by Amy Cross
“But -”
“Back soon, I promise.”
Sighing, Merrie watched as her sister headed into the back of the bar.
“Is she alright?” Gemma asked, stirring her beer with a straw. “Don't be offended, but your sister's like... being weirder than normal. Which is saying something.”
“She's bringing us all down,” Kay added after a moment, wrinkling her nose with disapproval. “When you asked if she could tag along, you didn't tell us she was such an Eeyore. She's not always like this, is she?” She rolled her eyes. “I really don't want to have to deal with someone acting like that the whole time. If she doesn't cheer up and start having some fun, I'm really gonna, like, try not to be around her much.”
“She'll chill out,” Merrie replied, “I promise.”
“She'd better.”
“She will, she just...” She looked toward the bathroom door for a moment. “I think I know what's wrong,” she continued. “She always gets like this at the end of July, it's the anniversary of when our mother died.”
“Jesus,” Kay said, “can we not talk about stuff like that? Sorry if that sounds harsh, but we came to Mallaca to get away from all the rubbish in our lives back home. For one week, can't we just relax and chill? We're Brits and we're on holiday in Spain, we have a certain reputation to uphold. Speaking of which...” Reaching over to the next table, she grabbed a leaflet and held it up for the others to see. “Who wants to hit the ground running and spend our first night here at the biggest club for miles?”
“Apocalypse,” Merrie replied, taking the leaflet and looking at the details. “Five floors, live DJs, cage dancing, shows... I could be up for this, definitely.”
“I heard,” Gemma said, “that they have strippers at that place. Like, guys who go all the way on stage.”
“It's five euros for guys to get in,” Kay continued, snatching the leaflet back, “but it's free for girls. How cool is that? Plus, drinks are, like, mega cheap. My mate Denise was here last year, I think Apocalypse is the place she said puts this chemical in all the drinks that makes them glow in the dark. Isn't that the coolest thing in the world? You'd never get something that cool back home.”
“Looks like we know where we're going tonight, then,” Merrie said with a smile, before taking a sip from her vodka and orange. “I just hope there are some actual fit guys there.”
“And your sister won't be a total drag, will she?” Kay asked, with a skeptical expression. “I mean, 'cause, like if she's the same tonight as she's been so far, no offense but I'm totally gonna lose her. It won't be hard, not with five floors, and I won't feel bad.” She set the leaflet down on the steel table, letting one corner soak into a splash of spilled beer. “I deserve this holiday after the time I've had at work, and I won't let anyone bring me down. I know she's your sister n'all, Merrie, but she's not mine and I don't have to hang out with her if I don't want to.”
“She'll be fine,” Merrie replied, glancing at the bathroom door and realizing that once again Judy had been gone for a long time. “Trust me. She's a lot of fun when she gets going.”
“Evil badger stalked me on holiday,” Kay read from the contents page of the magazine. “Killer squid attacked me in the loo. Jesus Christ, no-one actually believes this stuff, do they?”
***
“Judy? Hey, are you in here?”
Letting the door swing shut, Merrie made her way across the air-conditioned bathroom and saw that one of the cubicle doors was shut. Leaning down, she saw her sister's shoes under the door.
“I'm fine,” Judy replied, her voice sounding a little strained. “Sorry, I think it's still that burger I had last night.”
“Huh.” Stopping for a moment, Merrie frowned. “So there's nothing wrong, is there? I mean, you'd tell me if it was more than just a dodgy burger, wouldn't you?”
“Of course.”
“It's just... Well, the others are worried about you.”
“I'm really sorry,” Judy replied from the other side of the cubicle door. “I'll be fine by tonight, I promise.”
“You'd better be,” Merrie told her. “We were thinking of going to this big club down by the beach. It's called Apocalypse and apparently it's, like, the most amazing place in the whole resort. We just figured we'd start with the big one, yeah? You up for that?”
She waited.
After a moment, she heard a pained gasp from the other side of the door.
“Judy? Are you up for going to Apocalypse tonight?”
“Totally.”
“Are you sure?” She paused. “You're not crying, are you?”
“No,” came the blurted, not entirely convincing reply.
“Is it about Mum?”
“I'm not crying!”
“I know you always get down at this time of year,” Merrie continued. “I do too, I just... I hide it more. The thing is, it's been five years now, and she'd want us to be having fun, yeah? I bet she's looking down on us right now and just telling us to let our hair down and go a little wild.” She paused, before looking around at the bathroom. The whole place stank of lemon disinfectant, and there was water all over the floor. “Well, I hope she's not looking down on us right now,” she continued, “but you know what I mean. She wouldn't want us to mope about just 'cause it's the anniversary of... Well, you know what I mean.”
She waited for a reply.
“The crazy thing is,” she continued finally, “I reckon she'd have come with us to a place like this. She was always up for a laugh, even when the cancer was getting at her. She'd have been right with us, drinking beer that only costs a euro and probably even coming to the club with us. God, she'd probably be so embarrassing, but I wish she'd lived long enough to do that kind of thing with us.” She paused, before heading over to an empty cubicle and grabbing some toilet paper, which she used to dab her eyes. “Damn it, now you've got me down.” She headed back out and looked at the closed door to the next cubicle. “So let's both make a deal. Let's have a really fun holiday, one that'd make Mum proud, deal?”
“Deal,” Judy replied from behind the door, although her voice still sounded a little weak and pained.
Crouching down, Merrie reached her hand under the door. “Shake on it?”
“Are you serious?”
“Shake on it!”
There was a pause, and then Judy's hand came into view. They shook on the deal, before Merrie got to her feet and washed her hands at the sink. She glanced at her own reflection in the mirror for a moment and forced a smile.
“Okay,” she continued, taking a deep breath. “I'm going back out to the others, but you'd better come soon, okay? You're not gonna spend the whole holiday on the loo, Judy. That'd just be way too sad. Fun starts here, yeah?” She turned to look at the cubicle door. “Did you hear me? I said fun starts here.”
“Sure.”
“Say it.”
“Say what?”
“Say fun starts here.”
“Fun... Fun starts here.”
“Wicked,” Merrie replied, heading to the far side of the bathroom and pulling the door open, before glancing back toward the cubicles. “You know what helps with the sad feelings, any time you start thinking about Mum? Booze. Just drink the pain away. Sounds bad, but it works. Try it, at least tonight. I think you'll be surprised.” With that, she headed back out to the main part of the bar, ordering another drink along the way.
Chapter Five
“Mr. Velucci? Are... Are you in here?”
Standing alone in the darkened room, with just a hint of light showing around the edges of the blackout curtains, Ruth waited for a reply. She'd been ushered through another door just a couple of minutes ago, and Mr. Ford had then shut that door after telling her to be patient. Since then, she'd been waiting for some sign of movement, but now that her eyes were adjusting to the darkness she was starting to wonder if the room was empty. She could just about make out furniture nearby, although the room's far end was filled with dark, looming shapes.
“Hello?” she said finally, taking a couple of steps forward. “My name is Ruth McCoy, I... I'm here about the job as an assistant to Andreas Velucci? Mr. Ford let me in and...”
Her voice trailed off.
She waited.
Slowly, she began to become aware of a presence nearby. She couldn't see or hear anyone, but she could sense something watching her. Turning, she looked over toward the other side of the room, as a shiver passed up her spine.
“Hello?” she said again. “I-”
“Hello,” a calm male voice replied suddenly.
She froze. Turning, she tried to work out where the voice had come from.
“I...” She paused. “Hello?”
“Hello.”
She swallowed hard. “My name is -”
“Ruth McCoy,” the voice replied, “I know. I always research people before they arrive here at my home, I find that this process helps avoid any nasty surprises. You moved out here to Mallaca in June of last year to work at Javier's tattoo parlor on the strip. Since then, you have found yourself aimlessly moving through life, wondering where you're headed and whether there's any meaning. You've dated a succession of men, none of whom have given you anything of spiritual value, and now you're considering moving back to England and finding a proper job. The thought of doing so, however, of admitting that coming to Mallaca was a mistake... fills you with horror.”
A figure began to move toward her through the darkness, accompanied by a faint shuffling sound.
“But why did you come to Mallaca?” he added. “Really.”
“I heard it was fun.”
“And that's the only reason?”
“What other reason could there be?” she asked.
“There could be many other reasons. For example, you might have felt displaced all your life, as if you'd never found a place where you fitted in.”
“I...” She paused. “How did you know all that about me?”
“Perhaps I plucked the information from the aura around your soul,” he replied, stopping just a few feet in front of her. A line of light from the window's edge caught the side of his face, revealing a large, bearded man with curly black hair and the kind of face that never really stopped smiling. “I had Mr. Ford carry out the necessary research. I don't allow the internet up here at my villa, I find that it pollutes the air, but Mr. Ford accesses the networks when necessary during his trips into town.”
“Right.” After wondering for a moment what to do next, she held a hand out to him. “It's... It's nice to meet you, Mr. Velucci.”
“I don't shake hands with people unless I know them very well,” he told her. “I'm sure we will get to that stage eventually, but for now I would rather not risk contaminating my energy field.”
“Okay.” She paused, before pulling her hand back. “Well, I -”
“Are you going to take the job, Ms. McCoy?”
“Am I going to take it? Well, if it's offered, then... Yes, I definitely want to come and work for you here. I'm still not entirely sure what you do, but I'm sure I can catch up pretty quickly.”
He seemed to find this amusing. “Tell me, what do you know of me already?”
“Not very much.”
“Do people not talk about me? Is there no gossip in town, no discussion of my villa? I was under the impression that this building was rather imposing, perched up here high on the hill.”
“Well, it is,” she replied. “I mean, I've noticed it a lot, but no-one really...” She paused again. “I know you own a lot of property in the area. The big hotel by the beach, and the Apocalypse nightclub, and some apartment buildings over by the bay. Probably a lot more too.”
“A lot more.”
“Sure, and -”
“I own the airport.”
“You do?” She forced a smile, even though she was feeling distinctly uncomfortable. “Well, that's... cool. I guess you get to fly in and out whenever you feel like it, huh?”
“I prefer to stay in my villa at all times.”
“Okay. Well, it's lovely up here.”
“All my needs are met,” he replied, “and I am able to concentrate on more important matters, such as my communion with the next evolutionary form.”
She nodded, even though she didn't understand. “Of course.”
“They're coming, you know,” he continued. “I know there have been thousands of false prophets in the world before, but their mistakes should not blind you to the truth that is revealing itself at this villa. They are breaking through, blossoming from within, and soon their mark will be unmistakable.” He paused. “But I know that mere words are not enough. I shall have to let you feel their arrival in your own way, and that will happen once you start spending time here at the villa.”
“I'm sure,” she replied, “and -”
“You will see!” he added, stepping closer and placing his hands close to the side of her head, without actually touching her. “You will hear! You will feel! You will touch!”
“Um...”
“You will live!” he continued. “You will be among the chosen few who see their arrival at this early stage. For this faith and courage, you will be rewarded a thousandfold. They are coming to bless the whole human race, but those who show evidence of true faith early on will be given a special place once the new eventuality perpetuates. For the vast majority of people on this planet, the arrival of the next evolution will be a shock, but not for those of us who understand from the start. And like all the great religions of the world, it all begins with one simple yet miraculous act. Do you know, Ruth, what act I am talking about?”
She smiled nervously. “I'm not sure...”
“What else could it be?” he asked, placing his hands on his swollen belly. “The creation of life, absent the performance of the act of sex.”
“Oh.”
“Are you a virgin, Ruth?”
She opened her mouth to reply, but no words came out.
“No matter,” he continued. “You will take your place nonetheless.”
“So does that mean I'm hired?”
“Yes!” he boomed, holding his arms out as if he was about to embrace her, but holding back a little. “Yes, a thousand times yes! You must go to town and fetch the belongings you wish to bring with you, and then you must come up here and take your place in the villa! You will be welcomed warmly, and as well as your financial remuneration, you will be blessed with something even greater. You will be fed knowledge, and clarity, and understanding. If I was willing to touch you, I would hug you. As it is, the hug must be deferred until I am certain that our energy fields are in harmony. That time will come, though. I promise you, it will come with the Pure One.”
They stood in silence for a moment.
“Cool,” she said finally. “Thank you so much, Mr. Velucci, I promise you won't regret hiring me.”
“I know I won't,” he replied, with tears in his eyes. “Do you have any questions?”
“Um...” She paused. “Am I allowed to use the pool?”
“I beg your pardon?”
“During my time off,” she continued, a little worried that maybe she was overstepping the boundaries, “can I... I mean, can I use the swimming pool?”
“Oh, my dear,” he said, his smile broadening significantly, “you must use the pool.”
Chapter Six
“I just can't get over how cheap everything is!” Merrie said as she put a second bottle of Jagermeister in her basket. “It's amazing that people out here aren't just wasted all the time!”
“I guess the heat puts them off,” Judy muttered, taking a couple of packs of sanitary towels from one of the shelves. She figured that even if it wasn't that time of the month, she still might have some blood to soak up. “This might come as a surprise to you, but not everyone wants to get drunk at every available opportunity.”
“Oh, I know,” Merrie replied, grabbing some packs of biscuits. “There are boring people in the world, totally. And those people su
ck.”
“Don't forget these!” Kay shouted from the next aisle. A moment later, several packs of condoms flew over the shelf, raining down on Judy and Merrie. “You know guys never have them.”
“Never hurts to be hopeful,” Merrie said with a smile, bending down and picking up a few packs, and then tossing some more into Judy's basket. “Even you might get some action tonight. I don't mean that in a bad way, just... Well, you don't put yourself out there very much.”
Hearing Kay and Gemma giggling at the other end of the mini-supermarket, Judy turned to her sister. “Why do you act completely differently when they're around?” she asked.
“What do you mean?”
“You're one person when they're around and another when they're not. It's weird, that's all.”
“You're over-analyzing,” Merrie replied, slipping past her as she headed toward the cash desk. “You put the anal in analysis, Sis. Try not to.”
Following her, Judy stopped and waited while Merrie set her bottles and other items on the desk. After a moment, Judy glanced at the posters nearby, and while there were plenty for local clubs and bars, one stood out. Printed on plain white paper, there was a photo of a smiling girl, along with the word 'Missing' in large red letters.
“Sandra Casey,” she read out loud with a frown, “twenty-eight years old from Birmingham, England, missing in Mallaca since the thirty-first of May.”
She was about to turn to Merrie, when she spotted another poster.
“Louise Sherlock and Gavin Bronson,” she continued, “both from Dawlish in Devon, missing in Mallaca since the end of February.” She turned to her sister. “That's three people missing around here in just the past few months.”
“They probably just got drunk,” Merrie replied as she handed some money to the bored-looking girl behind the desk. “Hey, if I end up going home with some hot guy tonight, don't put up posters of me until at least three days have passed. I'll probably just be making sweet love on a beach somewhere.” She laughed. “Well, a girl has to dream, right?”