The Hallucigenia Project

by Darren Kasenkow

  “Not a problem.” John made sure he didn’t shake too lightly, or with too much force. “I appreciate you helping me out.”

  “Business is what makes the world go round brother. Go on, take a seat, grab a drink, relax. Nothing to worry about here.”

  John could feel the muscles around his stomach beginning to pull tight. He knew who Max was, had known for some years now. Slick as oil with connections throughout the city, he’d somehow managed to keep his chemical warehouse in business regardless of the heat that was always surrounding him, not to mention the reputation he’d gained for having associates over the years that had simply disappeared. If things had been different, if his world hadn’t turned upside down, it was possible that John would have been hunting him like well sought prey. Instead, strange and twisted roads left him accepting a cold offer of hospitality.

  He found a place on the sofa and accepted a bottle of beer from one of the girls. For a moment all eyes watched him intently. Resigned to the fact that he was now in the belly of the beast, there was nothing to do but smile, drink, and let the conversation kick back into gear around him.

  The next hour was a blur of lines of coke, exaggerated stories of violence and bravado, occasional stares from the unnamed men and the constant jumping in and out of the pool by the girls who seemed happy and content to nestle in a room full of vipers. John could only hope that nobody noticed the way he studied their faces as they pulled themselves from the water, or the quick glances at his phone to check the photograph that he’d received just days earlier.

  Now Max turned to him with eyes wide and red and a sick excuse for a smile curling the edge of his lips.

  “Okay mate, business time. Rick tells me you’re looking to step up your game.”

  “Something like that,” John offered.

  “Well it’s not very complicated. You give me money, I give you something in return. If you like what you get, next time it better be a bigger fucking purchase. This here today is a one off, so don’t think you can come back here again with a pocket full of change. Anything not clear?”

  “All sounds good to me.”

  “Then put it on the table.”

  John reached for the bundle of cash in his pocket and placed it in front of Max, who quickly removed the band and proceeded to count the curled notes. Content it was all there he nodded with satisfaction, winked at John and then yelled back over his shoulder towards the kitchen area that was visible through a long open window.

  “Jodie!”

  John watched as seconds later a young girl appeared in the doorway. Shadows fell across her face and long hair while the dress that hung from her shoulders barely covered her skinny legs.

  “Yeah Max?” The voice sounded tired and anxious.

  “Bring me the thing from the freezer door.”

  Jodie disappeared back into the shadows, returning a minute later to step out into the light where she seemed to almost float across the floor. Dark black lines framed her sad eyes. Her blonde hair was a mess. She appeared both timid and wounded, and the way the nameless men watched her every movement it was surprising they weren’t physically licking their lips.

  As she brushed some of the hair back from her face and handed Max a small package John felt a jolt of electricity rush the back of his neck. Here she was, he thought, the reason for his slithering into the mud. But as he took a quick glance around the room he suddenly realized that the mud was a lot stickier than he’d anticipated. This was not going to be easy.

  “I could really do with a bump,” she almost whispered.

  “Whatever,” Max replied while checking the package.

  “Seriously Max, I’m starting to crash.”

  “You’re really pissing me off today, you know that? Now fuck off and take a shower or something. You look like shit.”

  Jodie winced at the barbs and opened her mouth ready to respond, but instead decided against it. With blood flushing her white cheeks she turned and walked quickly back into the shadows. John stared at his bottle of beer and pretended not to care about the uncomfortable exchange that had just taken place.

  “Here you go.” Max handed John a plastic bag filled with what looked like crushed glass. “This shit here will leave you wondering if you’ve ever slept at all.” He leaned forward and narrowed his eyes. “Don’t make me regret doing business with you. I’ve been nice. I’ve let you into my home. You don’t wanna put yourself in a bad situation.”

  “You’ve got nothing to worry about Max. I like to keep my business clean. Thanks for the hospitality.”

  “Okay,” Max suddenly laughed, “bust some out. Let’s set this day on fire!”

  John offered a grin to hide his anxiety. The last thing he needed was more of this shit, but it wasn’t as if he could say thank you for the drugs and just walk out the door.

  “You got it,” he said, tapping some of the crystals into the bowl of a long glass pipe.

  Once alive with smoke he inhaled the putrid fumes and again felt the warmth of adrenaline and flood of dopamine dance across the top of his skull. As he passed the pipe to Max he looked across the room and could just make out Jodie’s silhouette through the open wall at the kitchen table with her head resting in her hand. He leaned back into the sofa and watched the room. Angelo had stripped away his clothes and was sitting in the pool with his back against the tiles, one of the girls smiling and listening to his bullshit. Rick had joined the nameless three and seemed to be holding court, his hands waving like a psychotic conductor as a mirror constantly passed between them. Circling the performance with drinks in hand were the other two girls, both naked except for towels folded across their chests, but it was the man beside him who had his attention. Max was always going to be the problem. John needed to think, and think fast.

  “We should ramp things up a little,” he said while producing a small bag of white powder. “Here, knock yourself out.”

  Max raised an eyebrow while John quickly chopped a long line on the table. “What have you got for me?”

  “A little bit of heaven in snow. You’ll love it.”

  “Hell, probably the only way I’ll be getting anywhere near heaven.”

  Max leaned down, grabbed a small stainless steel straw and went to work on the powder. It was pure MDMA, and John watched and hoped it would buy him a few precious minutes. The walls were starting to close in, and his forced patience with the scavengers of the animal kingdom was wearing very thin. The screen on the far wall switched to some car race from the other side of the world, with the camera nestled on the dash so that the road raced towards them with incredible speed. For a second John found himself almost hypnotized by the frantic motion that matched the accelerated beating of his heart, but with a quick shake of his head he broke the spell, gulped a mouthful of beer and peered at Max as he smiled and leaned back against the stained cushions.

  “Fucking hell, a little bit of heaven is on the money, you weren’t lying.”

  John knew the powder had one hell of a rush when it first kicked in and figured it was now or never. He glanced once more around the room and saw that everybody was caught in their own strange chemical loops. Turning back to Max, he could see the tell tale signs of an endorphin waterfall relaxing the muscles across his face and around his eyes. Having made his decision, he swallowed the last of his drink and stood with the empty bottle.

  “I’m due for a piss,” he announced. “Might splash a bit of water on my face while I’m at it.”

  “Hell man, jump in the pool.” Max’s words were beginning to slur. “There’s no winter here…”

  John guessed the rush would last a good five or so minutes. After that? Well, after that he knew things would come back into focus with a fresh energy. Making sure he avoided any eye contact, he began to walk slowly towards the bathroom with slow and purposeful steps.

  Behind him he heard the conversations rambling on and, with the whine of high performance engines growing louder, fought the urge to look back over his
shoulder. Instead he took a long, deep breath and pushed passed the bathroom into the shadows of the hallway. A couple of seconds later he was standing in an open archway that revealed the brightly lit kitchen. Jodie was still at the table, head resting on one hand while she slowly scribbled words he couldn’t read in a cheap notebook.

  He stepped into the light. The sound of his boots against the tiles caught her attention, causing her to turn quickly in her seat and look at him with a mixture of surprise and exhaustion.

  “What the hell are you doing in here?” she asked.

  John lifted the empty bottle in his hand. “Just getting a drink.”

  “The fridge you want is back out there.”

  “My mistake.” He gave his best attempt at a disarming smile and wondered just how darker the day could get. “I’m John by the way.”

  “John? Now that’s original.”

  “Yeah I don’t suppose my parents gave too much thought to naming me. Still, can’t exactly change things now.”

  Jodie turned to peer across the pool through the opening in the wall. “I don’t think Max will be too happy if he sees you in here. This is kind of off limits. Last time he broke the guy’s fucking hand, and that was someone he knew. You? You’re just another blow in from the street.”

  “It’ll be alright,” John lied, “they’ve got their own party going. Besides, I figured you might want a bit of this.” He pulled out the same bag that she’d brought him earlier. “You look like you could do with a perk up.”

  Her eyes found the crystalline promises and a sense of wanting washed across her mouth. “What’s the story, he send you in to fuck me or something?”

  “Nothing like that. Just… thought you’d be interested is all. Your choice, but you need to make it now.”

  “Yeah, sure I want some but…” Worry crept into her eyes.

  “Look, come out to my car with me. We’ll be back in five minutes. Nobody’s gonna know we’re gone. What do you say?”

  Jodie began to bite her bottom lip. It was obvious there was a battle taking place in the storm swirling behind her temples.

  “Don’t look so worried,” he continued. “There’s nothing to it. I’m just trying to be friendly.”

  “You do know where you are don’t you?”

  “I’ve got a pretty good idea. Come on, five minutes and you’ll be back at the table writing whatever it is you’re writing and I’ll be digging in the fridge for a beer.”

  “Five minutes or we’re both in the shit.”

  With surprising grace she slipped from the chair and marched down the darkened hallway towards the double front doors. John moved quickly behind her, pulse racing. Was this really the best plan he could come up with? Shit, it had to be, and even though he’d pretty much made it up on the spot it was worth a shot.

  His senses sharpened as he listened for anything moving behind him. There was no point looking back now though, he was committed. The hallway was long, longer than he’d guessed from his glances from the side of the pool, but somehow they reached the entrance.

  A cane basked by the side of the door held several umbrellas adorned with wood carved handles. Jodie grabbed one and paused for a brief moment, as if ready to turn around. The battle, however, proved over and she unlocked the three deadbolts to reveal the thunder filled afternoon sky. Knowing the clock was ticking, John stepped forward and rushed down a garden path that came to a tall iron gate. Mercifully it wasn’t locked, and Jodie was close behind as they pushed through the rain towards his car.

  Remote in hand he deactivated the alarm and slid behind the wheel before leaning across and pushing open the passenger door. Jodie edged her way in and drew the umbrella closed before slamming the door shut. Now there was nothing but the sound of rain against the windows and their frantic breathing. John took a moment to study her face, to look at the way her young years had been tarnished with backyard chemicals and the accompanying malnutrition. He knew she was only sixteen and on a better day would have found an angelic beauty, but right now he saw only a lost child with a chiselled face of bitterness. And the clock was still clicking.

  Jodie was still biting the bottom of her lip as she flicked the hair from her face. “So let’s see it. I can’t be sitting here all day, and if I don’t get something real quick I’m gonna burn the fuck out.”

  “Just give me a second.”

  John reached to the side of the seat to make sure his insurance was still there and felt the cold steel he was hoping for. Then, as casually as possible, he activated the central locking and started the engine.

  “What the fuck do you think you’re doing? Jesus, I’m not going anywhere with you! And there’s no way in hell you’re getting in my pants, not unless Max clears it.”

  “Take it easy,” John said cautiously. “I just want to move around the corner.”

  “Not gonna happen.” With an impatient sigh she lifted the handle and found the door locked, turning to John with fear in her eyes. “Are you some fucking psycho or what? Open the damn door!”

  A deep, violent thunder clap erupted across the skies. In response the rain began to fall even heavier, so much so that at first neither of them could see the dark figures moving closer to the car.

  “Nothing’s going to happen to you Jodie, I promise. But we’re not going back inside.”

  Suddenly John saw through the rain and knew that the clock had stopped ticking. A heavy fist thumped the driver’s window and he looked up to find Max glaring down at him. Angelo was already standing by Jodie’s door and the nameless were leaning against the front of the car. Jodie took a deep breath and screamed to be let out while kicking at the dashboard. Max continued to thump against the window as another clap of thunder ripped across the heavens. John tried to swallow but his throat was dry. The day had just got darker.

  “Open the fucking door!” Max shouted above the din of the rain as his nose pressed against the glass. “Open the fucking door and let the bitch out.”

  Well, John thought, the heaven like rush has certainly faded away. “Sorry Max but I can’t do that. This is where we part company.”

  Angelo shouted something that made no sense and slammed a fist into Jodie’s window over and over but quickly discovered he was getting nowhere. One of the nameless crawled onto the bonnet and stared through the windscreen with rage, causing her to kick even harder as her screams broke into cries. John knew the situation was now officially out of hand, and was about to shift the car into reverse when Max picked up a rock and smashed his way through the driver’s window.

  “Get the fuck out of the car,” he snarled. “You come to my home and pull this shit? You must be out of your fucking mind I swear. I would’ve thought you know who I am.”

  Rain began blowing across John’s face. He managed to suck in a quick breath before grabbing the gun from the side of the seat in a flash of movement and jamming the barrel against Max’s cheek.

  “The way I see it,” John almost hissed through a clenched jaw, “you made the mistake of not knowing who I am.”

  “Hey man,” Max managed as he felt the steel push harder into his cheek. “You’ve got no reason to be pulling shit like this. If you want a round with her you should’ve said something. So how about lowering the cannon?”

  “I don’t think so. You and your dogs are gonna step back and continue the party without us. And Max,” he gave the gun one final shove, “I know who you are. To be honest I’m far from impressed. Just another drug dealing bottom feeder that pours way too much concrete ‘cause you’re too fucking lazy to mow the lawn. If you’re smart, if you’re willing to use what’s left of that brain of yours, you’ll chalk this up to a bit of business tax.”

  From the corner of his eye he could see Angelo running back to the house as Rick stood by the front gate with a face filled with surprise and hate. John knew it would be less than a minute before the element of surprise was over and he wouldn’t be the only one with gun in hand, and so shifted into reverse and slam
med his foot down on the pedal.

  Jodie screamed as the car lurched backwards, throwing the threat on the bonnet down to the wet asphalt. When he’d cleared enough distance he dropped the gun in his lap and threw the gear into drive before sending the tyres into a temporary spin, gripping the wheel tight to the right so that they were heading back out of the street. Rain continued to batter his face as he quickly checked his mirrors and saw dark figures running back of property. They’d be jumping into cars any second, but he knew in this weather they didn’t have a chance. Within minutes they were on the freeway heading for the western edge of the city, and now he was as close as he’d been in days to a promised pay cheque that couldn’t come soon enough.

  In the passenger seat Jodie had stopped screaming but was frantically trying to find a way to open the door. For the first time that day John was thankful for the rain, rain that would keep the interior of the car hidden from prying eyes in the traffic. The last thing he needed was some concerned citizen making a call and getting them lit up with blue and red lights.

  “You need to calm down,” he said as firmly as he could. “I promise you, nobody’s getting hurt okay?”

  “I swear you better pull over right now.”

  “Sorry but I can’t do that. I can tell you this though, things will make sense soon enough.”

  Jodie rubbed at the side of her temples as she kicked the dash one last time. A hint of resignation seemed to wash across her eyes, and now she turned to John with a look of wanting.

  “The least you can do is give me some of what you promised.”

  John reached into his pocket and retrieved the bag of meth, then threw it out of the broken window into the wind and rain.

  “What the fuck?” Jodie called out.

  “Here,” he said, handing her a small container from the centre console. “There’s only a couple left but they’ll help smooth things out.”

  Jodie snatched the container from his hand, twisted open the lid and tipped three blue pills into her palm. For a second it seemed she was weighing up her options but then with one swift movement she threw the pills into her mouth and swallowed, strangely resigned to the moment that left her with little control.