Human Blend

by Pescatore, Lori

  “Your boyfriend?” he asked.

  “Snoop much?” Julie replied taking the note from his hand.

  “Billy will be upset,” he teased.

  Julie smirked at the comment. She went over to the safe and retrieved her bag from inside. She placed it in her duffel bag before zipping it up. “That’s everything,” she said.

  “You travel light,” Eli noted.

  “Makes it easy to pick up and go,” she explained.

  He walked over and picked up her bag. “Let’s go,” he said.

  “To the hotel,” she reiterated.

  “You’re stubborn,” Eli said, walking to the door. Julie smiled following after him.

  Chapter Five— A New Place to Stay

  Down in the lobby, no one was behind the front desk. “I’ll stop back tomorrow and check out,” she said, thankful that she didn’t have to see Anthony again.

  In the car, silence was a welcome friend. Julie was glad Eli wasn’t still trying to persuade her to stay with him. They had just passed the hospital when he turned the car off into a parking lot. The building sign read, ‘Towne Apartments’ and consisted of three floors.

  “This isn’t a hotel,” Julie said.

  “I know. This is the place you have an appointment to see in a few hours,” Eli said.

  “Uh, I think Mrs. Gosley would be a little ticked off if I woke her up this early,” Julie said.

  “That, she would be,” Eli agreed, getting out of the car.

  “What are you doing?” Julie whispered, mindful of the late hour.

  “We’re here,” he whispered back, taking her bag out of the trunk. “I live here. I can be stubborn too,” he said.

  “You tricked me!” she fumed, stomping after him as he walked through the front entrance. Julie was behind him and couldn’t see the smile he wore. “I’m not happy about this,” she said, still keeping her voice low.

  Eli stopped in front of apartment number 107 and unlocked the door. He pushed the door open and gestured her in. Julie folded her arms and refused to budge. “Stop being difficult,” he said to her. He shook his head and walked into the apartment, dropping her bag on the sofa, before going back out into the hallway. “Will you please come inside?” Eli asked.

  “I don’t like being told what to do,” Julie argued.

  “This is the best solution,” he said. “Tomorrow, you will see your apartment, sign the papers, and move in. Why is it so difficult for you to accept my help?” he asked.

  Julie sighed. She knew he was right. She was just being hard-headed. “Fine,” she said, begrudgingly.

  “I have a spare bedroom,” Eli said once inside. He carried her bag to the room and placed it on the bed.

  Julie stopped in the bedroom doorway. “I’m sorry for giving you a hard time,” she apologized.

  “I’m getting used to it,” he said, smiling.

  “I guess… I can be troublesome,” she said and laughed.

  He walked over and touched her face. “Not troublesome; protective. It’s an endearing trait,” he said, kissing her cheek.

  “I’m going to head on back to the hospital,” Eli said, walking back into the living room. “There is food in the kitchen, help yourself. The bathroom is over here,” he gestured.

  “I should go back with you,” Julie said.

  “Julie,” Eli moaned, pinching the bridge of his nose.

  “I’m giving you a headache, aren’t I?” Julie smiled. “I’m kidding, sort of. I’ll meet with Mrs. Gosley, but then I am coming over to check on Michele,” she stated.

  “Fine,” Eli said. He wondered how she had managed to turn the tables on him yet again. “Here is an extra key. Make sure you lock up when you leave. “ He handed her the key.

  “Thank you,” she said, holding onto his hand, “for everything,” she added.

  “You’re welcome,” he said. “Get some rest,” he said, pulling his hand away and tousling her hair.

  “What? Am I five?” she laughed, dodging his hand.

  “You act like it sometimes,” he said, heading for the door. Touché, she thought and smiled as he left.

  Julie looked around the apartment, taking in its ambiance. It was as sparsely decorated as his office had been. Everything seemed very generic; plain. She took a quick tour of all the areas and stopped at a closed door. This must be his bedroom, she thought. Walk away, she told herself. Julie listened this time, and went to her own bedroom. She gathered up her bathroom necessities and went to take a shower.

  After the shower, she still had an hour to kill before her appointment. Eli’s closed bedroom door kept calling her. She found herself standing in front of it again, her hand on the doorknob. “No, this is wrong,” she said, and forced herself to walk away. She plopped down on the sofa and turned on the television. The local news channel was broadcasting breaking news. Julie turned the sound up when she saw a reporter standing in front of the hotel she had been staying at.

  “Police are still investigating the brutal murder of a local man. The man, whose name is not being released, pending notification of family members, was found viciously beaten and shot behind the General Francis Marion Hotel early this morning. Police Commissioner Ramsey commented, ‘This kind of stuff just doesn’t happen in our town.’ They are still investigating. As soon as we can, we will bring you more on this breaking story.”

  Julie sat in shock. “Early this morning,” she repeated. She realized both she and Eli had been there around the same time as the killing. She shuddered at the thought. She would ask him about it later. Maybe by being at the hospital, he had more information on the poor soul who lost his life. Julie flipped through the channels, mindlessly watching images flicker. Soon enough, it was time to meet Mrs. Gosley.

  She walked down to apartment 101 after locking up the Doctor’s place. She knocked quietly on the door. A woman, about sixty-five years old, opened the door. “You Julie?” the woman asked, giving her a once-over.

  “Yes, ma’am,” Julie replied.

  “You got points for being on time,” the woman said.

  “Oh, okay,” Julie replied, unsure on how to respond. Should I ask her how many points I need to rent the apartment? She asked herself, but kept quiet.

  “Come along, then. Down this way,” the woman said, walking in the direction Julie had just come from. They walked right past Eli’s apartment. “Here it is, number 109. Right next to that nice doctor friend of yours,” she said, unlocking the door. “He’s already vouched for you,” she added.

  “Is this the only one available?” Julie asked.

  “Only one he wants me to show you,” Mrs. Gosley replied.

  “Who’s he?” Julie asked, already knowing the answer.

  “Why the doctor of course, he owns the building,” the woman replied.

  Julie pursed her lips and nodded. “Thank you for your time, Mrs. Gosley,” Julie said before turning, and walking out the door.

  “Wait, you need to sign papers,” the woman called after her. Julie ignored the woman and kept walking out the door. She didn’t mean to be rude, but it was time to confront Doctor Elsworth.

  She marched on over to the hospital, her anger building with every step. She went to his office first; he wasn’t there. Next, she checked in Michele’s room, and that was where she found him. “Julie,” he said, only glancing over at her. He was looking at recently done scans. “How did it go? Did you sign the papers?” he asked.

  “No. I didn’t” Julie said angrily.

  “Is there something wrong with it?” he asked, finally looking at her.

  “Yes, there is. You own it.” Julie said. “Why are you trying to manipulate me? Why not tell me the truth?” she argued.

  “Julie, if I had told you that I owned an apartment building that you could stay in for free, you would have told me ‘No, thank you.’ You are so hell bent on doing things on your own, without anyone’s help. It’s frustrating,” he argued back.

  “Eli, I’ve been used and control
led all my life. I’m sick of it. I’m trying to create a place for myself that is all my own doing. I am so tired of people telling me what I can do or say. Why are you constantly trying to undermine my wants?”

  “What are your wants, Julie? Do you even know? You once told me you just wanted to help people heal, help them feel better. Why is it that just because I want the same thing, that I can’t help facilitate what we both want? You are so scared of your past coming back to get you that you keep any opportunity of making things easier at arm’s length. It’s like you feel you need to do things the hard way in order for them to work. That’s not true. In fact, letting me help you can actually help keep you safe,” Eli said.

  “It can also get you killed,” she warned.

  “Why don’t you tell me exactly who these people are that are haunting your every move? I’m sure we can find a way to deal with them,” Eli suggested.

  “You don’t think I’ve tried that? These people are not the kind that take ‘no’ for an answer. They get what they want by any means that they can. People have died because of me, because they wanted to help me. Good people who deserved a lot better than what they got. Do you understand how hard that is for me to live with? To know that innocent people died because I wanted to be free… because I involved them in my life… because I let them try and help me,” Julie let tears fall down her face, remembering the faces of those people; friends.

  Eli stepped towards her, but she backed up. “No. Don’t come near me. I need to explain this to you; make you understand. I watched them die. They made me watch. They wouldn’t let me go to them,” she said, her voice racked with pain. “I had to watch them suffer and die, and I could do nothing!” Julie dropped to her knees as the memory took over. “It was to teach me a lesson. To show me they can hurt me by going after people I care about,” Julie let out a pained laugh. “I didn’t learn my lesson.”

  She closed her eyes. She felt drained. When Eli came to her, she didn’t push him away. He was on the floor next to her. Julie let him envelope her in his arms and cradle her. Her arms wrapped around his neck, and she felt him lift her off the floor.

  He carried her to the sofa and whispered in her ear. “I’m not like the other people who helped you. I’ve survived for hundreds of years,” Eli said. Julie looked up at him as he continued. “I am similar to a type of mythological creature told of in some books, although I am not one of them,” Eli explained. “I have some traits that could be labeled as human, although I am not one of those, either. There are others like me, but we do not congregate, preferring instead to live solitary lives among the humans. Most of us dedicate our lives to a craft, and perfect it to the best of our abilities. My chosen craft is medicine,” Eli told. Julie stayed silent, drinking in his words. “I can protect you, Julie. I’ve entrusted you with some information about myself. Now I need you to entrust your safety and well being to me,” he finished.

  Julie touched his face, absorbing everything he had told her. “You feel human,” she said, and smiled. He duplicated her action.

  “So do you,” he said.

  “I don’t even know enough about myself to tell you anything,” Julie said.

  “How did you come to be with those people?” Eli asked. Julie thought back to her dream.

  “I remember being with them even as child. I think… I was taken from my father,” Julie said, trying to pull up the dream.

  “Do they want you for your healing abilities?” Eli asked.

  “They did have me heal them when they got sick, but there’s more,” she said. “I can see numbers,” Julie tried to explain her other ability. “They just come to me,” she said.

  “Like… lottery numbers?” Eli asked, trying to understand.

  “Yes, and horse races, casino games, even safe combinations,” she tried explaining. “They used me to win money for them,” she added. “I’ve been with them for a while. I know the top people have changed several times. I don’t age that quickly, at least not physically,” she said.

  “What do you think happened to your father?” Eli asked her.

  “I think they killed him,” Julie said, shaking her head at the memory. “I remember my father hiding me in an attic. I heard a gunshot, and then they found me,” Julie recounted. “My name wasn’t Julie, then. I took a new identity when I ran. My other name was Laney,” she told him.

  “Laney,” Eli repeated. “It suits you.”

  Julie smiled at the comment. “Keep calling me Julie, though,” she said.

  “Of course, it’s safer,” Eli agreed. “Thank you for telling me what you could,” Eli said as his phone rang. He looked at the caller ID. “It’s Mrs. Gosley. What should I tell her?” he asked.

  “Tell her there was a misunderstanding, and I’ll be right over to sign the papers,” Julie answered.

  Julie walked over to Michele as Eli explained things to Mrs. Gosley. “She thinks I shouldn’t rent to you,” Eli said after hanging up.

  “I was kind of rude,” Julie admitted.

  “She’ll come around,” Eli assured her.

  “Did you get the other tests done on Michele?” Julie asked, changing the subject.

  “Yes, I did,” Eli said and smiled. The doctor retrieved one of the scans and held it up to the light to show Julie. “See the dark spot there?” he pointed. “That’s all that’s left. You got ninety percent of it,” Eli stated happily.

  “That’s terrific. Let me get the rest of it now,” Julie suggested.

  “I’m advising against it. We should let modern medicine do the rest. It is enough of a miracle that the cancer has receded so dramatically. We really shouldn’t call any more attention or too many questions could be raised,” Eli explained.

  “I guess you’re right. A girl recovering from cancer overnight could draw media attention,” she agreed, then remembered the news. “That reminds me. I caught a news bulletin this morning. They said a local man was found murdered behind the hotel. They said it happened early this morning, right around the time we were there,” Julie told him.

  “That’s odd. That sort of thing doesn’t happen around here,” Eli commented.

  “They said he was beaten and shot. I was hoping you knew more about it,” she said.

  “I’ve been holed up here all morning. I can find out and let you know,” Eli said. Julie nodded.

  “I’d better go settle things with Mrs. Gosley or you are gonna be stuck with me taking up space at your place,” She said waving as she left.

  I wouldn’t mind that at all, Eli thought as he watched her go.

  Julie stopped by to see Joy at the nurse’s station. “Hey, stranger,” Joy greeted her.

  “Hey, yourself, I think I am on a different schedule than you,” Julie replied.

  “We should plan a girls’ night out,” Joy suggested.

  “I’d like that,” Julie smiled.

  “I’d like that too,” Neal said, appearing suddenly. He put his arms around Joy and Julie. “Oh, c’mon, think of the fun we could have. You ladies might not know this, but I’m one hell of a dancer,” he said, performing a small dance step. Joy and Julie gave each other a frightened look.

  “I gotta run. See you guys later,” Joy said, practically running down the hall.

  I’ll remember this, Joy. Julie thought.

  “So, wha’d’ya say, Julie? You and me, dancing under the stars?” Neal grabbed her hand and twirled her around.

  “Uh, Neal, as nice as that sounds, I have to decline the invitation,” she said.

  “Ah, Please. Can’t a guy get to know you?” Neal pleaded. “Look, I know I come on strong sometimes. I really just wanna hang out,” he explained.

  “Neal. Look, no offense. I have a lot of things going on in my life right now. I also am, sort of, seeing someone.” Julie decided to play the boyfriend card.

  “Damn it. I knew I should have acted sooner. Someone that looks like you is never available for long,” he said dejectedly.

  “Neal. Aren’t you supp
osed to be taking Mrs. Samuals to therapy?” Nurse Hacher, who was manning the station, asked him.

  “Yeah, yeah,” Neal said turning around and heading down the hall. Julie felt sorry for him.

  “He’ll get over it,” Nurse Hacher said. Julie nodded and went on her way.

  Julie went back to the apartment building and braced herself for any wrath Mrs. Gosley was going to throw her way. She knocked softly at door 101. The door opened. “Oh, it’s you again,” Mrs. Gosley greeted.

  “I just want to apologize for my rudeness earlier,” Julie explained.

  “I don’t take kindly to people who walk out on me. I told the doctor he should take up with someone who had better manners,” Mrs. Gosley shared. Take up with someone. Julie pondered the comment, then brushed it off as old lady speak.

  “It really was a misunderstanding. I would appreciate an opportunity to prove I can be a good tenant,” Julie offered.

  “Hmph. We’ll see. C’mon, let’s go back down and have a look,” the woman said, leading the way back to the apartment.

  Julie was happy to see the apartment was fully furnished. She wouldn’t have to worry about buying furniture. It was decorated in a similar fashion to the doctor’s place. Julie signed the papers. “You can move in as soon as you get the utilities in your name,” Mrs. Gosley instructed. “Usually takes about 24 hours if you light a fire under their asses,” she added.

  “Good to know. Thank you, Mrs. Gosley,” Julie said and then went back to Eli’s place to make the necessary arrangements. About a half hour later, Julie’s mission was accomplished. All of the utilities would be up and running by tomorrow afternoon. “Perfect,” Julie said just as the door opened, and Eli walked in.

  “What’s perfect?” he asked.

  “I got everything all set. I move in tomorrow afternoon,” Julie said proudly.

  “Good. That’s good,” Eli said distractedly. Julie sensed something was not right.

  “What’s wrong? Is Michele okay?” she asked.

  “She’s fine. Come here, you need to sit down,” Eli said sitting down on the sofa.