Crystal Bella

by Marty Christopher

  “Of course not, bye.”

  “I would offer you a lift, but I have some very important work to do.”

  A replay of Topper Copper was coming up in 20 minutes and he knew he might miss it if Lenard lived far away.

  “I’m fine to get a taxi thank you,” Lenard said.

  “Just follow your balls, you’ll be fine.”

  Lenard was unsure what he meant by that but he didn’t want to ask. He left, found a taxi and was driven home.

  Lance returned to the main area of the police station. He saw Tom coming his way. He had just got off the phone from the hospital regarding the condition of Chuck and had smelt smoke and was on his way to locate it.

  “It’s a non smoking department here, Lance.”

  “My apologies, it was for effect, for the bird, that was all. They are herbal and from New York, but I guess it’s still smoke. So I’ll refrain in the future....or I’ll try very hard.”

  They both headed back to their main office.

  “I just got off the phone before from the hospital. Officer Bobby Hanson (Chuck) has a fractured vertebrae and a fractured humerus. He will be off work for a while,” Tom said.

  “That’s really sad, he’s a good man,” Lance replied.

  Lance walked over to the side and poured himself a coffee and then took a seat.

  “I never had a good feeling about this project Bobby was on. The name he chose, I just didn’t feel it was the right call.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Going by the name of Chuck. I just felt it was dangerous. Sounds too much like duck and we know what happens to a duck…”

  Tom was unsure what to say, uncertain what happens to a duck. He just stood there and to change the subject he said he had to go and file a report. Lance could see him about to walk away so he kept talking to make Tom stay.

  “He should have just changed his name slightly from Bobby to Booby, that would be better, far more suitable. Booby is a name of a bird by the way, they have spectacular feet, so colorful. You have the blue footed, the red footed and the masked booby.”

  Tom slowly walked away, Lance wanted him to stay. “Those bloody masked booby’s!” Lance said, and as he took a sip of his coffee it gave Tom enough time to bolt and leave. Lance was by himself now and with that privacy started whistling bird tunes. He did his best to imitate the Moa bird and the Kiwi bird and tried a combo.

  Tom was a few rooms over talking to his boss and they could hear Lance.

  “What the hell is that noise?” Tom’s boss asked.

  “It’s Lance.”

  “Sounds like a retarded Eagle has entered the building and having an eating frenzy on a half dead carcass!”

  Tom went and filed his report. Lance eventually finished up with his bird whistling and was walking around doing very little just counting down the minutes to Topper Copper. Tom came back and sat on his desk and starting reading through one of his community newspapers. He came to a page with a picture of an old lady and it was an article on how she had scared away a burglar with her fire arm. It was the same old lady that had shot at Christian, Carl and Ethan. She had a big grin in the photo, she looked quite cool, very street smart.

  “Hey Lance isn’t this the call out you went too?” He yelled out. Lance walked over.

  “Indeed it is,” he said looking at the picture. “I remember this very clearly. I was watching Topper Copper at the time and it came through as a drive by shooting. No way my balls told me and sure enough after finishing Topper Copper I turned up and it was just a break in and she had scared them away.”

  “Interesting.”

  “Yes it was. She had a gun attached to her knickers.”

  “Dangerous.”

  “Very. I would’ve liked to have known her 10 years ago.”

  Tom didn’t know what to say to that and gave a nervous whistle and then thought, shit I’m becoming like him. Lance continued talking.

  “She seemed pretty chirpy considering what had happened. It was like her day in the lime light. It was quite a happy story in the end, no one got hurt, she chased them away and I believe the community is tighter for the experience. As for the gun in the thong, I simply said, if you’re gonna do that, get a proper leather upholstery.”

  With that all said Lance left and went to the cafeteria that had a TV. He passed another police officer on the way.

  “Topper Copper’s on!” he excitedly said.

  He turned on Topper Copper and sparked up his cigarette and said aloud, “last one for the night. I promise!”

  The old lady from the shooting was at home looking at the same community newspaper. She liked the photo of herself. She looked edgy she had decided, a rough diamond with a quirky smile. She had not had any speed for a few days now and was regaining her senses back. She turned on her TV and saw that Topper Copper was on. Not her thing, too soft. She put a video into her recorder instead, one of her favorite movies about an older woman with a gun who didn’t care much for men, and sparked up her joint. She fast forwarded it to her favorite part where the main character comes back for revenge on her past lover. She loved this part.

  “Get the mongrel. Get em. Get the bloody mongrel!!” She yelled.

  ~~~~

  At the college party, it was 12.30 and the party started to wind down and everyone was leaving. Most heading off to another venue to continue to party.

  Ethan and Kali left and they both walked hand in hand. Just the faintest of rain as they walked outside, but it felt good to feel the mist. They headed towards Ethan’s car. The night flowed on, the many strange looking students in their costumes all entering the night. A new night emerged now as most seemed to seek adventure. Ethan and Kali blurred amongst those walking the similar path until they were separated and found themselves just walking alone.

  “I hope Christian is okay,” Ethan said.

  “I hope the other guy is okay, Chuck?”

  “Yeah I'm sure it's not his real name though.”

  They kept walking and were holding each other. Holding hands was good but sometimes cuddling was better. It felt good for them both to be gliding along going through the night and it seemed fitting to finally be by themselves. They arrived at Ethan’s car. The slight rain had stopped but it had kept their skin moist. Ethan looked at Kali almost in awe that he was with her, holding her, looking right into her eyes. He felt like 16, he was with his angel and Kali looked so young, it was as if she had transformed into a 16 year old girl. It was so innocent and pure that their moments together were intermixed with so many feelings of different times and right now they both felt like teenagers. They sat on the bonnet of Ethan’s car.

  “Do you believe in fate?” She asked.

  “I believe in destiny.”

  “We were destined to meet each other, no matter what, weren’t we?”

  “What do you feel?”

  “I only recently started to really wonder about those things, you know, the deeper reasons in life…so yes I do. What do feel young man?”

  “We came together, it was always going to happen in divine timing. I saw you at college, the next day at the cafe, perfect synchronizing.”

  “How does it form like that?”

  “It’s a plan, it’s meant to be, the universe plays its part. I get the feeling it’s done deeper than the surface... like they’re on a more deeper, finer frequency than us.”

  “We’re like the computer and the universe, the angels are like the software?”

  “We’re like the computer, they are like the blueprint of the software.”

  “I like that. Wow, I say that a lot with you. So who are you and I within the blueprint?”

  “Ooo that is deep,”

  “A moment where you have to pretend we have known each other longer and be transported to the future?” She looked so young and pristine when she said that to Ethan and he just giggled.

  She kissed Ethan’s mouth. Ethan had slipped off the bonnet and was now standing facing Kali as the
y kissed, then Ethan pulled back. He just stared, and she stared back.

  “I like the full moon, it gives you the perfect light to your face,” he said.

  “You too. We’re a lovely match for this blue moon night. I'm afraid I’m going to run off the stage during my lecture and just start kissing you.”

  “You might get in trouble.”

  “Who with? I’m the boss, we’re both the boss, but at school I’m the boss, there’s no disputing that.”

  Ethan was making her more hyper than normal as he was bringing out the child in her, the playful girl that had been buried more than she had realized. She leaned into Ethan, fully aware of her powers now and said.

  “As the Professor and you my student I'm going to tell you what I need to do to you, okay?”

  “Okay, I like that idea.”

  “I'm going to kiss you and bite your mouth.”

  She leaned in and gently touched Ethan’s lips on hers and slowly, sensually bit his lip. It felt so good and it was just like in the ether when she bit his lip there. Heaven on earth, was coming together, the ether and this world were inching closer.

  ~~~~

  They jumped into Ethan’s car and he pumped up the sounds. The vampire and the angel boy and they drove away into the night. As they were driving Kali asked.

  “Are you okay to drive?”

  “Yeah, I’ve only had four beers.”

  “Lucky. I’ve only had three wines. So I think you’re in a better place to drive. You know, a girl, smaller body and a little more alcohol in the wine.”

  “And would I let a vampire drive my car when she’s had a few blood wines? Hmm? I probably would only because I’m love drunk.”

  “I could make you do anything couldn’t I?”

  “I would do anything to you.”

  “I would let you. Would you put it in anywhere?”

  Ethan looked over to her as he drove and they both cracked up laughing looking at each other.

  “Okay maybe I’ve had four wines,” she said.

  Ethan arrived at Kali’s house. He turned the motor off and lowered the music. They could hear the light rain falling on the vinyl roof of the car. The rain sounded different on a soft top to a normal roof.

  “Sounds like we’re in a tent,” she said.

  “I know, it does. I had a Red Indian tent as a kid, I loved it.”

  “We will have to get one and sleep in it together.”

  “Yeah, cool, we will. Oh...I need to take a photo of us.”

  Ethan grabbed his camera out of the glove box. Kali leaned over half sitting on Ethan and he took a shot of them both.

  “I don’t know how that will come out. I had my mouth open,” she said.

  “I think you will look fine with your mouth open.”

  Kali had her bum on Ethan’s lap and she curled up to him and looked into his eyes and said.

  “I could say anything and you would still adore me, that’s how I feel.”

  She giggled for a moment after she said it but Ethan knew what she was giggling about. She said he would adore her no matter what and for a glimpse it sounded almost big headed, but it wasn’t. She was just being honest and she didn’t need to explain to Ethan, he knew. They could read each other’s thoughts now and he did adore her, no matter what, and always would.

  Eventually Ethan walked Kali to her front door. He gave her another kiss and walked back along the path to his car and drove home thinking what a night.

  ~ CHAPTER TWELVE ~

  THE ONE

  Ethan was lying in his bed, he had a cordless phone with him and he dialed up Kali. She answered it.

  “Hey you,” she said.

  “Hi.”

  “Beautiful angel, I’m half asleep still, but luckily I have a phone in my bedroom.”

  “I just woke up and thought of you immediately and I had to call. I had too.”

  “I’m so happy you did. I knew it was you before the phone rang, I was thinking about you also.”

  They kept talking for a small while. It felt good for both to be in bed, warm and cozy and to hear each other’s voice, that was how it should be was the feeling, when they were in bed they should hear each other’s voice. Ethan really wanted to be with her.

  “Can I come round?”

  “Um…yeah, okay. How far away would you be?”

  “30 minutes.”

  “Okay…I’ll see you soon. Bye.”

  She hung up the phone, “Fuck!”

  She was not used to getting ready so fast but she had to say yes, she had to see Ethan.

  Ethan had the quickest of showers, threw some clothes on and was off in a flash. He saw his mom on the way out, he gave her a hug and a kiss and headed out the door to see Kali.

  Elisabeth had a friend over and her car was in front of Ethan’s. He would have to get her to move it, but then he remembered he had a bike now so he decided to ride to Kali’s on his banana bike. He was running a little early anyway so the bike would be fine. He biked up a few hills and down some. Kali’s place wasn’t too far away and with the bright blue sky and the wind going through his hair this was the perfect way to see Kali today.

  He came to Kali’s place and knocked on the door. The door opened and it was Halo, the boy who used to own Ethan’s bike. He opened the door, looking as cute and cool as ever. Halo reminded Ethan of himself at that age, sweet, sensitive.

  “Hi, Ethan,” Halo said and looked behind Ethan and saw the bike, “cool bike.”

  “Thanks, did your aunty tell you I’m friends with her?”

  “Yeah, I know, it’s cool she talks about you quite a bit.”

  “Really?”

  “All the time.”

  “What does she say?”

  “You’re pretty cute and stuff like that.”

  “I always knew she had good taste, I know she’s your aunty so you won’t really be able to tell, but she is pretty hot.”

  Halo laughed. “Anyway, come on in.”

  Ethan walked in and saw Halo’s mom, Amy sitting down next to Kali. Kali jumped up and couldn’t hold back her excitement and ran over and hugged Ethan and kissed him quickly, but softly on his lips. She introduced him to her sister Amy and Ethan said, hi and kissed her on the cheek. It was nice for Ethan to see Kali’s sister, it was her older sister and straight away he could tell she had a warm heart, it showed in her eyes and also in the house, the energy was so warm with a lot of love.

  “I was going to drag Kali out for a ride on my new bike, I hope that is okay?” Ethan said to Amy.

  “You rode over?” Kali asked.

  “Yeah.”

  “It’s cool, Halo’s got his eye on another one,” Amy said.