Anyway, a few years ago Anna Karenina was made into a movie. While I don’t know if it followed the book verbatim, I assume it followed closely enough that I could write a synopsis about it. I decide to just do that and give myself more time with The Book. I quickly type up the general arch of the storyline and then put it away.
After I set the timer, I start at the beginning to understand how my ancestors cursed Darius. I want to know exactly what they did and how. I want to know if I could just do that again or if the only way this story ends is with me truly ending Darius.
When my alarm goes off again bringing me back to my reality, I groan in frustration. It’s such slow going to have to translate each page. I slam my hand down on the table in irritation. Try as I might, I cannot get rid of the bad feeling that is starting to overwhelm me again.
I know in the deepest center of myself that I am the closest I have ever come to finally winning this battle against Darius. But I also know that Darius is the closest he’s ever come to reaching me. Still, the answers I’ve long sought which are finally right in front of me are, even now, just out of reach.
I wish I could just use my power of projection and give myself the ability to understand Latin. If I’m making wishes, then let’s add every language while I’m at it, too. But that would be an unwarranted use of my powers for my own personal benefit, which even I know is a huge violation of my own abilities and responsibilities.
It’s now just about the closing time of the library. I’m anticipating a stop in by Jeff any moment. But instead, I get a text from Matt saying Jeff had to leave and if I had any questions to write them down for Sam to ask him tomorrow. I throw up a thank you to the universal powers that be for one less distraction.
As I move the few paces to take Middlemarch from the shelves, I mentally go over the cliffs-notes of what I learned the last two hours from The Book:
Darius’s entrance into this world created a giant scorched crack on the Earth’s surface
He immediately began killing humans and magical creatures, causing pervasive evil to spread
His appearance caused the world to become a dark place as soon as he set foot on it, and that darkness lasted for another two-hundred years until he was cursed
The most powerful of each of the magical beings on earth came together to curse him. They pooled all of their collective magic to do so. The curse was able to stop Darius from fully opening the portal he created, thus preventing all of the demons of Darius’s homeland from coming to earth
The curse will be broken only by the defeat of Darius’s magical equal and him taking her powers to add to his own. Only then will he finally be able to set free his demon brothers and sisters on Earth
“The only way this ends,” I say out loud realizing the full truth of the matter, “is with his death by my hands.”
I put the book by George Eliot down next to the laptop and stay stock still.
“The only way this ends is with his death by my hands,” I say again.
Hearing it in my own voice makes it more real, but somehow also less overwhelming. With a slightly calmer head, I open the front cover of Middlemarch and begin to catalog it.
When I’m finished with it, my day here is finished too. As I bring The Book back to it’s resting place and slide it onto its shelf, I say out loud one more time, “The only way this ends is with his death by my hands.”
I know that right now I can’t defeat Darius without at least some help. I also know that Darius is coming for me. And that I won’t be able to get back into this room and this very spot until Monday. Taking The Book with me right now seems more and more like my best option, but ultimately a simple realization dawns on me.
It’s been here the whole time and he didn’t know it.
If I steal The Book and Darius is somehow able to track it once it’s taken out of what is basically a concrete bunker, then it will bring him straight to me. Which I am clearly not ready for. It’s safer to leave it here camouflaged amongst the others and protected by the many walls around it.
I pack up my things and leave the library for the night telling myself the same thing about The Book as I do my family — it’s safe.
For now.
● 43 ●
Milo tries to wake me on Saturday morning with repeated, small whimpers. I grunt and roll away from the sound onto my stomach. That was apparently the wrong decision because next thing I know, the wind is knocked out of me by a sixty-five-pound dog landing hard on top of me.
I open my eyes and see the blurry outline of the clock on my nightstand. My eyes are still heavy with sleep so I can’t even see what time it reads. I assume it’s late enough that Milo is either hungry, thirsty, has to go out, or some combination of all three.
I turn my face stuffing it into my pillow and let out a muffled groan. Milo moves to the side of me and sticks his nose right under my ear. Then he starts sniffing. The quick little puffs of air from him breathing in and out start to tickle. I giggle which only spurs my pup on. He sniffs my messy bun and around the collar of my shirt.
When he pushes his face into my pillow and wedges his head between it and my own, I can’t help but lift my head away from the soft, warm place it was resting. The movement gives Milo access to my face, and he starts licking it furiously.
“Okay, okay,” I laugh. “I’m up!”
Milo stops licking but uses his body to nudge me until I’m up kneeling on my bed. I rub my eyes and face to wipe the sleep away. I open my mouth for a big yawn before stretching my arms above my head.
“Okay, one? You need a mint,” I say to the big fur ball in front of me. “And two, what do you want first? A walk or food?”
Milo bounds off the bed and jumps at my closed bedroom door. When I open it for him after putting on my glasses, he trots past the front door of the apartment and goes right to the kitchen.
“Food it is,” I say.
I go back into my bedroom and slide my feet into slippers and grab my phone off the charger. I walk into the kitchen and go through the motions of feeding Milo. My eyes are still heavy, and it isn’t until I’m refilling his water bowl that I see the sticky note on the faucet.
On a run, back soon- M&C
I put Milo’s bowl down and then decide what I want to make myself for breakfast. I take out the box of pancake mix, and after staring at it for a few minutes through heavy eyes, I choose frozen waffles instead because they’re just easier.
Once the toaster pops, I drizzle my waffles with some syrup and strawberry jam. I make myself a glass of chocolate milk and bring my very adult breakfast to the couch in my living room. I turn on the TV and flip through until I find something that fits my meal: cartoons.
When my food is finished, I put my dishes in the sink and go back to my bedroom. I get dressed in comfy clothes and strip my bed. I put all of the sheets into one of the pillowcases and put my comforter and some of my laundry into a canvas laundry bag.
I run to the bathroom to brush my teeth, then strap Milo into his harness. I’m about to open the door when I remember quarters. And that I don’t have any. I throw my head back, sigh, and drag my laundry back to my bedroom.
Milo trots after me panting heavily, all revved up to go for his walk. I can’t tell him now that we’re not going anywhere, so I decide to take him to the ATM and get some money to put into my box. I grab my phone and wallet, and tuck my keys into my pocket.
I open the door, and Milo and I step out. As I’m locking the door, I hear the door on the floor below open. Milo’s chest rumbles as he lets out a low growl. He’s on alert, ready to defend, but I give him a soft tug on the leash and hold a finger to my lips when he looks at me. Be quiet.
I peek over the railing of the stairs and see the top of Tyler’s greasy head. He puts on bulky headphones and saunters down the stairs. I give him a solid minute head start to avoid running into him. I’m finally about to head down the stairs when I hear footsteps coming up from below me.
I give Milo
the same signal to be quiet as we hear the footsteps get louder. I peek over the railing again and then the voice reaches me. Two of them actually. It’s Cali and Mickey. Milo’s tail starts whipping back and forth as he hears his friends coming.
“Hey!” I greet them meeting them on the landing outside of Tyler’s apartment.
“Lex! Dog Man!” Cali squeals. Milo’s body starts to vibrate as his tail wags faster and faster.
“You guys going for a walk?” Mickey asks.
“Yeah, not a very long one though.”
“Well, don’t take too long,” Cali says. “You’re being picked up in a couple hours.”
“What?!” I check the time on my phone and it’s already two in the afternoon. “The fuck? Where did the time go?”
“We knew you had a couple of long days,” Cali starts.
“So we decided to let you sleep in,” Mickey finishes. “We took Milo on a walk this morning.”
“He was whining at your door though so we let him back in when we got back before.”
“But, we were going to wake you up when we got back now if you weren’t already up so you could get ready for your date with Matt.”
“I have to say I’m very proud I haven’t spilled the beans on what Moose has planned.”
I’m getting whiplash looking back and forth between the couple. I shake my head and say, “Wait.”
Cali and Mickey look at me expectantly. Even Milo is looking at me.
“What does he have planned?”
Cali opens her mouth but Mickey jumps in before she can say anything. “Nice try, Lex. You only have a couple more hours to wait and then you’ll see yourself.”
Cali points at me and narrows her eyes. “Oooh, you’re a tricky one, Ms. Pearce.”
I narrow my eyes right back at her and smile.
“Well, clearly you two have both talked to Matt about our date. So, since you know what the rest of my day looks like, will you help me get ready when Milo and I get back from our walk?”
Mickey and Cali look at each other with grins before they simultaneously say, “Definitely.”
“Thank you,” I nod to Cali then turn to nod at Mickey, “and thank you.”
Cali tips an imaginary hat at me as Milo and I maneuver around the couple and continue down the stairs.
I walk Milo a few times through our neighborhood. I stop at the bank and check the balance of my account. There’s almost $5,000 in this account.
Each of my identities has accounts set up with small amounts of money. But it becomes tricky to access those once the names fall out of use. And it creates a link between the identities if I transfer money from one account to another. So I try to keep the money in them low that way I don’t leave much behind when I become someone new.
Since there’s more evidence now than ever before that Darius is very close, I decide to take out almost all of what’s in this account right now. I don’t know when I’ll next have the opportunity to. I can only take out $300 at a time from the ATM so I do thirteen transactions. I would just go inside the bank but one, it’s already closed; and two, it’s one of the only places Milo is absolutely not allowed in.
I check around me to make sure I’m not about to be robbed holding $3,900 in twenties. I give Milo his “casual” command as an extra precaution and after making sure I have all my cash and my ATM card tucked away in my wallet, my pup and I head home.
After I open my apartment door, I bend down to unhook Milo. When I stand, I look around my apartment but don’t see Cali or Mickey. The TV is on in the living room with a reality show playing, but the only one on the couch watching it now is Milo. I move over to him and ruffle his fur before I take my bag into my bedroom to put the extra cash in my box.
When I step into my room, thankfully with my hand still hidden inside my bag, Cali and Mickey are standing side by side facing my closet in matching poses; eyes narrowed, one hand on the hip, fingers from the other drumming across the chin.
I stop short and look back and forth between them. I slowly remove my hand from my bag — sans cash — and adjust my glasses. When they still haven’t noticed I’m standing there staring at them, I clear my throat. The couple startles as they finally see me.
“Oh good, you’re back!” Cali sighs with relief.
“We need you to settle this for us,” Mickey chimes in.
“Settle what?” I ask.
“What you should wear on your date. Duh.” My roommate looks at me with a dumbfounded expression.
“I already know what I’m going to wear,” I say as I walk past them and put my bag down on my bed. I turn back to face them, and I see two very expectant looks.
“Whatever Cali says—”
“Yes!” My roommate shouts. She turns to her girlfriend, “Ha! I win!”
“I’m not finished,” I say.
Cali’s triumphant expression drops. Mickey leans over slightly and goes, “Ha.”
Cali grumbles a “whatever” in response and sticks her tongue out at both of us.
“I’m going to wear whatever Cali says for part two. And whatever Mickey says for part one.”
“Interesting,” Cali says, pondering my response.
“Diplomatic,” Mickey adds.
“All I know is that it’s two parts. And the two of you obviously know what both of them are, so it makes the most sense. I trust you.”
“Well, that was easy,” Mickey says. Cali nods along silently.
“Okay!” Cali says clapping her hands three times. “First things first, you go take a shower.”
The couple leaves me in my bedroom to undress and get my things together for a shower. When Cali closes the door behind her, I dart over to extract the box hidden beneath my mattress. I use the key around my neck to unlock it and transfer ninety percent of the wad of cash from my bag to the box before returning it to its spot. I strip down and grab my towel and fresh underwear to take a shower.
I take my time in the shower making sure I’m thoroughly clean, that I’m smooth in the places I want smooth, and that I smell like green apple from head to toe. Laid out on my bed are the expertly picked outfits I’ll wear tonight, both of which look like they were plucked from magazine spreads.
My roommate calls out to me asking if I’m dressed and ready for her to do my hair. I tell her I am and the next thing I know, both her and Mickey are in front of me pulling me back into the bathroom and plopping me down on the closed toilet.
When Matt knocks on the door at exactly 4:30, I’m in my bedroom gently packing the clothes I’ll be changing into in my gym bag. Cali is flitting around me touching up my mascara, so Mickey opens the door. She lets Matt in and tells him that I’m almost ready.
Cali leaves my bedroom and greets her best friend. I take a steadying breath before exiting my room. When Matt sees me a big smile brightens his face. He’s wearing dark gray athletic shorts and a plain white t-shirt with a black hoodie over it. It easily compliments my black capri leggings, dark gray tee and white thermal tied around my waist. I catch Mickey’s eye. She looks at Cali first, then winks at me.
They obviously planned this.
“You ready to go?” Matt asks.
“Absolutely,” I answer.
● 44 ●
“Cali, I have to talk to you.”
It’s mid-morning on Sunday, the day after my date with Matt, and it’s also the day I decide I’m going to tell her the truth.
“Before you say anything else,” she responds. “I want to know every detail from your date with Moose.”
I know she won’t budge so rather than say I’ll tell her later, it’s easier to just get it out of the way and tell her now.
**********
“You ready to go?” Matt asked.
“Absolutely,” I said.
Matt took my bag for me and we left my apartment. When we walked out the main entrance of my building, I saw a navy blue coupe double parked in the street with its hazard lights on. Matt went over and opened the trunk pu
tting my bag inside. Then he came and opened the front passenger door for me. I got in and Matt closed the door. He went around the front of the car and got into the driver’s seat.
“So, where are we going?” I asked as I buckled my seat belt.
“You’ll see,” was all he said.
He started the car and went up Jefferson making a right onto SW Sixth Avenue. He drove seven blocks and made another right onto SW Alder Street which he followed onto and over the SE Morrison Bridge. Across the bridge, we got right on to SE Belmont Street. Matt followed that for a few miles until he made a final right onto SE 60th Avenue and then a left on SE Salmon Street. He parked the car and turned off the engine. It took us a half hour start to finish with the traffic.
My Name Is Not Alexa Pearce Page 25