Chapter Seven
The next day began the weekend, and I used the break from work to consider how much had happened since the last one. Even though I had yet to fully wrap my head around the implications of the journey I had begun, I couldn't deny the proportions of this thing that had been thrust upon me. The weight was starting to crush me and the only way to survive was going to be to get out from under it or become much stronger in order to bear it.
My initial urge had been to get out, but as Saturday's dawn turned to dusk after nearly a full day of trying to apply rationality to the irrational, I began to recognize how captivated I was by it all. In just one week, I had experienced more than in the entire lifetime that led up to it, and I truly wanted to know what came next. I wouldn't call it excitement. It was more of a morbid curiosity like when you're driving up the highway and see a line of emergency vehicles along the shoulder.
The ternion granted me the day off, but the night did not come with it. When the next summoning came, I was asleep. I awoke in the dark, laying on concrete, but there was no ring of candles surrounding me. The only source of light came from a streetlamp. I was in an alley.
Looking down, I could barely make out another circle. It was similar to the one that had brought me to the pool shed, but the triangles were reversed. Their narrowest points faced in the opposite direction.
The Princess appeared out of the shadows next to me wearing a knitted cap and a long black trench coat. She raised her palm and even though I couldn't see the symbol written on it, I knew it was there. My humanity drained away and I knelt. I was hers to command.
"How may I serve you?" I asked.
A wide grin crossed the brunette's face. "I like that. You may serve me by helping me turn the tables on this piece of shit I have to deal with every day. He's one of those guys who gets himself off on making other people miserable. Tonight, we're gonna show him what it feels like to be on the other side of it."
Even though she didn't say we were going to kill someone, I suspected we were. The death of the pool boy still haunted me, but the thought of taking another life stirred some sleeping desire deep inside. Separated from my human emotions, I craved the power that came from the white cloud. At least this man sounded like he might deserve to die.
Movement outside the alley made the Princess duck immediately. She motioned and whispered for me to do the same.
Together, we watched the street outside until a person appeared, walking past. It was a tall, scrawny man, dressed in a shirt and tie with no jacket. His dark hair was short, but shaggy, matching the style of his facial hair. Something on his right breast caught the glare of the streetlamp. It was a name tag.
"That's him. Grab him!" The Princess shouted.
His whole body turned sharply toward the alley as I took off in a sprint towards him, but he didn't move. Instead he leaned forward, squinting as he looked through me in the direction of the sound that had caught his attention. He didn't even react to my footsteps. Only then, I realized I had none. My feet hit the ground softly, blending into the darkness that painted them.
It wasn't until I was on top of him that he seemed to notice me, but by then, it was too late. I wrapped one hand around his head, cupping his mouth while the other circled his waist. Before he could mount any form of defense, I was awkwardly carrying him back into the shadows.
"This way," The Princess whispered loudly, retreating further away from the street.
I followed, barely noticing the weight of the full-grown person I was hauling. He struggled and moaned, but in my grip, he didn't have enough room to move to generate much force, and something about the demon state of mind I had been put in made me feel stronger than usual.
She led the way through a narrow gap between two buildings that led out to another street where a green minivan was parked. The front passenger door was unlocked, and the Princess ripped it open before jumping inside. She yelled at me to get in as she slid across to the driver's side and turned the key that was already in the ignition.
I awkwardly pulled the sliding door open with both hands full and tipped myself inside. We were moving before I was able to get it fully shut again. Tires squealed as we pulled out and raced down the road. We didn't slow down for a single pothole, speed bump, or curb as she cut corners on every turn.
It took a bit of effort to stay balanced, but I managed to remain seated in the back with my arms wrapped around the man we had abducted. He had given up even his most feeble attempts at resisting, but with each thud, he whimpered and shook.
After only a few blocks, the vehicle halted in the parking lot of a very run-down-looking apartment building. As soon as we stopped, the Princess reached into the center console to retrieve something before turning around to brandish it at our passenger. It was the dagger she had threatened to remove my testicles with.
Looking at the weapon with a cooler head, it wasn't quite as intimidating. The blade was jagged and full of barbs, not by design but due to poor maintenance, and judging by her difficulty swinging it around, it was heavy and poorly balanced. This wasn't the type of tool you would expect to find anyone walking around with. It wasn't fit for survival or personal defense.
The Princess was a predictable woman, or at least one with few moves. She pressed the tip of the blade to the man's throat. "We can't carry you up to my apartment so you're going to walk, and you're not going to do anything stupid, right?" She asked.
He began to sob immediately. "What are you doing, B--"
"Don't say my fucking name, you fucking fuck. I'm the angel of death tonight. That's what you can call me."
"Are you going to kill me?"
"I'm going to give you a chance to prove that you're worth keeping alive. But yes, if you try and call for help, or refuse to do a single fucking thing I tell you to do, I will dissect you like a fucking frog while you're still alive to watch. Do you understand?" She pushed the tip of the dagger into his skin as she spoke. A sharper weapon would have killed him already. This one didn't leave a mark.
All color drained from his face. That was enough of an answer to satisfy her.
"Apartment 312. Let's go." She climbed out of the van, shoving the weapon into her coat.
I released my grip on our hostage and we made him lead the way into the building and up the stairs. He walked slowly, not slow enough as to make it obvious he was stalling for time, but slow enough to make the journey longer and more uncomfortable than it had to be.
When we arrived at apartment 312, the Princess came around in front of us to open the three locks, leaving me alone to tend our nervous guest. He must have noticed the obstacles between him and his freedom had been cut in half because he began to look around, noticeably evaluating the nearest exits.
I took a chance and put my hand on his shoulder to remind him of the threat I posed. My touch made him jump, but he immediately lowered his head to his feet. Instead of channeling his nervous energy toward looking for a way out he began to tap his foot and pull at the cuticle under his right thumb.
She pulled the door open and we entered behind her. Once inside, I saw her apartment was no bigger than mine. It was a one-bedroom which made it sound slightly more impressive than my studio, but the only real difference was the wall that separated the kitchenette from the rest of the living area. I was certain it was the same square footage.
She locked the entrance behind us and pointed at the door to the bedroom. "In there."
"What's in that room?" He asked.
The Princess turned to me. "In there," she said once more, nodding to the same door. I took the hint and picked him up again. He went limp.
We entered the room to find there was little space to maneuver. A double bed, tucked into the far corner, took up most of the floor plan along with a large dresser right next to it, so close that the drawers didn't look like they could open all the way. Between the bed and the door were a folding chair and just enough walking space to access the three pieces of furniture. I chose to dump the man into a seated position on the bed.
