Delude

I kept my eyes shut as I spun. It made me think of those carnival rides that I never liked going on and I felt myself needing to throw up again. I didn’t want to look, didn’t want to see what I was in. When I heard an ear-piercing shriek, I knew it was coming from my throat.

The sudden impact of the ground startled me as I slammed into it. I finally opened my eyes to stare at the granite I had fallen on. I sat up, wincing and gasping, as a pain shot through my shoulder. Good God, I really was clumsy. I didn’t dare look around for fear of what I would see.

A hand fell on my shoulder suddenly.

“Oh, I’m glad you―” My words died as I turned my head.

Noah smiled softly and brushed a hand through his hair. He held out his hand. He moved his white coat and I could see the black shirt and pants underneath. “Come now, you’ve hurt yourself. I’ll get you cleaned up.”

“No,” I said, pulling back. “I want to know where I am.”

He frowned. “I’ve brought you to him.”

“Him? Him who? Let go of me.” I shook my head vigorously. I did not want to go anywhere with this man. “Where is Nixon? Jade? My mother? Damnit, answer me!”

Noah’s mouth flitted and he hoisted me up without my permission, sending a wave of pain with his touch. My knees buckled but he held me.

“You’ve dislocated your shoulder, darling,” he said gently. “I will fix it and you’ll be good as new.”

“Good as new?” I muttered.

“Like a doll,” he said, using his hand to brush my hair from my face. I flinched when he touched my temple. “You’ve cut your head, as well, it seems. This will not sit right with him if I bring a broken doll.”

My mind registered his words and before I stopped myself I said, “Are you talking about Evan?”

Noah stopped walking. While he gathered his thoughts, I was able to look around at my surrounding, surprised at where that vortex had taken me. I vaguely recognized this place, as anyone would if they stood in the middle of a park.

“You’re a smart doll, darling,” he said, turning his eyes on me. “Come along. We can’t afford to stop and waste time because you’re easily distracted.”

“Where are we? I think I’ve been here.”

His lips turned upward and he chuckled. “You shouldn’t be so surprised by that revelation. Didn’t you ever wonder why you were struck with such a deep feeling of déjà vu most times throughout your life?”

“I just thought I was―” I began, but something caught my eye. Someone was coming toward us down the path.

“You know it’s impolite to eavesdrop,” Noah said without turning around or making any indication that he had heard another person. “Well, since you’re here, Abigail, this is Casey.”

I blinked at the girl; long, black hair with purple streaks. She had the same color eyes as Noah and I wondered for a moment if they were related. It was then that I noticed she was wearing a reversal of Noah’s clothing.

“No,” she said unkindly, “we are not blood.”

I nodded and she scowled at me.

“You don’t look like he described,” Abigail said, her eyes narrowing. “I thought you would be prettier.” She sniffed indigently.

Noah blinked at her. “She was prettier before the fall, Ab. She seems to have messed herself up a bit. I was on my way to clean her up when you intruded.”

She stared at him, and then her eyes slid to mine before stalking off.

“I apologize,” Noah said, shaking his head as we watched her disappear into the darkness. “She’s the only female here, you see, so it’s hard for her to maintain a decent level of composure around another one when she meets them.”

I kept quiet.

“You are the first female she has seen for awhile,” he explained. He gripped my chin and forced me to look into his eyes. “Abigail hasn’t seen another female in the last three-hundred years.”

___

“I can see why she tried hiding you.”

Jade’s voice was coy in his ear, her fingers wrapped in his thick hair as she forced his mouth down on hers. He resisted, but only slightly. She smiled at him as she slid her hands under his shirt.

“Fucking bitch,” he hissed, his eyes flying open. “Where is Casey?”

“Probably dead somewhere,” Jade commented as she straddled him. “You’re smart enough not to fight me, boy, and that’s good.”

“Let go!” Nixon snapped. “I have to find her!”

He watched as something flickered in Jade’s eyes and she gripped his wrist as he went to hit her. Nixon screamed as he felt the bones crack and a horrible abundance of pain ran through his body.

Jade left him there, writhing in pain on the bed, as she went to go find her friend. She had a feeling Casey would be surprised to see her. The screams followed her as she shut the door to the room and walked down the hall.

___

We stopped walking when we stood in front of a house. It looked like a Victorian but I couldn’t be sure. When I looked behind us, the park had dissolved into a lonely street. I shook my head.

“It’s an illusion,” I said to myself.

“What’s that?” Noah asked as he pulled me with him up the steps to the house. “Speak up, darling.”

“Stop calling me that,” I said, shifting my gaze to him. I had to admit that he was something out of a movie as he stood leaning against one of the columns on the porch, arms crossed. I didn’t realize he let me go.

“Why?” He looked at me, frowning. “You don’t like nicknames?”

“Not really.”

He smirked. “Not even C?”

“How did you―” I thought about it for a second then changed my question. “Where are they?”

There was a terrible wail from inside the house.

“Please,” I said, stepping up to Noah. “Let me see him.”

He studied me, and then shook his head. “I will on one condition.”

“Anything,” I muttered, tears stinging my eyes.

He was in front of me before I knew what was going on, his hands on either side of my neck. I tensed, expecting him to snap it. I closed my eyes and waited. I felt him moving my head toward him. When I opened my eyes it was too late.

His lips found mine, his tongue entering my mouth before I could stop him. As he pulled me against himself, I felt something go through me. An urge I’ve never felt before wrapped itself around my brain and ordered me to continue.

So I kissed him, long and hard, the screams from somewhere above us fading with the night air as it coiled around our twined bodies.