Mortal Desire

by Alexander Bryn

  The ping of the opening doors resonated through me as I arrived back at the ground floor, pulling me from my contemplative thoughts. I was confronted with emptiness of souls; so much for the queue for Elevator Thirteen!

  But I did have one more patron who entered my humble elevator.

  All of the other elevators were in service, and mine was the only one remaining. He had no choice if he was in a hurry, and it looked like he was.

  He flicked his overgrown brown hair to the side and paced in front of the elevators in his squeaky red converse shoes. He saw me waiting for him. He sighed and looked away before he dragged himself to Elevator Thirteen.

  ‘Hi!’ I said. ‘Which floor?’ I guessed it would be a residential floor. I had seen him in the elevator lobby many times. But he had never stepped into in Elevator Thirteen with me.

  Sweat started to bead on his forehead, and his skin had paled. ‘I-I-I need to get out of-out of thirteen, please,’ he stuttered, and shuffled from foot to foot like he was ready to run.

  I looked at him with concern in my eyes. ‘Why? Is it the number thirteen that bothers you?’

  ‘N-No. I heard that some enter thirteen and never return ... let me off please!’

  ‘Sure, but know that the rumour is untrue. I hope to be able to help you out next time,’ I said with gentleness of soul, piercing his blue eyes with my honey-brown eyes.

  I watched as he set a quick pace out of my elevator and headed to Elevator Seven. Johnno, the operator looked at me and shrugged, then disappeared into the building transporter. I watched the numbers above the doors illuminate as they whizzed by each level. It stopped at floor twenty-seven.

  Disappointed by the boy’s reaction, I cast my gaze out the large glass windows opposite my elevator. The sun had started to set, spraying the sky with shades of red, orange and yellow with a tinge of purple. I noted that Mrs. Rossetti had not returned with Selena yet. It was highly unusual for her not to return in daylight hours with Selena. I looked to the marble floor and an uneasiness swept over my gut. There was something wrong.

  At once, I entered Thirteen and shut it down from service, locking it with my key. I was well aware that I could lose my job for putting it out of commission during work hours. But Mrs. Rossetti was far more important that the two or three other patrons that would use my elevator in the next forty-five minutes.

  Without a thought for my Elevator Operator attire, I exited the building. The cool wind blasted into my face and neck.

  ‘Always keep your neck covered outside Liam. The other immortals will smell you. Do not trust any other immortal ...’

  I clenched my fists when I realized the huge risk I was taking going outside without covering my neck; the risk of being exposed as to what I was. But I had to be courageous. Mrs. Rossetti was in trouble—I could feel it. Her need was greater than my self-serving preservation.

  I stampeded across the busy roadway and into the park. I stopped at the entrance and looked from left to right to work out where she might be. It had to be the dog park. That is where Selena would meet her boyfriend.

  I followed the dog park signs and slowed at the sight of a crowd of people crammed around and focused on something. I could see Mrs. Rossetti’s black boots in amongst the jungle of legs.

  She was in the centre. And Selena was lying on the ground—covered in blood.

  ‘Excuse me please,’ I asserted as I pushed my way through the concerned onlookers. I squatted next to Mrs. Rossetti and held her hand in mine while I laid my other hand on Selena. Her ribs cage did neither rise or fall with breath. Life had left her, though her eyes remained opened allowing the emptiness of her body to be seen. Her spirit had left the Earthly realm and was released into the freedom of another dimension.

  I placed my hand over Selena’s eyes and closed her eyelids, wondering why, out of all of these obvious dog lovers, no one had already done that.

  ‘Rest in Peace Selena. We will never forget you ... ’

  Mrs. Rossetti placed her weary head upon my shoulder.

  I kissed her forehead. ‘I am sorry for your loss Mrs. Rossetti. Let me carry Selena’s body back to your apartment and prepare her for burial for you.’

  Mrs. Rossetti let out a deep sob, and struggled to her feet while I gathered Selena’s damaged bloodied body in my arms and held her close. I walked by Mrs. Rossetti’s side in slowness back to the apartment building.

  On the pathway directly before the revolving doors of the Metropolis Mirage, my skin prickled—three immortals were close by. While I waited for Mrs. Rossetti to compose herself outside the building, I discovered them to my right. They were dressed in black, illuminating the paleness of their skin profoundly. They were dark haired and tall, and gazed suspiciously at me.

  I was glad to be holding the blood covered Selena. She was my protection from being discovered as an immortal. The dog’s blood scent thick in the air would be enough to make them question what it was that they could actually smell. I became quintessentially conscious of my exposed neck.

  My mother had made it very clear to me to always cover my neck when out in the open. It had not taken long for the immortals to track me down the very first time that I exposed my neck.

  Their eyes were blackened by the enormously dilated pupils that indicated their desire for me, hiding the colour identity of their immortal species. Albert would be furious, possibly storming out of our abode right now to come to protect me.

  ‘Mrs. Rossetti, let us proceed to the elevator before the night chill catches us,’ I encouraged her, to distance us from the immortals who had taken a great deal of interest in me.

  She nodded, and we entered the lobby of the building. I unlocked Elevator Thirteen and entered it with my present company. As I turned to push the button for the thirty-eighth floor, my unwelcome visitors stood and watched us.

  ‘Friends of yours Henry?’ asked Mrs. Rossetti through her waterfall of tears and sobs of pain.

  ‘No, Mrs. Rossetti. I find them to be most peculiar. Not my type at all,’ I responded. Although I had more in common with the three immortals that I cared to admit.

  Upon entering Mrs. Rossetti’s apartment, I was led to the laundry room. I placed Selena onto a towel and proceeded to clean her bloodied body with a cloth, returning it to its previous whiteness, blow drying her fur and covering her in a sweet smelling powder that I knew Mrs. Rossetti used on Selena for grooming.

  I asked Mrs. Rossetti to find some linen to wrap Selena’s body in. But before I wrapped the body, I encouraged Mrs Rossetti to brush Selena and say her final farewell. I stood back with my head bowed as I watched Mrs. Rossetti in her grief.

  She sang to Selena, and spoke of her love for her. And finally she kissed Selena’s forehead, stroked her with trembling hands and gave in to the sudden sobs that overtook her fragile body.

  When Mrs. Rossetti stepped away from Selena’s lifeless shell, I stepped forward and carefully wrapped Selena in the linen with great care and respect.

  ‘Until we meet again dear Selena,’ I uttered, kissed my hand and then placed it on her wrapped body and closed my eyes. I smiled to myself at the vision that entered my mind. ‘Selena is happy Mrs. Rossetti, and she is thankful for the loving care in her preparation for burial. Would you like for me to make the funeral arrangements for her?’ I asked, trying to help ease Mrs. Rossetti’s pain.

  At first she didn’t answer, but after a while she replied, ‘Thank-you, but no Henry. You have been so helpful and sweet in coming to rescue us, and in taking care of Selena. I don’t know how I could ever thank-you ... ’

  ‘I was honoured to be able to help you Mrs. Rossetti. Let me know if there is anything else I can do for you,’ I responded, feeling Mrs. Rossetti’s deep sadness at the loss of her beloved pet.

  I made her a cup of tea and made sure that she was settled before I left her apartment.

  Once I was back in the elevator, I looked at the blood splattered over my uniform. A mess as it was, it had saved me from the thr
ee immortals. There was no doubt about that.

  Elevator Thirteen arrived at the ground floor and heralded the end of my shift. But before I opened the doors, I fussed about ensuring that the elevator was clean, free from any of Selena’s blood and smelling of roses as I liked.

  Content that the smell of death that had lingered in my elevator had been removed, I opened the doors, and looked up to the sight of the three immortals sitting on the white sofa.

  I looked briefly at them. At the rising of my heart beat, I turned to my left to walk towards the staff area to rid the blood stained clothes from me.

  I felt their presence and heard their quickening footsteps as they followed me along the marble floor. I stopped in my tracks and faced them. ‘Can I help you gentlemen?’ I asked in an authoritative voice meeting their eye contact.

  Their eyes narrowed as they looked at me, scanning my eyes, my face, my neck, my hands, my body.

  ‘Ah—no ... I thought that I knew you ... but I was wrong. Please forgive us for our seemingly stalking behaviours,’ the tallest one spoke in a deep voice, and then dipped his head at me.

  I returned the head dip but said nothing as I watched the three immortals leave the building. Their faces were burned into my memory for future reference. I wondered how much they knew about me, or even suspected. And for once in this Elevator Operator career, I was thankful for the honey-brown contact lenses that had prevented them from penetrating the windows of my soul to discover my immortality, as I had seen within their eyes. I knew that I must fear them, but why?

  I backed away before I faced the staff door to key in my code for entry. As soon as the electronically secure doors closed I started to unbutton my blood soiled uniform and headed for the showers where I stood, and let the warmth of the water wash over me, soothing my panicked state.

  I changed into my white button up shirt and acid wash jeans as advised by Albert this morning. I pulled on my long black coat, removed the honey-brown contact lenses and then gathered the plastic bag containing the uniform, and headed out into the cool night air, remembering to pull the collar of the coat up to hide every squillage of skin on my neck.

  I dropped the uniform off at the dry cleaner and made my way to the bar. I hoped that I had not missed my elevator comrades. They gave me some sort of normalcy in this human Earthbound life.

  The moment I entered the bar I spotted them sitting at the usual table that some occupied five nights a week for an hour at the most. I joined them. Their glances and nods acknowledged my presence.

  I recounted the dog episode to my elevator buddies. Some responded in revulsion at the preparation of the dog for burial, some were full of compassion and patted me on the back.

  I leaned back into my chair and looked around in silence while I listened to the banter at our table. My eyes were drawn to the bar.

  She sat there again; this time with the scum, Elliot McEwan.

  He sat closely to her, practically drooling over her while he ran his fingers up and down her spine suggestively.

  I walked over to the bar and sat on the stool beside her. I indicated to the bar tender for my usual scotch, then leaned over in front of her to help myself to the complimentary peanuts, brushing my arm lightly against hers to give her a jolt, enough of a shock for her to drag her eyes away from the scum and look at me, as I intended.

  ‘Ooooh—apologies. Would you mind pushing the nuts this way thanks,’ I said in a cool and calm manner. As soon as her eyes locked with mine she smiled.

  ‘Liam, hi!’ she said, with a little too much enthusiasm for my liking.

  What was going on?

  ‘Oh-ah-Sarah, is it?’ I replied, trying to sound as if I barely remembered her name. She nodded her head up and down, her red hair bouncing around her.

  ‘Liam, this is Elliott,’ she said, but didn’t elaborate on how they were connected. I proffered my hand to him.

  ‘Nice to meet you Elliott,’ I added and looked into the depths of his brown eyes.

  Trouble. It was there. Not for him, but for Sarah.

  He was already blemished with filth. I had looked into his heart, and had also seen his present desires.

  He quickly looked away from me. His unease at my presence was obvious.

  I lifted my scotch to them both. ‘Cheers!’ I added and then returned to the round table of my comrades, ensuring that Sarah was within my range of sight.

  I slouched back into my seat and watched as Elliot slugged his liquor and slammed down the shot glass onto the counter and demanded another one.

  Sarah looked at him with fear in her eyes. He ran his hand up her back and under her mid-length hair and stroked her neck before he moved closer, and ran his nose along her jaw line and kissed her just below her ear lobe. He placed his other hand on her thigh and inched it higher up her leg. Sarah scowled and pushed his hand away from her. She leaned away from his close proximity. He stared into her eyes and laughed in her face, grabbed her jaw and pulled her towards him, planting a covetous kiss on her lips.

  A tear rolled down Sarah’s cheek as she sucked in a gulp of air and moved her head slowly from side to side, her eyes wide with dread. The scum slammed another shot of liquor down his throat and stood with his large hand around Sarah’s upper arm. He whispered in her ear before he pulled her off the seat and dared to smiled at those around him. They looked away.

  Cowards!

  Abruptly, I stood up at my table and followed Mr. Elliot Scum McEwan out the door, leaving a little distance between us until I felt that it was the appropriate time to act.

  He dragged Sarah down a dark alley, knocking a bin over in his drunken state and then laughed like a hyena.

  ‘Let me go Elliot ... let me GO!’ Sarah screamed. She twisted and turned and squirmed to release herself from his grip, until he pushed her up against a wall.

  He shoved his face into hers while he unbuckled the belt to his pants. ‘I’m gonna give you what you want Sarah. All women want it. It is why you are here. Look, even the way you have dressed is telling me that you want it!’ He reached up under Sarah’s skirt.

  She was shaking, terrified, praying for her life.

  Without a sound I stepped directly behind Mr. McEwan. I could smell his adrenalin filled blood surging around his body with the ferocity of a lion about to pounce on its prey, seeking to devour and destroy.

  ‘Step away Elliott, while you can. Take your hands off the girl!’ I threatened in a low voice.

  ‘No Liam ... leave. He will kill you!’ Sarah choked out with words broken with fear.

  ‘I would much prefer to fight saving you Sarah, than to run away from a coward and watch you suffer at the hands of this piece of scum!’ I said with venom while I stared at the face of the low life.

  With a deafening yell, McEwan turned on me, and pushed me with force back away from him, giving him precious time to turn back to Sarah.

  He pushed her hard into the wall, cracking her head on the bricks.

  I lunged at him and reefed him away from her, and slung him into the bins. He fell to the ground swinging air punches.

  I stepped onto his useless arms and gripped him around the throat, positioning my thumb and forefinger on either side of his windpipe.

  ‘If I were you, I’d leave now ... ’ My voice was grave, and my words slow and articulated perfectly, full of rage. I had to expend a great deal of energy to keep my fury contained from doing some serious damage to Elliot, or even killing him. It would be so easy to kill a mortal.

  But I was not his judge. It was not my place to take his life. No matter how much I hated what he was about to do.

  His life time-line was more limited than mine. He had a much shorter opportunity to make peace with himself and to find where he belonged. I pierced his eyes with mine, planting the seed of need.

  He tried to avoid my eye contact like a dog with its tail between its legs. He would be back to see me. I gave him one final shove, and released him.

  He scuttled off like a marked
man with paranoia, constantly looking over his shoulder at me. I watched until he disappeared into the cover of the night. He would not forget our confrontation.

  I turned to face Sarah. She had come to and struggled to stand. When she did stand she staggered while she held her head. Within a second I was by her side supporting her weight as she tried to walk. The fifty metres back to the bar seemed a lot further, and I shuddered as I felt the icy wind wrap around my exposed neck, reminding me of my unexpected encounter with the immortals earlier today. I kept my head down, but my senses alert. I was not used to feeling so vulnerable.

  I shielded Sarah with my body as we entered the bar. I didn’t want the other patrons to look upon her with pity, or think the worst, labelling her. I grabbed my long black coat, and hers, and headed out the door to the waiting cab with her.

  ‘Hospital?’ I asked, concerned for her. She could easily have fractured her skull on the wall, or have concussion. The thud of her head as it hit the brick wall sickened me to my stomach.

  ‘Home. My mother is a nurse. She will know what to do—thank-you Liam,’ Sarah replied with her eyes closed, her hand supporting her head.

  ‘Good. I will walk you to the door, and leave when I am satisfied that you are safe and in good hands,’ I asserted.

  She nodded to me and gave the address to the cab driver.

  *~*~*~*~*

  The night mist had already set in by the time that I opened the door to the apartment that I shared with Albert. It was dark inside except for a dull light in the kitchen. I breathed out in relief that I would not be having a post mortem conversation with Albert about the busy day that had unravelled, and what I could have avoided.

  I filled a glass with water at the tap in the kitchen and leaned on the bench top while I drank it in to satisfy my thirst.

  ‘Interesting day Liam ... ’ It was Albert.

  I turned to face the direction of his voice. He sat in the wing chair in the corner of the darkened room. His legs were crossed and his hands were joined together at his chin. His eyes were dark and brooding, even in the dim light. I was in for a treat ...