My eyes.
They are not green anymore.
The long silence of horror is destroyed when the hard and repetitive knock in my door begins. I come back to myself with an undeniable shudder. I turn away, but my eyes remain in my memory, my no longer green eyes. I remember what Constance said the day they turned green. She said that I had bounded with Elizabeth, and that everything would go according to plan. Is that bounding over? Will Constance haunt me down as she said she would?
I can't think about anything right now, the knocking on my door is starting to irritate me so I quit thinking, I fake a smile and after grabbing the blue roses I open the door. Jessica is on the other side, wearing a long blue dress, it has no back and it looks really light and soft. She smiles at me and takes my flowers with a ridiculously beautiful smile. I can't say much, I'm speechless before her. She grabs my hand and kisses me in both chicks.
"They are lovely, Alex. Thank you" she says grabbing them harder.
"That's nothing" I answer, mocking thousands of film dialogues.
"Shall we get moving?"
That's a good question, I was nervous all afternoon, and now I can hardly stand on my feet. If we stay here for much longer, I will probably have to sit down, and if we leave, it is likely I will run away. I just need to breathe, make all my thoughts disappear, I've done it before, and I know I will do it again.
"Whenever you want" I offer her the lead, which she clearly enjoys.
I take a quick look to make sure that I don't leave anything important behind, like my keys. I would not want to spend the night outside the room. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see the ripped cover of the book, looking at me from my suitcase, as if it was a touch of destiny.
"Not today" I think to myself, I've had enough of that crazy stuff. This night I'm just me, I'm just a mortal who hopefully will not regret having accepted an invitation to a perhaps too crowded party.
"Thank you for going with me" I feel Jessica's arm grabbing mine strongly, as if she was making sure I am not going to leave her.
I smile, whatever I could answer would hurt me for not being true, or would hurt her, for being so.
I close the door behind my back, and walk the long corridor, and towards the other side of the road, where the pub is.
I don't look back. But deep inside my mind, I know that those green eyes will still stare at me, waiting for the right moment to attack, I know I am not free from danger.
CHAPTER 29
I can hardly recognize the streets I walk through. The place where we are going is close to the residence and for what I can see everyone is going. Half of the people I see walk by my side at the university are walking by my side right now, wearing night dresses or nice suits. I know I should not be here, I don't mix well with this environment, but Jessica looks so relieved and happy to be here that it would be too rude for me to simply walk away now. I made a commitment and I will honor it, after all, I would have nothing else to do, other than contemplate the now empty place I live in.
Jessica keeps getting closer and closer, she grabs my arm as if we were a couple, like if she wanted everyone to look at us. She used to be the most popular girl in the residence, at least out of the ones that came from abroad, and after her date bumped her she's been so lonely that it looked as if she was pretending to be me
Suddenly, the loud music invades my body. I can't hear the people murmuring as we pass them, not even can I hear them scream to the rhythm of the weird song playing inside the building. The neon lights make it impossible to distinguish any other color that has not been designed by some technological maniac that thinks that those lights are either nice, sophisticated or interesting.
"How do you like the place?" Jessica asks me with the proudest smile I have ever seen in someone's face. For a moment, I forgot that after all that is hers, and that she probably had something to do with the design.
"I will have to get used to the lighting" I answer politely "I'm not a regular at discos."
She smiles and cuddles my arm once more. She leads me to the main entrance and the huge man standing in front of the door –now covered by his body– makes us go through without even waiting or making sure we have a ticket with us.
"Advantages of being the owner's daughter" Jessica says loudly enough so that those waiting to enter hear her.
"Alex!" someone jumps on me as I enter the place.
"Ingrid!" I am glad to see her here, I am not that alone, after all.
"You came with the owner's daughter? Way to go!"
I smile at her, she is wearing a beautiful yellow dress that makes her look incredibly different, like a totally different person. Someone grabs her arm, the mocking boy from class, Constance's puppet. There's nothing else for me here. Jessica pulls my arm, and I wave goodbye to my much missed friend.
I must admit that they have achieved quite a remarkable place to entertain people with the loud music and the stupid moving lights. There are so many bar tenders that I don't even know who is a guest or who is working in here.
"Everyone wearing the white shirt with the red string in the middle is working here, so if you want something, just look for them. It's on the house" Jessica blinks after the quick introduction of the scenario. "The least I could do, I guess."
"Oh you shouldn't worry about that” I look around, scared as I used to be when I was around Elizabeth at the beginning, not feeling comfortable. "I did not come with you to get free drinks."
She seems surprised.
"Why did you, then?"
There's an awkward moment of silence between us. Why have I come, after all? Whatever the real reason is, I don't think I know, or better yet, I don't think I want to know. However, she is expecting an answer, I can tell from the look in her eyes, and another lie would clearly make me show discomfort.
"To have fun, sweetheart" the imposing voice of a woman makes me turn. "I'm glad to see you here, young man." Jessica's mother looks as nice and beautiful as she did both times I met her. She stands in front of us, still wearing her shades "Won't you formally introduce me, darling?"
Jessica smiles with the embarrassment any daughter would show in the situation and raises both her hands, which are suddenly pointed at me.
"Mom, this is Alex, from class."
"University" I say "We don't really go to class together." Jessica gives me a killer look and I know that I am not required to speak again.
"Well Alex, it's a pleasure. You can call me Alma."
Jessica smiles, as if she was happy that the introductions were done and we would be moving on to somewhere else.
"Be seeing you, mother. We are meeting some friends over there" she pulls me with her. "Bye."
"What friends?" I whisper to her ear.
"I just wanted to lose her.”
Oh I see. I am not sure I am enjoying myself. So far, Jessica has shown everyone that she is in charge, and she has dismissed her mother as if she was an employee. That makes me realize that I would have probably stuck around with my mother, and my date… I'm hopeless. Again, I know that I should have not agreed to come.
Partying is not my strong suit, nor is dancing, and Jessica is doing her best to make me hit the right moves at the right time, but I keep failing. Why not just play a real song, like those our parents used to have back in the day? Where's Janis Joplin when you need her? In moments like this, I thank my mom for the cultural education she gave me. There's hardly a record in my house produced in the 2000s, unless it is by a band or singer from the 70s or 80s, of course. Whatever the case, what is being played here right now makes me want to leave even more, if that's possible.
"I'll be right back" Jessica kisses me softly before I realize she was talking. Something moves inside me, this is not right at all, I know I shouldn't have come. I need Elizabeth, what have I done? "Don't go anywhere, you are mine" she says smiling.
I stand alone, watching the people move around me in slow motion, I should not be here. I sit on one of the benches, next t
o a couple making out in the middle of the crowd. I focus on a particular spot on the wall in front of me and wait for the time to speed up. But that doesn't happen. Instead, the slow motion effect goes on and on, only distinguishing Ingrid's yellow dress from the crowd. After some minutes, and emerging from the crowd, I can see Jessica holding two drinks. She hands one to me.
"I don't drink. Thanks" I say as politely as I can.
"Come one, please? Just one tiny sip, to celebrate Christmas. "
I take the drink, and slowly rise it to my mouth. Its fresh content makes me shiver. It's sweet, and it certainly does have some alcohol. I think I have already had that before.
"Cheers" we say at once.
Jessica looks at me, smiling, she puts both drinks on one of the tables around us and pulls me from the coach. When I stand up, the dizziness begins. And that's not the only thing that begins.
I feel it as far as my hometown is. At the other end of the bar, a new song has begun to play. A song I know too well to fail to recognize.
The river.
My whole body starts to tremble. It's happening again, as it happened the day I listened to it coming back home, but that day I had Jay to pick me up and help me. Now, I am alone.
I block my mind again, and with it, my body and senses.
"Alex! Hey Alex!" Jessica keeps shouting my name while shaking me. I listen to her, but I can't talk, and hardly move.
I feel her hands grabbing me and walking me out of the room.
"I need some air" I can finally make the words out.
We keep moving, but we miss the front door.
"Don't worry, you are going to be alright" she keeps telling me.
She opens an almost hidden door in front of us and in we walk. She makes me hold myself against the wall. Her hands are touching my face, my forehead and finally my neck. I can feel her cold skin on top of mine. She looks at me, smiling.
"You'll be ok. I'll go and look for help" She leaves the room, and I am left here. All by myself. Unable to move, to scream, or to clearly think.
I try to remember what happened last time, how Jay and Elizabeth helped me, now I can't handle it on my own. I should have taken that thorn out of me when I had the chance, that's why I came here, and I failed to do so.
Jessica is finally back and she is joined by her mother. Alma comes straight to me and holds my face, smiling as her daughter did minutes before her.
"He is ready."
"Are you sure?" Jessica asks in the most terrifying voice I've ever heard.
Alma takes her shades off.
The purest green I have ever seen shines in front of me.
"Yes."
CHAPTER 30
The green terror from her eyes is pointed directly at me. With her eyes comes a strong force that keeps me trapped, unable to move or scream, leaving me with just my eyes to stare at the door that would grant me my freedom, but instead, tells me I'm nothing but the reward of a long and silent hunt.
"You did beautifully well, Jessica. I must admit that it took me a while to finally trust you would succeed."
Jessica looks to the woman in front of me with a smile that shows nothing but how proud she is of herself. Now she looks at me, as if she could rip me off with her sight, I feel naked and vulnerable as a newborn. I have never been so exposed, so trapped, so lost.
The two women begin a conversation in front of me, one I can't hear because my ears are blocked, although I can't say if it is their doing or that I just don't want to know what they are talking about. However, the untiring eyes from both of them keep staring at me, they could be discussing how to finish me off, and end this ongoing nightmare.
End it. Finish my life with just a quick move, perhaps a more ceremonial death scene, but free me from this prison. The words sound so beautiful in my head right now that if I could speak I would nicely ask them to do it, right now.
"Now we only have to wait" I hear Alma say as if she was underwater, for the sound of her voice is so distant that I don't know if I understood what she said. "Constance's protégée will pay for what her leader did.”
That must be Elizabeth, I feel something inside me. Something that for a moment has given me the strength to blink and almost make a sound, and reclaim my body.
"And you will be one step closer…"
"Not a word!" Alma shouts with an unforgiving tone, her true intentions are not to be shared in front of me, or anyone I presume, because she is looking furious at Jessica, like if she had almost ruined her plans.
The older woman walks towards me and puts her fingers under my chin, then she smiles.
"What a handsome piece of meat" she says sarcastically "you were way too much for that undeserving creature."
Undeserving creature, Constance's protégée… She is talking about Elizabeth like if she was a useless being that could not even earn the distinction to be considered human, or immortal. I can hear Alma's voice calling her a creature over and over, as an everlasting echo ready to repeat itself forever. The anger inside me grows to a limit that I have never known before. I close my eyes, I am ready to stand up for her. I can't go on pretending any longer.
We are bonded to one another, now I feel it more than ever. Now I understand why she needs my soul to become a Goddess, why she needs a willingly given soul. It's not about dying, it never was. She has opened her heart to me, and I failed to see that on time, but I do see it now. No, it's not about dying, it's about living forever, together, as one. With the perfection of a God, and the human fault.
"She is no creature" I manage to articulate the words without much trembling, and although I know that I am too scared, I do not give up. "You are."
I look at Jessica with the same fury and repulsion that one looks at a murderer.
"And loving, too" Alma claims laughing at me "Do you love her? Do you?" She is so close to me that I can feel her breath on my face. "Did she ever tell you how the process worked? How does a God take a human soul?"
She must have read the answer on my face because she keeps smiling, knowing that she is the victor of the argument.
"I'll show you" she moves her head to Jessica and with a simple nod, the read headed beast leaves the room. "You will see it with your own eyes."
Jessica comes back, and the only think I clearly see before start shaking is the warming light of a yellow dress. She is holding Ingrid's arm, and next to her there's the guy from class. She makes them both enter the room, he first looks at Alma, curious, then looks at me, while Ingrid's innocent eyes are only willing to meet mine.
"What's all this crap? I thought you said we were gonna have some fun" he says.
"Alex, what is this?" Ingrid's voice is creaky, as mine used to be.
"Run" I try to say, with much effort. "Now."
Alma laughs and with her risen hand, the door slams and traps us in. She walks around him, and then around Ingrid.
"I understand you know each other. This is even better."
I try to free myself, but I can't. I can't even take my sight away.
Alma pulls a knife out of nowhere and smiles at me with sadistic greed. Ingrid looks at the silver blade and her watery eyes shut, not wanting to see what comes next. Alma moves her hand into my friend's chest, and I break loose.
"That's how you claim a human soul" She keeps pushing the knife in as she smiles with nothing but anger on his face.
I scream to the top of my lungs.
She bends over Ingrid's body, and her face expression changes to a more passionate one. My friend's body loses all her color and life in a matter of seconds. Jessica is looking at the whole thing from the now closed door of the room while holding Ingrid's companion.
The lifeless body falls to the ground, and the woman opens her eyes once more. She grabs the knife and points it at me.
I look at Ingrid, my friend, and no matter how hard I try to move and run towards her, I can't. I'm chained. The same experience all over again, not being able to help, not being able to not feel guilty.
"Do you want to give it a try? Or shall we wait? She will end up living a miserable life just like ours, anyway. "
"No I'm not" The sound of Elizabeth's voice fills my head as well as the room I'm trapped in.
She appears in front of me, facing Alma directly, interposing herself between the knife and me.
"Hello sister, long time no see."
"Mal" Elizabeth is not at all surprised.
I remember now, I remember Elizabeth telling me about that woman, the one under the guidance of Constance that failed to become a God, Malenie. She's been using the name Alma to hide, as well as the creepy sunglasses that have kept her deep green eyes a secret. That means that Jessica is not her daughter either, she probably is a lost Immortal soul that she grabbed to herself, with the only goal to use her to achieve her glory.
"Stay away from him."
"Mommy's brave girl is angry, is she?" Mal's ridiculous voice makes Elizabeth even more furious, and I feel her same anger inside of me.
I look down, Ingrid's body looks so small that it feels like if she had never existed.
Elizabeth raises both her arms and Mal and Jessica are pushed back to the wall as dozens of objects and furniture fall on them. The whole room is shaking, and my body is still pressed against the wall, unable to move. I keep staring at Elizabeth leading all the objects and anything that can help her to keep Mal trapped. Elizabeth then turns and looks at me for the very first time in a long while, and the fury in her has not disappeared, not a bit. She looks at me filled with anger and disappointment, and I know why. Me coming here today with Jessica, exposing myself like this and going against her advice has killed an innocent soul, nearly killed me, and therefore, her too.
We look at each other, the tension of what is going on is clearly noticeable on my face and as I try to move away from the wall that has held me prisoner for what to me has been an eternity, I feel her cold eyes on me.
From the other end of the room, Mal stands up without any difficulties while Jessica is still lying unconscious under the pile of objects Elizabeth just threw against her. Mal rises her hand and everything stands to float around her, and without a single hint of hesitation, she uses her rage against us.
The Mortal Fringe Page 14
