by Stormi Lewis
Clarice was once again caught off guard. Her heart had never felt this much confliction since the day Jess left for good.
“I didn’t know!” Clarice found herself calling out to her. She didn’t understand the sudden need in her chest to make sure Jess knew Clarice had been clueless to what her father had done to Jess so long ago.
Jess stopped but didn’t turn around. “I didn’t think so,” she said softly. “And now he gets to do it all over again, and more, with my daughter. Only you can choose if he doesn’t.”
Jess walked away into the light and disappeared.
Clarice was pushed back through the door. However, she remained just on the other side of it once it closed. “I didn’t know!” Clarice yelled again, not sure who she was trying to convince. Jess or herself.
Sophie only stopped to put gas in the car. After a little over nine hours of driving, the roads were becoming narrower as they started to wind through the mountain landscape. Snow had already been falling for days, and if she wasn’t so dead inside, she would appreciate the view around her.
Sophie carefully pulled into an abandoned parking lot and switched into her snow boots. She was thankful they had done some shopping the day before. She paused for a second to reflect just how south her life had gone in less than twelve hours, before she threw her bag on her back and abandoned the car she had stollen.
The snow was deep, but Sophie was in no hurry. She waded her way to their cabin before digging away enough snow to get the door open and sliding in. From the outside, it didn’t look like much. Just a simple log cabin with a minimal deck, surrounded by trees and snow in the middle of nowhere.
Sophie locked the door out of habit more than anything and started a fire in the fireplace. The inside looked like a mansion compared to the outside. With wooden ceilings, floors, and walls minus the granite stone fireplace. It was a beautiful unsuspecting two-story hideout located in the middle of the Rocky Mountains of Colorado.
There was a large brown leather couch on a decorated rug placed directly in front of the fireplace, with two mauve cloth covered love seats on either side. A chandelier hung in the center of the vaulted ceiling providing plenty of light, with medium sized windows sporadically placed in order to see who or what was coming from either side.
Sophie slipped out of her wet and bloodied clothing and added it to the flames, before turning around to inspect the liquor options on the far back wall. She paused by her bag to pull out the iPod James’ had bought her as a gift and slip her AirPods into her ears. Sophie ran her finger slowly over the dusty bottles lining the opposite wall before smiling and grabbing the Malibu rum from the shelf.
“Oh good,” Sophie said smiling. “It’s full.”
She unscrewed the bottle, threw the cap into the fire, and began chugging the coconut warm liquid as she blared pop music into her eardrums.
“Real mature,” she heard Mario’s voice from behind her. She didn’t bother to turn and look.
“Coming from the dead man who got himself killed,” Sophie yelled over the blaring music as she continued to dance in front of the fire in her black laced underwear and chugging rum straight from the bottle.
“You’re going to hate yourself in the morning,” Mario lectured suddenly in front of her with his arms crossed in front of his chest.
“I hate myself plenty right now, thanks,” Sophie retorted, breathing heavily in his face and turning to dance in the other direction.
“I know you’re mad,” Mario started as he leaned up against the bar in front of the glass shelves containing alcohol. He was facing Sophie despite her desire to keep him at her back.
“Nope!” Sophie yelled in a very high pitch. “I’m pissed!” she slurred in a voice loud enough to wake the dead.
“Well, this is certainly going to teach me,” Mario said sarcastically as he rolled his eyes.
“Screw you!” Sophie yelled staggering towards him and shoving her finger towards his chest. Mario quickly side stepped her. They were very clear. No touching.
Sophie glared at him, before slamming the empty rum bottle onto the bar. She started humming the song her dad used to sing to her.
“Like sparkling wine,” she sang off key. “Don’t mind if I do!”
Sophie squinted at the bottles before her. “Hey!” she yelled. “Stop moving!”
Mario sighed heavily and crossed his arms impatiently. “Hardly drinking means you get drunk faster,” he called out. “And you are already very drunk,” he reminded her.
“Wells you’re….you’re….you’re not heres to serves me, so who cares!” Sophie said slurring her words.
She found a red wine with a gold infinity symbol that had a slash through it on the black label with no words. Sophie giggled immediately.
“How appropriate,” she chuckled as she staggered to the couch in front of the fire.
Mario eyed her suspiciously. “What’s so funny?” he asked with curiosity.
“This!” Sophie declared holding the bottle up to show him. She squinted at the bottle, sighed heavily with a frown, and turned the bottle so that the label was facing Mario. “Infinity is never forever, just like love,” Sophie professed loudly.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Mario asked her with a raised eyebrow.
“The cycle of life is forever divided between good and evil,” Sophie shrugged as she yanked the cork out of the bottle and began to force the warm liquid down her throat.
“How is love not forever?” Mario asked trying to distract her.
Sophie exaggeratedly drew the bottle away from her lips and sighed while rolling her eyes dramatically.
“Love can never conquer all,” she said sarcastically. “And good never wins in the end,” Sophie pouted before putting the bottle back to her lips to consume more of the liquid that numbed her pain.
Then something unexpected caught her eye.
“Hey!” she slurred loudly. “There’s numbers in here,” Sophie declared as she frustratedly tried to hold the bottle up in different directions and spilled red wine everywhere.
“Oh, for God’s sake, SLEEP!” Mario ordered putting his finger to her forehead.
“No fa…” was all Sophie got out before she was forced into a deep sleep.
Chapter 13
S ophie opened her eyes and waited for the multiple doors before her to stop moving around. “Very funny,” Sophie slurred.
“Oh, goodie,” she heard Mario state sarcastically. “You’re still drunk here too. Open the door, Kid.”
“No!” Sophie said pouting and crossing her arms in front of her chest.
“Save the two-year-old tantrum for someone else,” Mario warned. “Open the damn door.”
“I don’t want to see her,” Sophie declared to the sky. She heard a heavy sigh for a reply.
“It’s just you and me right now,” Mario assured. “Now open the door.”
“They have to stop moving first,” Sophie slurred and squinted to make them into one.
“Lord, help me,” she heard Mario pray to himself softly followed by silence.
Once the doors became one, Sophie opened the door and stumbled through. They were still oddly in the cabin, but Mario was cooking in the kitchen. The smell of food made her want to vomit. Sophie staggered into the kitchen and fell into the nearest chair before her.
“You could have changed the scenery at least,” she mumbled.
“Yeah, well, you could still be sober and stop being a pain in my ass, but here we are,” Mario said frustratedly over his shoulder. “It’s my first time,” he muttered. “Cut me some slack.”
“It shouldn’t be your anytime,” Sophie mumbled back. Mario let it slide.
He turned with a plate full of cheesy eggs and hash browns. “Eat,” he ordered as he purposely threw the plate on the table. Sophie cringed at the sound and grabbed her head. “Take those while you’re at it,” Mario said nodding to the two aspirin suddenly next to her with a glass of water.
“I’m g
oing to throw up,” Sophie said quickly covering her mouth.
“Drinking two full bottles of alcohol will do that to you,” Mario said crossing his arms and leaning against the sink. “Eat,” he said again.
Sophie glared at him. Mario didn’t waver. “I don’t like you very much right now,” she mumbled and stared at the plate before her.
“Yeah, well, the feeling’s mutual right now,” Mario snapped back. “Eat.”
Sophie scowled back at him. She saw the throbbing vein in his neck pulse as he tried to hold back his own temper.
“You’ll feel better contrary to what your stomach is saying. Just eat,” Mario said bitterly. “Please,” he added more softly.
Sophie looked at the plate before her and slowly picked up the fork. Despite her beliefs, Mario was right. The grease seemed to sooth her stomach as she swallowed a small fork full of the hot cheesy eggs. Sophie didn’t dare admit it out loud though.
“Listen, Kid,” Mario started. “I know you’re mad, but…”
“I’m not mad,” Sophie laughed hysterically. “I’m P..I..S..S..E..D,” she screamed to the sky as anger engulfed her entire being.
Mario paused. He knew her pain. Mario could feel it even more in this realm, and he didn’t like it at all. How was he supposed to help her when he could feel how much heartbreak she was going through? Mario knew Sophie couldn’t breathe from all the pain, because neither could he.
“You were all I had,” Sophie sobbed at the realization. “And now you’re gone,” she choked.
“Oh, Kid,” Mario whispered. He still couldn’t touch her to console her. “I’m not the only one,” he said choking up.
Sophie’s eyes changed dangerously black. “Where is she anyway?” she snapped.
“Cooling off,” Mario snapped back. “Where do you think your stubbornness and temper comes from?” he added with a chuckle.
“It’s not funny,” Sophie mumbled.
“What’s not funny is this whole rebellious teenager crap,” Mario retorted. “It was bad enough to live through it when you were actually a teenager,” he said glaring down at her. “Grief doesn’t give you permission to be an asshole,” he added in his fatherly tone.
“I can grieve however I want!” Sophie shouted. “I’m pretty sure I earned the right to do so at this point in my life.”
“Not when time is running out, and you’ve left people in danger,” Mario warned.
“Screw time!” Sophie screamed back. “I can’t keep anyone safe! And who the hell decided that I had to be the one to do so!”
“When gifts are given, much is expected,” Mario stated firmly.
“Gifts?! Are you freaking kidding me right now?!” Sophie laughed hysterically as a mad woman in need of a strait jacket.
“Are you done, Princess?” Mario asked still keeping his arms crossed to prevent him from touching her.
Sophie looked murderously at Mario. It’s a good thing he was already dead, he thought to himself. He knew she hated it when he used it, but it was the best word he could come up with to call Sophie out on her over dramatic tantrums. Mario did the same with Jess. God, she hated it too. Mario smiled at himself, which didn’t help him with Sophie’s mood.
“He’s going to find them, and he’s going to kill them,” Mario stated bluntly to get their focus back on track.
“They were dead the moment they met me,” Sophie uttered angrily as she shoved another fork full of food into her mouth. Despite her anger, the food was helping her feel better.
“And what about James?” Mario asked casually.
The image of James on one knee before her, so nervous to ask her to spend the rest of their lives together flashed before her eyes. Sophie put the fork down and stared at the floor. “I can’t save him,” she finally whispered.
“Of course not,” Mario said bluntly. “How can you when you don’t even try? I mean, why not just hand deliver him to the man with the cane right now?” he added for good measure. “It would make the end much quicker for James, and doesn’t he at least deserve that much? What better way to show him how much you care for him? The price for having the courage to love you, accept you, and the shitshow that comes with you. Seems like an equal trade, don’t you think?”
Sophie glared at Mario and he stared angrily right back. Jess and Jack would probably be handling this much better than he was, however, they weren’t available. Much like they hadn’t been available for half her life.
Mario had to make up his parenting skills as he went, and if he gave her anything less than the harsh truth, Sophie wouldn’t know she was dealing with the real him.
Sophie broke the staring contest first. Not her usual MO, but she was tired. These interactive dreams didn’t tend to give her much rest, and she was exhausted. Tired of fighting with ghosts. Mostly she was tired of fighting with herself.
James deserved a hell of a lot better than what Sophie gave him. Granted, she was in shock and not handling the last few hours well at all, but he did still deserve better. And now he was left alone. Running from the same psychopath she was, only without her so-called ‘gifts’.
“You’re right,” Sophie mumbled and quickly shoved food into her mouth.
“I’m sorry, what was that?” Mario pushed.
“You are right,” Sophie said with a mouth full of food.
“Can’t give it to me even in death, huh?” Mario smirked.
Sophie swallowed her food. “You are right,” she said sighing dramatically.
“Duh,” Mario replied shrugging, as a smile easily escaped watching her being tortured. “I forgot how much fun this is,” he said smiling.
Sophie grimaced at him, but it only lasted for a second.
“You’re the pain in the ass,” she added and shoved more food into her mouth.
“So, where would they go next?” Mario asked getting down to business.
Sophie thought for a second. “We were supposed to head to New Mexico for warmer weather,” she said with her mouth still full. “I don’t know if they will still go,” she said looking at her plate and swallowing.
“Mario?” Sophie asked after a second.
“What?” Mario replied producing a map of the United States and putting it on the table before her.
“Why did you tell Tina to go to Kansas City?” Sophie asked not looking him in the eye.
“I didn’t,” Mario stated as he stared at the map. “Tina said you wanted me to meet at the house,” he added as he tilted his head to look at the map. “Was there a specific place to meet?” Mario asked her, distracted about getting Sophie back with her friends.
“I didn’t ask you to go to Kansas City,” Sophie said slowly.
Finally comprehending what was taking place, Mario stopped to look at her and blinked.
“Tina sent a message saying that you were going to check in on your parent’s place and we needed to meet. You had new information you needed help with,” he said slowly, quickly realizing how eager he had been to see her. Mario didn’t even see the trap that had been laid.
“Tina got a message from you saying to meet in KC,” Sophie said watching him. “Then she got another one saying to meet at the warehouse,” she whispered.
“Clarice was already at the house,” Mario said. “She was waiting for me.”
“So, who sent the messages?” Sophie asked quietly.
“Clarice isn’t that tech savvy,” Mario declared. He thought about all the information he had on the people in Sophie’s life currently.
Sophie watched his face change as he came to the same possible conclusion she did. “I don’t think she would,” Mario tried to clarify.
“She’s the smartest person I know, and knows everything about computers,” Sophie added slowly shaking her head.
“She would never do that to you, though,” Mario tried to anchor her.
“Unless they got to her first,” Sophie added. “He can be very persuasive. We’ve seen it,” she added with warning.
“Tina
wouldn’t do that to you,” Mario said in more of a question than a statement.
“And she’s got James and Ben,” Sophie whispered in panic.
“Her own husband and friend?” Mario asked her, still unsure but unable to come up with another name at the moment.
“I have to find them,” Sophie said standing up. “Send me back,” she said looking at him.
“I don’t know how!” Mario said honestly in panic.
“Sleep, Peanut,” she heard her mother say. Before she could protest against her mother being the one to help, Sophie felt Jess’ finger on her forehead and she was snoring under a blanket on the sofa in front of the fire.
The buzz of a flickering florescent light rang in Eddie’s ears. His eyes felt swollen shut. His mind was foggy, but he felt a soft bed beneath him. What happened? The memory of his encounter with Clarice flashed before his closed eyes.
“Sophie!” Eddie croaked as he sat up immediately. His head throbbed in protest of his actions.
“She’s fine,” he heard an unexpected voice come from the other side of the room. Eddie closed his eyes again to help his swimming head calm down.
“So, is this where I die?” Eddie asked bluntly.
“Not yet,” the old man replied. “Despite my daughter’s misdirected beliefs, she does not determine which of my employees live or die.”
“Why save me then?” Eddie asked slowly opening his eyes.
The room was mostly dark, minus the dying florescent light above him. Across the room sat the old man, holding his cane in front of him for balance. He tilted his head in amusement as he studied Eddie.
“Because we’re more alike than you know,” the old man said with a slight chuckle. “This will be the last time,” he warned before getting up to exit. “Choose your side wisely, dear boy,” he said softly over this shoulder before he left Eddie alone.
Eddie wasn’t sure what to think. That was the nicest he had ever seen the old man be in his entire time spent in this hell hole. Eddie would be dead if it wasn’t for the old man.
Helping Sophie only ever got him closer to death, and for what? Fighting for a girl who had long forgotten he existed? The old man was right, it was time to choose a side. It was time Sophie fought her own battles. She needed to learn what it meant to toss the wrong people off to the side.