“Whatever. Can I get you a drink?" I asked as I rummaged through the fridge. I moved aside some leftover Chinese food, yogurt, and a half-eaten sandwich until I got to some beers. God, I needed groceries badly. "I only have light beer. Is that okay?
Lucien shrugged. "Sure."
He seemed to have settled on a movie. The screen turned black and faded slowly to a woman running through the woods dodging trees left and right as she continued looking behind her. She was screaming hysterically. Then it cut to her smiling happily in a diner sitting in a velvet booth with two other women.
I whined. "Of course, you chose a horror film."
I wasn't the biggest fan. I loved thrillers and mysteries, but something about horror movies gave me the chills. I had enough bad things happening in my life that I didn't need to watch other people have their shit hit the fan too. It was too bleak and hopeless. I needed fluff. Some romance, happily-ever-after bullshit that made you feel warm and fuzzy despite your hellish life beating you down. That kind of fluff.
But Lucien loved horror movies, and I wouldn't tell him to put a romance on. Watching that with him would be like inflicting torture on myself, and I wasn't a masochist.
He turned his body to watch me walk back from the fridge. He held out his hand and I dropped the beer on it. He turned back and popped it open.
He took a swig and then said, "It's not like you have any suggestions and besides, you called me over here, so I get to choose."
He wasn't wrong. No way in hell would I change it. He would make a snarky comment with whatever movie I settled on. "Fine, have it your way,” I mumbled.
I slumped onto the chair, popped open my beer, and chugged it before setting it onto the flimsy coaster I stole from La Cosmo's storage room.
Lucien cleared his throat and then asked, "Oh, what happened to the one guy? Fuck what was his name." He paused, and all I could hear was the screams of terror coming from the T.V. before the light in his eyes flickered like a fan to an open flame. "Jacob," he blurted out, so sure of himself that he got the name right.
"Jared." I corrected him.
Lucien smirked, showing one dimple on the left side of his cheek. "Yeah, him."
I ran my hand through my brunette hair that was tangled by leftover hairspray from last night's outing.
I shifted my legs towards the coffee table and away from him. "We broke up a month ago," I replied with indifference.
"Oh, shit. I'm sorry… What happened?"
I chuckled at his obvious discomfort.
My eye darted to the corner. A shadow broke away from the darkest part of the room and rose like the dead ascending from hell. It lingered into the kitchen. My eyes followed it as it glided into the hallway and then into my bedroom.
I said, a little preoccupied, "Umm. No need to be sorry. He just wanted to fuck and—fuck around."
I gulped.
Ah, this is why I don't do horror.
I should take Lucien up on his offer. So I wouldn't have to be alone. I barely held onto my sanity the last time this happened.
Lucien spit out his beer and my attention snapped back to him.
He launched himself into a coughing fit. Between coughs, he choked out, "Jesus Christ, way to sugarcoat it."
I looked at Lucien, puzzled—now why would I have to sugarcoat anything for him? "You're a grown-ass man; you should be able to handle it." I grinned like the Cheshire cat and ignored the anxious thoughts running through my mind. I attempted to reassure myself that it wasn't real and tapped my fingers on the sidearms of the chair. My eyes locked on the bedroom door. "And I shouldn't have to sugarcoat anything for you. That's mild compared to the gross stories you tell me."
I followed Lucien to the front door. He continued to tell me to move in and that it wasn't a bother whatsoever, but I stood my ground and gave him the same answer. That I would think about it.
I almost reached out to him and begged for him to stay but I hesitated—I already owed him so much.
Guilt got the best of me, and instead, I waved Lucien goodbye and watched him disappear into the elevator.
I took a deep breath and closed the door behind me.
I tried to reassure myself that everything I was seeing until now would disappear if I just willed it too, but my willpower was fickle.
I tiptoed into my room and checked every nook and cranny, but there was nothing.
I let out a breath of relief and walked over to my faded, coffee-stained dresser. I pulled out some black shorts and an oversized t-shirt that read I Heart Dilf’s in bold letters.
All I needed was to fall asleep and hope nothing would appear in the morning. I quickly changed and then I body-slammed into my inviting, checkered comforter that's been screaming my name since I got fired earlier today.
"No pity for the fool that dared," an eerie voice sang out. "Say…” The sudden silence cut me like a knife. I frantically searched for where the voice was coming from. Then I saw it. The shadow. It crawled down from the ceiling like a spider ready to bleed dry its next victim. The anticipation of what was going to happen next sent shivers throughout my whole body. I balled up my fists; the comforter clenched tightly in my hands. "What's the difference between the fool and the joker?" The shadow manifested a spine-chilling smile through its unyielding darkness.
My eyes dilated; my body trembled relentlessly.
I should have begged Lucien to stay the night.
The shadow snatched my hand. My thundering heartbeat thrashed against my ribcage. All other thoughts were cast aside as an icy numbness overtook my whole arm.
The shadow was now inches from my face.
My mouth shut tightly. I couldn't even muster the strength to squeak, but that didn't matter; the shadow remained unwavering in its pursuit. Yet, it didn't need to speak again for me to know that it wouldn't leave until I gave it an answer.
I licked my parched lips, gulped, and then attempted to say whatever came to mind in a hushed tone, but it came out more cracked and broken. "One i-i-is empty and the other me-me-meticulous," I stuttered with no conviction in my answer.
"WRONG." The shadow's voice rumbled and shook the walls.
I retreated further into my bed as the shadow's voice continued to shake and reverberate my eardrums.
I threw my hands up to cuff my ears, but the shadow yanked them back down. Its grip on my arm tightened and the numbness crept closer towards my chest.
The shadow’s sinister smile morphed into a set of deep, crimson eyes. Its commanding voice turned soft like velvet. "One dares to play with time and other dares to live between the lines. Sane and insanity." It snatched my other arm and the same icy numbness hit me, tenfold. "Do not forget," it whispered, stroking my arms, and then vanished into the night.
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