by J N Tensley
“Will you please forgive me?” Kia asked emotionally. “You know I would never do something like that. You know I’m not a violent person.”
“I forgive you girl. Even though my face is gonna look messed up for awhile.” Trisha let her go and stared at her.
Kia was crying. Wiping tears away from her eyes.
“Don’t cry Kia. It wasn’t your fault.” Trisha said.
Kia hugged her tightly again. ” Feel so bad. I can’t believe that happened. It was bad enough with Malik now I’m doing crazy shit.”
“I’ll be alright.” Trisha said softly. “Not like I haven’t been hit in the face before.”
Latrell’s mind thought back to how he me met Trisha. Her face was bruised. He didn’t even say anything just walked passed her and beat her ex boyfriend Brent up. Trisha had fallen in love with him ever since. She told him the way he stuck up for her was attractive. The way he beat Brent up in front of all his home boys when they wouldn’t even do anything was sexy to her.
He couldn’t understand why she was even with him when all he did was try to control her and smack her around.
But here they were still together and more in love than ever.
Brent had moved out of town after Latrell beat his ass. He was too embarrassed to show his face around there anymore.
Latrell remembered walking straight up to him and decking him in the jaw. “You like to hit women?” Latrell yelled.
Brent was a medium sized guy. His jaw felt like glass when Latrell hit it though. Brent dropped to the ground.
Latrell picked him up and punched him in the face again. He grabbed him by his black Gucci shirt and continued punching him again and again in the face. His home boys just looked at him. Just watched in shock as their friend got beat down in front of them. Latrell was hoping one of them would try to jump in. Was hoping one of them would try to throw a punch at him so he could knock them out too.
Latrell’s fist was sore. He was breathing heavily. He was so angry seeing Trisha all bruised up like that. He had watched her get abused for far too long without doing anything about it.
He didn’t know what came over him that day that made him want to intervene but something did. He could feel it burning in the pit of his stomach.
Then Latrell just stood over Brent. Watching him lay there in a bloody mess. Blood pouring from his mouth. His body motionless. His friends just standing there with their hands at their sides.
Latrell grabbed Trisha’s hand and started walking away before he stopped. “Stay the fuck away from her.” He said in a deep voice without turning around. “The next time I won’t be so nice.”
Latrell walked down the street with her arm around his his.
He still remembered that. Trisha had been through a lot. He was glad he was able to save her and make her his.
Kia stared at Trisha. Her eyes seeming to dig deep inside her. “Thanks for being my friend.” She said to her.
“You’ve been a good friend to me too. Don’t let what happened today tell you otherwise.” Trisha said. She smiled, turned around and sat back down next to Latrell.
Latrell wrapped his arms around back around her.
Kia sat down back on the loveseat. She crossed her legs.
Malik came out about ten minutes later. He had changed his clothes. He wore blue shorts with a black T-shirt. He walked in the living room and sat next to Kia.
Finally, Latrell thought. Maybe I can get some answers.
Malik slipped his arm around Kia and pulled her close to him.
Latrell cleared his throat. “So how are you feeling man?” He asked looking at Malik.
Malik focused his eyes to Latrell. “I feel good to be the hell outta that place. I thought I was losing my mind inside there. I’m just glad it’s over.”
“Do you remember anything from that night? Did being inside the Asylum bring back any memories of what happened that night in the forest?” Latrell asked. He shifted his body on the couch.
Malik shook his head. “Everything is still blank. All I remember is what I was feeling. Like I had all this rage inside of me. I was so angry and I couldn’t figure out why.”
“That’s all I remember was being angry.” Kia agreed with Malik.
“There has to be something else we’re missing here.” Latrell said. “There has to be something else that you can remember. Did you hear any voices? I heard voice coming from that thing. Screaming.” Latrell’s eyes went from Malik to Kia as he asked the question.
“Now that you mention it, I did hear screaming. It was all in my head though. When that thing entered me all I heard was screaming and all I felt was anger.” Malik said.
“This sounds like some freaky shit.” Trisha said.
“I heard whispering.” Kia said, her eyes were pointed towards them but she was looking at something else.
“What kind of whispering?” Trisha asked sitting up, she moved Latrell’s arm to her thigh and put her hand in top of it.
Kia closed her eyes. “I can’t remember. I couldn’t make it out. It was just a bunch of whispering. It was driving me crazy. Next thing I know I’m outside of my truck and on the ground with Malik.”
Whispering? Was that thing trying to communicate with her?
Latrell took another sip of his beer. His chest started to feel warm.
“I wish I knew how I got to the hospital.” Malik said looking at Latrell. “That’s what’s fuckin’ me up is how did I even get there that quick?”
“Maybe when that cloud thing entered you, you teleported there?” Trisha suggested.
“That would be something huh? Well something had to happen. There’s no way I could have made it there that quick on my own.”
Malik said.
Maybe he killed someone and took their car, Latrell thought. I wouldn’t leave it out of the scenario. When he came to the hospital he was different. His eyes weren’t his.
“My question is why is these things only getting me and Kia? Why haven’t they gotten inside you two yet?” Malik asked.
Latrell started to think about that night in the forest. He started to remember that Malik wasn’t just standing there and the cloud appeared. Malik was yelling and making noises and when he saw the cloud he started throwing rocks and sticks at it.
Maybe that’s why the cloud was after him. Maybe that’s why it got Kia too, because Malik was toying with it.
“All I know is this is some fucked up shit. I can barely remember anything and that’s dangerous.” Malik said. “Do you know how that makes me feel to know I did something so horrible to one of my friends and I can’t even remember how it happened?” He looked at Trisha.
“Maybe it’s for the best you don’t remember. Everything happens for a reason you know?” Trisha said.
Malik turned on the TV and flipped through a few channels keeping the volume down. He didn’t seem like he wanted to talk.
Latrell started looking at the TV listening to Kia and Trisha come up with theories about what they thought happened.
“Maybe that thing possesses you and erases your memory?” Kia said. “It had to do some sort of possession because I wouldn’t have just attacked you like that on my own.”
“Maybe.” Trisha said. “Maybe it just does what you already want to do?” She looked at Kia seriously.
“Girl you know I don’t want to hurt you. Why would you say that?” Kia asked.
“I’m just saying. Maybe deep down you wanted to.” Trisha gave Kia a hard stare.
There was silence in the room for a moment. Just the muffled voices on the TV could be heard.
Malik stopped on the news station. A reporter was on the side of the road with police lights flashing next to her.
“Hey turn that up.” Latrell said.
Malik turned the TV up.
“Police had been looking for Peter Smith for the last month. They found his car at Shadow Point General Hospital weeks ago.” The reporter said. “Now we bring you sad news. The search for Pete
r Smith came to a tragic end today. A hunter found his body on the edge of the forest brutally beaten to death.”
“I remember.” Malik said turning the TV down. “I did that.”
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Chapter 10
Malik’s eyes looked so cold and serious. “I did that.” He repeated. “I killed that guy.”
Latrell’s heart raced. His stomach felt empty all of a sudden. Like all that was in it was shock and disbelief.
Kia turned to Malik. “What are you talking about?”
“I killed that guy. I ran out in front of his vehicle, made him stop, pulled him out and, beat him to death.” Malik said softly, looking towards the floor.
“How do you know you did that? You barely remember anything from that night?” Kia asked, her voice sounding anxious.
Malik shrugged but didn’t answer.
Latrell couldn’t stop looking at Malik. What he said sent chills up his back. Was Malik really capable of murder? Was he really the guy that killed that driver?
Everything seemed so dark right then. The sun coming through the window seemed to be an orangish yellow instead of the bright yellow it normally was.
Trisha just sat there with her eyebrows raised.
Latrell knew what she was thinking. He knew that she was thinking if he came to the hospital and tried to kill her and that nurse that he was more than capable of killing someone else.
Kia grabbed Malik’s hand. “Think about what you’re saying. Do you really think you killed that guy? Remember everything was blank a few minutes ago.”
Malik faced Kia. “Yeah but seeing that scene on the TV again reminded me. I was there that night. I hurt that guy who was just probably just trying to get home to his family. I’m a monster.”
Latrell couldn’t agree more with what he said. If Malik did kill that guy then he would be a monster but, he wasn’t himself. He didn’t have any control over what he was doing. So how could anyone blame him?
Tears started coming down Malik’s face. “I’m a fuckin’ murderer.” He buried his face on Kia’s shoulder.
“Shhh. No you’re not. We need to make sure you’re remembering correctly. I don’t think you’re capable of something like that.” Kia said patting the back of his head with one hand, the other hand rubbing the back of his arm up and down.
“She’s right Malik. You need to be sure of what you remember.” Latrell said. “And even if you did do it can you really be held responsible?” Latrell asked.
Making raised his head and looked at Latrell shocked he would ask that. “I fuckin’ murdered someone. Of course I need to be held responsible.”
“Malik it wasn’t you though bro. It was that thing inside you.” Latrell said.
“I don’t know anymore. Maybe that thing that was inside me is just showing my true colors.” Malik suggested.
Latrell didn’t know what to say after that. Does that dark cloud make him really want to hurt people? Does it just release something inside him that makes him want to do what he already wanted to do in the first place? If so, that meant that Malik was evil. Not the same guy he’d been hanging around the past few years.
“I don’t think so man.” Latrell said. He sat forward. “I think that thing just used your body as a vessel to do it’s dirty work. Because why else would you have a hard time remembering what happened?”
“That’s true Malik. Don’t beat yourself up too much. You know that in your heart you wouldn’t do something like that. You wouldn’t hurt anything especially a person.” Kia agreed with Latrell.
Malik eyed Trisha, like he was waiting to know what she thought about the whole thing.
Latrell looked at Trisha too. “You okay babe?”
Trisha avoided eye contact with Malik. “I’m fine but, we should really think about all this for a while. How do we know Malik didn’t kill that poor guy? Look what he tried to do with me.”
Kia uncrossed her legs and leaned forward. She intertwined her fingers together in front of her. “Trisha that’s not Malik. You know Malik’s not a violent person. Why would you even suggest something like that?”
“I don’t know. Kia you wasn’t there. You didn’t see the look in Malik’s eyes. You didn’t feel how strong he felt. Like he could have snapped my neck with just one hand. I didn’t want to believe it at first either but, it happened and now we have to start asking serious questions.” Trisha put her hand around her throat. Like talking about it made it seem like she was being choked again.
Kia didn’t say anything just kept looking at Trisha. She knew how she must be feeling. She was just glad Malik was home and didn’t want anything else happening to him.
“We should call the police. I need to pay for my crimes.” Malik said softly looking at each one of their faces.
Kia shook her head. “No we’re not calling them. Why should you have to go down for something you had no control over?”
“I agree man.” Latrell said. “It wouldn’t make sense for you to do that. You’d be sitting up in prison the rest of your life and couldn’t even remember why you were there.”
Kia smiled pleasantly at Latrell. She liked having someone agree with her.
Trisha sat there quietly. Maybe the whole thing was a little bit too much for her. Maybe she thought Malik should be in jail. Maybe she thought he was a monster.
“Trisha I know you’re still upset about what happened at the hospital but come on, do you really think Malik going to jail will solve anything?” Kia asked her eyebrows raised, her palms held out in front of her.
“I don’t know what to think anymore Kia. All I really know is Malik hurt me. I’d like to believe that it wasn’t him but if you would have seen his eyes you’d have questions too.” Trisha said.
Kia seemed frustrated with how Trisha was acting.
“And then you attacked me and I knew something was up. I just want answers. Like what is that thing? Why is it only attacking me? I mean what the fuck did I do to it?” Trisha asked in a high pitched voice.
Latrell held Trisha’s hand. He knew she was upset. He knew she wanted answers that Kia and Latrell probably couldn’t answer right then.
Malik leaned forward. “None of this is making me feel any better. I mean what if I would have hurt Trisha worse than what I did? What if I would have killed her like that driver?”
“You don’t know what happened man.” Latrell said. “All you remember is being there. You don’t have any memories of killing that guy.”
“But I kinda do.” Malik leaned back into the soft couch cushion looking up towards the ceiling. “I remember him running away from me. I remember chasing him and leaping on him and then, everything goes blank.”
Trisha’s eyes opened wide when Malik described that.
Kia looked at Malik. “For all you know that cloud thing is just putting memories in your mind. Like I said even if you did do it we’re not taking you to the police. They wouldn’t understand.”
Malik sighed.
Latrell knew that going to the police wasn’t a good idea. He knew that they wouldn’t believe their stories of evil cloud spirits possessing them making them do bad things.
Trisha sat with her legs crossed shaking them nervously. She bit her bottom lip while everyone talked and sat with her arms crossed in front of her chest.
Poor Trisha, Latrell thought. She’s been through so much. I wish I could make her feel better. Latrell pulled her arm towards him and then kissed the back of her hand.
Trisha looked surprised at Latrell, like why did he kiss her hand. She raised her eyebrows and shrugged as if asking him why.
“I love you.” Latrell said quietly.
Trisha stopped shaking her legs and smiled. She told him she loved him too.
“What if that thing comes back? No one is safe from it.” Malik said, he looked nervous.
“I don’t know. That why I’m saying we need to find out more information about it. We can’t just wait for it to attack one of us again. I really want
to go back to that forest.” Latrell said.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Trisha turned to him and put her hand on his casted leg. “What if there’s more of those things out there? What if there’s something worse? I’m not gonna risk losing you over the unknown.”
“The sooner we get to the bottom of this, the better it will be for all of us. Surely someone has to know something. It couldn’t have just happened to us.” Latrell said defiantly.
“So you think it’s been happening to other people around there too? But how would we know who to ask?” Malik asked.
“I think our best bet would be to find out where the hunters hang out. We need to ask them the things they’ve seen in that forest.” Latrell proposed.
“How do you know they will even talk to one of us?” Trisha asked. “They’ll probably think we’re crazy.”
“I bet you we’re not the only ones who’ve seen this thing. I bet you this has not only happened before but that it has happened a lot.” Latrell told Trisha.
We have to find out more information, Latrell thought. We have to know what we’re up against.
“You’re in no condition to be going out investigating. I mean you see what happened the last time you guys went to the forest trying to see what’s out there?” Kia asked.
“I still wanna wait to go to the forest at least until my leg heals but, we can go ask the hunters. That’s the least we can do. I know they have to know something.” Latrell insisted.
“Where do they hang out though?” Trisha asked.
“My guess would be the bar close by the forest. It’ll probably be easy to get them to talk since they’ll be liquored up.” Latrell said.
They all looked at each other for a few moments in silence.
Trisha kept staring at Kia and Malik like she was scared they would attack her at any moment.
“Do you guys think that there is something worse out there? What can be worse than something taking control of your body and doing something bad and you can’t even remember it?” Malik asked.
Latrell noticed Malik’s tone had changed. From wanting to go to the forest to realizing it was dangerous. Maybe he had come to his senses? Maybe it was just because he wasn’t high?