Jeremy nodded. “Yeah, sure. I’ll wait for you.” He climbed off the stool. “I’ll always wait for you.” Shoulders stooped, he left, closing the door softly behind him.
A vague pang of guilt rose up inside of her. What had she done? What had that stupid demon made her do? A week ago life was still normal. Her plans for the future included Jeremy as the central theme. She shook her head. No, don’t think like that. He had changed into one of them, the Others. No time for remorse.
Alex threw the covers off when she was sure Jeremy had gone. Bloody hell. The house was cold again. She guessed her mother was changing into an ecofreak along with the other changes. She grabbed her towel and shuffled into the bathroom and jumped under the shower, heat as high as she could stand, until her skin glowed a luminous pink.
How strange her life had become, what a different person she’d metamorphosed into in such a short time. Alex dried herself, scrubbed her teeth, and for a couple of minutes stared at her face in the mirror. Nothing had changed, the same Alex stood staring back, yet everything seemed new, foreign. Time to get going. He’d be wondering why she hadn’t come downstairs, and she didn’t want his blue smoke crowding her in here. Alex fixed the towel around her and took a deep breath before opening the bathroom door a slit. The landing was empty. Good. She darted out and into her room, dropped the towel, and scrambled about in her wardrobe trying to find clothes to wear. Considering the circumstances, jeans, t-shirt, and a big baggy jumper were the order of the day. She dressed and laced on some walking boots before clumping down the stairs.
Jeremy came out of the living room as she descended. He took a double look as Alex reluctantly walked up to him. The blue smoke circled around his face, flicking out, taunting her.
“Let’s go, Alex.”
He propped open the door, inhaling deeply as she squeezed by. She’d forgotten not to spray her perfume. Alex reprimanded herself as they walked up to his minibus. She had to think of something, do something. He was changed. By the rules of Clive, that meant he had to go. Mr. Duggan had been hard to do mentally, but essentially killing him had been a simple task. Tiddles had been easy as piss. But doing in Jeremy … she didn’t want to even think about it. Besides it’d be impossible, he stood over six feet tall. His lanky appearance hid a strong body. There was no way she would be able to compete.
If she worked out how to make him go away soon, maybe Clive wouldn’t figure it out, and he wouldn’t make her kill him. Despite the Podis now in Jeremy, she still felt something for him. She glanced up at him and softened, until he looked back her way. Blue smoke cascaded from his eyes. She gulped back her surprise. She no longer knew this man. He’d become one of the Others, the Podis. What if he was plotting to do her in while she justified his life? If he was, she could only think of one alternative. She had to get to him first.
Jeremy walked around to the other side of the minibus. Alex squinted as the sun blasted into her eyes, the sky the color of cotton candy. Yet in a few hours night would fall, she thought, and a wave of anxiety passed over her. She froze as she held onto the minibus’s door handle, suddenly afraid to get in. Maybe he actually was planning to strike first.
“Alex, are you coming?”
She turned to find Jeremy already sat and buckled up in the driver’s seat. He inserted the key, and the engine fired up. She had to do something, so unable to delay any further, she got in.
Jeremy drove for a while as the sun dipped towards the horizon, eventually parking in the car park out behind the train station. By some bizarre coincidence, they’d arrived back where everything had started. Where Clive first showed up.
Someone must have been here not too long ago, as a fire blazed in the barrel. No one was about now. Flames flickering above the rim caught her attention. Mr. Duggan. He’d died because of her. A cry almost escaped. What had she done? She was saving her mother, she told herself. Alex struggled with an impulse to open the door and run off. But this required finishing, one way or another.
“So why are we here?” Alex rested her hand on the door handle. She needed to know she could get away quickly. He was big and strong, but Alex knew she ran faster. A flash of the two of them, play fighting on the beach in Bournemouth came to mind. How she got up and sprinted off, and even as she tried to stop her uncontrollable giggles, he still hadn’t caught her until she decided he would. She closed her eyes for a moment. Everything seemed so long ago. So impossible.
“I know what’s been going on, or at least some of it,” he said.
“About what?” she asked, sharper than intended.
“About him. I was there, remember. The first time he appeared to you.” Jeremy ran his hands around the steering wheel. “I feel like this is all my fault. I gave you the dope that made you wig out.”
“It wasn’t the dope. If the drugs had caused a hallucination, I’d have stopped seeing him ages ago.”
“And what about the things you did at home…”
“Oh, I get it, been talking to my Mum have you?” She stared fixedly at the fire.
Jeremy cleared his throat. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched him twiddling his thumbs awkwardly. “Yeah, well, she’s worried, and you know what? So am I.”
His voice choked on the last word. Alex turned to find him blinking and quickly wiping under his eyes. Jeremy had never been one for extremes, and here he was, trying not to cry. A puff of blue smoke came out with the tears, and she remembered he was the enemy.
“What do you want me to say?”
Jeremy had rested his forehead on the steering wheel.
“Oi, don’t go silent on me. Why don’t you say whatever it is you bought me here to say? Then you can tell me what you want me to hear so I can tell you what you want and I can go home.”
He didn’t move.
Alex stared out at the car park. She could just leave. But she’d be in for a long walk back up the hill, and she didn’t fancy meeting any other blue smoke people. At least Jeremy was one she knew. Did that make him more trustworthy or less? She shook her head in confusion.
“Look, I’m tired, and it’s dark already. If you’re not going to talk, take me home.”
Jeremy raised his head and turned to her. “Alex, you’re the best thing that ever happened to me, and despite…” He struggled for the words. “Despite the happenings the other night, I still want you, babe.” Jeremy reached over as if to try and take her hand. Before he managed to grab her, she shuffled out of reach.
“That’s it?”
“What do you mean?” The expression on his face now seemed even more pained than earlier.
“Is that the reason you dragged me out here?” Alex pressed up against the minibus door in an effort to keep some distance between them. “Because if it is I think we’re done. Take me home.”
“No! Look will you stop being so bloody difficult, this is hard enough without you being so cold towards me.”
Alex glanced over, but didn’t say anything else. The blue smoke had a thinner appearance now, faint wisps encircling his head. She couldn’t help but stare.
Jeremy took a deep breath. “Okay, here goes. You’re probably not going to like it, but your Mum wanted me to get you to the doctor’s surgery.”
Alex pushed into her seat and as far away from him as possible as the smoke trail gusted her way. How did it do that, with no wind to speak of in the minibus? Before she realized what she was doing, she blew at the smoke. What would happen if she breathed it in? She pressed further back. Was that how they infected people?
“It’s so you can visit your doctor.” He twisted his hands on the steering wheel.
Was this the plan? The Podis wanted to get her to the doc’s, and neuter her with meds. She tore her attention away from Jeremy. The occasional flame still shot out of the barrel. She had to get out. Her fingers wrapped around the door handle. The minute he started up the minibus, she’d take her chance and run.
“Don’t make me go there,” she said. “There’s nothing wron
g with me.” A thought came to mind. Most crazy people believed in their own sanity. Wasn’t that the old wives tales? She frowned, trying to understand. She needed more time before she went to visit her doctor. She needed to work out what was going on for herself.
“Alex, will you look at me for a second?”
She ignored him, finding solace in the randomness of the flickering flames.
“Alex!” Jeremy grabbed her by the arm and shook.
Alex remained fixed on the barrel as black smoke curled up into the dark blue-black sky. She decided plastic or rubber must have been chucked in there and lighted, as hints of the tell-tale stink found its way in through the air vents. A different smoke clouded the minibus, blue and increasingly thick. She refused to look at Jeremy.
“Let go of my arm,” she growled. Maybe surprised at her threatening tone, he dropped her arm. The sound of the minibus’s engine starting startled her, and she finally turned to Jeremy. “Where are you taking me?” Panic rose in her. This was the time to escape and run away. Her hand tightened on the handle.
“I’m going to take you to the surgery. I’m sorry Alex. I thought I could reason with you.” He crunched the minibus into first, and began pulling away. “I thought I’d convince you to go willingly.”
“No fucking way!” Alex hollered. She tugged on the handle. The door flew wide open, and without a second thought, she threw herself out. The minibus was already moving too fast for her to stay on her feet. She landed heavily on her hip and tried to ease the impact by rolling a couple of times. Stars fell through her vision for a moment. Alex shook her head, trying to clear them. She needed to get back up and start running. This was not part of her plan.
The minibus screeched to a standstill just ahead of her, a smog of dust clouded up from the wheels. If she didn’t get going, he’d catch her. But as the dust settled, a figure appeared behind the drum, almost as if the person stood inside the drum, but that would be impossible. He dropped something inside, and flames shot high up over the rim. Then the figure moved around the drum, warming his hands for a moment before coming nearer.
Alex squinted at the figure. With the fire behind, blacking out all his features, it wasn’t until the person was mere feet from her that she finally recognized Clive.
“You’ve got to help me!”
Clive smiled thinly at her.
“He wants me to go to the doctor and find out what’s wrong.” Her words tumbled over one another. Jeremy jumped out of the minibus and started jogging towards her. Perhaps he saw her speaking as he sped up and broke into a run. “Can’t you appear to him so he’ll leave me alone?”
“Who’re you talking to?” Jeremy arrived and offered a hand to help her up. “Are you okay?”
Alex shook her head. A blue haze gathered around his face, a face she had loved not so long ago.
“Oh, right…” He gazed over her shoulder suspiciously. “Is Clive here? I was wondering when he’d arrive.”
“You’ve got to kill him, Alex.” Clive crossed his arms and nodded.
Alex stared for a moment, and looked over at Jeremy, to find his hand still held out for her.
“Is he talking to you?” He indicated in Clive’s direction, where Alex had been concentrating only moments before.
“He’s going to force you to the doctor’s where they can put you on sedatives and anti-hallucinogens. Then you’ll lose the ability to identify the Podis. At that point you’ll be a sitting duck, honeybun.” The demon stared down at her. For the first time since he appeared, a truly scary expression passed over his features. A light grew in his eyes, one she’d not seen before. Everything about him seemed to suggest he meant business, and that she’d better fucking pay attention.
“What’s he saying to you?” Jeremy sounded anxious. “He’s a figment of your imagination. Do not listen to him.”
“Can you hear how desperate he sounds, Alex? He recognizes the signs of his own death, he knows that if he doesn’t convince you, he’s a dead man walking.” Clive narrowed his eyes at her. The edges of his body started shimmering, as if he was extra hot. Baking hot. “Or do you want to be the dead one?” he shouted. “Because that’s what you’ll be when they turn on you.” His eyes bulged, his mouth pulled into a sneer. He leaned over, only stopping inches from her face. “Then one of their slimy spawn will crawl into your mind and consume your very soul!” Clive spat the words at her.
“NO!” Alex shrieked, backing away crab-like. “Leave me alone, both of you!”
Jeremy had started crying. Along with the tears the blue smoke poured silently from his eyes, casting a screen between him and Alex. Who was he? She didn’t know him anymore.
“I’m sorry Alex. I’ve got to do this.” Jeremy sprang at her and grabbed her in a bear hug, dragging her back to the minibus. “I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry,” he repeated as he tightened his grip.
“Get off me, you asshole, let me go!” She squirmed and wiggled. His hold on her was too strong. “HELP ME, HELP ME SOMEONE!” She shrieked, and released an ear-piercing scream. The noise stunned Jeremy, and he stopped. Alex stamped on one of his feet and kicked him in the shin. He hollered in pain and loosened his grip just enough. Alex twisted free, and half-running, half-falling she caught her balance and took off across the car park.
“I told you Alex, I warned you, but you didn’t listen!” Clive ran beside her.
The barrel wasn’t too far away. Alex aimed herself there and moments later ducked out of sight. A thick smoke poured over the rim and stung her eyes and choked her lungs. She resisted coughing, and peeked out.
Clive walked at an almost leisurely pace and joined her behind the oil drum. “You need to kill Jeremy, today, now,” he said. “His death cannot wait any longer.”
“Don’t you fucking use his name!” Alex shouted. Sobbing, she collapsed on the ground, holding her head in her hands. How did everything go so wrong? Maybe she should go to the doctors. She glanced around the side of the barrel. Jeremy obviously hadn’t seen which direction she’d shot off in. He stood turning a slow circle, examining all directions. Night had fallen fully now, and the only light nearby came from the burning rubbish in the rusty drum. She should go to him. Visit the doctors. Her mind was made.
Rough hands suddenly grabbed Alex. Clive threw her on her back. She landed hard, the wind knocked out of her. A couple of meters above her the demon hovered in the air.
“KILL JEREMY!” Clive boomed. He shimmered again, and waves of heat hit her body. His skin rippled, like a living thing underneath was trying to get out. “DON’T MAKE ME SHOW YOU!”
Unable to get away, Alex lay flat against the dirt. What was he doing? She wanted to roll out from under him. Close her eyes and not see, because something was coming, and she didn’t want to be there anymore.
The words fell out, as if by accident. “Show me what?” Instantly, she clamped her mouth shut. But it was too late now.
Clive smirked, the edges of his skin growing still more volatile. Something pulsated underneath, his shape changing. A dark thing was emerging. No soft velvet cat suit and stuffed horns on this baby. The thing coming out would be one hundred percent demon
Chapter Thirteen
Unable to turn her head, Alex lay frozen on the dirt, fixed on the demon hovering above her. As she watched, his entire image shimmered and she caught sight of something underneath, something desperate to come out.
“Please, don’t change,” she begged.
The demon smirked as his skin cracked. She stared up in horror as his flesh loosened and peeled off. She put a hand up to protect her face, but halfway to her face, the flakes dissolved into the air. Heat radiated down on her, burning her body.
She had to get away, she had to get out from under him. He was changing, finally showing his true face. Her eyes darted to the sides. Was Jeremy nearby? Did he know where she was? Could he see her cowering under thin air? She tried to shout for him, but her voice cracked and nothing but a squeak came out.
“Lo
ok at me!” Clive shouted. His once beautiful face was ruined, but this didn’t disguise his expression of pleasure as he stared down at her. He arched his back, his eyes rolling back in their sockets until only the whites showed. The cat suit began falling away, the pieces of fabric dissolving in the air as his skin had. A new shape bulged out. Things rippled underneath. Somehow, Alex found the will to close her eyes. This isn’t real, she whispered in her mind. Clive is made up. Please find me, Jeremy.
“Alex.” Clive was still above her. He waited a moment and said, “Babydoll.”
Alex squeezed her eyes even more tightly until lights flashed behind her eyelids.
“Look up.”
He’d done his thing. She couldn’t resist. Compelled, Alex obediently opened her eyes. Her mouth dropped open, before shutting with a snap. Her bladder almost let loose. Inside her chest, her heart all but stopped. The blood in her veins seemed to slow, and a leaden, numb sensation took her over.
Clive had transformed. From butterfly into monster, she thought. She only knew for certain that the creature hovering above her was Clive as the eyes rolled back down in their sockets and the same dark blue eyes stared down at her. His skin had turned a mottled green brown, lumpy and jagged with sores. Huge bat-like wings had appeared on his back. They flapped calmly, slowly. He folded his arms across his chest and smirked. Claws finished off his fingers. She had let this creature touch her!
His face was hardest to look at. So ruined. She’d kissed that face.
“Oh Clive!” she blurted out as she took in his true demon appearance.
Horns, real and hard and the color of ivory had erupted from his forehead, curling around to point menacingly at her. His face was larger, sharper, with his chin elongated and pointed.
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