Drift (Drift Series)

by Dean, Michael

  As soon as I said the word vampire, Shade made contact with her dark blue ball. The news caused her to shimmy a bit, messing up her shot. She straightened and addressed my bold declaration.

  “Y-you’re telling me that all those missing people have been taken or killed by vampires?” We walked slowly to our balls.

  “Yes, those that are ‘lucky’ enough to be taken, are vampires now…forever in the service of Shimmer.”

  “Wow. There’s so much. Far beyond what I could have ever imagined. Very scary.”

  The sound of Shade’s ball rolling around in the hollow cup echoed in the background.

  “Yes, it is…on both counts.” My ball followed.

  “You’re different, and not because you’re a demon. That’s why I like you.” Shade smiled at me as we approached another section of the course. I didn’t respond, just looked at her with deep sincerity.

  “Let me ask you this. Since you all are eternal, can you ever be killed?”

  I bobbed my head up and down and grinned. “Yes, we can.”

  “How?” She stopped putting.

  “We’re spiritual, but are still under the rules of the physical world, although we’re all a lot more difficult to kill than your average human. In the case of a demon, there’s a dagger—a blade, if you will—my Demon Lord Christian possesses inside his walking cane. It is simply known to us as the Demon Dagger. This weapon was forged in the fires of Hell and is the only weapon that can kill a demon. The demon just has to be pierced by the blade and his spirit disappears. Forever. Never to exist again.”

  Shade delved further. “Oh wow. Does this hold true for everything else? What about goyles and vampires?”

  “If I could finish…” I laughed as Shade grinned back at me humbly. “The only way you can kill a vampire is to take the heart…physically removing it from the body. As for goyles, decapitation is the answer. Remove the head from their beautiful torso. One thing that isn’t myth, as I mentioned before, that works on all of us, is holy water. Doesn’t kill us, just cripples and stuns us, making us very weak. No matter what any of us do though, any angel, at any time, can see fit to kill us because they hold the power to do so being a spirit of light.”

  “Why don’t angels just kill you all off and be done with you?”

  “Heavenly law, the balance between good and evil, man must be tempted to prove his worth. So unfortunately, we are necessary to man, and to Heaven. Salvation is the prize for man. Saving your own soul while still trying to get into Heaven is the constant struggle.”

  The sound of my golf ball slamming into the last hole signaled the end of our round. We stood silent across from each other on the green turf.

  “I-it’s all so much to understand. So…overwhelming.”

  “Well, you asked. Just watch what you do here. Make smart decisions. Sometimes the hard road in life is the best road.”

  I directed her to something a little more satisfying.

  “Since things are so nasty to understand, why don’t we go and get your teeth around something sweet…Sandra’s chocolate avalanche. Even though, regrettably, I cannot taste a single, wonderful, fragment of flavor.”

  “Sounds fantastic! Sucks to be you, dude!” She quickly turned from somber to excited, leaning into me in order to show me our scorecard.

  “Well, it’s confirmed, I kicked your butt.”

  The score indeed indicated that she had defeated me. The two of us were so consumed by our lengthy conversation that the game just flew right by. I let her know I thought her distractions were part of her game.

  “Yep, I guess you did. What an opportune time for you to start quizzing me. Well played, little lady, well played.”

  “That’s what I do. Now c’mon, let’s go splurge…or at least I will, on some avalanche!”

  I promptly followed the now-skipping girl into the game zone and pizza parlor. She stopped at the entrance just inches in front of me, hinting for me to be a gentleman and open the doors for her. I did what was required.

  “Next I will dominate you in some race cart action!” she boldly declared.

  “Oh no, you won’t. You can’t distract me by conversation this time, girl.” I pointed my finger at her as she stepped through the double doors. She grinned mischievously as she went inside.

  We picked out a table and Shade directed me to sit while she went to get us some grub. Unfortunately for me, we were in the middle of all the chaos. Kids were running here and there, screaming. The sounds of what seemed like every game in the place, were set on the highest of volumes, persuading every person to come and play.

  Shade stood at the glass counter that held a million undersized, overpriced gadgets that kids can exchange for their winning game tickets. I couldn’t help but snicker and shake my head in disbelief at how many tickets it took to get just one of the smallest prizes.

  She returned, swinging her hands from front to back while snapping her fingers.

  “You get it done?”

  “The heavenly delight is on its way.”

  “I’ll never know, but I’ll pretend I do with every bite.”

  She slid her chair closer to the table. “What are the stories behind Shimmer, Agrelia, and whoever else?”

  “Look, are we going to spend all night talking about those I despise, or are we going to have fun and relax with one another? Are we on a date or an interview?”

  Shade giggled and finally called it quits with the questions by using her witty humor. “I thought a date was an interview.”

  Before I could match her light-hearted sarcasm, a server slid a mountain of calories between us. I fully admit that if I was allowed to be human for just a minute, this would be the time. When that plate clanked to a stop on the table, my eyes shot wide open. Here was a chocolate funnel cake sprinkled with powdered sugar that served as the foundation for what was resting on top. Sitting there was the largest scoop, or should I say shovelful, of vanilla ice cream I have ever seen in my entire demonic existence. Resting over the ice cream, like a chocolate hard hat, was a fudge shell that had whipped cream swirled around it. Then, I’m guessing where the origination of the name Avalanche came from, chocolate and caramel syrup ran from the very tip of this sugar mountain all along the sides and down to the plate, creating a thick moat at the base. It was capped off perfectly with multi-colored sprinkles. The final touch were the two exceptionally large spoons shoved in each side of it like a couple of television antennas. I marveled at the sight of this monster.

  “Thaaaar she blooowsss!” Shade appropriately stated.

  “When you’re finished eating that monstrosity, I’m going to have to wheel each one of your butt-cheeks out the door separately on a wide-load trailer.”

  Shade’s jaw hit the floor as she attempted to hide her shocked smile. “Boy, you better hush. Besides, you’re gonna help me, anyway. Enjoy your ash.”

  “You are a constant ray of sunshine, you know that?”

  She just blinked her beautiful eyes and opened her mouth to shovel in the first bite of avalanche.

  We chowed down on the pile of chocolate debauchery that I wished I could taste. Shade described her home life and her relationship with her parents, which sounded very loving and warm. She chatted about the Darryl she knew before he became the beast he was in the end. She even clued me in on how she suspected me of being the smoky figure that saved her that night before I admitted who I was. It was a nice conversation. This was the time I was hoping to get to spend with her, no Heaven and Hell stuff, no showing off, no friends dominating the subject matter, just Shade being Shade, and me being…well, as close to human as I have ever felt.

  “There’s somewhere I wanted to take you tonight if you don’t mind.” She plopped down the spoon on the now-empty avalanche plate. I couldn’t believe it; we actually finished the whole thing. “Have you ever been to the Gardens of Zeus?”

  I stuck out my lips as if pouting and shook my head no. I’d heard about the place but I had never seen it.


  “Good, because I’d like to go there after we leave here tonight, if that’s okay with you. I think you’ll love it.”

  I cleared my throat. “Whatever you want to do, as long as I get to do it with you, will make me happy.”

  She blushed and shifted her gaze to the collage of melted ice cream, chocolate, and caramel syrup that stained the empty plate—the only evidence of what once was Mount-Saint-Avalanche.

  “So, that means it will make you happy when I whip your butt again, this time on the race track?”

  Shade shot out of her seat, pushing it back a few feet, her chair screeching along the floor. As she bolted for the doors, she fluttered her fingers back and forth as if telling me to “bring it on.”

  “That’s it, chick. You’re finished.”

  I dashed from my chair and followed her. She ignored me, leaving me in the dust.

  The carts were so much fun that we raced them four different times. We laughed and bumped into one another every time we crossed each other’s paths on the racetrack. I loved every moment. It made me feel like I was a part of something better than some demon seed from the bowels of Hades. Her joy brought me peace and I savored every morsel of it.

  I also, oddly, enjoyed her ridicule for beating me all four races, making her a perfect five and zero against me for the evening. Something I hid from her was that I’d used my abilities occasionally on the track, not for my benefit, but hers. For instance, like me pushing some of the other drivers with my hands and causing them to burn out and crash into the sides of the track. This gave Shade quite the advantage over the other carts, not to mention I intentionally let her get around me even though she would turn around and mock me when she passed. I almost regretted it when she started a loser chant directed towards me. She chanted this while still racing on the track! But what the heck, a small price to pay for her pleasure.

  We calmed our adrenaline, rather hers, after the heated racing by tossing a couple of quarters into a video game. This time, I made sure I won.

  “Well, well, well. He finally emerges the victor. No wonder Hell had to have you, you’re too weak for Heaven, bud.” She lit into me as we stepped away from the game.

  “Eeeeeaaaasy. Eeeeeaasy,” I teased as she giggled uncontrollably. “Be lucky I was feeling generous tonight. I took pity on you.”

  “Oh yeah, right. I made you play by the rules and look what happened…senseless beatings. Enjoy your lowly video game victory.”

  “You just keep running your mouth. I’ll remember all this smack talking next time. I think you’ll find the results will be very different.”

  Without skipping a beat, she picked up on my hint. “That’s a date, boy. Besides, what are you going to try to do next time to beat me, cheat? ‘Cause you know that’s all you can do to defeat,” throwing her arms in the air without a ounce of shame, “the Golf and Cart Champion!”

  I shook my head in disgust. “Keep it up.”

  Shade just exhaled and chuckled. “C’mon, let’s go. I wanna show you the Gardens of Zeus.” She grabbed me by the hand and led me out of the noisy establishment. “This is my favorite place in all of Colorado, it’s gorgeous. You’re positive you’ve never been?”

  “Positive.”

  During the twenty minute or so drive, sporadic conversation filled the cab. What would be completely meaningless conversations to most, and probably to Shade as well, was packed full of definition to me. I was enthralled with her motions, her voice, and her demeanor in general. I was so into my feelings and thoughts for her that I barely heard a word she said.

  “Leo, didn’t you hear me? Turn here, dummy.”

  “Oh.” I complied with her request.

  After parking, we started a short hike up a small, winding, cement trail that was wonderfully landscaped. A line of solar lights led us through the middle of a tiny canyon. While we hiked, she informed me how there was hardly anyone around here most nights because you couldn’t see everything there was to see. By the looks of the parking lot, it seemed she was accurate. The handful of other cars must have been caretakers or workers. As we continued on, a handful of lighted signs related different facts about the area, and pointed visitors in various directions along concrete winding pathways. Shade was stern about following the main path, determined to show me what was at the top.

  “We’re almost there.”

  We walked side by side. Her hand reached for mine, this time not playful like before, it felt much more serious. It thrilled me to the core that she wanted to be that close to me.

  “Aaaahhhhh. Here we are,” she said as we topped the short hill.

  Shade politely pulled me forward. Straight in front of us was a spectacular view. The garden was aglow from solar lights. I finally saw what she meant when she said this place was full of sanctity and beauty. The landscape was absolutely breathtaking.

  I stood in wondrous awe. The scene was an explosion of colors. So many reds, blues, purples, oranges, greens and so on. The only thing that interrupted the precise arrangement were many winding walkways and the handful of stunning statues. I saw a cross, an angel, a handful of Greek mythological gods and goddesses…hence the name Gardens of Zeus…marble benches polished to a mirror shine, and picnic tables sprinkled here and there for people to sit and admire the spectacular sites hidden all over the place. All the bright green shrubs were precisely trimmed in perfect shapes. Some spiraled up in a corkscrew fashion, others were cut perfectly round; the more complex bushes were trimmed into more Greek gods and goddesses. One was so lavishly done that you could make out one of the deities holding a pitchfork of some kind. Even the air seemed different than anywhere I had ever been. It seemed lighter. I imagined an array of scents I could only dream of.

  In the middle of this overwhelming beauty, resting under a huge white painted arch that read “Gardens of Zeus,” was a large, layered waterfall statue that streamed flowing water into a gigantic base. People threw wishing coins into the tiled pool of standing water that shimmered at the bottom. In a sense, this lovely piece of architecture added the cherry on the top of this eye-gasm sundae we were standing in. The tranquil sound of the dripping water acted like some kind of beacon, guiding us around the area. Not to mention, the sound was hypnotic. It’s all that could be heard as one paced the grounds.

  I guess a look of eternal bliss must have been radiating from my face. Shade observed my every expression.

  “See? I thought you’d like this place.”

  “It’s awesome. How did you guess?”

  “By the look on your face.”

  “I figured since you told me that everything you get around, after awhile anyway, withers and dies, I just thought you’d like to see the bloom of life surrounding you again.”

  I couldn’t believe her caring words. This magnificent specimen of a human being actually took the time to plan an outing like this for something like me. No matter what it is that I am, or what I may have done, her only thought was to take me to a place of such vibrant life, such growth, that I could get a momentary escape from the mundane existence that was my fate. She was truly like an earthbound angel.

  “Thank you for this. This is the most beautiful sight I’ve ever seen.” I stared deep into her adoring eyes. “Well, almost.”

  She spoke not a word and drew me around the garden by my hand. As we walked, she occasionally stopped and buried her nose into the blooms whose vast fragrances I was certain filled the air around us. I constantly had to remind her that I couldn’t smell anything but smoke and she would squint her face and give me a “That sucks.” The only thing I could think to do in response was shrug and soldier on.

  We had almost arrived at the center of the garden. Shade tugged me even more ambitiously in the direction of the marvelous water fountain.

  “C’mon, let’s toss a coin into the fountain from under the archway. They say your fondest wish will come true if you honestly believe.”

  We stopped beside the base of the fountain.

 
; “Great, I wish my arm would not come out of socket from you yanking on it.”

  “Fine.” My weak joke backfired as she swung her hand out of mine. “I guess you don’t wanna hold my hand anymore.”

  “I didn’t say that!” I reached for her hand again.

  “Nope, you had your chance, demon boy.”

  “Fine, fine.”

  “Now, take out a coin and we’ll both toss them in at the same time, okay?”

  “Okay.”

  We reached into our pockets, selected a random quarter, and placed them on top of our thumbs.

  “Make a wish,” she ordered.

  I willed my wishes to the surface with everything in my soul. No question: I wanted to be with Shade for eternity, I wanted no harm to come to her, I wanted a second chance at life with her in it somehow. Yeah, I know, that’s three wishes. But one and the same.

  “You done?”

  I nodded.

  “Then, let ‘em fly!” she shouted.

  The coins flew into the air and plopped in the water, taking bizarre twists and turns before hitting the bottom of fountain. Playfully, Shade slapped her palms together in front of her face. “What did you wish for?”

  I looked at her with disgruntled sarcasm. “Why do people always ask what someone else’s wish is when they know it’s supposed to be a secret so it will come true?”

  “Geez, sorry I asked. Keep your little secret.”

  “Okay, fine. What did you wish for?”

  “I can’t tell you. It’s a secret. But you can still tell me yours.”

  I could only giggle at her extreme cuteness. “It was a two part wish. First part was for endless wishes, and the other was to know what your wish was.”

  Shade leaned back and laughed like crazy at my witty banter. “Very good, demon boy, but you’re still not gonna know what my wish was…at least not yet.”

  “Fair enough. I guess this doesn’t work after all. My second wish didn’t come true.”

  We laughed. I turned my gaze to the tall archway looming above. Shade stopped laughing and looked at it with me. “Beautiful, huh? A lot of people come here to get married.”