Demon World

by Balvir Bhullar

  Rowanne assessed his three-piece, very expensive looking, tailor made suit complete with brogues.

  ‘How can you tell if someone’s a spy? I mean apart from the badge that they’d wear on their apparel.’

  ‘Touché, Rowanne. But no. I’m not a spy,’ he said, liking this bizarre exchange less and less. Looking at her earnestly, he said with a hint of finality to his voice, ‘Laisser seul, Ms Rowanne.’

  He obviously did not want her to pursue the topic further, so Rowanne dropped the subject for now. But mark my words, I will come back to it. She was a journalist after all, and they were not exactly known for being timid, or letting things go. ‘Laisser seul’ indeed! Rowanne looked at him with a painted on barely-there smile, seething underneath.

  David walked over and smiled at Rowanne, oblivious to the now frosty atmosphere between the two. ‘I see that you are getting acquainted with Mr Black.’ He turned to Alexander, ‘Well Well, Mr Black, I won’t let you detain Ms Knight for the whole of the soirée.’

  ‘Hardly a soirée, Jonathan,’ said Rowanne, exasperated by his constant need to interfere in everyone’s life.

  Alexander turned to David nonplussed. ‘I believe we have not yet been formally introduced.’

  Alexander gave David the handshake of a lifetime (which he would be unlikely to forget anytime soon) looking at him intensely.

  David stepped back suddenly, and Alexander casually released his hand at the same time. David proceeded to put his arm around Rowanne, and said quite loudly, ‘I think Eileen wants a word with you,’ and began to shepherd her back to the others.

  Alexander laughed darkly as he watched the poor fool with his charge. Well, that went well... probably best to tone it done a notch, he thought as he tried to get his bearings. He had found the expression on Rowanne’s face to be priceless.

  Rowanne was fuming at David for herding her to safety. However, she could not do a thing about it as she did not want to make a scene, especially in front of all her colleagues. She spoke to them all, and politely removed herself from David’s company.

  As soon as Rowanne was alone, she had the time to think about the events that still lay ahead in the evening. The morning passed quickly, and she managed to collect and research as much as she could before it was finally time to head home. The new guy had left shortly after the reception, and she had not seen him since he left with Eileen, who was no doubt giving him the grand tour.

  Rowanne looked around the office, everyone was at their desk furiously typing up assignments in time for the deadline. Now for the hard part... She could feel the giant knot in her stomach, twisting in every conceivable way. Her anxiety only increased as she put away the last of the work in her bag; she was absolutely dreading going down to the police station.

  It was four o’clock, and in two hours time they would be questioning her. What the hell am I going to say? she wondered as she got into her car.

  Looking in the mirror she was shocked to discover that she was heavily perspiring. If I didn’t give the game away before... she thought, as she imagined herself walking into the police station with water running in rivulets down her face, and to complete this guilty ensemble: she’d be trembling. All this, even before she opened her mouth, would easily pronounce her guilty.

  Driving home in a sombre mood, Rowanne tried to keep her mind on the road, but it kept careening of course and going around in circles, repeatedly returning to the police investigation. Somehow she managed to get home, and walking to the lift felt like a physical challenge; just trying to keep one foot going in front of the other.

  Shaking, Rowanne finally managed to open her door, and with jittery legs she walked over to the couch and simply collapsed onto it. Feeling better, she had just decided to freshen up when the doorbell rang. ‘Can’t I even get five minutes to myself to just relax?’ she asked irritably.

  She strode up to the door as the person on the other side kept up their persistent tirade. It’s probably someone selling something, she thought, but looking into the peephole made her already terrible mood worse. Trying to compose herself, she took a couple of breaths to ease her tension, rearranged her face into a suitable expression, and, smiling, opened the door to the new guy.

  ‘Good evening, Rowanne. I hope I’m not disturbing you?’ asked Alexander.

  ‘Not at all. I was just finishing up on a couple of things before I headed down to the police station.’ Then in an irritated manner she continued, ‘I don’t mean to seem less than hospitable, but I’m really busy and short on time.’

  He could tell that she was annoyed. She can’t wait to get rid of me, thought a rather perplexed Alexander, feeling put out. Now how shall I go about this... ‘I’m going to drive down to the police station to check on the progress of the investigation, and Eileen asked me to stop by and offer you a lift. I mean,’ and looking embarrassed at his faux-pas he continued, ‘I’d like to drive you down, if you wouldn’t mind?’

  ‘Really?’ asked Rowanne.

  She did not seem pleased by his suggestion; in fact, the opposite of what he had been expecting. What have I said... wondered Alexander, and could feel his blood pressure rising at her smug look, and with a touch of annoyance he replied, ‘Yes, of course.’

  Rowanne looked at cool, collected Alexander, and was happy to see his facade slip to show the man beneath. So, you are actually capable of showing emotion. She waited a moment more, enjoying his discomfort, before replying, ‘I have a car, and I am perfectly capable of driving myself to the police station.’

  ‘Oh. Forgive me, I was unaware. Eileen left that small nugget out of our conversation.’

  Alexander was embarrassed, and Rowanne realised that he had just wanted to be of help to his new colleagues. Ashamed at the way she had spoken to him, and remembering her own cringe worthy first few weeks at work, she set about clearing up the misunderstandings between them.

  ‘Pardon my manners,’ said Rowanne, apologetically.

  Rowanne became more comfortable, Alexander observed, when she was not feeling so tense around him. ‘I think, both of us have just had an encounter of the Eileen kind, which explains our temporary loss of sanity, and why my nerves are so frayed!’ he added ruefully.

  Laughing, Rowanne said, ‘I think you could be right. Would you like to come in and have a drink?’

  ‘Thank you. I don’t know about you, but heading down to the police station is not my idea of a good time, but it comes with the job, I suppose,’ he added.

  ‘It’s a perk alright,’ she replied wryly nodding her head in agreement. ‘Please, make yourself comfortable.’ And once he had sat down, she asked, ‘What can I get you?’

  ‘I’d like something strong... Tea would be great, thank you.’

  Alexander was content in just watching Rowanne, as she prepared the tea. And leaving the water to boil, she went into a room which he knew to be her bedroom. The same way he knew she had a car...

  What shall I wear? she thought, closing the door and gently locking it behind her, not bothered in the least if she appeared rude. After all, he was a stranger, and what did she really know about him...

  Searching through her wardrobe, Rowanne picked out a smart black dress and low heeled shoes. She tied her hair back into a ponytail. Looking back at her in the mirror was an effortlessly stylish woman, with nervous green eyes. Great, now what? shaking her head, she headed back out to the kitchen.

  ‘Hey, you didn’t have to do that,’ said Rowanne, deeply mortified at finding Alexander pouring the tea into two bone china cups. The fact that he was her guest, and especially after the way she had just treated him, made her feel like a terrible host.

  Alexander looked up at her, and smiled sheepishly. ‘Honestly, it was no trouble at all. I have this innate problem of not being able to sit still, even for a few moments.’

  ‘I could have sworn I just left the kettle to boil, and I don’t remember getting the cups out, either...’

  ‘You had everything laid out, it just slip
ped your mind. You seem to have a lot on your mind,’ he said in a sympathetic tone of voice.

  ‘Excuse me?’ asked Rowanne angrily.

  ‘I was just referring to the police investigation,’ replied Alexander.

  ‘Yes, right. Sorry, I didn’t mean to snap.’

  Taking a deep breath, she let her guard down once more. I don’t know why in the world I would with this stranger, let alone with anyone else. What is it about this man...

  ‘I’ve been under some stress lately. You see, I knew Thomas and his family. He was- I mean he is a genuinely nice man. I’ve been wondering about what might have happened to him, and also...’ She had nearly blurted out the truth about Thursday night, but something at the last moment compelled her to keep her mouth shut.

  ‘Sorry, you were saying?’ asked Alexander kindly.

  Rowanne looked at him cautiously before continuing, ‘I was wondering... how his family were coping. Not to mention the several stories I’m dealing with at the moment,’ she added lamely.

  This is bad, thought Alexander. If she continues like this up at the police station, then she’s going to make life difficult for all of us. Damn it! She nearly blurted out the truth, or partial truth I should say. If she can’t pass at the police station, if she should fail...

  Alexander put his rising panic under control, and clenched his fists a couple of times as he tried to ease the tension out of his body. He gently laid a hand on her shoulder, and led her to the couch. ‘Please, sit down.’ He brought over the steaming cups of tea from the kitchen, and placed one in her ice cold hands.

  Rowanne seemed to stir from her reverie as she felt warm hands covering her own. She looked up into kind gentle eyes, and Alexander politely moved back to sit on the couch opposite her, and picked up his mug.

  Alexander waited patiently, and then slowly began to coax the truth from her. ‘Please, tell me more,’ he recommenced gently.

  ‘What are you talking about?’ asked Rowanne.

  ‘I think you know what I mean,’ he replied assuredly.

  ‘Anyway, there isn’t anything more.’

  ‘I just want to help you,’ said Alexander.

  ‘You certainly are no friend of mine. And what gives you the right to question me?’ asked Rowanne contemptuously.

  ‘No, and excuse my language, I bloody well am not. But I am the only one here!’ he replied in an offended tone, but continued carefully, ‘I could be, if...’

  ‘If what?’ Rowanne glowered at him.

  ‘If you’ll let me help you. I’ll hear anything you have to say.’

  Rowanne was fuming. Her shoulders shook, and her eyes shone with unshed tears threatening to spill over. She had finally had enough, and slammed her mug down onto the table causing the tea to spill. She scalded her hand in the process, but the pain only fuelled her anger.

  ‘Oh, look what you’ve made me do! Who the hell are you? A complete stranger, barging into my home on the pretence,’ and looking up at his hurt and shocked expression; which she vehemently chose to ignore, continued, ‘yes, you heard right. On the pretence of being a helpful colleague, you then proceeded to interrogate me!’ she said heatedly.

  ‘Look, I think there’s been a misunderstanding,’ said Alexander, holding up his hands, hoping to appear less threatening.

  ‘Get out! Before I...’ shouted Rowanne at the top of her voice.

  Alexander was barely able to control himself, let alone the escalating situation spiralling wildly out of his control. He too snapped and suddenly stood up to confront her.

  ‘You’ll what? Is this any way to treat a guest in your home?’ he asked, equally peeved.

  ‘I’m warning you, stay back,’ said Rowanne, as Alexander cautiously approached her.

  He wondered whether the entity was interfering with her mind as she appeared mentally unstable, and he feared that she might harm herself.

  She got up, and slowly backed up into the kitchen until she felt the counter behind her. Turning around, she put her hands on the counter top and closed her eyes, breathing in and out a couple of times as she took deep shuddering breaths.

  Her inner voice cautioned her not to give the game away, that there would be consequences in telling the truth. Bizarrely, her inner voice changed from being gentle to suddenly becoming sharp and commanding. Almost, as if it was taking control of her...

  Stop! Listen to me.

  Pardon? asked Rowanne, puzzled at where this voice was coming from. Is it my mind talking to me? It certainly doesn’t sound like me... She felt afraid, yet strangely comforted at the same time.

  Just do as I say, and I’ll get you through this. All you have to do is smile, and repeat everything I tell you. Do you understand?

  Yes, replied Rowanne to the voice in her mind.

  Rowanne turned back and tried to focus on Alexander.

  ‘Sorry, about that little outburst...’ she said, slowly smiling at him. ‘You see, I get these panic attacks sometimes.’

  That’s good. Stick near enough to the truth that it won’t raise his suspicion, and he will be more inclined to believe it.

  Alexander stopped in his tracks, a sceptical look on his face. Rowanne noticed that he was looking at her like she had a split personality. He’s not buying it. He knows I’m lying. Her calm facade was in imminent danger of shattering.

  You’re doing fine, keep going, the voice in her mind encouraged her.

  ‘I’ve recently gone through something and the memory of it brings on these panic attacks,’ continued Rowanne bravely.

  Alexander seemed less than impressed with what he had heard so far, and asked in a brusque manner, ‘Right... And what exactly have you gone through, may I dare ask?’

  ‘I don’t feel the need to elaborate, or share my life story with a total stranger,’ replied Rowanne pointedly looking at him.

  Not in the least bit put off, he continued, ‘Forgive my interference. I thought it might have had something to do with Thomas.’

  ‘Well, you thought wrong!’

  After a thoughtful pause, he asked, ‘Are you taking anything for these panic attacks?’

  Rowanne looked at him sweetly, and Alexander thought that she might actually give him an honest answer.

  ‘In fact, as you’ve so politely asked, it’s... none of your business! And it doesn’t concern you.’

  Alexander felt a metaphorical slap in his face. The hell it doesn’t, he thought, furious with her. Holding up his hands and shaking his head in annoyance, he backed away and sat on the couch, counting to ten slowly to calm down. One of them would have to be the sane one in this situation. He then proceeded to methodically drink his tea.

  Rowanne came to the table and wiped it clean. She sat down, and coughed to get his attention.

  Alexander looked up at her, and thought manically, She appears composed, but you can’t always tell with her!

  Sighing, she asked, ‘Do you still want to know what happened?’

  Alexander continued to look at her with a stoic expression, not trusting himself to speak.

  ‘Fine, though there isn’t much to tell. I was working late that night, like I normally do. You know how it is with deadlines to meet etc... I was the last one in the office, and left just after nine.’

  At this point in the story, Alexander sat up a little straighter, suddenly showing symptoms of actually being interested in her account.

  Sorry, thought Rowanne, there’s nothing extraordinary coming your way. ‘I walked towards the car park, which I should point out is poorly lit.’

  Alexander’s heart began to pound as he waited, to see which way her story would unfold.

  ‘Then I-’

  ‘Yes?’ he asked eagerly, as he mentally willed for her to go on; to put him out of his misery.

  ‘Drove home, and the first I heard of this was on the news,’ finished Rowanne.

  ‘Judging by your earlier behaviour, I thought that there might have been more to it,’ stated Alexander, looking confused.

>   Rowanne replied solemnly, ‘There is... but, not in the way you imagine. Thomas is a friend, not just a colleague.’

  Alexander continued inconsiderately, ‘But you’re a journalist, don’t you deal with these types of stories every day?’ and raised an eyebrow.

  ‘How dare you belittle this! Yes, Sherlock, I deal with these ‘types of stories’, as you so crudely put it, almost every day.’ Rowanne took a deep breath; for some reason this pompous excuse for a man seemed to rile her. She continued in a calmer tone, ‘Isn’t it always different, when it’s someone you know?’ she asked earnestly. Insensitive jerk! He probably doesn’t own a caring bone in his body, it’s like he’s not even human. Can you feel any emotion? she wondered, finishing her mental tirade.

  ‘No!’ Alexander suddenly burst out, almost scaring the living daylights out of Rowanne.

  ‘I beg your pardon?’ asked a confused Rowanne, thinking that he had just read her mind, or worse: that she’d just said all of that, out loud.

  ‘It is different, when it is someone you know...’ he said contemplatively.

  Rowanne didn’t know how to respond to what he’d just said, so remained quiet.

  After a while, she decided to approach cautiously, ‘Forgive me for asking, but has something similar happened in your life?’

  ‘No,’ replied Alexander with a sense of finality to the word that broached no further enquiry on the topic.

  Hmm, thought Rowanne, it seems as if our resident ‘Ice King’ is hiding something... And why would he share it, with a complete stranger? Frankly, after my outburst at him to stay out of my business, I really don’t have a leg to stand on, nor do I have any right to expect him to open up to me.

  ‘You don’t!’ he said sullenly.

  ‘Excuse me?’ asked a shocked Rowanne.

  Alexander looked up, and continued with a completely sombre expression, ‘You don’t have any biscuits by any chance, do you? I haven’t eaten anything since this morning, and I’m starving!’

  ‘Right,’ laughed Rowanne, as the tense atmosphere suddenly evaporated. She dutifully proceeded to the kitchen, and began to feel more relaxed in the company of this rather brusque and foolish man.