Dark Touch

by Elle Lewis

  “Hey Millie, didn’t you say there was a koi pond here somewhere?”

  She turned. “Yeah, it’s down that path over there.” She pointed in the opposite direction, indicating a small path that wound its way through a dense collection of cherry blossom trees.

  “Do you mind if I check it out?”

  “Go ahead. I will meet you there in a bit.” She smiled brightly, and I managed a small smile in return.

  Millie resumed taking pictures as I turned and headed in the other direction, my hands plunged deeply in my pockets. There was a decent amount of people at the garden today, all out enjoying the clear day, but I was relieved to see that there wasn’t anyone on the path leading to the koi pond.

  The pink cherry blossoms blew in the breeze as I walked past, the shaking leaves whispering in the wind. I walked the quiet path for quite a while. The pond was further that I had anticipated. Eventually I came to a wide space filled with evenly cut grass. In the center was a still pond, the surface smooth. Cherry trees not only led up to the pond, but were dispersed throughout, like pink sentinels. The pond was lined with big grey stones and rocks. The sound of bubbling water came from a cascade of water that fell from a large collection of rocks at the very back of the pond, like a miniature waterfall. The entire area was bordered by a tall thick wall of bushes and flowers, separating the pond from the rest of the garden. It was tranquil and serene, an enclosed place filled with color, with the one path acting as both entrance and exit.

  I knelt on one of the smooth slabs of grey stone and leaned forward. Koi fish swam lazily at the bottom, the ripples from the waterfall gently rocking them up and down. They were an array of colors, golden orange with spots of black, pearly white with stripes of red. Some were all gold, or almost all red, with only a small amount of black sprinkled across their bodies like pepper. The combinations were endless and beautiful to look at. My favorite were the solid white ones. They looked like peaceful ghosts sleeping in the water. Ordinarily I would envision a way to paint them, imaging the colors erupting on canvas. But the pain racing through my left side was so damn distracting.

  Instead, I thought about what I would tell the doctor when I went to the hospital later today. I was weighing everything in my mind, trying to decide on a reasonable version of the truth, when I heard something heavy hit the ground behind me. Whatever it was, it made the earth tremble beneath my feet.

  Startled, I stood up and turned. What I saw made me forget how to breathe.

  CHAPTER THREE

  UNFINISHED BUSINESS

  Fear rose inside of me; the way cold water fills an empty glass. The world stopped. Reality had unraveled.

  Standing next to a cherry tree was the man from the intersection. His appearance was drastically altered, but I knew it was him. The guise of an emaciated homeless man was gone, replaced by an impressive physique. The man that stood before me was easily six-nine, and wearing only a pair of black jeans, revealing a body of perfectly sculpted muscle. His short hair was still that odd shade of white, like snow, but his face was different. He had a square jaw, a strong nose and thick eye brows. It was a face that could have been considered handsome if it wasn’t for his horrific black eyes. A set of massive ebony wings extended from behind his back, the feathers like dark silk. He folded them in, tucking them neatly behind his back.

  “Hello again.” His voice was unnervingly smooth, like dead fur caressing my skin. He pointed at me. “You and I have unfinished business.”

  A scream was building in my throat. This couldn’t be happening. I had to be hallucinating. I stood frozen, my mind in shock.

  The man took several steps forward, his movements silent and lithe, the way a very large predator moves towards its prey. His face filled with hunger as he inched closer. Seeing him edge nearer snapped me out of it. I took a step back, my feet precariously close to the edge of the pond.

  “Stay away from me,” I said through clenched teeth.

  He laughed quietly but didn’t stop moving towards me. “I have been thinking of you since our last encounter. You should have died.”

  The pond was still empty of people. Just minutes before I had been relieved to be alone. Now I desperately wished someone, anyone, would show up. He was only a few feet away and I couldn’t move back any further. If I tried to run, I would have to pass by him to get away. My gut told me that wasn’t a good idea. I held my ground.

  “It was you in my dream last night, wasn’t it?”

  He stopped and cocked his head to the side. It sent a shiver down my spine.

  “Clever human.” He closed the distance between us in a blur of speed. His movements created a small gust of wind that blew my hood back and sent my hair flying around my face. My fear doubled at his proximity. My instincts screamed at me to run, but after witnessing how fast he could move, I knew it would be impossible to outrun him. I desperately tried to stay calm, even though my entire body trembled.

  “What do you want?” I whispered.

  He examined me intently, his eyes wide. It was like looking into a dark room. There was depth, but it was swathed in shadows. “I want to see if my suspicions are correct. And if they are, you will become my beautiful destroyer.” His voice slid across my skin. “Can such power exist in one so insignificant? Is it possible?” He reached his hand forward, desire building in his face. I couldn’t let him touch me again. Something horrible would happen, I could feel it.

  Maybe I could make it to the pond entrance and get someone’s attention. It was the best I could do. His hand was inches away. I put all my weight on my back foot and twisted, attempting to side step him. However, the rocks were slick, and I was already too close to the edge. I slipped and then stumbled, falling into the cold pond. Fish darted beneath me, their slippery bodies shooting in every direction. I fought the urge to resurface and instead swam in the other direction, away from him. Before I could get far the man reached into the water, grabbed a fistful of my hoodie and pulled.

  The man hauled me out of the water as if I weighed nothing. I glimpsed his angry face and then he threw me. I soared dangerously high through the air, my body twisting, the world a disoriented blur. And then, sudden pain exploded throughout my body as I collided with the upper half of a tree. The wind was painfully forced from my lungs and I fell. Branches and leaves scratched my face on the way down. I hit the ground hard and another round of pain shot through me.

  I moaned and took in quick gulps of air. I had to stand, but everything hurt. I managed to turn onto my stomach. I tried to push myself up. My arms were wobbly and did not want to cooperate.

  The man closed in on me in another burst of speed. “This ends now.” He kicked me viciously in the stomach. I gasped and fell onto my side. I curled in on myself, tears filling my eyes. I heard a loud snap and looked up. Black electricity was gathered in his palms. It crackled, circling up his arms. I blinked, unable to process what I was seeing.

  At that moment a figure dropped from the sky, a shock wave extending from him as he landed beside the man with black eyes. He was massive, over seven feet tall with skin the color of bronze. Gigantic golden wings expanded from his back. He clutched a huge broad sword and he was wearing…military cargo pants?

  The man with black eyes spun, a blood thirsty scream ripping from his throat. They charged each other, a loud CLACK sounding as their bodies collided. A fight ensued, the golden warrior wielding a sword like an ancient Spartan. Gold electricity burst from his hands, the hot electric strands dancing along the sword. The man with black eyes fought back savagely. He moved so fast, a dark blur. I hunkered down in the grass, trying to make myself as small as possible. The golden warrior twisted and turned magnificently, using his fists, elbows and legs in a deathly attack. His sword cut through the air in a streak of go
ld. The man with black eyes held a long dagger, the blade an extension of his hand. Black electricity surrounded the sharp tip as he slashed at the golden warrior with deadly accuracy. The ground shook every time one of them was thrown down.

  I wasn’t going to stay to see who won. I took in a few deep breaths and then started crawling slowly towards the path that led to the main garden. I resisted the urge to look back and kept moving across the grass. As soon as I reached the path, I forced my body to stand and start running.

  My entire body protested. I gasped in pain but kept moving. I have to find Millie and then get the fuck out of here. That sentence repeated over and over in my mind, like a terrified mantra, as I ran through the gardens looking for her. Shit, where is she? I couldn’t leave her here, I just couldn’t. I turned a corner and collided with a couple that was holding hands. The woman and I fell to the ground.

  “Hey! What the hell is your problem?” The guy pulled her up.

  I scrambled up and kept running, not even bothering to apologize. My breath came out in tangled gasps and I wondered if my collision with the tree had cracked a few ribs. My vision began to swim, my hands shaking uncontrollably. I stopped, placed my hands on my knees, and made myself take in a few steadying deep breaths. You’re not going to hyperventilate. You’re not going to freak out. You are going to calm down and find Millie. I took in one more breath and let it out slowly through my lips. My vision cleared. I started walking again, really focusing on my surroundings. And then, after a few moments, I finally spotted her. She was on a bench, sketching. I wanted to run to her, but I managed to keep my pace at a fast walk.

  I stopped next to the bench. “Millie, we need to go. Now.”

  “Hey, did you hear that?” she said without looking up. “Sounds like there is a thunder storm close by. Although I don’t see any clouds.” She finally set the sketch pad down and looked at me. Her eyes widened. “Sloan, are you okay? What’s wrong? What happened?”

  My mind raced. Now was not the time for an explanation. We needed to get the hell out of there.

  “I slipped and fell in the koi pond.” It took an exorbitant amount of effort to keep my voice steady. “Can we go back to your place, please?”

  Her face filled with worry. “Oh my god, are you alright? How did you fall?”

  I wanted to scream at her. I wanted to grab her by that tweed sweater and drag her to the exit. Adrenaline coursed through my body, and I was afraid at any moment the man with black eyes or the golden warrior would drop out of the sky right next to us. Shit, maybe they would both show up. Maybe they had made up, become friends, and wanted to torture me together. I stifled a scream that threatened to creep out of my mouth.

  “Can we talk about it when we get to your apartment?” I managed to say. “I’m freezing.”

  “Yeah, of course!” Millie grabbed her sketch book and camera, shoved them in her purse and took my hand. “I am so sorry, Sloan. I was about to come meet you when I saw some tulips, and I wanted to sketch them right away. Are you sure you’re okay?’

  I nodded but stayed quiet. Millie held on to my hand and kept talking as we walked to the exit. My senses were on alert, my eyes scanning the sky and the shadows that curled beneath bushes and trees. Nothing met us on our way out. I felt a surge of relief as we stepped onto the busy city street.

  Cars zoomed by. The sunlight bounced off the many windows of the surrounding buildings, the sky a perfect pale blue. People filled the streets. The sounds of conversations, music and traffic floated on the air. The world seemed normal.

  What is happening to me?

  CHAPTER FOUR

  THE SIX O’CLOCK NEWS

  Millie and Donovan lived together in a high rise apartment in downtown Seattle. The apartment was extremely spacious and had excellent views of the city, a wraparound balcony, and vaulted ceilings. It was decorated with sleek furniture and trendy art. Even though Millie turned the heat on full blast, I shook during the entire ride to her place. It wasn’t from the cold. I was on the edge of shock. My mind felt as if it were slipping away and I couldn’t grab a hold of it. I couldn’t rationalize or understand what just happened. I needed to be alone, so I could react however I wanted. But that wasn’t possible right now. I had to hold it together for a little longer.

  Donovan was sitting in the dining room. Chemistry and Microbiology textbooks were scattered across the table, and he was typing intently on his laptop. Donovan was five-nine with blue eyes and square black framed glasses. His light brown hair was short on the sides but longer on top. Black gauges hung in his ear lobes, and full sleeved tattoos encircled both of his arms. Today he wore a lavender dress shirt with a black tie at half mast, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, with black slacks and shoes.

  “Hey Millie. What’s up, Sloan?” He asked without taking his eyes away from the computer. Donovan took a minute to finish what he was typing and then finally looked up. His eyes widened when he saw me. “Holy shit. Sloan are you alright?”

  He got up and came around the table, looking at Millie closely, making sure she was okay. Once he saw that she was dry and perfectly fine he turned his attention back to me.

  Donovan grabbed my chin gently and turned my face to the left. “Who the fuck did that to you?”

  In a normal situation I may have been touched by his big brother reaction, but it made me even more nervous. I dreaded looking into a mirror. I didn’t know what to say so I stood quietly, dripping water onto their carpet.

  Donovan let me go. “I thought you two went to get dim sum and then the gardens.”

  “We did, babe,” Millie said. “Sloan accidentally fell into the pond at the gardens.”

  “She what?”

  “Can you get a hot pot of coffee started for her please? I’m going to get her something dry to wear.”

  Donovan nodded. “Yeah, alright.” He made his way into the kitchen to make the coffee. I could tell he was upset. Apparently, my falling into a pond story didn’t wash. Now I really dreaded looking into a mirror.

  “Come on,” Millie said.

  I followed her into the master bedroom. I sat down on the bed, next to Millie’s sock monkey collection, as she riffled through the clothes in her closet. A picture of Millie’s mother sat on one of the two bedside tables, a purple orchid placed next to the frame. Donovan’s polished wood electric bass guitar was propped in one corner, beside a small amp.

  “I’m not sure if I have anything that will fit you, Sloan. You’re just so tall.”

  “Anything is fine.”

  After several moments, she came out of the closet carrying a Seattle Mariners sweatshirt and a pair of stretchy yoga pants. We were about the same waist size, so the pants would fit okay.

  “Here.” She handed me the bundle. “Those yoga pants are too long on me, so they should fit you. I’ll get you some socks. Just toss your wet clothes and boots in the tub, and I’ll put your clothes in the dryer when you’re done.” Millie looked at me, worry filling her eyes. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

  I nodded.

  “I will give you some privacy. Just come out when you’re ready.” She gave me a smile, her eyes lingering on the right side of my face. I could tell Millie was questioning my pond story as well, and probably thinking along the same lines as Donovan, that someone had done this to me.

  She shut the door and I slipped into the bathroom. When I saw my reflection in the mirror, I understood their reactions. A bruise was quickly blossoming on my right cheek, and small red scratches from the branches crisscrossed in various places all over my face. It looked like someone had punched me. I must have hit my cheek on a branch on the way down. There were leaves and sticks in my hair.

  I took in a couple of deep
breaths and then slowly peeled off my wet clothes.

  “Oh my god,” I whispered.

  Bruises were already forming across my stomach and on the right side of my body. They spread across my shoulder, down my side, and over my hip. Being thrown had been disorienting. Until now, I really hadn’t realized what side of my body had hit the tree first. Now I knew. My injuries were like pieces of a puzzle, a guide to what had happened and where.

  I gently prodded my ribs. It was tender and sore, but I didn’t think they were broken. Most likely bruised, just like the rest of me. As I pulled off my boots and then my socks, snippets of what happened fluttered across my mind.

  …The man standing by the cherry tree, his black eyes and wings, the cold pond water, hitting the tree and then tumbling to the ground, the golden warrior...

  My hands shook as I pulled the sweatshirt over my head. My mind felt frozen, my thoughts discombobulated. There was a serious possibility that I was experiencing some type of psychotic episode. But if that was the case, how was I hurt? If none of it had been real, why did I have visible cuts and bruises? Even Millie had commented on a thunderstorm nearby. She must have heard the rumbling of the two men fighting.

  I wasn’t going to be able to figure it out right now, so I didn’t even try. I was too scared and confused to think straight. Although I couldn’t help but wonder, how had he found me? His words echoed in my mind—we have unfinished business. What if he came here? What if he followed me to Millie and Donovan’s apartment? I was unsure of what was happening or if the man with black eyes was even real, but the possibility of him showing up here made me want to throw up. Being here could endanger Millie and Donovan. I needed to leave as soon as possible. I had to pull myself together long enough to convince them I was fine, so Millie would take me home. Knowing her, she would probably ask me to stay the night.

  I gripped the sides of the bathroom sink and took in several more slow and steady breaths. Get it together, Sloan. You can do this.