Deviant Fixation

by Valencia Carmelita

  A half hour later, the demon rings the buzzer of the apartment complex, while holding bags full of expensive confections and cake. Bilal stands besides him happily while I'm a nervous mess.

  Instantly the lobby door beeps open and we board the elevator to the third floor. There stands Leila, sporting a bigger baby bump than the last time I saw her.

  "Asalam Alei..." Leila's enthusiastic voice lowers down a notch while her smile freezes halfway as soon as her eyes meet the demon standing between us. "...uh..Aleikom."

  Some fifteen minutes later, we are all settled in her small t.v. lounge. The atmosphere is thickened by awkwardness.

  The demon is the only one who appears at ease, no sign of smug arrogance in his demeanor. Yet he looks so out of place with his elegance, he also takes up most of the space on the couch with me and Bilal.

  Leila and her husband Hasan sit across from us. The coffee table in between is filled with Afghan refreshments.

  "So.." Hasan begins, stroking his beard thoughtfully as he studies the demon. "You're this Imran Mirza that I've been hearing so much about from Leila."

  The demon raises his brow at me questioningly, my eyes widen as I throw Leila a worried glance.

  Leila opens her mouth to object. "No-"

  "Yes!" I interject swiftly, I give a warning squeeze of Bilal's hand.

  He and Leila merely gape at me in total mixture of shock and confusion.

  The demon purses his lip, attempting to contain his amusement while eyeing me.

  My mind spins with the lie slipping out of my mouth. "Didn't you see my wedding photos, brother Hasan?"

  "No.." Hasan answers while peering over at his wife with a disappointed face. "Unfortunately Leila forgot her camera at your father's home...and that was one expensive camera."

  "Oh.." I breath a sigh of relief.

  Hasan readjusts his solemn attention on the demon. "You don't look like a Mirza to me, you..look like a white man from the whitest part of Europe..like the North Pole or something."

  "Hasan!" Leila gasps in dismay. "That's rude."

  The demon chuckles and assures her. "I'm not the least bit offended, it's alright." Then he levels his cool blue gaze on Hasan. "You're correct in identifying me as European, I'm of Danish, Scottish and Russian heritage."

  "Yet you have an Afghan Pakistani Mirza surname..." Hasan raises an incredulous brow at him. The demon looks from him to me, smiling deviously.

  "That's because!" I interject again without thinking and blurt another lie. "He's converted to Islam!"

  "MashAllah! That's great news that Leila has failed to mention." Hasan exclaims, smiling brightly.

  He arises to his feet to embrace the demon, who's providing me a stern look now. As they both embrace, he reaches up to quickly button his collar from revealing the Orthodox Christian Crucifix necklace. Thankfully both Hasan and Leila don't notice this swift move by him.

  "The dinner will get cold." Leila interrupts.

  "Come, brother Imran." Hasan ushers the demon in the direction of the kitchen/dining area. "My wife cooks the best Afghani dishes."

  Some ten minutes into the dinner, Leila eyes me suspiciously while she questions. "So how did you two meet?"

  "Uh.." I trail off, my gaze flitting towards the demon who pauses eating.

  "We met at the park first." The demon smirks at me and I aim him a warning glare. He ignores it and continues. "Isn't that right, wife? What a memorable meeting it was, huh?"

  "Oh?" Leila raises her brow, eyes narrowing at me. "What was so memorable about it? What were you doing, Sanam?"

  Before the demon could reveal the truth, I swiftly reply. "I was on the swings and err..swinging.."

  "Until it was time for her to go home." The demon feigns a half disheartened look towards me. "But she wasn't able to..something happened and I had to rescue her.."

  "Oh?" Leila continues drilling her narrowed eyes at me. "What happened?"

  "I was on the swings!" I grit my teeth in warning at the demon.

  "Go on, princess.." The demon drawls wickedly. "Tell them how I rescued you."

  "Yes, tell us." Leila agrees nimbly, placing her spoon down.

  "Tell us! Tell us! Tell us!" Bilal chants.

  "Uh.." I trail off, my mind flip-flopping.

  "Brother Imran.." Hasan chortles before taking a sip of his glass of water. "Enlighten us instead of her."

  "She wasn't using the regular swings for adults.." The demon begins. "She had got herself stuck in those baby swings."

  My head whips in his direction in disbelief yet he continues. "I was walking past to work, minding my own business when I spot her wriggling around, legs dangling several inches above the ground..she resembled a frog."

  "That's hilarious!" Bilal laughs along with Hasan. My ears are steaming in embarrassment of such fabrication.

  "So anyway, I think nothing of it.." The demon shrugs nonchalantly before feigning a serious look. "But then when I'm passing by from work several hours later, I spot her still stuck in the swing..there were little kids gathering all around her with wooden sticks..and they were poking her with the sticks..as if she were a piñata."

  "Oh my God!" Bilal is giddy with laughter as he bangs his fist twice against the table top. Hasan is guffawing along with him and Leila joins in with her giggles. Meanwhile I'm face palming in ire over the lies the demon spun about me.

  "So I knew then that she was stuck." He states with a feigned wistful smile. "I went over, and got on my hands and knees as I instructed her to place her feet on top of my back and leap out of the swing. She did just that, and she landed on her face. That's it."

  ◆◆◆

  I wasn't sure if I should refer to him as a demon anymore. What he had done the next day was something I hadn't expected he would do. He had given Leila and Hasan each a ten thousand dollar check, but they wouldn't accept. So he persuaded them for settling with five thousand dollars.

  Well actually the entirety of this trip was unexpected. Albeit he's keeping me his prisoner in a gilded prison, I think I'd slacken off from referring to him as a demon for these past two days.

  He had taken me to the cemetery where my mother's grave was. Bought three huge bouquets of flowers to place on it. I was given plenty of private time to speak to her and pray for her soul.

  When I had cried my heart out, and turned around finally after Bilal had interrupted, I found Vladimir's eyes full of tenderness lock with mine.

  I wasn't sure if I was mistaken when I noticed the glossyness of tears in those blue depths, after all he had also lost his parents at a young age. He could relate to my situation in regards to this. I hoped this alone would eventually chip away his mindset of holding me prisoner, so he could take mercy and set me free.

  We weren't able to stay for more than two days in America since he received calls from his uncle concerning the safety of his family back in Australia. So on the third night we returned down under, riding his helicopter in the early morning hours back to the villa.

  "Once we land, you both should definitely get well rested." He says to us through his headset and mic as he controls the aircraft. "I have an important matter to attend."

  "But aren't you tired?" Bilal queries in worry. "You're only human, you should get some rest too."

  Bilal voiced my thoughts, thankfully. I did think along similar lines, but couldn't muster the courage to offer this healthy suggestion to Vladimir. I mean, he'd take it the wrong way like he did for the alcohol.

  Twinkling sapphire eyes meet mine in the rear view mirror as he lets out a chuckle. "Well, I'm glad SOMEONE cares!Thank you Bilal, but I'd have to say I'm not a mere human afterall, I'm superhuman."

  Bilal laughs. "Yeah you look like a superhero!"

  As we approach closer to the villa in isolated territory, something terrible occurs in a blink a of an eye. The helicopter gets hit by some sort of a fireball.

  "What the fūck?!" Vladimir growls in rage, eyes flicker with panic.

  Chapter 32


  "What is it ?!" I shriek in repleted panic. Besides me, Bilal is just as frightened. Overpowering stench of smoke engulfs us quickly as the helicopter malfunctions.

  "There is good news and bad news." Vladimir responds, jaw clenched in apparent ire. He pours all of his strength and effort in veering the helicopter off course away from the villa. "Which do you want to hear first?"

  "This isn't time for such games!" I shriek again as the helicopter continues impairing.

  "Are we crashing?!" Bilal questions with eyes wide as saucers.

  "Not we. The helicopter will crash, that's the bad news.We've been targeted by enemy RPG." Vladimir replies, eyes narrowed in focus as he ascends the helicopter into higher heights. "It seems someone within our circles has tipped the enemy off in regards to our whereabouts."

  "RPG?!" Bilal gapes horrified. "Enemy?!"

  "What the hell is RPG?!" I snap in ensuing terror.

  "Military weapon!" Bilal promptly answers before desperately asking Vladimir. "What's the good news, captain?!"

  "Good news is, this copter is equipped with four parachutes." Vladimir divulges as he veers the helicopter towards forested patches of land. "We sky dive."

  "Whaaaaaaat?!!!!!" I scream in utter shock.

  "Alright!" Bilal nods his head in determined affirmation. "I'm ready when you are, captain!"

  Petrified, I gape at Bilal. "Are you out of your mind?!!"

  "I've been on crazy rides at the amusement park during a school trip!" Bilal imparts with an earnest nod. "I'm more than capable!"

  "That doesn't qualify you to skydive!!!" I bellow furiously at him.

  "Not enough time!Its a matter of life or death.This copter is beyond salvageable." Vladimir relays over the clamor of the doomed aircraft. "The parachute backpacks are under your seats, put them on immediately."

  "You heard the Captain!" Bilal scowls at me with vehemence. "Either we live as brave men and woman or we die as cowards while the forces of evil continue to accumulate, thereby flooding the world with more evil!"

  What the hell?!

  In those perilous moments, I felt as if my own brother whom I grew up with, was a total stranger to me. Since when did he develop so valorous and philosophical?

  "When you've equipped yourselves with the backpacks, I'll need to enlist both of your help in securing mine while I try to get us to my emergency classified bunker." Vladimir orders.

  Bilal immediately commences in lifting out his parachute backpack from under his seat and slides it on. Meanwhile, my entire form is wracked with tremors of fright. I couldn't think straight, I was beyond terrified of the unraveling events.

  "Come on Sanam!!" Bilal entreats, as he attempts sliding my backpack straps over my arms. "Hurry!!!"

  Then he proceeds to start helping Vladimir who looks over at me through the rear view mirror with apparent concern.

  "Bilal you will clip your backpack strap hooks to mine in the back and hold on to my shoulders!" Vladimir commands firmly. "I'll clip on Sanam's with the front of my straps and she will have to hold on to my waist.Then we shall dive, I must land on target."

  It's not long before Vladimir has fixed the helicopters control system to a certain setting, wherein it remains flying in the direction of his supposed bunker. He quickly arises from the pilots seat and turns his back to my brother inorder for him to clip on his hooks.Bilal does exactly as he's told.

  With Bilal attached securely to his back, Vladimir approaches me swiftly and yanks me to my feet. My tremulous knees buckle under me. This deters him not from attaching the hooks of my backpack to the front of his.

  I'm literally sobbing right now with my eyes squeezed shut, rampantly supplicating. "Ya'Allah, I can't do this!! Oh have mercy!! Have mercy!! Forgive me my sins!!"

  "Sanam, I've got this! Look at me!" Vladimir reassures fiercely as he cups my chin. "Look at me, Sanam!"

  My eyes veiled by tears meet a determined sapphire gaze as he utters. "I won't allow you get hurt so as long I am alive. I've got this..I've done this numerous times, trust me..will you?"

  "Come on, Sanam!" Bilal pleads through silent tears while clutching at Vladimirs shoulders in the back. "Do it for mom, you promised her you'd take care of me and yourself.."

  I reluctantly nod in acceptance through my sobs as Vladimir directs me to hold tight to his waist. I do as I'm told, pressing my face against his chest. My mother's memories flood through my mind.

  The helicopter jolts around violently, while Vladimir hovers near the open precipice. Then without warning, he takes a leap.

  I scream my head off along with Bilal as the flooring gives away from under our feet. Next thing we know, we're falling through the sky.

  The wind is lashing at us violently like a thousand whips. My thrashing heart seems clogged in my throat. However within seconds, we're tugged in an upwards motion. I continue screaming and weeping.

  Soon enough, I suspect the upward tug meant Vladimir must have activated the parachute.

  The wind no longer lashing at us in the same velocity, Vladimir orders. "Sanam, we're fine, relax!Open your eyes."

  My shrieks mitigate, yet I refuse to open my eyes.Unexpectedly next, I hear Bilal's impressed cackle of triumph. "Haha! Oh man!! This is so cool!! Better than any theme park ride!!!"

  What the hell?!! He's out of his mind!! Truly lost his marbles!!

  "Open your eyes." Vladimir requests me anew. "Come on, you need to see this..overcome your fear of skydiving..so next time you'd be more prepared!"

  Next time?!!!

  "No!!" I cry, emphatically shaking my head in a promise to self. "No next time!! I'm not flying with you ever again!!"

  "Sanam!" Bilal chortles blithely. "You're missing out, this is awesome!!!"

  "My little brother inlaw is much more enduring than you!" Vladimir accuses with an undertone of challenge.

  "So what!!!" I shout over the wind. "You're both crazy!!!"

  "Just one peek, come on." Vladimir entreats. "Just one peek."

  "Fine!" I relent in exasperation. "A nanosecond only!"

  With heaving breaths, I blink my eyes open. The view that greets me, has my breath caught in my throat.

  We're gradually descending through the air over a vast scenic wooded area of splendor. In the distance ahead, the ocean sparkles under the brilliant rays of the sun. I sense my nerves slowly unwind.

  "See, it's not so bad." Vladimir whispers warmly near my ear, sending tingles down my neck.

  Instantly, I glance up at him. His eyes were the same hue as the backdrop of the flawless azure blue sky. I'm ensnared rapidly within their beauty.There was unmistakable tenderness within those intense depths as they remain aligned with mine.

  The damaged helicopter flies over head, breaking our eye contact. It whizzes past in the direction it was fixed to fly towards. Then within a few seconds the entire aircraft explodes, debris falling into the ocean. I shudder thinking what could have occurred of our bodies, had we not exited that helicopter in time.

  "We're about to land, so hold on tight you guys." Vladimir commences through gritted teeth as he utilizes a surge of his strength to push himself forth in the air.