The Fledge Effect

by R. J. Henry

  He wanted to forget it, but felt it too difficult to let go of the last time he had held her thigh upon his hips as he felt a pleasure too good to forget.

  Knowing he was unable to feel the softness of her skin, compared to his calloused hands, he slumbered off. He hoped sleeping would make it pass.

  •••

  Calista found herself wandering down an empty street. Nothing, besides the buzz of insects on street lamps, sounded throughout the nighttime air. Her steps glided silently down the pavement. The occasional stick, or pile of pebbles, would crunch beneath her soft-soled shoe. Nevertheless, she knew she was alone.

  A few cars passed by her. One stopped. It was a man she never seen before. He rolled down his window and spoke to her. “How much?”

  She hissed back. “What are you talking about?”

  “Look, I know what you are.”

  “What am I?” she said, shaken.

  “A young lady, out late at night,” he said, raising his eyebrows.

  She didn’t respond back.

  “You’re a prostitute, no?”

  “Hell no. Now go away.”

  He sped off, cursing under his breath.

  An intense hunger swept over her. Thanks to Mayor Daly, however, the homeless now have homes. But, that did not sit well with her. She was starving. The type of starvation that normal food would not satisfy. A craving that intensified with each step.

  She passed many of houses, trailers, and homes. None of which, were left unlocked, or accessible. “When did this damn town get so secure all of a sudden?” She shook with irritation.

  ‘Where am I?’ she thought to herself, as she walked up to an old apartment complex. An open window, with its light shutting off, made it clear to her that it was currently occupied.

  The bricks were chipping away, and the stairs were broken in half. A hazard, not one smart person would risk.

  The apartment complex has started to settle. It amazed her, or anybody, that anyone would willingly live there. But, the sounds of snoring people echoed into her ears as she neared the property.

  She took her opportunity, as she noticed the access lock into the building was shattered. It appeared to be smashed in with some sort of blunt object. However, she did not waste any time trying to figure it out. Nor did she want to waste time running up the flights of stairs.

  She decided to scale the wall using only her nails to dig into the wall with. Her throat burned with tightness as the scent of another prey blew out the window. By the mixed smell of aftershave and cologne, she was able to determine a man resided just on the other side of that window. The sill was missing, but she noticed that it was not the only windowsill missing on that building.

  When she reached the opening, she paused, taken by the sight of what she came upon. Hmmm, she thought. Now this I could enjoy for a minute.

  The moon beamed onto his supple skin. Ripples of lean muscle drew down his biceps. His shoulders moved with each breath he took. Her gaze followed down his solid back.

  When she took her first step in, the floor creaked. He moved, rustling in his sheets until he laid flat on his back. His chest had minimum tufts of hair. Not too much, not too little. She couldn’t help but feel like another urge started to control her need to feed once she realized the surprise he kept under his silken satin sheets. The pointed bulge, made her want more than just blood. The sheets throbbed in that particular place. What a waste, she thought.

  If her heart were beating, she could imagine it would be pounding hard by now. The type of pounding she would most love to enjoy at that moment. Then, she saw what snapped her back to focus. The pulsating presence on his neck, under his skin. She licked her lips, “Oh yeah.”

  Her whisper must have been louder than she initially thought. He moved once more between his sheets, hiding what she found most attractive on a man.

  Chapter 2

  Calista sidled up to Nick’s bed. Lifting her nose in the air she inhaled the darkening aroma of his present liveliness. Blood dripped from the corners of her lips, illuminated by the moonlight’s iridescent shine coming from the window she had just entered.

  With each diligent step, her senses overcame her ability to fight the urge to take yet another life. She kept thinking to herself, is this what I have become? Because, I love it.

  Nick hugged his pillow closer, as the cool breeze slapped his face. His eyes shot open, at the sound of his floor squeaking. With only her eyes visible through the masked hood she wore, she stopped mid-step and stared at him with glowing anticipation.

  He gulped down air, heaving his chest. He kept thinking to himself, who is this person? Am I dreaming? The abyss of questions spiraled down to his mouth. “Who are you?”

  She giggled, toying with him. She wrapped around her face guard, which normally hid inside her hood. “Maybe,” she said with another school-girlish giggle.

  A woman, he thought to himself. This time, he shouted, not believing his own sight. “Who are you?” Only a figure of darkness moved across his sight. He jumped, bouncing in his bed. He reached for his bedside lamp, attempting to pull it free from its socket.

  She moved towards the light, sending a chill down his spine with a single smile. “I’m hungry.”

  A small growl freed itself from its residual place in her throat as she grasped his skin. She hovered over his face, taking a whiff of his lips. She pursed her lips, embracing his. “Mmm.”

  He jerked his face away, exposing to her several throbs of the vain she hangered for. Flexing every muscle in his body neglected him the ability to break free.

  Her lips grazed the lobe of his ear. “Shhh. Don’t worry. This will all be over soon.”

  Wrapping her mouth around the base of his neck brought pleasures to her in ways she didn’t expect. She started with slight pecks, tugging at his hair. She could feel his muscles relax as he fell onto his back. When she couldn’t hold back any longer, she widened her mouth, sucking on the nape of his neck before doing what she came there to do; eat.

  Piercing his artery, with her two white fangs, she could feel her teeth puncture through the layers of skin. The succulent taste of his warmth engrossed her mouth, making her unable to hold back any sounds that escaped her lips. She tugged at his hair as if begging for every last drop to make its way inside her.

  The grasp of her change held onto her as if it were a life sentence without parole; its hooks of reality pinned deep within her soul. The change had become her.

  Nick blinked as his sight hazed in and out of clarity. God, please do not let me die. He begged for mercy, as he pleaded out to his attacker. “Stop… Please… Stop!”

  He wrapped his hand around her arm, pulling back from the frozen temperature it had become. He tried to convince himself it was all a dream, but the pain from her bite lingered throughout his scalp. The itch became unbearable, but his strength threatened abandonment.

  She didn’t intend on killing him. No, if anything, she wanted him to survive. She hoped, at the very least, he would live. His scent was intoxicating to her. She couldn’t tell if it were his blood, she was drawn to, his cologne, or the combination of both. Either way, she wanted him. Fully.

  •••

  Jack Carlson relaxed in the chair next to Katie, his daughter. Across from him, sat his wife, Christine. Nothing could wipe away the grin on his face. Despite his daughter’s health withering away right in front of him, he was convinced she would now have the opportunity to get better.

  Christine blinked her big, blue, eyes. “Honey?” she chuckled nervously. “What is it?” He rubbed his hands together, trying to hide his smile. “I have some big news.”

  “What?” Christine questioned.

  “You know that job, in Amherst?”

  “Yes, what about it?”

  “I got it! Apparently one of the agents decided to take a year off to go to another country for vacation of some sort.”

  “So, you would only work for a year?”

  “That’s fine. I
t is all we need. We can now afford Katie’s treatments.” The glee in his voice woke her up.

  “Dad, what’s wrong?” Her voice sounded broken.

  He held her face with both of his hands. “Nothing, sweetie. Nothing else should be wrong ever again.”

  “Okay,” she smiled. Her arms lifted into the air, wobbling with weakened strength. Jack leaned in, hugging her close.

  He whispered, “I love you, bug-a-boo.” She giggled. “I love you too, dad.”

  “Now get some rest,” Jack said. He peered over to his wife, “Your mother and I have some things to discuss.”

  “Okay, dad. Will you read me a story after you talk with mom?”

  He nodded. “Of course.” He kissed her forehead.

  Christine and Jack walked out of her bedroom, leaving her door cracked enough to let in some of the hallway light.

  They entered into the kitchen, snapping on the light. Christine smiled at the good news. But she knew what it entailed. “So when do you start?”

  “Tomorrow.”

  Sadness filled her eyes. “Will you ever be home?”

  He rubbed her shoulders, attempting to calm her down. “I will be as much as I can. I promise. But, for now, this is what I have to do.”

  “No, no it’s not,” she said, shaking her head.

  “What do you mean?” He held her close. Her perfume lingered up his nose. The smell of gardenia, and rose petals reminded him of their wedding. He never wanted to forget what it was like.

  She had worn her mother’s dress. An eggshell white, with laced sleeves. Her vail, laced to match with red roses stitched at the bottom. No one had objected. Even the in-laws had supported their love for each other. It had grown with each day since then.

  She broke his drive down memory lane. “I can work. I can get a job here. Then you can get your old sheriff job back. It is, a safer, job here as well.”

  He shook his head. “No. You need to be by Katie’s side at all times. An in-home nurse would cost way too much, anyhow.”

  “What can I do to make you stay?” she pleaded, hoping there was something that she could do.

  “You know that if I had a choice, I wouldn’t leave. Do you?”

  She nodded. “Mm-hmm.”

  “Then, please. Do not make me feel guiltier than I already do. I don’t want to have to leave all the time. But it is what I have to do,” he shrugged, “Besides; I think I’ll be plenty safe. My new partner has been on the force for almost a decade.”

  “Yeah, but you were the sheriff here for almost that length. What’s your point?’

  “I’m saying, the most we would probably do is drug busts or something like arresting robbers.”

  Her gaze dropped to the ground. She rubbed her forearm, scared. She twirled her wedding band around her finger, as she tried to think more positive. But, the crease lines in her brows suggested to Jack that she feared the worse. She feared his inevitable death with the new job.

  He lifted her chin. “I’ll be fine. I’ll take care of myself. I promise.” He leaned in, planting a kiss on her lips. “I promise.”

  Tears streamed down her face, reluctant to let him leave. She held tight onto his shirt, breathing in the scent of his cologne. She inhaled deep, holding her breath until she couldn’t hold it anymore. She could feel his arms tighten around her back. “Don’t… go.”

  Jack patted her golden, brown, hair. “Shhh,” he hushed. “I’m not going anywhere for the rest of the night. I’ll be here until morning. That is eight hours you have me for.”

  “Not long enough.”

  He rocked them both, side to side. He chuckled. “You remember the first time we danced?”

  “Yeah,” she giggled. “It was our first date. We were at our tailgate prom. You, heh, danced like a fool. What was that dance you did, called?”

  He pulled away, placing his palms flat in the air, one behind him, faced up, the other in front of his face faced down. “The Egyptian.”

  She laughed as he mimicked the moves. “Oh, my!”

  “Yeah, it was cool then.”

  “It was never cool,” she laughed.

  He grabbed her around the waist. “Then what about the dance at our wedding? Was that not cool?”

  “No, that was very traditional.”

  He grabbed her hand, swinging her around in a circle until they reached the living room. “Still, not as cool.”

  He grinned as they danced to inaudible music. Her head, on his chest, was warm against him. He rested his cheek on the top of her scalp, humming the Wedding Song tune that played before his beautiful bride had taken her walk down the aisle.

  She stopped her feet. “What’s this new partner like? Is he smart enough to not get you shot?”

  “Well, heh, she graduated top of her class in college. So I imagine she is smart.”

  “A woman?” Christine shook her head in silence.

  “Don’t worry. I’m sure she is like ugly or something. Besides, I love you, and only you.”

  “You don’t have to love someone to want to bone them.”

  “In my case, I do. If I don’t love someone, I don’t want to even think about touching him or her. Okay?”

  Christine grinned. “Okay, sweetie. I’m sorry,” she said, looking away. “I’m just trying to think of any reason to keep you here.”

  He chuckled. “Even being a jealous wife, huh? I know. But you know me too well to ever believe I would sink that low as a man.”

  She crossed her arms. “Yeah.” She turned back around, grabbing his hand. She guided him to their bedroom. “Come on.”

  “Sleep? I thought you wanted to spend more time with me.”

  “Well, we will be doing a type of sleeping.”

  “Oh.” He thought for a moment. “Oh!” He realized what she was hinting at.

  He pulled away, remembering his promise. “Wait! Katie wanted me to read her a story.”

  Christine smiled. “Okay, but be prepared to tell her one. A mouse chewed up all the books on the bookshelf.”

  He followed her pointed finger to the green, wooden, shelf. Shreds of papers filled spots where full books were once sitting. “Crap. Well, maybe she is already asleep.”

  He crept up to her agape door. He pushed it open. Katie sat up in her bed, with wide eyes. She smiled when she noticed him coming through.

  “You have my favorite book?”

  “No, sorry sweetie. But, I can try to tell it from memory.”

  “Okay.”

  He sat beside her, leaning back. “Once upon a time, there were, um, a cow and two pigs? Then something to do with a princess being forced to eat too hot of porridge while trapped in a castle. Right?”

  “Dad.”

  “What?”

  “That’s not even close.”

  “Then you tell me what it is.”

  She propped herself up, holding her hands together. She began telling the story as she remembers it. Christine peaked in through the door, she felt happier to see him spend his last night with their daughter. She shut the door, walking away as Katie’s voice faded behind her.

  She walked back into the kitchen, sitting at the table. It was covered with late bills from the hospital, Jack’s phone, and unusable checks. She sighed, rubbing her throbbing head. She reconsidered her notions to keep him home. Maybe this job will be better for all of us, she thought. Maybe.

  She turned her back to the pile of papers, looking out to the yard. In the sky, the moon was full. She laid her eyes on the star next to it, closing her eyes. “I wish Katie would get better soon. If I ever die before her, I would love to see her healthy once again.”

  She knew it was a long shot. But, she has tried everything. Prayer, medicine, and now wishing. Anything would suffice in order for her to feel some level of comfort. She would sell her soul to the devil, if she knew it would help save her daughter.

  Jack’s phone rang. It read AGENT JANE BRINKS.

  Jane, she thought. Sounds fake.

  She answe
red it. “Hello?”

  The other end cracked. “Yes. This is Agent Brinks. Is Agent Carlson there?”

  Jack ran into the kitchen. “Yes he is here.”

  Jack looked at her with a raised eyebrow. “Who is it?”

  “Your new partner,” she said, handing him the phone.

  “Hello?” he said, walking into the living room. “Uh-huh. Okay. Be there in thirty.”

  “What?” Christine rubbed her hands on his back.

  “I have to go.”

  “Oh,” she said, dropping her eyes to the ground. “Is Katie asleep?”

  “Sound,” he said, kissing her on the cheek. “I love you. Call me anytime you need me.”

  “My phone is off. Remember?”

  “Right. Well, I’m sure if it’s an emergency, the neighbors will let you use their phone.”

  “Maybe.”

  •••

  Agent Brinks sat her desk, talking on the phone with her old partner, Agent Myers. “Yes. I have tried to call Doctor Johnston. His phone just gives me a busy tone.” He left for Japan. Another doctor caught his attention. One that would not risk exposing them and their plan.

  “The CBH virus is not to be tested just yet. We covered up his last mistake.”

  “Well, I’m not even sure if he has even finished it yet.”

  “Have you gotten ahold of Boss, yet?”

  “Yes, and there appears to be a situation in Middletown. I, also, just got done hiring your replacement.”

  “I’ll be back within a year.”

  “Well, I need back up. And I prefer to have someone completely oblivious to this situation. Almost everyone in this office wants a piece of our plan.”

  “Fine.”

  His end clicked, signaling he ended the call. She scoffed, placing her phone back on its receiver.

  Jack knocked on her door.

  “Come in,” she said.

  He opened the door, walking in. “Why do you need me? I thought I didn’t start until morning.”

  “Well, this is the life you chose. Now buck up. I hope you weren’t planning on sleeping tonight.”

  “Why?”

  “Agent Carlson, I request that you quit with the insistent questioning, and begin working.”