Just a Sip

I awoke with a start the next morning. Looking at the time, I realized that I was late for work. I stumbled from bed feeling sharp pangs like claws running across my legs.

Remembering last night. I winced pulling down my pj pants and examining the crusted blood that leafed and fluttered away by my touch. Then looking at the clock again, I realized that I didn't work today. I sank back to my bed, covering my face with my pillow. Although I didn't have any dreams the night before, that didn't mean that my sleep was any better.

Rod's comment reverberated around my head like a bead in a jar. What if he was right? Would I crawl right back to him? I thought shuddering and sitting up. I also remembered the new follower I had. Who was it? And where did they come from? I thought standing up and hobbling to my laptop. I sat heavily turning it on and pulling up my blog. I had a few more comments on old dreams from regulars...but there was something from someone I didn't know on my last posted dream. I clicked it, feverishly waiting for the page to load.

It was a brief comment from an iconless source, aptly named Him. I shivered reading it.

"Having better dreams after this I hope...I'll see you soon." My stomach growled, scaring me in the silence of the house. I hopped up, leaving my computer behind with newfound energy and and went to the kitchen. My parents had left for work already and left behind a smiley face sticker on the fridge. I ripped it off, crumpling it and disposing of it in the wastebasket.

I made myself a bowl of frosted flakes and sat at the kitchen table worried. Was it a coincidence? I thought, chewing absently. The phone rang and I jumped, shakily going for it and picking up. The name of my shoe store was on the caller id.

"Hello." I croaked looking around to make sure no one could creep up on me.

"Miu! I'm so glad I caught you!" Louise sighed. I rubbed my arms which were covered in goosebumps.

"You caught me! Whats up?" I asked as normally as possibly so as to not give away my disposition.

"Chanel caught some kind of freaky deaky stomach bug and I need you to cover her shift tonight. I know it's your day off and-" I bit my lip nodding.

"Okay." I think I shocked her with my non sarcastic or non pain inflicting comment. But I didn't want to stay at the house alone tonight and anywhere was better than being alone, even work.
• • •
All day up until work, I flipped channels and organized and reorganized my horror novel collection. By the time it was time to go, I was more than ready. Not bothering to leave a note for my rents, I swung out the door to my car, forgetting to lock the front door( Which is a horrible habit of mine that I need to fix). I hopped in the car and cruised down to the mall, listening to an old Tokio Hotel CD my aunt Rachelle had given to me. I tapped my fingers on the steering wheel anxiously. The sun was setting and I was happy as hell that I wasn't chilling at home.

Fearing that I might be late and sent home, I crossed over to a shorter path to work. It was a road that not many used and was gravelly and darker than I remembered. I bounced and bumped around a giggle rising in my throat at how I must look to anybody watching. My giggle was surpressed though when a figure flitted past the front of my car. Faster than a human, faster than an animal, I screeched on the brakes my head flying foreword. I waited for a cry for help or the whimpering of someone injured. But there was nothing, just the croaking of bullfrogs and the chirping of grasshoppers. I put the car on drive and started to move just when I heard something.

"HELL-OOOOOO! YOU HIT ME!" A male voice sang in a thick accent. I slammed the brakes again. My hands gripped the wheel. Okay, so I did hit somebody...I had two options, Get out and risk being raped and hacked to bits. Or the wildly popular one, stay in the car and get the hell out of here. I unsteadily rolled my window down and peered out at the most handsome man I had ever seen in my life. His chiseled face was twisted in pain, his godlike body contorted at an angle. His brown hair had hints of gold and matted to his forehead. His eyes met mine and I immediately recognized him. His bottomless eyes were wide open as he stared at me. It was the guy from the tea shop.

I definitely didn't want to get out. He creeped me the fuck out and for some reason, I didn't trust him. Then again...everyone was suspect to me at this point. But I felt my hand reach for the door handle. I pulled it and stepped out nervously. A part of his face was bleeding profusely and he winced as my headlights shone in his face.

"Are you okay?" I asked, mesmerized by his hypnotic eyes.

"I'm alive." He answered cynically. I knelt down beside him and examined the wound on his cheekbone. Was he the figure that bolted past the front of my car?

"You're bleeding pretty bad..." I said chancing putting a hand on him. His skin was hot as fire, not what I expected. He looked like some sort of undead creature or some Twilight movie shit actor. He smiled, revealing that brilliant smile.

"I am aren't I." He said. His smile frightened me, but I couldn't walk away. It was as if I were a fish on a line...and he was the fisherman reeling me in. "Could you help me up?" He asked. I put my arms around him and dragged him to his feet, his breath on my forehead. He was nearly twice my size and loomed over me like a shadow. He wore a red button down that was miraculously put together and he looked pretty damn clean for someone that just ate dirt.

"What are you doing in the woods?" I asked looking around hoping there was a dogwalker or power walker that would pass by and save me from whatever i just got myself into. He chuckled darkly looking to the sky and back to me.

"Same as you. Heading to work." He said. I reeled, how did he know i was going to work? He must've noticed the surprise on my face because he pointed to my chest. "Your nametag." He said smoothly leaning against the trunk of my car. I clasped my chest, laughing nervously.

"Of course. I'm sorry I'm being so paranoid. It's just really creepy out here at night and I thought I saw something." The man stared at me seriously.

"You should be scared." He said, standing perfectly still. I put my hands on my hips.

"Excuse me?" I asked staring him down. Rod may scare me, but this kook was just a weirdo...I could handle weirdo's. He stuffed his hands in his black jeaned pockets.

"It's dark. We're in the woods. No one would hear or see you if you were attacked. But lucky for you, I'm here." He said pointing at himself. He put out a flawless ivory hand which I took and shook. "Armand." He said letting his hand linger on mine. I pulled away. There was something unnerving about Armand. Something I couldn't put my finger on.

"Do you need a ride?" I found myself asking. I almost slapped myself. What was I THINKING?? He stared at my lips and smiled toothily.

"How could I refuse?"
• • •
We rode in silence all the way to the mall. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched him carefully making sure he didn't pull any funny business. I had completely neglected the fact that his face was bleeding, but still...who was this guy? We pulled into the parking lot and I turned off the car, getting ready to get out. It was then that I noticed his cheekbone was flawless. No bruise, no cut or anything. I held back a shriek. He noticed me inspecting him and raised an eyebrow.

"Let's get moving shall we?" I nodded following his lead and getting out of the car. In the rising moonlight, he looked unreal. Like an archangel or even a demon. We entered the mall and I continued to follow him, he looked behind him, running a hand through his hair.

"Thank you for the ride...but you're not going to follow me are you?" He said stopping in front of me. The mall was pretty empty because of the time and it was just the two of us in the employee exit. He was right, I should have been going to the other tunnel to get directly to my workplace. He took my hand which I know must have been sweating by now and pulled it up to his sanguine colored lips. His eyes never leaving mine. He pressed his mouth to my hand and kissed it. And he was gone, walking in the other direction.

I had to hold onto the wall to steady myself. I couldn't even see. I couldn't breath. What was happening? Did he do this to me? Flushed, I hurried to work, already 10 minutes late. Louise served out a whopping plate of verbal ass kicking. But I didn't hear her. I felt feverish and it was a wonder i was even able to stand up. I managed though, when work was over, I locked up ready to leave and sleep this feeling off. As I turned the lock n the gate, I examined my hand. To my horror, there was an awful rash there. It burned now that I noticed it and was painful to the touch.

"The FUCK?" I whispered feeling a presence behind me. I turned around coming face to face with Louise. Her usual annoyed persona was taken over with worry.

"Hey, did you catch that nasty bug Chanel has? You haven't been looking so good." I swallowed nodding and hiding my hand behind my back. It was then that I realized it was the same hand that Armand had put his lips on.

"I'm fine, I just haven't been sleeping well." Louise raised an eyebrow as I began to walk away.

"You're not pregnant are you?" She asked walking beside me. I shook my head vigorously. "Well you should try some of the teas at this shop." She said pointing to her coffee cup and then at the actual store we passed. I stopped, wondering if they maybe had a wonder solution for my hand...and dreams.

I kept walking, listening to Louise Idly chat. I was in no mood to talk or to listen, but I was silenced by my own thoughts. By the time we had parted ways and I got into my car. I could only drive with one hand because the other one felt as if it were going up in flames. Tears stung my eyes as I quickly pulled into my development and into the garage jumping from the car and running to the house. I let myself it and ran right past my mother who was in the living room reading.

"Hi honey!" She called after me as i raced to the kitchen cabinet for some alcohol. I ignored her and grabbed some cottonballs from the medicine cabinet. I doused them with alcohol and prepared to medicate my hand. But as I looked down, I felt lightheaded and dizzy. There was nothing there. I turned my hand over seeing that it was completely fine.

My mom walked in, wearing her chinese robe.

"Honey? Are you alright?" She asked brushing back my curls with her hand.

"Fine." I croaked staring at my hand.

"How was school?" She asked kissing my cheek. I felt an inescapable loneliness in my heart, an awful twang when i realized that this would be the rest of my life. Was I crazy? I thought as I pulled away from her and dreamily went to my room.

"Am I mad?" I asked the pictureless walls leading to my room. I needed an answer. I thought pulling my shirt and pants off and crawled into bed, not bothering to check my blog messages. I pulled the covers over my head and sat in the steam of my own breath. Soon, I was paralyzed to sleep.

I was in the middle of the woods, a bat flying low by my feet. I was barefoot and wearing the clothes I was wearing earlier today. Strangely, I wasn't afraid this time...I was curious. The moon hung low in the sky, jagged branches reaching out for me like lost souls. Leaves crunched under my feet as I walked around, searching for the stranger. I felt arms loop around my waist.

"Miss me?" He asked at my ear. I could feel his eyelashes brushing my temple as I spun around to face him. But he disappeared.

"Who are you?" I asked the open air.

"Who are you?" He asked now sitting in a tree and dropping leaves on my head like snow. "Who I am, would perplex you. It would vex you. Now take your clothes off so I can sex you." He laughed lowly now in front of me and crawling ice fingers under my shirt.

"Nobody likes a rhymer." I said throatily as he lifted my shirt over my head.

"You do." He said sliding his hands under my bra and holding my barely there breasts. "Your 200 and first fan on your blog is one." He teased easing me to the earthy ground.