"I thought you weren't having lunch, Trent," she said rather peeved.
He twisted around in the chair after taking a large bite of the club. "I wasn't, but I changed my mind. I'm not taking an hour like I said, just a quick bite. I would have asked you if you wanted something, but I know you don't eat the junk they serve up at Burger's."
"Are we still on for dinner tonight?" Any sign of affection was absent.
"Sure. Why not? You don't possibly think this club is gonna fill me for the rest of the night, do you? Shoot, within an hour, I'll be hungry again."
Tina felt a little jilted, but Trent didn't notice and was too hungry to care. "
He buried himself in his work for the remainder of the day, but was very anxious to meet with Madam Sosu. He wasn't sure what would come out of that meeting or even if it was a good idea to take that route. He just thought he needed someone who could see a little further into a world he was totally unfamiliar with. As seven o'clock stealthily crept in, he assembled his files and prepared to leave the office. With a huge sigh, he muttered: "That's it for one day. Now I have other things to do."
He secured his tray in the small fireproof vault in the corner of his room, then collected his briefcase and switched off the light on the way out.
Walking through the corridor, he felt the flare of a light extending from behind. He stopped, looked behind and noticed that his office light was still on. Strange, he thought. I could have sworn that I'd switched it off on the way out.
He went back, looked inside, then switched off the light. He headed for the elevator, but before entering, he looked behind again. This time, the office was in complete darkness.
Trent exited into the basement parking lot. The basement was a huge garage brilliantly lit by steel lampposts surrounding each side and consisted of twelve parking rows labeled from A to L. Trent's Ford was parked in row J. He had deliberately avoided his private spot in A so that he could get in some exercise. The lot was partially deserted that time of night; only a few vehicles were still parked there.
As he headed for his car, he noticed Alfred's steamy black Honda parked in row C. Alfred was a supervisor from the fourth floor who was totally dedicated to his job. Trent figured that he and a team of others were working late that night, considering that they had been doing a lot of that lately.
As Trent walked through the parking lot, he thought of Madam Sosu and how she likely would be able to rid the Evil One from his life forever. 'Eight o'clock', she told him, 'no earlier, no later,' and he knew that if it was the last thing he did, he would be there - on time.
Upon arriving at his car, he slid the key into the door-latch and hoisted the handle. He threw his briefcase onto the passenger's seat and was about to sit when someone jerked the door away from him. His eyebrows arched in shock as he looked into the barrel of a .357 Magnum and then into the familiar face behind the weapon.
"Hey, monster man. Remember me?" Said Jeff with a devious look on his face.
"Yeah, I do. What the hell do you want?" Trent tried to keep his cool.
"I don't know who or what you are, man, but I'm gonna get rid of you right here and now!"
Trent inched closer, staring him straight in the eyes. "I'm warning you; if you don't stop pointing that pistol at me, I swear I'll kill you!"
"You don't scare me, monster man. You're dead, man!" He shoved the gun against Trent's jaw and firmly wrapped his finger around the trigger. He was about to pull it when suddenly, Trent pushed the door open hard, hitting him in the abdomen. The gun fell from the man's hand and a tussle began. Before long, Trent felt a fury escalating inside of him and seconds later, his eyes were beaming, his face looked like that of a beast, and his nubby fingernails protruded and turned yellow. He slashed at the bully's face, ripping the very skin from one side of it. Then, seeing a small opportunity of escape before the dreaded beast tore him to pieces, Jeff took off as fast as he could through the parking lot screaming in terror.
Stunned by his horrific transformation, Trent crumpled to the side of his car in utter disbelief. He had fought with everything inside of him not to chase down his attacker. In his beastly state, he still knew the consequences of his actions and struggled intensely to not go for the kill. He realized then that this was a definite sign that the 'Season' was nigh. Moments later, he was transformed back to human again and sat there in the parking lot in total shock and apprehension. Then he heard a loud crash. He knew, instinctively, that Jeff had met his demise as he ran out into the street and into on-coming traffic.
* 2 *
While Greg was at work, Laurie visited Solange every day. The two were creating a bond that was very special.
While standing at the kitchen sink washing dishes together, Laurie stopped drying for a moment and looked at Solange very seriously. "Liza, are you and Mister Winters friends or are you more than friends?" She asked.
Somewhat taken aback by the question, Solange answered. "We're just friends right now, Laurie, but later on, there's no telling how things will turn out." She could not inwardly deny that she was beginning to have some romantic feelings for Greg.
"But Auntie Hazel saw it, I tell you. She saw the whole thing!" Laurie exclaimed, obviously unsettled by what she thought Solange was implying.
Solange gripped Laurie by the shoulders, though gently: "Laurie, I am tired of hearing you say this thing and refusing to tell me what you're talking about. 'She saw the whole thing!' has straggled through my mind like a scratched record, repeating itself over and over again ever since you said that. Every day, I'm hearing those words in my head - during my chores, in my sleep. What the hell did your aunt see?"
Laurie kept quiet, refusing to tell.
"If you don't tell me what you're talking about, Laurie, I'll have to find out for myself," Solange turned and continued washing the dishes.
"What do you mean?" Laurie asked curiously.
"I'll ask your Aunt Hazel."
"You'll do no such thing!" Laurie dropped the glass she had been holding which shattered on the floor. "She won't tell you anyway. She'll just turn around and say I'm a blabber-mouth and I'll be punished by the dark angels. That's what happens when I do bad things!"
Solange knelt down to collect the broken pieces. "Laurie, you really must calm down. I'm certain there's no harm in my talking to your aunt. Instead of letting on that I know there's something she's hiding from me, I'll just pretend that I don't know and eventually, while sitting there chatting, she'll reveal it to me. I just know it! She wouldn't have the foggiest idea that you and I had spoken about it."
Laurie knelt down and helped to pick up the broken glass. "I'm sorry, Liza. I'm really sorry I broke your glass."
"It's okay. We have plenty of them." She smiled. "Hey, why don't you squeeze some lemons so we can make some lemonade?"
"Great idea!"
They completely dropped the subject, allowing each other to breathe a little easier. Laurie stayed with Solange until four o'clock that afternoon when she was certain Greg would soon arrive.
* 3 *
Trent dragged himself into the car, yearning desperately to leave the scene - to forget about it, pretend it never happened - but he knew it was impossible. Reality could not be denied. He started the ignition, switched the gear to drive and pulled away.
As he zoomed out of the parking lot, he saw Jeff's body lying motionless in the middle of the street. Two squad cars were already on the scene. As Trent made his way down the thoroughfare, threatening thoughts pounded his brain. He felt he needed a way to clear his head or he might just completely lose it.
He took the turnpike and headed north, knowing just the place to vent. Tears streamed down his face as he wished it was all just a nightmare and he would soon wake up. However, it wasn't and he knew he must come to grips with that nerve-wracking reality.
Dusk loomed in and accompanied him inevitably as he drove. He kept imagining that Jeff's corpse would come to life, crawl through the trunk (as if it was there) into t
he back-seat and strangle him as he drove. For this reason he kept looking through the rear-view mirror. He was petrified! His encounters with Tarrow had convinced him enough that some spirits were powerful and ominous, and he couldn't help thinking that Jeff's spirit was vile enough to haunt him as well.
The place he was headed was Gulley's Point - a desolate, swampy area near a canal that leads straight to the sea. He couldn't think of a better place to dump a body, knowing that once it hit the waters, there was a strong possibility that it might never be found.
On arrival there, he parked the car a few feet away from the swampy ground ensuring that his tires were not caught in the muck. He looked around, affirming that the coast was clear, then took off his shoes and made his way onto the brink of the canal.
"Who goes there?" Went a shrieky voice in the dark. Trent suddenly felt his blood-pressure escalate.
"Answer me, I say or I'll shoot! I'm not triflin'," went the voice again.
Taking no chances, Trent quickly advanced beneath the street-lamp so that he could be seen instead of shot. He could only see the silhouette of the man who shouted to him, but noticed a silver glisten on what he presumed was the shirt he was wearing. The stranger approached slowly and also positioned himself beneath the light and Trent immediately noticed that his hands were empty. Despite the fact he couldn't see a weapon, didn't necessarily mean that there wasn't one, so Trent thought it safer to stay where he was.
The man was colored, apparently in his early sixties. It seemed that he had one good eye and the other covered with a patch. He wore ragged clothing and walked with a stick.
"Who are you?" He asked, "What the hell are you doin' on my turf?"
"Your turf?" Trent humbly returned.
"Yeah, Sonny. This here Gulley's Point, is my turf. No one's allowed on this property 'xcept fer me."
"Oh... I'm sorry, sir. I didn't know," Trent confessed. "Folks downtown tell me this here's a great place to come and just relax. I decided to give it a try."
"How long you been here, boy?"
"Not long. Five minutes maybe."
"Anyway, thinkin' time's over. I reckon you'd better head back into town 'cause it gets real spooky around here late at night."
"Yes, sir," Trent eagerly replied. "Nice meeting you." He headed back to his car and after cranking the engine, gave the old man one last look. The stranger stared back at him suspiciously with his one good eye until he had completely left the property.
The car clock read 7:40. Even though he had promised Tina they would have dinner together, he knew there was no way he could go straight there. He wasn't going to miss his appointment with Madam Sosu.
* 4 *
Greg had arrived home a few hours later than usual that evening and Solange had taken the initiative of preparing a hot bath for him after he had finished his meal. She was now treating him like more than just a roommate and he was actually beginning to enjoy it.
As he stretched out on the couch to watch television, he found her engrossed in the book: 'Troubles of The Heart', by Walter Scheinberg.
"Greg, what do you think of the neighbors ... Laurie and Hazel, in particular?" Solange asked out of the blue.
"Laurie who?" His eyes were fixated on the television.
"I never did get her surname, but she lives three houses down at the end of the block. Her aunt Hazel is an old lady who wears black clothing all the time."
He looked at her. "You met them?"
"Yeah, a few weeks ago. Laurie's very nice. She visits me every day, but her aunt Hazel ... she's odd."
"There's something strange about her - the both of them. That little girl doesn't even go to school. I thought you had better taste in company, Liza," Greg seemed disappointed.
Dumbfounded by his choice of words, she rested the book face-down on her lap. "What do you mean, Greg? Is someone better than another if he has a job or schooling? Does it make someone better if he has nicer things in his house than someone else? I don't think that remark you made was justified at all."
"Don't you ever tell me what's justified from what ain't, missy!" He roared as if something had suddenly surfaced from within that Solange was totally unfamiliar with. "You haven't the slightest clue what's justifiable."
Astonished, Solange kept quiet.
"I know these people around here," he went on. "They mean me no good and they mean you none either. Dorothy next door's a cracked up lunatic and Hazel's nothing more than a poor witch doctor who earns her living lying to people and ruining their lives. You don't need no one, Liza - no one but me."
Solange was convinced that there was no way she could ever look at him the same again. He was not the person she thought he was. Now the pretense was over. She picked up her book and pretended to be reading. However, deeply troubled by Greg's despotic behavior and needing to express herself, she looked at him and said: "So what makes you think I need you, Greg Winters? Is it because I wasn't raised here in this beautiful country or is it because my accent just sounds too poor for you? What makes you think I can't live my life without you?"
He sat straight up on the couch with eyes ablaze. "So you think you could, do you? You actually think you could?"
Solange turned away. She could not believe what she was witnessing from the man she thought was a complete gentleman and had grown to care for. On the verge of tears, she thought she had left the insolence far behind her, but was obviously mistaken.
"So, cat's got your tongue, has it?" Greg probed. "Don't you ever forget where I found you, lady and how much money you had in your ripped-up pockets. If I hadn't taken you in, you might've been living in some slum right now, if living at all, and you have the nerve to imply that you don't need me? Well, to hell with you Liza, 'cause you do!"
He switched off the television, marched into his bedroom, and slammed the door behind him.
Solange spent the remainder of the night wondering what just happened and what her next step would be. She had no idea what had suddenly gotten into him and was now unsure which was worse for her - being back in Paris or there with Greg.
* 5 *
Pulling onto the highway, Trent struggled to calm his nerves. A horrible, ailing sensation overwhelmed him and he couldn't come to grips with the incredulous fact that he was gradually evolving into something otherwordly. Not knowing when the 'beast' would again emerge, what it would do and for what reason was a frightening thought.
He picked up his cell phone and dialed Tina's number. He knew she hadn't bothered calling to check up on him because she was fed up with his selfishness, excuses and what she sometimes considered to be his complete disregard for her feelings. Trent knew she was unaware of what he was struggling with and decided that when it was all over, he would do everything in his power to prove to her that there was not a selfish bone in his body and that she meant the world to him.
On the third ring, Tina picked up; her voice sullen and void of strength.
"Hi, baby. It's me," Trent said.
"Where are you? I've been sitting here waiting for you." Tina replied.
"I'm really sorry, Tina. I left the office a little later than expected and now I have to rush across town to this meeting that just came up at the last minute. I wouldn't be able to make it over to your place until later tonight. Okay? I promise, I'll make it up to you."
Silence occluded the line as he awaited her response.
"Okay," she finally responded.
"Are you mad at me?"
"It's okay, Trent. Things come up; I understand. I'll see you later tonight, then."
And she hung up.
In a little less than fifteen minutes, Trent arrived at Moonshine Road. Checking the time, he knew he had more than five minutes to play with. The trail on the right was somewhat shadowy, but he could see a dim light at the very end of it. He opted to sit outside the trail until two minutes prior to his appointment, then he would make his way through and hopefully arrive at Madam's doorstep at exactly eight o'clock.
Alo
ne in the dark, he visualized Jeff's body lying in the middle of the street in a pool of blood. Though he had told himself that Jeff deserved what he got, he honestly wished it hadn't ended that way.
Two minutes before 8:00 slid in sluggishly. He re-started the engine and slowly proceeded through the trail. His mind was crammed with dreadful thoughts of 'what ifs' and he played it safe by pressing the automatic lock button for the car doors.
He pulled up at the dead-end; anxiety had long presented itself and his body was exceptionally weak. He parked in front of the small, brick house with the dim porch light. As he was getting out of the car, he thought he heard a shuffle in the bushes. He turned and looked around, expecting someone or something to jump out and attack him before he ever made it to the front door. However, everything was quiet and still. Taking a deep breath, he attempted to control his paranoia before meeting his supposed savior. After checking his watch to ensure that he was on time, he walked over to the house and knocked at the door.
As the door slowly opened, it make a screeching noise. A pale, heavy-built woman with very long, silver hair stood on the other side. Trent guessed that she was in her late fifties or early sixties; however, difficult to tell. Trailing along a walking cane, she invited him inside.
The interior of the house was dimly-lit with candles aligning the window sills and encircling an area of the floor. The only furniture visible to Trent in the front room was a little table and two chairs. He had never seen such a place before filled with such depth and intrigue and obviously the many dark secrets of those who had previously entered it.
The woman invited him to sit while she disappeared around a corner into what he thought was the kitchen, returning just moments later with a long, white candle in her hand. She lit it with a match and rested it on the table in front of Trent. She then sat across from him and stared intently into his eyes, prying out the harrowing information that rested tensely inside his brain.
Immortals- The Complete Real Illusions Series Page 8