A Friend,
X
Screaming with rage, Miriam threw the paper into the fire that crackled softly in the bedroom fireplace. She knew what would come to her as soon as she closed her eyes, knew that the dreams, the nightmare would find her.
As she lay there, she wondered: Who was this mysterious X? Why was X determined to help her? Not sure if X was friend or foe, Miriam chose to wait and see what would happen when X contacted her again. Than she would tell her friends about her elusive admirer.
Sleep came to claim her. She fought against it, but she was too tired. And as her eyes closed for that final time before sleep, one word escaped her lips.
"Toby…" she said.
FORTY FOUR
Miriam dreams of lost loves
Her dreams opened her head up like a movie camera. She saw how Toby died, felt the images being released by the stress of the past few days, few months, few years. On camera, they had played husband and wife. Off camera, they had loved each other. They dreamed together, breathed together.
Soon after Toby and Miriam moved in together, Miriam received an offer from Days of Our Lives. They wanted her to play a new part, an evil villain that was the cousin to Stefano DiMera. A new DiMera role! Her mouth had salivated just thinking about it. Toby, unknowing of the Lifetime Contract and what Howard had told her, had urged her to take the role.
"Oh, I can't." Miriam had said. She had not told him about that clause in her contract. The clause where they owned her.
"Don't be silly!" Toby had said. "This part is made for you and you've been wasted on Hope Falls for so long."
She had relented slightly. "Oh, Toby, I don't know…"
He kissed her than, long and hard. "Believe in yourself as I believe in you."
Looking into his dark eyes, Miriam had finally felt safe, protected. He would not let anyone hurt her. "Oh, Toby," she had said, putting a hand to her throat. "Do you think I can?"
"I know you can." he had said.
Later that night, she had contacted her agent, who set up the audition for the role the very next day. She didn't know it then, but she would not make the audition They had seen to that. Somehow, though she could think of no way possible, they had found out about the audition.
They had decided that she had to be punished. Miriam tensed in her sleep.
The images span before her eyes like a movie and she saw it all happen as if she were watching a soap opera…art imitating life.
*
Miriam tried to remain calm.
She had five scenes to film; she wanted to leave Hope Falls with a stellar performance, wanted to leave on top. She had been rehearsing all morning. At the same time, nerves were eating away at her.
Clutching her coffee in one hand and a cigarette in the other, Miriam walks towards the sound stage. Her make up is done and she wants the first scene filmed quickly so she can have a romantic one with Toby. She passes Howard on the way. He stops her, touches her arm.
"Toby is on set sweetheart." He tells her. "He's waiting for you."
There is something in Howard's voice that chills her. "Thank you Howard." She's not sure if her agent has already called him to schedule her departure from the show; she isn't sure how much time she has left. She thinks of running for it, making a break. Just taking Toby and running away from all this.
"See you on set." Howard says and he is gone.
Left alone in the hallway, Miriam wonders what she should do for a moment. She is unsure if she wants to continue towards what she knows, knows deep down, will end badly. But her legs do not belong to her. Her legs belong to someone else.
She breezes through make up, let's a make up artist apply a soft layer of powder and heads towards the stage. When she steps through the door, the lights are already on, already blinding. She sees the camera's light blinking red like an eye and knows she's being filmed.
They're filming a scene there was no script for.
Everything is oddly quiet and Miriam puts a hand to her throat, knowing she won't like what is about to come. "Hello?" she calls out. "Hello?"
A light goes on in the corner of the stage and she sees something dangling from a rope. It takes her a moment to realize that it's Toby.
His eyes are bulging out slightly and a drop of blood is even now running down his cheek. Saliva and blood have fallen from his mouth, making it look as if he has rabies. His tongue, which is sticking out of his mouth, is purple and hangs slightly to the right.
Blood has started to drip from his neck where the course rope has cut and sawed at his skin. Miriam can hear the muffled drops hit the carpet. Toby's dead eyes, so large yet so lifeless, stare at her; as if they are accusing her.
Miriam hears a sound then, a loud wailing banshee scream. She does not realize that it is her screaming, does not realize that she has flung her arms around Toby, pulling him to her, screaming his name over and over again.
The rope snaps and Toby's body begins to fall. This time, as the body lands on her and she begins to scream louder, Miriam knows it's her. She knows it's her screaming, but she can't seem to stop.
Can't stop screaming, can't stop screaming, can't stop screaming…
*
"TOBY! TOBY, MY GOD, TOBY!"
Miriam came awake suddenly and was glad for it. She had been screaming his name, could still hear it echoing in the room.
She hated having to play out those moments, those last moments, when she knew that they had killed her Toby. Her beloved Toby.
Later, she had found a note on thick parchment in her dressing room taped to the picture of Toby that she kept by her mirror. It read simply: YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.
She was dreaming of him because Derrick, Susan's groundkeeper, was stirring those same feelings she used to feel for Toby. She felt comforted for a moment, as if Toby was giving her his blessing to try again at love.
Her heart stopped when she heard a soft rapping noise. It was just a part of her dream, she reasoned. Just part of her dream. She stayed still in the dark and listened.
And then she heard it again.
Someone was knocking softly on her bedroom door.
FORTY FIVE
Miriam and Derrick have a cigarette
Miriam waited another moment and heard the knock again. It was soft. Still, she was worried it may be an intruder. The note from X had unsettled her, filled her dreams with visions of Toby. She wiped at the tears that were still on her cheeks. "Who is it?" Miriam said softly.
"It's Derrick." Came the reply from behind the door.
Miriam looked at the clock on her bedside table. It was two in the morning. What was he doing up? Letting curiosity get the best of her, she got out of bed and opened the door. It wasn't until the door was open that she realized she was only dressed in a silk camisole and panties.
Derrick was also dressed for bed. He wore only a pair of snug blue boxer shorts and her breath stopped in her chest as she took him all in. His dark hair fell to just below his shoulders, but he also had a sprinkling of dark hair that covered his chest and a little trail that ran down his stomach into his shorts.
He had broad shoulders and well defined arms. She could see the muscles in his chest and arms, shaded as they were by light and shadow. She felt a fire start in her stomach just looking at him. Her heart beat faster until she could hear it in her ears. He simply looked at her, took her in. She had never been studied so intensely
for so long. It made her feel weak with want.
"Hello." He said finally. His voice implied he knew what effect he was having on her. She hoped that she was having the same effect on him.
"Hello, Derrick." She smiled. The sound of his name rolling off her tongue fed the fire in her belly. "Why are you up at such an hour?"
"My room is the one next to yours. I heard you through the walls, you sounded as if you were dreaming."
Miriam felt her face flush. "You heard me?"
"Yes." Derrick said gently. "You were screaming a name. I believe it was Toby."
"On the contrary," Derrick said in his soft voice, "I think you are a woman in need of a shoulder to cry on. Something has you scared."
Miriam looked at him. "What makes you say that?"
"A few things." He said. "Your reaction on seeing me, your crying at my mention of Toby." He smiled. "Susan also asked me to treat you with kid gloves, so I know something's up." He put his hand to her cheek, wiped away one of the tears. "What has a beautiful woman like you so scared, Miriam?"
She loved the way her name sounded when he said it. "You wouldn't believe me."
"Try me. If you want, I have some wine in the fridge downstairs. Or would you like a cigarette?"
"A cigarette would be lovely."
"Do you smoke?"
"No, but now seems a good time to start." She chuckled half heartedly. "I'm a social smoker." She shrugged. "It relaxes me."
"I'll be right back." He said.
Miriam stood in the doorway of her bedroom and wondered vaguely if he would. She had screamed at him, assumed he was a murder, had shouted during a nightmare and now she had cried in front of him. So much for first impressions, she thought.
He did return, however, with a bottle of wine and two glasses and two cigarettes. A pack of matches was in his mouth. She let him in the bedroom and closed the door behind them. Once Derrick set the wine down, he was able to take the matches out of his mouth. He lit his own cigarette and than hers. He smiled. "I keep a bottle of wine
in a bar fridge in my room." He poured two glasses after popping the cork. "I figured we could use some."
"You have no idea." She took a sip and felt the wine warm her insides. "I am very grateful."
"Nonsense," he said. "I'm the one who's grateful. I get to spend time in your company."
"What's so great about that?"
"Because I'm attracted to you." He said. She blanched. Derrick held up his hands. "Hey, hey, it's all good. I won't do anything you don't want me to, but I figured I'd
be up front and tell you. I'm attracted to you, Miriam. I've been watching you on TV for so long, I feel as if I know you."
"That's Sylvia Stevens, not me."
"I know that." He said, smiling. "You shine through her, you know? I know you're playing a part, but it's Miriam Parker that makes Sylvia Stevens so beautiful."
Miriam looked at him for a moment and saw him smile in the darkness. "You don't mean that." She said, stubbing out her cigarette and putting down her wine.
"I do." He said.
"Prove it." She said. She regretted her words when Derrick leaned forward and kissed her softly.
FORTY SIX
Miriam and Derrick share a kiss
The kiss was warm and soft. It melted her mouth, her lips and set her stomach on fire. She felt a passion bubbling in her that she had not felt since Toby. She pushed thoughts of him away as she focused on kissing Derrick.
She felt him respond and he wrapped his arms around her, bringing her
closer to him. She felt his strong chest press up against her and her heart beat faster. She ran her hands along his chest, feeling the coarse but soft chest hair under her fingers. She found his nipples and tweaked one a little bit.
Derrick responded by moaning deep in the back of his throat and pulled her closer, crushing her to his strong body. His arms wrapped all the way around her and he deepened the kiss. She responded in kind and kissed him back just as hard. There was passion under these kisses, passion she wanted to release. It had been too long.
Derrick pulled away slowly. They were both a little sweaty and both breathing heavily. He looked at her, lust in his eyes.
"Why did you stop?" she whispered.
"Because, I don't want our first time to be like this."
"First time?"
"Hopefully, the first time of many."
"Why are you attracted to me?"
"Because you're you." He said, touching her cheek again. "I want our first time to be special, magical. You understand don't you?"
Miriam was so touched by his feelings for her, his caring, that she smiled and nodded, feeling a warmth spread through her body.
"Come on," he said, "I want to show you something."
"What? Outside? We're not wearing any clothes."
"It's dark. No one will see us." He smiled. "We'll only see each other." His eyes twinkled.
Miriam hesitated for a moment. What if those that were after them saw her? They were far from the studio, Miriam reasoned. And besides, she badly wanted to spend more time with Susan's groundskeeper. He made her feel things that she thought had died with Toby.
"Alright." She said. "But we better make it quick. What are we doing?"
"You'll see." He took her hand softly in his and led her quietly down the stairs.
Leading her across the wide field to the back of the house, Miriam felt the dew on her feet, cold and refreshing. Derrick smiled at her and she squeezed his hand. She already felt so comfortable in his presence, it was as if they had known each other all their lives.
They arrived at a small building behind the large house. It was a stable. Miriam heard the sounds of horses inside. Derrick opened the stable door and shut it behind them, turning on a lantern to shed enough light. What Miriam saw made her gasp.
Standing in front of them, looking at them with its soft brown eyes, was the most beautiful horse that Miriam had ever seen. It was huge, at least seven feet high and had hair of the darkest black. The horse whinnied softly and looked as if it was smiling at them.
"Oh, he's beautiful!" Miriam said. "Can I pet him?"
"Of course you can. His name is Midnight."
"How long have you had him?"
"He's not mine." Derrick said. "He's Susan's horse; I just take care of him. She's had him since she was a girl."
"I'm finding out more and more about her that I didn't know."
"Even friends have their secrets." Derrick said.
Miriam ran her hands along the animal's smooth flank. "You're so gorgeous." She said and Midnight licked her. She laughed and the sound was like music to Derrick.
"So are you." Derrick said.
Miriam smiled. "You're just saying that because we're both standing her almost naked."
"Not true," he said with a smile, "though I certainly do appreciate the view."
Miriam followed his eyes to her breasts, to her body. She felt that heat rising in her again. "Do you think I could ride Midnight?"
"Sure you can." His smile deepened. "You can do anything you want to do." She saw the small lines at the corner of his eyes when he smiled. He winked at her and laughed softly. "I'm very attracted to you, Miriam." He said softly.
Miriam was breathless. "But you don't even know me."
He held a hand on her breast, over her heart. Her nipples hardened at his touch. "I know you here." He said. "That's all I need to know."
He leaned in for a kiss, slowly. Their lips were about to touch when the air was ripped apart by a loud scream.
Someone was in trouble.
FORTY SEVEN
Naomi needs help
The scream came again when Derrick and Miriam got to the house. It was Naomi. They ran up the stairs and barreled into her bedroom. Susan was already there. She turned and smiled when she saw Miriam and Derrick together, as if she knew the two of them had found each other. Naomi had stopped screaming.
Miriam rushed over to her. "Naomi, darling, what is it?"
"OH GOD!" Naomi screamed, "I had such a horrible dream, such a dream…" she started sobbing again.
"What happened Nai?" Susan asked softly.
"I was asleep but in my dream, someone dressed all in black came into the room through the window and stood over me. I couldn't tell if it was a woman or a man, but they stood over me f
or quite some time. I heard a sound, like tape being unwound…like a
ripping sound. I started screaming and I woke myself up."
Miriam looked at the window. It was open. "Did you leave the window open before you went to sleep?"
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