by Jason Wood
“I don’t mind spending every day in that studio teaching people what they need to know about themselves. You’ve always had this broken smile and I had this wish for you that you would stay for quite some time and get to know yourself. I think that what really happened is that you scared yourself. You were probably convinced that you don’t need that kind of therapeutic outlet, but trust me it’s the only thing that you do need.” It was nice to have this momentary distraction.
“Don’t you think that I know that? I’ve been dealing with this from the moment that I was old enough to know what was going on. I’ve tried to keep it under wraps, but it’s hard when emotions are the strongest energy out there. I see somebody crying and I have this need to find out what is causing them to feel that way. Talking to them and holding their hand is my way of making them feel good, but what they don’t know is that it does the same thing for me.” Victoria was this spitfire and a force of nature that no man could put a hand on. She was immune to their charms, but it was going to be that one that finally catches her off guard that will surprise the hell out of her.
She was wearing a black outfit with red trim. Her body was sculpted from jogging and whatever other exercise she put herself through every day. Victoria was that hard body that every man would follow around. They had no control over their own libido. She was flirtatious to a dangerous level, but she somehow knew what line not to cross when it came to playing with a man’s emotions.
“You left because you were being pushed to your limits. You were learning quicker than the others about how to see into the human spirit. You’ve always had that ability and all I did was tap into it. I’ve been meaning to speak to you about using some of your work to showcase with my own. I think that between the two of us we can feed off of each other’s unique way of looking at life. I suggest a 50/50 split for the profits. I hope that you will consider my offer, but in the meantime I would really like to see you back in my class as soon as possible. You make the others around you work harder. It’s that feeling of competition that is ripe in the air that I have been missing.” She was jogging in place with her long hair pulled back into a ponytail to make sure that it wasn’t going to get in the way. She was the sister that I didn’t have and I was kinda worried that I had somehow done something wrong to make her leave and never come back.
“I think the reason why I left was because of what I saw in your eyes.” This girl could read the emotions of others. I could only imagine what she had seen in my eyes. I was actually kind of curious to find out and I waited with trepidation to see if she had seen something that she shouldn’t. “It scared me and that’s saying something for somebody like me. I would suggest that you have more skeletons in your closet than you know what to do with. I know by your own admission that you are in therapy and I think that might be the best thing for you.” I could see that she was in great shape and I could hear her footsteps slapping against the earth in one place.
“I don’t exactly know what you’re referring to, but therapy has done me a world of good. If it’s really what you want to be left alone, then I won’t try to force you to do something that you’re not comfortable with.” I saw two teachers a Mr. Anderson and a Miss Cross running together. Neither one of them were married to one another and they had respective spouses that didn’t exactly look like they belonged with them. It was obvious in the way that they were looking at each other that love and lust was not fading in the very least in their eyes.
I couldn’t stand living with something broken inside. It felt like I could put those pieces back together, but that would have only been going backwards instead of forwards. People have this tendency of explaining away those things that they didn’t understand. Victoria was not like that and she walked away because her curiosity would’ve gotten the best of her. She would ask and in a moment of weakness, I might have told her something that would forever change her life.
Other guys were tempting and I had the chance to do something that would make me forget about what I was going through. Neil came around and he reminded me that sex and love could go hand in hand. He gave me that feeling of wanting to put myself in his capable hands. We hadn’t been in the drivers seat, but marriage was close at hand.
“I’ll agree to come back on one condition. You need to take a class with me. I’m not taking no for an answer. This guy really does know his stuff. It may seem hokey to you, but I believe in anything that people can’t explain. I’ve always had this connection to people and I think that my natural charisma leads them to believe that I can help them. They most likely don’t even know that they are reaching out or that my words of wisdom holds a semblance of truth that they can hold onto” she was right about not believing in that kind of thing. I believed in what I could see, but maybe there was something inside me that needed to try something different.
“If it’s the only way that I can get you back in class, then I will agree with your insane terms. I guess I have no reason to turn you down. I’m a little surprised that you and I are even friends. I’m not an easy person to get to know and I tend to shy away from crowds. You have no idea how much I wanted to crawl into a hole anytime that I’m doing a class. The only thing that keeps me sane is that nobody really says anything. They do their work and they allow me to live vicariously through them. I have talent, but you take that talent and twist it around in a way that seems almost impossible. My work is on the darker side and yours gives off emotion.”
“I think that I better get going. I’ve taken up more than enough for your time, Michaela. I’m glad that we met like this again and I have this feeling that we might be living closer together than we may think. I have a house across the lake.” She moved down the path and then we saw something of a crowd flashing their phone cameras and mumbling with shocked expressions on their faces.
“I have no idea what’s going on, but I think that it might be a good idea for me to find out.” We moved closer and with a light touch on somebody’s shoulder the crowd parted to allow me to see both Mr. Anderson and Miss Cross sitting on the bench with their eyes wide open. In their chest was a common kitchen knife. From my vantage point, I could see that they probably didn’t even know what was happening at the time. They had died very quickly and it couldn’t have happened more than a few minutes ago.
They were dead and I knew without a doubt that I was the cause of their demise. Rebecca was going to suffer, but these two were that reminder that I should’ve followed through. My anger was rising and I pledged vengeance with my fist and tried to show no outward emotion.
“You don’t have to hide anything from me, Michaela. I know that this is affecting you, but what I don’t know is why. I get this feeling like you may have an idea of why this is happening. You don’t have to tell me anything and I would not pry into your personal business, unless it was absolutely necessary. You seem to be frightened by something. You are trying very hard to leave it in the past. I think that you might have some idea of how to stop this. If that’s true, then I have to implore you to do whatever you can to bring this person into the light. They’re not the only ones that are afraid of the light. You seem more comfortable in the dark, but that was part of your past. You’re different now and don’t have to walk that same path again.”
My new life was being swallowed whole by my old one and there was really nothing that I could do other than watch from afar. Killing people that I knew was going to make those in charge of the investigation easier to draw a straight line right to my door. I had to stop them, even if it meant that I was actually going to have to kill someone.… Again.
THE END
(FREEBOOK)
Romance
Chapter 1
Miss itchy feet
10/3/2005
Dear diary,
I am Samantha Hurlock from a small town if you must know my origin in a conventional manner. I cannot say any more about it and mind you even this I have written very reluctantly. Why I am so reluctant to introduce myself is a si
mple matter of choice. My choice derives its logic from my unconventional opinions about the origin. I don’t want to be defined by my hometown, my lineage, my language or even by my name. I had rather be known for what I do and what I think, that is what I am.
I have written a poem about this. Do you want me to write it for you?
I am not what I used to be,
I am not what I will be,
This moment what I am,
Is really who I am.
The moment lasts only,
Depart till we.
Yet you can capture,
If you wish,
A glimpse or a glim of me.
For even though the time has passed,
That bit will still be me
I am here, right here at this moment, the past and the future is not my concern. I have no roots because I am not a tree, but I have legs, a brain and most importantly a heart! They take me where they like and I happily oblige. The uncertainty is what makes my life worth living! Uh-oh! Write about the devil and there he comes, my uncertain life doesn’t allow me to write any fu—
The chief of the caravan shouted again for me to listen loud and clear that I was not welcome on board anymore. I was in the middle of the desert at the back of a slightly small camel, the journal in my hand half opened and my index finger resting between the pages that I had been staining with the ink of my feelings. I looked around with difficulty as my eyes failed to cope up with the strain despite the shades and the cap that I was wearing. It was all gold, the desert, and the sun. I had no choice but to get down the camel that I had begun to get attached to even though we were together for only two days. I was half dead when I joined these people or when they rescued me would be a more accurate expression. I patted Mohini, the she-camel on the back and she gave me a slight nod. Somehow she knew that I was to depart now and surprisingly she seemed to be very understanding about it. Maybe she was accustomed to being forsaken in the middle of the deserts then I realized that it was I who was being forsaken and not her.
I was not being ungrateful to these people. They had helped me a lot, but now they were to head in a different direction and my purpose was to cross this desert that seemed to have no end at all. I saw the chief coming towards me. I put the journal inside my backpack, checked my goat-skin water bottle which as I expected was empty. I looked at him innocently and he ordered someone from his clan to fill it with water for me. He did not know English and I did not know Arabic, but we understood each other on the grounds of common sense. I thanked him profusely and he accepted it. Then he looked perplexed, he wanted to guide me through it without wasting much time which was kind of impossible with the great language barrier. Suddenly, he looked around and said something in Arabic and the boy who had been handling Mohini for me came. He was wearing a large checkered scarf on his head like the rest of them but his face was not visible and I suddenly realized that I had not seen his face at all. I had not even noticed this because he seemed so insignificant but as it came out he knew both the great languages and could act as an interpreter for us. With his help, I understood how to cross that terrible desert. As I was about to turn around, he said, have a safe journey, Signorina and as I moved away I caught a glimpse of his intriguing blue eyes!
Chapter 2
The comfort zone
21/3/2005
Dear diary,
I am sitting in my warm bed in the hotel around the corner of the street with a cup of tea at the side table. I have just eaten a delicious breakfast of bread, butter, scrambled eggs and an orange. My room is small but looks rather roomy because of the use of cool colors for the paint and minimal amount of furniture. There are two windows in this room. One is in front of the bed and the other is westward from the bed. The front window shows the busy streets and the city as the humans have developed it, but a single glance from the other one takes my breath away every single time. From there you can see how God had made the beautiful city, green, blue and golden. I can see my half-unpacked luggage in the corner beside the cupboard. I never unpack completely because I never know when I would leave my accommodations for the next journey.
I have seen so many places now. I don’t belong to my hometown only, anymore. If I must be compared to a tree than I am this giant one with the trunk protruding out on the surface, but my roots have spread all over the world. I am a traveler and love what I do. I have witnessed so many cultures and made so many friends but more than the people and their ways, what has inspired me really is the beautiful and varying shades of nature which despite differing so much still shares a commonality. In the versatility, I have experienced the universality.
Yes, I am different from other people around me but no so much. While other people are slaves of money, knowledge and lust, I am a slave of my wanderlust. If I can resist from scoffing at their desires, they should do the same for me. How is it possible that society defines our wishes? I cannot make myself love the things that are desired by a majority only because it is the norm. So I keep moving around the world and even when I am at a place I am also somewhere else too.
This is me and I am comfortable with it.
Love,
Samantha
Xoxo
Chapter 3
The unforgettable encounter
She was standing on the gallery of an old mansion in front of which were grilled. It was around 1:00 AM and all the valley was engulfed in the darkness. The weather was not in its senses today. The wind was blowing making such strange noises as if it is a wounded animal unwilling to die or ready to kill. There was a thunderstorm and the rain was falling on the wet leaves continuously as if the fire has been opened and there will be no way out for anyone. The light was striking illuminating the dark sky as if it would snatch the light out of one’s eyes. She was wearing a black scarf that covered her face except a slit through which her large green eyes were protruding out.
Perfect weather just according to the forecast, for a change. She thought. This was the only time the weather was supporting her. Otherwise, it had always hindered her in her plans. She knew it was necessary to carry out the business right now. It was now or never. She had never liked her missions very much lately, but this one was interesting. It was last! It was personal!
She could not help but remember the face of her savior. She had always loved how that smiling calm face comes in front of her eyes whenever she was about to set the right what was wrong in this great world. He was handsome, too old for her but still appealing. She would have died that night and if she did survive, she would have been broken and bitter which would be even worse than being dead, but he had calmed her.
She smiled at the thought and checked her pockets for her revolver and her boots for her favorite weapon; knives. She loved knives. It was a host of knives that had attacked her in the valley on that dark night. It is all about sides, she knew. Being on the right side of the weapons makes all the difference. She loved to use what had been used on her.
The lights in the sky were a distraction, but she knew how to distinguish between a real and an artificial light. She recognized the signal; a green light deeper than the shades of her eyes as her cue to come into action. She turned around and checked her image in the puddle of water at her legs; a woman of mid-forties all clad in black stared at her with her sharp green eyes. Are you ready? She asked her and found the willing approval in the image.
*------------------------------*-----------------------------------*---------------------------*
His orders were to shoot at sight, but he had himself to answer to before anyone else. A conscience is a terrible, terrible thing, he realized. So many times he had been told to just follow the orders, but it did not work for him. He just couldn’t bring himself to shoot people. It was his preference was to catch them. Sometimes, it frustrated him. Why can’t I just let it go and make life simple for me?
Today, his task was even more peculiar than usual. This time it was a woman, a young woman of 25 who he needed to kill a
t the spot. She was supposed to be very dangerous. Actually he had been looking for her for a while and though he is sure he had encountered her a few times but did not dare touch her or even confront her at those occasions because he was never sure it was her.
She was reported to roam around in different disguises and he had suspected about three women to be the criminal. This time it was confirmed that she will attack this place. He was not sure if he even wanted to stop her. He had been posted here to protect a famous social worker. Until recently, I had respected him a lot too. Although some of his ideas were different from what he had believed but he did not dislike him, but his posting here has shown him the real face of this man who was considered as an icon of love, peace, and mercy among the people. This man was corrupt and lived off the money of innocent people, but there was no evidence against him because he was protected by the government.
It was strange for him to feel for a nation that was foreign to him. His stay here was only for the purpose of catching the woman who has been involved in killings all around the world because she was reported to be a citizen of his own great country, the Great Britain. The people here was so different than his own people, but it was okay for him to adjust as he had been trained for this.
He was Augustus Hemsworth, the most adept undercover officer to be found in the whole wide world. He had been responsible for the catching of a variety of criminals from different countries. This woman had been a particularly difficult case for him, though. He understood her psychology enough to know that all her victims had been hypocrites. The kind of people praised by the world but in reality were monsters were mostly her targets. He saw that green light in the sky as well, illuminating it which could have easily passed to be a stroke of lightning. He knew it was the cue and alerted his team as well.