by Joe Augustyn
359
The Nine Lives of Felicia Miller
74
“Dude, it’s witchcraft,” Nelson said adamantly. “I’m telling you. It’s the only thing that makes sense.”
Wally just stared at him, in a stupor from the black market pills he’d taken to replace the ones his dad had flushed. But his spirit was stirred by Nelson’s visit. Years of running wild with his father’s protection had infused him with a criminal sense of entitlement. And it was rekindled now, bolstered by his partner in crime’s presence.
“Think about it,” Nelson continued. “What are the facts? A) Everyone knows Felicia’s been hanging with old lady Dola. B) The animal attacks began shortly after the night we did her. And C) Every person attacked so far was one of the crew who were there that night. We’re the last ones standing. You were attacked twice by jungle cats that have no logical reason to be on the loose in this country, let alone this county. And we both had a run-in last night with a panther. You think it’s a coincidence?”
“But… witchcraft? That’s just… nuts.”
“I know it’s nuts. But it’s no nuttier than what’s been happening in this town. I looked deep into that panther’s eyes. They were just inches away. And I recognized those eyes. They were Felicia’s eyes.”
“So what are you saying, exactly? You saying she’s some kind of werecat?”
“I’m saying she’s some kind of shapeshifter. It might not just be cats. She might have been the snake that bit Marky for all we know. And the bear those hunters claim was there in the woods.”
“Dude. Listen to yourself. You want to spend the rest of your life in an asylum? Cause you’re talkin’ all looney-tuney.”
“I’m sane enough to know how crazy it sounds. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t true.”
“So what if it is? Who’s gonna believe us?”
“Nobody. That’s why we have to deal with her ourselves. Before it’s too late.”
Wally was silent. Still on the fence. Still afraid, and confused.
“I’ll bet she made some kind of deal with the devil,” Nelson pressed him, “You do believe in the devil, right?”
“Of course I believe in the devil. I been a headbanger since kindergarten. The Dark Lord rules. You really think she—?” Wally tossed the idea over in his mind. “Oh man. That would suck. That would really really suck. Big time. For Satan to turn his back on me… siding with a bitch… against me? Fuck!”
“Maybe she sucked his dick or something. She’s really good at it.”
Wally rolled everything he’d heard through his brain. “I don’t get it. If she had her claws right on your balls like you said, why did she let you go? She could have just ripped them off and be done with you.”
“How the fuck do I know? She’s a crazy bitch. Maybe she’s still hung up on me. Or maybe she’s restricted, with some kind of supernatural limits on her power. All I know is that Oogie and Marky and Sparrow and you and me were all attacked by wild animals and it’s more than a fucking coincidence. Who else would have it in for us in particular and has also been known to hang out with the town witch?”
“But how would she even know it was us? I mean, me maybe, yeah. But every fuckin’ one of us?”
“I’ve been thinking about that. Remember that little alley cat that used to come prowling around? It was right here in your bedroom the night we were all together. Or maybe old lady Dola told her. What difference does it make? She obviously knows.”
Wally looked startled by the thought. He was nearly convinced. “But she went out with you after that. She even let you bang her, unless you were lying.”
“I don’t know, like I said she’s fucking crazy. She’s a fucking chick, who knows how their minds work? They don’t think like normal people. Maybe she was trying to trap me somehow. Or maybe she didn’t see me in all the confusion that night in your bedroom. It was pretty hectic if you remember. And she was running for her life.”
Wally nodded, slowly accepting it. “Maybe.”
“Look,” Nelson continued, “Even if I’m wrong… what harm would it do us to act on the problem? Sort of a pre-emptive strike.”
“You mean…?”
“I mean we eliminate the probable source of our problem and I’ll bet my left nut we eliminate our problem. If we succeed, it’s over. If not, at least we went down fighting. But if we don’t even try, I won’t sleep another night without having horrible nightmares.”
Wally nodded. He too was exhausted from sleepless nights. In his dreams he’d had his eyeballs popped like balloons and his throat shredded to spaghetti.
“You still have your gun?” Nelson asked.
“No. My fuckin’ old man got rid of it. He’s afraid I might hurt myself.”
“Fuck.”
“No biggie. If you have cash I can get another one. A couple hundred bucks. And a ride down to my nigger in Riverside.”
Wally made a phone call and an hour later they were driving to Riverside in Nelson’s Audi.
“Okay. We have to plan this out carefully,” Wally said. “If she really has some kind of magic fucking power… shit…” He thought for a minute. “We’ll have to lure her into a trap. By hook or by crook we have to get her out in the woods. Someplace we can do her and get rid of her body.”
“Devil’s Point. Where else?”
“Yeah, right. And how do we do that? ‘Hey Felicia, you up for another gangbang? Meet us at the Point tonight’.”
Nelson smiled coldly. “Leave that to me.”
359
The Nine Lives of Felicia Miller
75
“Hey, wait up!”
Crystal turned her head to see Nelson trotting up behind her. She looked around to see who he might be calling, thinking he had to be addressing someone else. But there were no other possible candidates nearby.
“Crystal,” Nelson flashed his Tom Cruise smile as he caught up to her, “How are you doing?”
“G-good,” Crystal was taken aback by his attention. But quickly assumed he was there to enlist her aid in winning back Felicia.
“I’ve been thinking about you lately.”
“Th-thinking about m-me?”
“Thinking about you a lot.”
“If this is ab-bout F-felicia, I d-don’t think it’s—”
“Felicia’s over. That was just a thing. You know, ships passing in the night. I’m looking for something more real.”
Crystal was speechless.
“I mean, Felicia’s a cute chick and all, and I greatly respect her talent, but we just weren’t meant for each other. It was fun for a while, but she changed, got a little too neg. You know what I mean. I’m sure you’ve noticed how emo she’s gotten.”
Crystal didn’t know quite how to respond. It was true that Felicia had gone through some changes, but she felt a little funny talking to Nelson behind her back.
“Yeah. I g-guess,” she stammered. Crap, stop stuttering. Remember your exercises. Relax.
“I was wondering if maybe you wanted to do something?”
“D-do s-someth-thing?”
Nelson had to suppress a laugh and fight down the urge to imitate her stutter.
“Yeah, you know. Go out or something.”
“Y-you w-want t-to g-go out w-with m-me?” Crystal couldn’t believe what was happening. She’d never had a real date in her life. Not with a boy she really wanted to go out with. And here was Nelson, her dream date. She considered that he might be dicking with her… but his sapphire blue eyes were fixed on her in a way that she knew in her heart could only be sincere.
“Yeah,” he replied. “Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want to sound conceited. But I thought I detected at least a glimmer of interest on your part. If I’m wrong, I’m sorry.”
This can’t be happening. Nelson interested in me?
“N-no. Y-you’re not wrong.”
“Good. Then why don’t we make it a date? How about this Saturday? I’ll pick you up around six?”
> “Are y-you trying to p-punk me or s-something?”
“What? No. Jesus, Crystal. What kind of a guy do you think I am? In case you haven’t noticed, you’re a very hot little girl.”
Crystal smiled. Wanting so much to believe him.
“Great.” Nelson clapped his hands excitedly. “It’s a date then. I’m looking forward to it. Oh, and don’t bother telling Felicia. I don’t think she’ll mind. It’s over between us and she knows it.” He stole a glance at his watch. “Oops. I’ve got to run. See you Saturday.”
Having planted the seeds of guilt and apprehension he smiled and hurried away.
Leaving Crystal to grapple with her conscience.
359
The Nine Lives of Felicia Miller
76
“But how do you know he’s alright?” Felicia asked firmly, unloading the bag of groceries she’d brought to restock Granny’s larder. “Can’t we go out and look for him?”
Granny rocked slowly in her chair. Hunched in her shawl she looked frail and very tired. Almost a different person than the one Felicia remembered.
“My dear, I’m an old bird. A very old bird indeed. Much older than you might think. I’m still recovering from my last adventure. It’s not easy to be an old bird these days.”
“But you must be worried about Elmo,” Felicia pressed. “Is there something I can do? Somewhere I can go looking for him? Anything? Please tell me.”
“Elmo will be alright, trust me. This isn’t the first time he’s gone off by himself. He does so every year. He’s getting in touch with his totem. He takes his powers very seriously. Someday he’ll be able to transform at will. At any time of day or night.”
“You can do that? I mean…”
“No, not everyone. Not even I can. It requires great sacrifice. Spending many months in animal form each year. Giving equal time to your animal spirit. Equal strength. Equal identity. And that over many years. It’s more than I was ever willing to commit to. The old way works fine for me.”
“But he’s out there. With all those hunters prowling around.”
“Don’t worry. He goes to a place where people never go. At the top of Indianhead Ridge. There’s a cave there. It leads to a hidden valley, with water and food for the animals living there. A secret sanctuary. He’s doing what he wants to do. And he’s safe there.”
“How can you be sure? Someone might—“
“No one will go there, I assure you. A renegade shaman made sure of that many years ago. He placed a spell on the path leading in. A spirit of confusion blocks any normal human who tries to approach. Before he knows what’s happening he finds himself miles away. Back at the base of the mountain, with no desire to return.”
Felicia looked almost reassured.
“Go home now, child. You need to stop worrying. You’ve been a great help already. You saved my life when you put my mirror back together. Now go, please. I need to rest.”
359
The Nine Lives of Felicia Miller
77
Crystal picked up the phone to call Felicia a dozen times before the school week ended, but it wasn’t until five minutes to six on Saturday night that she actually finished dialing her number. I have to tell her. She’s my best friend. And she’ll find out sooner or later that I’m seeing Nelson, so it’s better if I tell her up front. I’m sure she’ll understand.
“Hello?”
But at the sound of Felicia’s voice, Crystal panicked and hung up. I can’t. I should have called her earlier. It’s too late to discuss it now. He’ll be here any minute.
The phone rang. Crystal looked at the Caller ID and saw it was Felicia calling back. Just then she heard the Audi’s horn honking outside. Several short friendly toots. Oh god there he is. I’ll deal with Felicia later.
Ignoring the ringing phone she raced down the stairs. As she reached the front door she heard her mother answering the call. “Hello? Oh hello, Felicia.”
Crystal hurried out, feeling rebellious and somewhat liberated as she saw Nelson’s smiling face through his rolled down window.
There’s no need to feel guilty, she thought. They’re already broken up. And I have a right to be happy. Just as much right as anyone.
She climbed into the car and they sped away. Nelson was eager to drive off without being seen.
Back in the house, Crystal’s mother was cautiously defensive as she fielded the call from Felicia. “How are you feeling these days?” she asked, with a hint of suspicion in her voice.
Felicia shrugged off the disdainful tone of the question. By now she was used to everyone in town treating her like a mental case. “I’m totally fine, Mrs. G. Really. Is Crystal home? She just called here but she didn’t leave a message.”
“Hang on. I think I heard her go out, but let me check.”
Felicia heard her calling Crystal’s name then waiting for an answer that never came.
Finally she got back on the phone. “No, Felicia, I’m sorry, I guess she already left.”
Right, Felicia thought. Tell me another one.
“She had a date that she was pretty excited about.”
Date? Crystal?
“Really? That’s wonderful.” As soon as Felicia spoke the words she realized how patronizing she sounded. As if Crystal was some total loser who was lucky to ever hook up. “I mean, it’s good that she’s getting over her shyness. Who’s the lucky guy?”
“Some boy named Nelson. Do you know him?”
Felicia almost dropped the phone, her mind a swirl of emotions.
“Nelson?” she finally managed, “Are you sure?”
“Yes. Why? Is there something I should know?”
“No. Just tell Crystal I called. I’m sorry I missed her call.” Hanging up her cell, Felicia slumped over her vanity with her head down on her forearms.
She suddenly felt ill. Instinctively aware that her friend was in danger. Grave danger.
Nelson has no interest in Crystal. He’s using her. Using her for sex.
Or using her to get back at me.
Anger boiled up like lava in her veins. She raised her head to look into the mirror and for a fleeting second saw eyes that were more cat than human.
359
The Nine Lives of Felicia Miller
78
Wally leaned on his shovel and took a sip of beer. The weather was nice but digging the rocky soil at Devils Point was hard work. He was tired and achy and covered in sweat. A hunting rifle waited nearby, propped against a sapling.
The sun was setting fast, but the hole was already big enough for a human body. He dug some more then paused for another sip of beer. The three cans he’d polished off should have relaxed him, but he was still feeling jittery. Imagining how the evening would unfold, and what might go wrong.
If they killed a big jungle cat tonight and it miraculously transformed into Felicia, they would dispose of her body quickly and no one would ever be the wiser. The whole town knew she was an unstable flake lately. Nelson would spread rumors that she ran off to Hollywood or New York, seeking stardom.
If, on the other hand, the big cat didn’t transform after they killed it, they would haul its bloody carcass into town and be hailed as local heroes. Heck, we’d probably make the national news. Teens kill exotic man-eating cat in small town America. Local boys free their fellow citizens from predatory monster.
We could parlay that into some serious bank. Not to mention all the pussy we can eat.
He laughed at how appropriate an ending that would be. Cold dead cat. Hot live pussy. Talk about your yin and yang.
Hot damn, that would be the perfect happy ending.. The town’s terror would be over. All past sins forgiven. I could rebuild my posse from scratch. Recruits would line up for miles. There are always boys around looking for adventure. For the kind of daring exploits my crew is known for. Boys who’ll follow me into the mouth of hell itself and take the fall if they have to… just like Oogie and Marky.
However this drama ended, Wal
ly felt it was a good bet he’d soon be back on top where he belongs. All I have to do is kill one stupid animal. And I’m packing all the heat I need for the job.
He planted his shovel in the ground and popped another can of beer. His skin felt cool and gritty, with a layer of dust in his sweat. The beer tasted good. But his thoughts were still tinged with uncertainty.
Crystal is another matter. If the dead cat does transform into Felicia, and Crystal’s there to witness it, things could get ugly fast. One word from her implicating us in Felicia’s death, and hell will rain down on our heads. No one would believe what actually went down. That we’d freed the town from the jaws of a fiendish shapeshifter. All they’d know is that we killed the town’s darling little bitch. The star of their dumb ass school shows.
Crystal will need to be silenced before it becomes an issue. Can the little bitch be threatened… or bribed… to keep her trap shut?
Doubtful. Highly doubtful.
Wally tossed his empty beer can away and grabbed the shovel.
Better make room for two.
359
The Nine Lives of Felicia Miller
79
Felicia dug frantically into her schoolbag and pulled out a cardboard box. Opening it she removed two objects she’d created that week in art class. Items she had planned to use some time in the distant future. But it looked like now was the time.
She held up an object in each of her hands. Two huge papier-mache fangs. Let’s hope this works, for Crystal’s sake.
Opening her window as wide as it would go she hurried back to her vanity and stared into the mirror. She positioned the giant fangs in her mouth. They fit nicely, molded to slip right over her teeth. But they looked absolutely ridiculous. After all, they weren’t intended for a teenaged girl’s face, but for the mouth of a saber-toothed tiger.
