by Drue M Scott
Quantum Souls:
Entanglement
Drue M. Scott
Quantum Souls: Entanglement
Copyright © 2018 by Drue M. Scott
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means – electronic, mechanical, photographic (photocopying), recording, or otherwise – without prior permission in writing from the author.
This book was only made possible through the love and support of my closest friends and family.
A very special Thank You to:
Bill Rogers
Shad Engkilterra
Danielle Owens
Editing and Other Assistance provided by: Shad Engkilterra penguinate.com
Table of Contents
Chapter I
Best Laid Plans of Devils & Men
The Day Before It Changed
The Devil is in the Details
Chapter II
Something Strange Happened at the Park Today: part 1
The In-Between
Something Strange Happened at the Park Today: part 2
Chapter III
White-Washed
An Angel in Devil’s Clothes
Needs and Wants
Chapter IV
Somewhere Off in Time
Audience to Murder
Lost & Found
Revenge Is Best After Sex
Chapter V
Convergence; Dispersion
Anam Cara (soul-friend)
Lone Solider
Chapter VI
The Beginnings of an End
What Would an Angel Do; the Devil Wants to Know
Retaliation
Chapter VII
Too Hell
Grasping at Straws
The Theatrics of Killing the World
Epilogue
A Random Tuesday in July
“My life extends far beyond the limitations of me.”
-Robert Frobisher (Cloud Atlas, 2012)
Chapter I
What Once Was
Best Laid Plans of Devils and Men
The bar was all but empty. Loud music easily drowned out the voices of the few individuals that had decided to go out on a Tuesday night. The reviews had said the drinks were strong and the patrons beautiful, and that was all Jacob needed to secure his presence there. Moving to the bar at a pace that somehow matched the beat of the music but didn’t overtly appear to do so, he surveyed the extremely limited selection of candidates. On the over-worn wood dancefloor was a drunken woman swooning to some lyrics that he could not make out. It hardly mattered to Jacob much since his interest in the music choices of the day was nonexistent. He couldn’t help but notice though, that had the woman not been completely sloshed, she might actually be a good dancer. In front of him, very near the spot he was eyeing to take a seat, was a man with his back turned away and who instantly piqued Jacob’s interests. The shadows cast upon him from colored lights pulsing to baselines that vibrated the walls, made the man’s form appear to waver. Like a reflection in disrupted water, the sitting man’s physique rippled in time with the music. He appeared to be pleasing, or at least possibly so, but more investigation was required; and Jacob liked investigating beautiful things. Still keeping a keen eye on the target, Jacob also began to fully evaluate the room. Each environment had its own set of parameters and social norms attached, and Jacob always tried to be aware of them far before breaking them. Taking note of each soul within the walls of the club, he continued his survey. There was a couple tucked away in one of the many corners of this dark bar, and they were making out like long lost lovers. A group of “bros” drinking sloppily at the edge of the DJ booth appeared to be the only real threat to the otherwise friendly atmosphere. What appeared to be a rather handsome duo of men on a very awkward first date sat closest to the exit. Not counting the security and staff, there were only 11 beings, with which Jacob could connect. Pickings were certainly slim, and a challenge lay before him; but he had rarely, if ever, turned down a challenge. In his experience, they paid off in dividends far greater than easy wins. The foggy room and flashing lights made it difficult to accurately judge physical appearances, but that was nothing new. This could have been any number of venues he had frequented over the years. The dark walls, the half-torn posters of previous events, the near identical rotation of Top 40 shit blasting from dusty speakers – it was all the same. Change the name and drink specials and this would be just another short-lived bar on a no-name street in anywhere-ville. Quite versed in the “club scene,” Jacob knew opportunities would eventually present themselves bringing a resolution to his temporary hurdle. Alcohol, hormones, and late hours, tended to dissolve inhibitions quite rapidly. Making sure he knew the best routes of egress, Jacob thumbed his nose. It was more a gesture to pull attention from his obvious analysis of the room, but in some ways, it felt like a solidification of his self-edifying ego. The main entrance/exit was directly behind him where the gay couple sat awkwardly unaware of what to do with their hands, and the bar, which possibly had a back exit out onto the street, was to his front left. Quite a simple layout, he thought to himself as he slowed his approach to the one and only place to order drinks. The dance floor off to his right was large enough to accommodate a hefty crowd, and had on many occasions, as evidenced by its tattered appearance. Tonight, it was damn near empty. The distinct smell of industrial strength cleaning agents and alcohol filled the establishment. It attempted to overpower the lingering smell of smoke that still clung to the bar from when smoking indoors was common place. It wasn’t a particularly pleasant scent, but it didn’t necessarily offend, either. The desire to smoke gnawed at Jacob’s nerves. As for the smell, it was just what one had to accept being in a dive bar or busy club. Jacob ran his right hand through his shoulder length brown hair while adjusting his lower region sneakily, still pacing slowly towards the bar. It was another gesture-driven distraction attempt. He hoped his initial movement might pull attention away from the fact that he needed to rearrange the furniture downstairs; he grinned awkwardly. The tighter-than-he-would-usually-be-comfortable-with jeans definitely flattered his fit legs and buttocks, but they were not the most comfortable choice for the boys. Growing up and being referred to as a “heart-breaker”, Jacob was familiar with what it was like to be “traditionally” attractive. Flawless facial features, with a 9 o’clock shadow that emphasized his strong jaw-line, he could have easily been a model. With a darker complexion than the average pale European, he appeared, most times, as someone the sun loved, though he spent very little time in it. On most nights, he would have had his hair pulled back in some type of trendy manner, but recently he had grown tired of following what the “new” and “hot” looks were. He enjoyed the flow of his messy hair even though it was truly, and sometimes painfully, very well taken care of. His broad shoulders and solid chest slimmed downward to his waist and strong legs, giving him the perfect “V” that most men want and all swimmers have. At 6’1”, he checked off all the clichéd boxes. Well-defined, but not grossly so, solid-sized hands and feet, and dark—ish—hair, he was tall, dark, and handsome. The only defect, in his opinion, was he had a well outlined Adam’s apple. Fidgeting as he resituated himself, he felt the tug of nicotine receptors firing off, jonzing for another fix. At times, Jacob wished it was like it was before when smoking was popular, and nearly everywhere you went you could smoke inside. At least my shirt won’t reek of smoke when I get home. He compromised with himself as a means to lessen his disappointment. The dark, fitted, button-down shirt he left untucked was one of his comfortable “go-to” shirts, and he was glad it would not be ruined by burn holes and nicotine stains. I guess that’s good news, at least, he mused, checking himself out in the mirro
r of the bar as he approached. This shirt makes my biceps look awesome. The bartender taking notice of his approaching patron began speaking, pulling Jacob from his self-adoration. It was far too loud to know what he said, but Jacob figured he was asking for his order.
“Whisky, neat, in a chilled tumbler.” Hoping his voice had rose above the electronic music that vibrated the walls, he reached for his wallet.
“No chilled glasses here. Room temp is all I got.” The bartender blasted back as if offended someone would dare make such a hoity request.
Jacob took a seat as he tried not to appear put-off by the bartender’s tone. “That’ll work,” he flatly responded, shifting his weight in the bar stool in order to face down the length of the bar as opposed to straight on. Though it put his back to the exit, it did serve two purposes; one, he wanted to seem open and available to approach, but two, and his main reason, he wanted to check out the young man sitting three stools down. The man’s profile, Jacob admired, was a shadowed physique that enticed the eyes and stirred the air with interest. Still, more assessments needed to be made, and the eagerness to make them promised a thrill. At the end of the day, excitement, or the possibility of it, was what he sought.
Jacob was not hung up on looks per se, but he did have a rather picky set of standards that a man must meet in order for him to be interested. Too aggressive was definitely a turn off, but too effeminate didn’t really blow his whistle either. Men on the thinner side with blonde or ginger hair sparked heavy desires, and any man with tattoos always made the cut. Women, on the other hand, he was much less discerning about. If she drew breath and had tits, she fit the bill. Starting the night out with no intent on gender bias, he was open to whatever intrigued him first. Be it a man or a woman, he was more interested in what he was going to gain from the experience and less on the plumbing he’d be working with. Earlier in his life, he would have never given thought to having sex, or any other intimate contact, with a man. However, falling down a spiraling hole into heroin addiction and the life he led to get his next fix changed all that. Jesus! How long ago was that? He half remembered the first guy he sucked off. It was for a used syringe with barely a push left in it. The deterioration of morals followed by flesh had carried him down so far he could hardly believe he was still alive. He didn’t ascribe the new-found openness to varying genders and sexual exploration to his addiction though; he likened it more to a silver lining from one of the darkest times in his life. It was the catalyst that opened his eyes to an intensity that had always been there but had not yet reached the surface. He enjoyed the pleasures of the flesh, and just like every individual provides a different angle, from which to interpret life, each also has unique ways of indulging in the more carnal activities. Admittedly, he had come to understand and appreciate: men just give better blowjobs than women.
Still eyeing his target, Jacob threw down his money on the bar in time with the bartender dropping his whisky in front of him. The hollow clank of the old glass to the wood bar top splashed a few drops of his drink out of the marred tumbler and onto his hand, disrupting his concentration. It struck Jacob that the bartender wasn’t necessarily being rude, but the service did lack the friendliness he thought someone working for tips might have. It wasn’t busy enough to blame being overwhelmed; the man just appeared less than happy to be working. Times were hard, and jobs were not the easiest to come by; the man should have been a bit more appreciative that people were ordering drinks. Regardless, it wasn’t so much of a concern that he cared to allow his thoughts to linger upon it any further. Raising the scratched and hazy glass to his lips, he felt the warmth only Whisky could provide touch his thirsty tongue. It was cheap, burned more than it should, and tasted of smoked wood, but it was just the right amount of fuzz to calm the need for a cigarette. Goddamn cigarettes! Unlike most, Jacob smoked less when he drank. With all the energy he had amassed, his soul, and most times his nerves, mellowed out once drinking began. The need for nicotine lessened, but his desire to collect more life-force heightened. Shrugging it all off as he finished the glass, there’s no need to take your time with such a poor representation of flavor, he set his sights on approaching the t-shirt clad, solitary man just a few feet away.
“Excuse me,” He paused to see if the man would turn towards him or ignore the interruption. “Is this the normal crowd size or…?” He paused again assuming the completion of his question was apparent.
The man spun himself around in the stool to face Jacob. Initially, he had a flat expression – not of annoyance or joy, it was of utter apathy. He clearly couldn’t have cared less to be there, but he also couldn’t be bothered to leave.
“Not that I actually care. Just wondering mostly.” Jacob finished with a smile.
Instantly, the man’s face changed. It was noticeable but not dramatic. He was very handsome and had a much softer demeanor than Jacob had initially guessed. Well-groomed, dark blonde hair and clean shaven, he appeared to be in his late-twenties. Jacob could not make out what color the man’s eyes were under the poor lighting of the bar and flashing lights pulsing from the dance floor, but they were not hollow, and they were not angry. Both of which would make his night more pleasurable and less strenuous respectively. As bars tended to be the hunting ground for other fractured souls, the chances of running into one were much greater. Jacob wasn’t fractured, though he knew, had Devin not saved him, he was headed for that inevitability on a bullet train with no brakes. Fracturing souls, however, was a pleasure that quickly aroused more than just his interest. Watching the light in someone’s eyes fade, the distinct twitch of their physical form as their soul tears, and feeling their struggle to live give way to the acceptance of death, were the Holy Trinity to Jacob; the bright candle in an otherwise dark life. Nothing soured the mood though, quite like running into another violent prone being he would have to snuff in order to find his prey. Given it was a Tuesday night and a rather thin crowd, Jacob was glad his target choice was a complete soul and, by initial appearances, quite pliable.
“To be honest,” the handsome man started his reply as he readjusted his weight in the uncomfortable wooden seat. “I’ve never been here before. My wife, well, she said she used to come here a lot before we got married and…” Appearing as though he were unable to find the words to finish his thought, the man grimaced. It wasn’t anger or pain that contorted his expressions but rather something adjacent to embarrassment. “Anyway, I’m not sure if it gets busier later or not.” He reached out his hand in a gesture to shake, but instead, slid off his chair.
Leaping from his own uncomfortable stool and instantly catching the young man, Jacob smiled. His movements, had they been witnessed by any other, would have appeared supernatural, but the stumbling man hardly took notice of anything more than the strength and friendliness of his courter. Jacob had a disarming charm and friendly face when he wanted to. The years of pain and turmoil had not stolen that from him. His eyes, a sharp green, sparkled in the right light and frequently appeared to have swirls of hazel within them. Straightening his new acquaintance to his feet and readjusting his ruffled shirt, Jacob’s left eye sparked. It was a flicker of momentary blue that filtered across the entirety of the eye in as fast as the eye could blink.
“Yeah! Let’s order another round,” the man joked attempting to distract himself from the fact that he had been staring into Jacob’s eyes. He wasn’t completely sure what he saw was real or just a play of the light from the dance floor. “I’ve really not had that much to drink tonight.” Peering over to his wife, he dropped his shoulders and tilted his head slightly to one side. “Not nearly as much as Gina.” Turning back to Jacob, he targeted his sight directly at his chin figuring it was close enough to eye contact to appear respectful but not uncomfortable. “My name is Dannison.”
“Good to meet you, Dannison. My name is Jacob.” They both returned to the hard-wood bar stools with visible regret at how uncomfortable they were.
“What are you drinking? The next one is on m
e,” Dannison spoke matter-of-factly while he signaled to the unhappy bartender. “At least maybe we can catch up to Gina; she seems to be having a good time.” Chuckling he turned his head, almost to the point of straining, to see his wife now flirtatiously dancing in the direction of the college boys who were gulping their beer straight from the pitcher.
“The same.” Jacob caught the attention of the bartender with a gesture that indicated the two men wanted another round. Placing his hand down onto Dannison’s, who was fumbling his wallet open to retrieve money, Jacob grinned. It was not a full smile, just one of those one-sided smirks where only the corner of the mouth elevates slightly. Dannison didn’t shy away. He did, instead, peer directly into Jacob’s face. Their eyes connected. Somehow mesmerized by the color he swore shifted, Dannison hoped to see that sheen of blue flicker across the green hue, again. He wasn’t altogether sure he had actually witnessed it before; a second time would be confirmation he wasn’t just drunk.
“I wonder if I might ask you a rather personal question,” his once partial grin transformed into a full smile as Jacob leaned inward to Dannison. Never one to mince words or beat around the bush, at least when he was on the prowl, Jacob transitioned his hand from the sticky lacquered bar-top to his conquest’s knee. “Would Gina be mad if I kissed you right now?” Though his true intent for the evening’s outcome was hidden well, the excitement of it bubbled up within him causing both his eyes to flash their iridescent blue.
The shock, and clear anticipatory excitement, read plain upon Dannison’s face. He was thrilled to know that there was no play of the lights that had altered his vision; no alcohol induced hallucinations. He saw the blue flash in Jacob’s eyes, and now, that same man was flirting with him unabashedly. Dannison wasn’t really into men, but something about his suitor sparked an insatiably curious desire. It was as though, throughout his life, he had been starving and was finally going to be fed. Waiting was not going to be easy.