nod. This was because I don't think I could have found the words even if I tried. I walked up the steps to the same level of his table and was stopped by the biggest guy I had ever seen. It was one of Draven's bodyguards, but this guy looked like he ate other bodyguards for breakfast.

  It was the same guy that I had seen that night when Draven first arrived. His face was scarred and full of potholes, his eyes were small and dark but rimmed with red. His hands looked as though they could have crushed the head of a cow and he reminded me of a Viking warrior. He stood in my way with his arms folded, which looked like hard work considering how big they were.

  “Ragnar let her through” Draven's voice ordered. I shuddered as I walked past him.

  Once I was next to the table I froze. It was like being in front of a king and his court. His sister looked up and smiled which gave me a bit of courage but not enough to get me to move or speak. I looked at the other two whom I had never seen fully but I didn't hold my eyes to them long as everyone was staring at me as though I was their next meal. It was like being in a confined space with every type of deadly creature and they were all thinking the same thing... Snack time!

  “Why were you late?” Draven said without looking at me and the others raised their eyebrows at the sound of his harsh words. I still couldn't find my voice and Sophia was about to say something to her brother but he held up his hand to stop her. She gave up and turned back around to face the front.

  “So...let’s have it.” He snapped with no emotion and my heart sank at his coldness. The anger I felt from this replaced a bit of my fear so I said,

  “It's personal.” Which wasn't a lie but my shaky voice made it sound like one. I bit down on my lip and tasted the blood as it cracked inside.

  “Right, well in that case you will work tomorrow night to make up for it!” Sophia looked up at me, eyes full of sorrow but my face must have got the message across that I wasn't happy because she quickly looked away.
The way he had emphasised the word “Will” was a clear indication there was no getting out of it.

  “Fine!” I said through gritted teeth and the man next to Sophia shot me a disapproving look. He was very serious and the huge scar that went down one cheek wasn't the only thing that added to his frightening face. All of one side of his face was covered in a strange series of tattoos that snaked around the scar, which ran the full length of his face. The black ink passed through the scar but the ink disappeared when it reached the damaged tissue. It made it look as if there were pieces missing from the design.

  Apart from this, he had a very serious handsome face with long platinum blonde wavy hair that fell down under the black hood he wore over his head. He was snow white and scary. He was also the first albino man I had ever seen. So when I received this look I couldn’t help but find my feet with my eyes. Draven shot him a glare and his eyes looked elsewhere. Then Draven spoke again.

  “That will be all.” And then he picked up a shot glass shaped like a claw that had been defying gravity by staying up on a single point. He shot it back and placed it back on a tray that Layla was holding out to him. Again the claw stood up, floating as she took it away. Ragnar the giant motioned for me to leave and I did gladly, without looking back!

  The rest of the night I worked in a red mist of anger. I couldn't believe that ten minutes of being late warranted that! Stupid rich pompous ass! Who the hell did he think he was? I just didn't get him. One minute he was acting like the most amazing guy and the next he was some scary bad ass godfather type. I finished my shift and changed back into my normal clothes, as if to make some point when I walked past his table to go home. Ok, so I didn't know what type of point I was trying to make but his eyes followed me all the same.

  When I got downstairs I was met by Jack and the rest of the gang. RJ had wanted to catch this band playing that was called “The Dizzy Bandits” who were a mix of punk and rock.