DAVID MONSTER - Writing Samples - Literary Part 3

 

DAVID “MONSTER” DRADER
WRITING SAMPLES – Literary
Part 3
DavidMonster@aol.com
323-243-2756
L.A., CA USA

 

1.    Novel Excerpt
GOD’s FALSE DOOR – Chapter One

CHAPTER ONE: DORMANCY

            He had to plan out his pleasures, squeezing every last drop from the dying season. Time was not his, so little control over life. Work. Rent. Bills.

            His chest felt stiff, stress of the coming week, but once he dove under a wave, it started to wash away. The cold water was a bit shocking but felt great against the warm sun. He splashed around for a few minutes, then laughed when a wave almost knocked him down as he marched out of the ocean, a failed attempt at a cinematic moment.

            The vision of a man appeared in his mind. It wasn’t the flash of a memory, or a passing thought. It remained, as if projected on a giant screen from an outside source. He cocked his head, and tried to inspect it, the vision, the phenomenon, his feelings about it. His brain had never done this to him before. The vision faded, but he felt oddly calmed and reassured by it.

 On the shore, dripping wet, he thought about how grateful he should be to live in such a beautiful place. He took deep breaths trying to relax, trying to feel different.

Somehow, he couldn’t. He couldn’t make contact with all the beauty around him, having given up fantasizing about flying through the blue sky, ripping through white clouds, chasing pelicans and gulls. It just led to heartbreak.  At the very least, he should be able to connect with his surroundings, but he couldn’t, anymore. It was almost like torture. 

He tried to bring back the vision of the man, but all he could muster was his own memory of it, not as solid or reliable. His head dropped, supported by his hands. He reprimanded himself for giving in to this obvious ruse his psyche was playing on him.

            He was just a guy, on the beach, who had a few minutes of recess before he had to get back to his life. Everything was beautiful, the waves, the breeze, the birds, and even the sound of happy kids playing, but none of it was his. Not one tiny, little piece of this world.

            Always, every single day, and every moment contained within, he felt power, an electrifying surge. If he took a few quick steps and jumped, the sensation of the possibility of flight was overwhelming. His fingertips could emanate a force that could rip apart the confinement of reality. This was inside him. He knew he could cut through the sky, if he just found the way, the right words to unleash his abilities, or unlock the correct combination of steps.

Every time he tried, he failed. It was as if the parts that would make it all wok were broken. Like two legs that don’t move when a man tries to walk, he tumbled down to the Earth, trapped there forever. It was torture he couldn’t bear, so it beat him down until he was someone else, something that turned his stomach: a normal, everyday, garden-variety, average, run-of-the-mill, card-carrying, certified human being.

An alarm sounded at 5:50am. He fought his way through unconsciousness, and looked around the room, trying to figure out what was happening, just like every morning. He took a shower, tried on the clothes he picked out the night before, and quickly took them off after he looked in the mirror. He agonized over a few other options.

            Fifteen minutes later, he was on his bike, on the path along the beach, singing, until his music stopped due to bad connectivity. “FUCK!” He kept riding, and started talking to himself, just like every morning.

The only thing that was ever, ever, ever different, than any other day in his life, happened again on that ride. The vision of the man, he had never seen in real life, popped back into his head. Again, it felt externally generated. He cut across the street, swerved onto the sidewalk, and coasted the rest of the way, looking at the image in his mind with a curious expression. It wasn’t just an image. He knew the man’s name. 

Conspicuously smooth skin, handsome Mediterranean features, a wide jaw and chin, an athletic appearance, or at least one that indicated a life of physical activity, all with a clean-shaven sophistication. The man’s skin was darker than fair, a sort of olive caste, with eyes and thick hair that were almost black.

Who was this person, and why did his image pop into Devon’s mind? He asked out loud, “Who the hell is that?” 

By the time he locked his bike up in the parking structure, un-tethered his laptop from the rack behind his seat, and started walking up the stairs to his office building, he had all but forgotten the man.

“Damn!” He stopped, annoyed, remembering that he’d have to pick up his lunch right then, knowing he wouldn’t be able to get away later. He grunted, then headed toward the little café in the bottom of the building next to his.

He opened the door, and before he even took one step, he saw the man, across the café, wearing a suit, of sorts. It was not an everyday, typical business style. It was black, incredibly smart, and seemed to stretch and flow with his body. He was not wearing a tie, and the soles of his black shoes were much thicker than normal. They made no sound as he walked over to Devon. He smiled and bowed slightly. “Hello.”

Devon detected a bit of an accent, but he couldn’t place it. He had to look Alexander over for a moment, really focus on his face. “Alexander?” This was, indeed, the man he was seeing in his own mind.

“Yes. That’s right.” Alexander walked to the door. “I’ll see you later, Devon. Have a wonderful day.”

Devon knew he would, in fact, see Alexander later. He felt as though they made an agreement to meet, after work, but he wondered if he should run after him, now. He desperately wanted to know how he got in his mind. Doubt stopped him. Part of him didn’t want to see Alexander, ever again. That part knew this episode would turn out to be some kind of trick, and he would be extremely disappointed. It would all come to nothing, just like always.

Throughout the day, Devon saw more images of Alexander in his mind. It was like he was trying to put Devon at ease, and it seemed to be working. Devon formed a very definite connection with this new man, so much so that he experienced deep emotion when an image of an obelisk on the bank of the Thames appeared in his head. He didn’t know why, but he felt profound grief, betrayal, and searing rage. Rather than being distracted from his work, the images kept him going, motivated him.

            Devon needed Alexander to be real, but he couldn't shake the heartache. Life always had a way of settling back to a baseline of mundane, and he knew that this would be the latest non-event life, on Earth, had in store for him. He could feel his heart beating faster, maybe even palpitating from the stress. He needed to see Alexander, again.

            As he left work, and walked out of the lobby, he saw another mental image of Alexander, sitting at one of the tables in the great courtyard between the office buildings.

            Devon looked in that direction. No one was visible, from where he stood. His mood plummeted. He sighed with a grumble of annoyance and turned the opposite direction. After four steps, he stopped. Why not walk all the way in the courtyard and just see? If he’s not there, it’s only two minutes out of his life. He debated for a few seconds. He knew Alexander wouldn’t be there, but if he didn’t check he would always wonder. He shuffled back and forth a few times, then walked to the courtyard. As he came around the building, and the entire area was within view, he could see that there was a man sitting in the courtyard. It was Alexander.

            He felt foolish, and his mouth formed a smile couldn't stifle. He tried to wipe it off his face, with no success. Long, deep breaths wouldn't calm his nerves.

            Alexander motioned for Devon to sit across from him, and he smiled, just the way a friend would.

            Devon sat down with his laptop case in front of him, holding on to it, and looked at Alexander, scanning his face again to verify his crazy visions.

            “How was your day?” Alexander had his hands on the table in front of him, and all his attention directed at Devon.

            Devon didn’t even really hear the question. “How did you do it?”

            Alexander smiled, again. “Do what?” Physically, he was obviously fit and capable of handling himself, but he was very warm, friendly even. Then, his smile faded, and he seemed almost normal. That was peculiar. He didn’t wear ‘normal’ quite right. Conflict showed in his expression. “I’ve been thinking a lot about this, and how to deal with you.”

That last sentence didn’t hit Devon’s ear quite right. No one wants to be dealt with. “Just tell me who you are, and what you want.”

That made Alexander laugh. “Ok, let me try, in a way that doesn’t sound absurd.” He looked skyward. “Em… I am, let’s say, a friend of your father, and I need your help.”

Devon sat up, a fierce expression on his face, somewhere between hatred and disbelief. “You are a friend of my father?”

“Well…” Alexander motioned with his hands, “More of an acquaintance. I knew him. We worked together.” He looked at Devon. “I’m sorry. I know you have not seen him in a while.”

            “Haven’t seen him?” Devon’s voice rose a bit. “You don’t know? He… died.”

            Alexander let out a long breath and looked down, leaning forward on his hands. “That is one of the things I need to tell you.” He made himself completely vulnerable, stripped away any social veneer. “You have no reason to, but I am asking you to trust me, because once we do this, you must abandon your life.”

            “What? Do what?” Devon rolled his eyes. “What are you talking about?” Devon waved his hands around and laughed at Alexander like he was crazy. “What?... What? I don’t even know what ‘this’ is!”

            Alexander looked deep into Devon’s eyes, and invited him into his mind. “I know you feel a lack, an empty space where ability should be. It is there, and I can help you retrieve it.”

            Devon's heart skipped a beat. That's exactly how he felt, but he regained his cynicism. “What are you saying?” Devon shook his head, “You sound like a psychic conman. Everyone feels like that.”

            Alexander’s voice became sterner. “I am saying that you are a visible target, once we do this. Can you walk away from your current life, right now?”

            “I love that you want me to trust you, yet you haven’t even told me who you are.”

            “How about this?” Alexander projected images of Arthur, Devon’s father, into his mind. Arthur was in a forest, at the helm of a huge device, wearing dark goggles. He said, “Now,” and a red ray, like a laser, emanated from the device, hitting a patch of open air about 5 feet in front of it, but didn’t continue beyond that point. Alexander was standing next to the device, concentrating on the spot. A tiny white light sparked at the end of the laser. Alexander began breathing heavily, then covered his goggled eyes. The white light flashed. As soon as Arthur saw Alexander’s concentration break, he turned off the laser. There was a crack, like arching electricity, then the white light disappeared.    

            “Uh…” Devon’s emotions drained from his body, and he was left not knowing what to think. “How are you doing this?” He smacked the back of one hand into the palm of the other, to punctuate his point. “Even if it is a trick…” He scowled. “How are you able to project thoughts into my head?” A quick spurt of laughter erupted from his mouth. The images weren’t enough to completely dispel Devon’s doubt. He needed something more concrete. “How do I know that’s my father? And, what are you both doing?” Right as Alexander started to speak, Devon talked over him. “What do you want from me?”

            “I understand.” Alexander knew Devon’s every thought. The connection went both ways. ”I have to show you in a way that won’t attract attention.” He laid his hands on the table, palms upward. “I think you can make a connection, through me.”

            Devon looked at Alexander’s hands. There was nothing wrong with them, in fact they appeared good and strong, but well cared for. There was a musculature to them, yet they were smooth, and almost like a fine artist’s rendition of hands.

            Devon peered into Alexander’s eyes, and the connection was still available to him. Many visions, most weren’t easy to interpret.

            Alexander saw a flurry of moving pictures in Devon’s. There was desperation, a flailing need. All the psychic energy within him was furiously searching for a way out. Alexander was touched. He sensed this was Devon’s state on any given day, and warned him, “You may never be able to go back to your current life, after talking to me. If you obtain the proof you need to trust me, it is done…” He corrected himself, “I’m sorry. When I say, ‘you may never’, I really mean, ‘you can never’… never, ever. Do you understand?”

Devon was done thinking. Alexander’s warning seemed like an invitation. He reached his decision, and slowly lowered his hands onto Alexander’s. As soon as they touched, a small, coin-sized hole punctured the air between them. Alexander ripped his hands away, and the hole vanished.

            “What the…?” Devon was stunned, but also elated, confused, and hopeful.

            Alexander was thunderstruck. “We have to leave.” With one hand, he motioned for Devon to remain seated, as he scanned their environment. His other slapped the table with an echoing crack, and he stood up quickly.

            A cold gust passed through Devon. Even though he remained seated, the chilling wind tugged at his insides, then formed a duplicate of him that followed after Alexander, who ran to the parking garage. Devon's mouth fell open, as he watched himself sprint away.

            A figure dressed in black swooped down from above and followed after Devon's copy.

            "Don't worry, that's not us." Alexander's voice was clear as a bell, in Devon's mind.

            Devon felt a hand grab his shoulder, but there was no one there. It urged him to stand. He put his hands on the table to push himself to his feet, but couldn't see them, or any part of his body.

            "It's ok. Follow me." Alexander's disembodied voice told him. It pulled away from table, and Devon heard their footsteps under him. Another cold wind cut through him, and he saw a second copy of himself and Alexander hurry in the opposite direction.

            They made it to the stairs that lead to an alley. Once they were in the dark shadow of the building, Alexander appeared about ten feet in front of him, carrying Devon's bag, and Devon could see his own body, again. "Hey!"

            “Shhh!” Alexander held up one finger and led Devon up toward a side street.

            Devon slowed, and pointed behind himself. He was about to tell Alexander where his bike was, but there was a loud CRACK! A man with almost white skin and pale blond hair, wearing all black, stood in front of him, with his hands raised. He started to speak. Without thinking, Devon lunged forward and hit the strange man right in the face with his fist. The man dropped like a sack of potatoes. Devon jumped over him and ran toward Alexander who watched in disbelief. He pointed at the man, then pulled Devon onto the side street where a black car was parked in a red zone.

            It was extremely sleek with dark, opaque windows. Devon couldn’t see inside. It wasn’t any kind of car that was currently driven on any street in the world. There were no handles on the doors, or any details. It was aero-dynamic to an extreme. The door on the driver’s side opened automatically for Alexander, who was still carrying Devon’s case, he slid in, and his door closed. Then, the passenger door opened, and Alexander ordered Devon, “Get in!”

            Devon leaned down to examine the inside. It was beautiful, just as modern as the exterior with all kinds of controls and screens across the dashboard.

            “Get in! We have to go!” Alexander’s tone was pointedly urgent.

            Devon didn’t move. “How did you do that? What was that?” He loudly received the general drift, that they were in danger, but who should he trust?

            Alexander started the car. “Do you want to deal with those men, back there? GET IN!”

            Devon was hesitant but did as he was told. As soon as he was seated, his door closed, and he realized there was no steering wheel.

            A panel, like a desk descended from the dashboard in front of Alexander. The vehicle pulled away from the curb and sped down the street.  Alexander opened up Devon's laptop case and began examining the contents.

            Devon stared at the road, worried. This was his first time in a self-driving car. “What the HELL is going on? Who were those guys?" Then, he remembered what set the whole thing off. "How did you do that? What was that?”

            Alexander turned and faced Devon. “I did not do that.” He pulled out Devon’s laptop.

            “Hey! What are you doing?” Devon reached for it.

            “Sorry.” Alexander handed him the computer. “Look it over and see if there’s anything added that shouldn’t be there.”

            Devon made a face, turned it over, then right side up. He opened it, and said, “Nothing. What would there be?" He didn't understand why Alexander was interested in his stuff. Something amazing just happened. "If you didn’t do it, who did?”

            Alexander didn’t answer.

            Devon became more insistent. “Who did that thing, at the table? There was, like, a hole in the air.”

            Alexander looked out the window. “I misjudged how strong a connection I could be for you.”

            Devon tilted his head. “Me?”

            Alexander turned to him. “We have to get you to a safe space.”

            “Me?!” Devon couldn’t believe it. He needed it confirmed.

            Alexander seemed proud for a moment. “I believe so. Yes.”

            Devon was dumbstruck. “Wait. What were you expecting to happen?”

            Alexander pulled a sketchpad out of Devon’s bag.

            “Hey.” Devon reached for the sketchpad, too.

            Alexander held it back. “Can I see?”

            Devon gave him a look and kind of shrugged.

            Alexander opened it, and carefully flipped each page. “These are interesting.” There was a sketch of Devon with trees around him. It looked like woods of some kind. Alexander held it up for Devon to see. “Did you draw everything on this page?”

            “Yeah, I drew that.” Devon answered as he looked at it.

            “Really look it over. Make sure.”

            Devon sneered. “I drew it. What’s the big deal?”

            Alexander pointed to a tiny triangle hidden in the trees directly above Devon’s head. Inside there was an eye.

Devon didn’t see it, at first, but then he could have sworn it moved. He stared at it. “What the hell is that?”

“That’s what I thought.” Alexander grit his teeth, then put his finger over the eye in the triangle and rubbed it quickly.

“Hey, wait.”

Alexander withdrew his finger, and the spot where the eye had been was now blank.

Devon inspected it, wondering how he did that.

Alexander pulled a slender, old metal box out of Devon’s bag that he used to hold pencils. He opened it, and offered Devon, “Draw blackness over that spot.”

Devon took a pencil, and lightly drew over the spot.

“No. Really black it out! And, say ‘You cannot see me’, while you do.” Alexander positioned the pad so Devon had better access to it.

He felt foolish, but he did it. He scribbled hard, “You can’t see me?”

“No. Say it. Don’t ask it.” Alexander’s expression was serious.

“You can’t see me.” Devon made the spot and surrounding area black.

“Good.” Alexander pointed at the laptop. “Open the battery.”

            “Why?” Devon asked, but he didn’t hesitate to turn the laptop over and open the battery compartment. He pulled it out and showed it to Alexander, and as he did, he noticed a little black chip on the backside. It was the same triangle with the eye in it. Again, he could have sworn it moved, like an insect settling in. “What the hell is this?”

            Alexander scraped the chip off the battery and took it between his thumb and forefinger. It seemed to wriggle a bit. He squeezed, and there was a sizzling sound. Alexander opened the window and flicked the thing into the street.

          “What the hell was that?” Devon was creeped out.

            “You are being monitored.” Alexander handed Devon his bag. “Go through everything, and make sure there’s nothing else.” He tapped Devon’s clavicle. “What is that necklace?”

            Devon touched his upper chest, and the pendant of the necklace he wore under his shirt. “This? It’s just something a friend gave me.”

            “Let me see it.”

            Devon pulled it out from under his shirt to show Alexander. It was a black circle with another circle inside it, and four lines reaching out from the center of the circles to the edge of the pendant. “See.”

            Alexander looked at it. “We have to get rid of it.”

            “Why?” Devon pulled it back. “A friend gave it to me.”

            “Look at the back.”

            There was a tiny triangle on the back. “Oh.” Devon pointed to the sketch pad.” But… I never saw that before.”

            “Yeah.” Alexander held his hand out.

            “No, it was from my friend.”

            Alexander raised an eyebrow. “We’re going to be talking to this friend of yours.” The light was green. The car began driving, again. “Think, Devon. Really assess the relationship. Is this truly a friend of yours? Put yourself in their presence. How does it feel?”

            “Why?" Devon did what he was told. “Oh…” It didn’t feel good. 

             “We’ll be seeing her very soon. I guarantee it.” Then, without warning, or any apparent provocation, Alexander threw his head back and roared with laughter. He couldn’t keep it inside.

            Devon was pissed, and alarmed. He backed up to the door, and his hands made fists. “That’s not cool!... What the…”

            Alexander grabbed his arm and yelled through laughter. “NO! NO! YOU PUNCHED HIM IN THE FACE!”

            Devon squinted, having no idea why anyone would find that amusing. “Uh, yeah… He was gonna…” Devon didn’t know. “He was gonna do something.”

            Alexander threw up his hands. That brought up a new eruption of glee. It took him a few moments before he was able to speak, again. “He’s so used to dealing with hekatere…”

            “Heck-ah-teer?” Devon’s upper lip curled.

            “He didn’t realize you’d…” Alexander mimed a punch and had another hysterical fit. He blew out a breath to help himself regain control. “He’s probably never dealt with humans, in person. He had no idea you would physically attack him!”

            “Wow.” Devon mulled that over. “He was gonna… What would he have done to me?”

            Alexander’s glee dissipated. “We have to get you somewhere safe, until we can teach you how to defend yourself.”

            “Obviously, I can.” Devon leaned his head back.

            Alexander grasped Devon’s arm, again. “Yes, obviously, but they aren’t that foolish. They won’t engage you in the same manner, next time.”

            “What would he have done to me?” Devon was as excited as he was worried.

            “I think, at worst, he would have taken you.” Alexander meant that to be calming, but he could tell by Devon’s expression it wasn’t. “They need to see what you can do. They will not injure you, now, I’m sure.”

“Do you know who they are?”

“No. But I’ll be going over their heads and taking you with me.” He looked Devon in the eye. “We need help.”

            “Why? Wait. How did you know it was a ‘her’, that gave me the pendant?”

            Alexander pointed at the bag. “Do you really need that? Is there anything else in it you cannot live without? Can you strip yourself of these things?”

            “But, I need all this stuff.” Devon took a mental inventory.

            “No, you needed all that stuff. I think you’ll find that your needs have changed.” Alexander smiled.        

            Before Devon could figure out how to respond with an argument, the car pulled over to the curb. Alexander turned to him, again. “Please take the necklace off.”

            “Why?” Devon leaned away from Alexander and held on to it.

            “I’m not going to make you get rid of it. We’re going to do something else. Take it off and hold it in your closed hand.”

            Devon reluctantly did so.

            Alexander looked at his own fist, as if to demonstrate to Devon, and said, “You cannot see me. I withdraw my permission.” And he waited for Devon to repeat the line. When he did, awkwardly, Alexander enwrapped Devon’s fist with both his hands, and continued, “I see you, I watch you, and I am protected from you.”

            Devon gave him another look, but he repeated those words. His voice went up at the end, and it sounded more like a question.

            Alexander directed him, “It is not the words, as much as the intention. Say it all again and mean it.”

            “How can I…” Devon began to argue.

            “Trust me.”

            Devon shook his head, then looked at Alexander’s hands, around his own, and said all the words as if he meant them. He was shocked by a sudden flash of a picture of Theda, the woman who gave him the necklace, sitting outside his house. The pendant sizzled in his hand, and when he opened it, it was misshapen, as if it had melted. A wave of relief came over him. He suddenly felt better than he had in years.

            Alexander smiled, again and pushed a button on his desktop. A screen appeared, and on it was a view of Devon’s house. There was a plump woman with light blonde hair, wearing all black waiting on the steps in front of the house. “Theda.” Alexander pointed at the woman.

            “Yeah.” Devon was perplexed. “Why is she…?” He faced Alexander, “You’re monitoring my house?”

            “Sorry.” Alexander nodded, his finger pointing at Theda. “But, this is the reason. We need to find out who else is, too.”

            “Theda? Why would she…?” His mind raced. “But, I’ve known her for years.”

            “Yes. I’m sure you have.” Alexander studied Theda on the screen. “You have had many arguments, and she disagrees with you in the moment, but later comes to you and apologizes, yet it all resolves as your fault?”

            “Yeah…” Devon looked at Theda. She was anxious.

            “You often questioned if she really was your friend, and if she ever really cared about you, at all?” Alexander flexed his hands, exhibiting some agitation of his own.

            Devon looked out the window. “Why would she need to spy on me? For years? That doesn’t make any sense.”

            “Let’s find out why, and who she is.” Alexander faced forward, and the car pulled back onto the road. “But, we cannot go back to your house.”

            “What?! We have to!” Devon had his hands up. “I can’t just walk away from everything. I have to go to work tomorrow. I have so much stuff to do…”

            Alexander was slowly shaking his head. “It’s all gone. All of it. You cannot go to work tomorrow, or ever. None of your jobs.”

            “Oh, really?” Devon’s tone became sarcastic. “How do you suggest I pay my bills?”

            Alexander turned and looked him directly in the eye. “You have no bills.” He let that sink in, then continued, “I would not cut you adrift with no oars. I have means to support you.”

            For some reason, that seemed to be the most unbelievable thing Alexander had said. Devon made a low guttural sound that demonstrated his sheer disbelief. “You?! You’re gonna take care of me?!” He made a fist and thought about using it. His voice raised several decibels. “WHAT THE HELL DO YOU EVEN WANT FROM ME?” He shook his head. “You STILL haven’t even told me what you want from me!”

            Alexander was about to launch into an explanation but couldn’t hold back a chuckle. “Sorry…”

            Devon threw his hands up. “What the hell?” He was almost shaking. He felt duped and furious.

            Alexander put his hand up, then placed one on Devon’s wrist. “Do you realize the point at which you lost control was not any of the times I placed your future in uncertainty, but when I offered you stability?”

            As soon as Alexander touched his wrist, he started feel calmer. It was true, though. He couldn’t imagine that Alexander would be able to help him.

            “Yes.” Alexander sat back. He knew just how unreal it was for Devon. At this point, Devon felt he had no one, not anyone real in his life. How could he be expected to trust Alexander in such a short amount of time. “I do need you. I’m willing to recompense you for your efforts.”

            None of Devon’s questions were answered, but the world he always wanted was opening up to him. It was like a carrot, still out of reach, although he had a glimpse of it. Why did it make him feel so unsafe? There was nothing he wanted from his old life, except his own art.

            “We have to go.” Alexander opened his mind back up to Devon and let pictures seep through. “I have so much to tell you. No part of it will be easy, but right now, I have to secure your safety.”

            Devon was much more relaxed than just a moment earlier. and the images from Alexander's mind were surprisingly helpful, but he couldn't forget. “What about my stuff?”

            “We can get some of it. Only what is irreplaceable.” Alexander pointed at the screen. Theda was still on Devon’s porch. She was almost in hysterics and looked like a person waiting to hear if a loved one had died. “Call her. Tell her to meet you at the beach. When she leaves your house, we have one minute to get what you need.”

            Devon stared at the image of Theda on the screen. “Then…?”

            Alexander guided the car back into traffic. “Then, we meet her at a different place. We need to talk to her.”

            When Alexander pulled up directly across from Devon's house, it seemed illogical to Devon, considering Alexander's anxiety about his safety. "Should we park right in front?"

            "It's a risk being here, at all." Alexander shrugged. "I don not think it is very smart that we came here, to tell you the truth."

            "What?" Devon reached for the door handle, but there was none. He was getting worked up, again. "Then, why did we?!”

            Alexander smiled. "You wanted to."

            "What...?!"

            Alexander cut him off. "We need to see who has been monitoring you, and this is the quickest way, I reckon." He winked at Devon, giving the impression that he thought it was a game. Alexander's door opened, "I'll get out first. If you walk close to me, you should be hidden from a good number of eyes."

            "What the…?" That did not put Devon at eas

            Alexander was already out of the vehicle, and, when he appeared at Devon's door, it opened.

            They walked up to the front door, side-by-side. Alexander was cool, but Devon darted between fight and flight. His head swiveled around, terrified of what could be behind him. It took him longer than usual to open the door, with shaking hands. When they were inside, and the door closed behind them, he asked. "What am I in danger from? I mean, what, or who, is coming after me?"

            "I'll tell you." Alexander made his way directly to Devon's desk. "We really have to leave right now." 

            Devon rushed into his bedroom.

            Alexander called after him. "You do not need clothing! Just bring anything you have written, drawn, things like that."

            "Oh, man!" Devon yelled, completely overwhelmed. What do you take when you have no time to choose? He looked around, and nothing seemed to mean as much to him.

            Alexander piled a few things on top of another laptop that was on the desk. He pulled out sketch pads, notebooks, and external hard drives, and inspected them very closely.

            Devon came out of the bedroom with a duffle bag, a laptop case, and a big gym bag. "We can't get everything now." He patted the duffle bag. "These are some of my books." He saw what Alexander had assembled on the desk, and they were things he actually found important. "Oh, wow. Thanks."

            Alexander held up one of the portable memory devices. "Is this all of them?"

            Devon looked it over, then remembered, "Oh, wait, the..."

            Alexander held up a small plastic ziplock baggie full of memory sticks.

            "Yeah!" Devon grabbed it and looked at Alexander. "I really, really hope I can trust you."

            Alexander smiled. "I agree, and I hope I can trust you."

            The doorhandle twisted back and forth. Someone was fiddling with it, then the door opened.

            Devon picked up his desk chair, as he turned around. "Hey!" He stopped, stunned by the sight of the people standing there. "What are you guys doing here?"

            There was a white man in the doorway, with a woman behind him. The man had dirty blond hair, and dressed very casually, with a gray, white, and pink short sleeve plaid shirt and red pants. The woman was Asian, with dark hair, wearing a "Powerpuff Girls" tee, and a purse over her shoulder. They both appeared very surprised to see Devon.

            Devon put the chair down. "What are you guys doing here? What's going on?" He glanced behind himself and Alexander was gone.

            "Uh..." The man stepped forward and forced a smile. "We were just..." He pointed to his wife. "We wanted to see if you were ok."

            "Oh..." Devon wondered if there was a legitimate reason for them to be concerned. "Why would you...?"

            The woman closed the door behind herself, and they both took a step forward.

            "I locked that door." Devon pointed at it, then got the chair between himself and his two 'friends'. "How did you get in here? And, what ARE you two?" He stepped back and was beginning to panic. Did Alexander set this up, then leave? He felt particularly vulnerable with all his important stuff on the desk.

            Neither intruder seemed happy about the situation but were resigned to a course of action. The man pulled up his shirt in the back, and reached around, surprised to find nothing. The woman looked at him with the same expression as her empty hand withdrew from her purse. It dove back in and desperately searched for something that wasn't there, as she struggled to maintain a smile.

            Devon heard a man chuckle behind him. He whipped around, and saw Alexander appear from nowhere, as if he walked out from inside the wall. He was holding a gun in each hand, but not the way you normally would. His fingers wrapped around the barrel. He asked Devon's friends, "Did you drop these?"

            The man and woman both gasped.

            “What the hell?!” Devon put his hands out in front of himself, and took a step back.

The woman reached for the door, and violently twisted it, trying to pull it open. It was stuck. The man looked for something to grab as a weapon. 

That's when Alexander twirled the guns around and held them the right way, trained on the intruders. He asked Devon. "Is this Pierce and Kuri?"

           They froze on the spot and held up their hands, terror in their eyes. 

            Devon looked back and forth from the man and the woman, then to Alexander. The state of affairs before him was incomprehensible. “Yeah, uh, I thought they were my friends…” 

            Alexander didn’t smile. “Their inefficiency and clumsy entrance tells me they’re not employed by an official agency of any sort. I’m guessing they’re ‘Human Preservationists’.”

            “What?” Devon wasn’t moving any closer to his ‘friends’. He obviously had lost trust in them. “What is that?”

            Pierce and Kuri tried not to react, but Alexander could sense it. He was on to something. “Groups of Humans that see people like us as a threat. They could be part of any number of Christian Protection Coalitions like “Children of The Garden”, or even White Supremacists, if Kuri wasn’t here, obviously. If I had to guess, I’d say they’re part of “The Humanitarians”.”

            That did it. It was almost imperceptible, but both Pierce and Kuri reacted to that. Devon got the affirmation from Alexander in the form of a thought.

            Devon turned to them, his anger taking root. “What are you doing here? Why would you bring guns to use against me?”

            Pierce motioned his head towards Alexander. “You’re not going trust him, over us…”

            Devon cut him off. “You were just going to kill me!" 

            Kuri shook her head, almost pleading. "No! We weren't going to kill you!"

            “Then what were you going to do with the guns?” He motioned to Alexander. “So, him? You were going to kill him? How did you even know he was here?”

            Pierce changed his tone, following Kuri’s lead. “We needed to make sure you were safe.” He glanced at Alexander. “You never know what those people are capable of.”

            “I don’t know what YOU’RE capable of, either!” Devon looked at Pierce as if he was crazy. “Cause, turns out, I’m one of those people.”

            “No, you’re not!” Kuri urged. “Come with us. We can protect you from them.”

            Alexander was rather calm, and stated matter-of-factly, "They are human. It does not matter where they take you, they cannot keep you safe."

            Pierce didn’t like that. “You’re going to trust him? See! Nowhere is safe with them still around."

            Again, Devon offered him a wildly incredulous expression. "I don't think I can trust anyone!"

            Kuri appealed to Devon, in a sympathetic tone that was beginning to sound worn out. “We’ve been your friends for years…”

            Devon cut her off. “Have you? I thought so, but…” He pointed at them. “This wouldn’t be proof of that. What are you doing here? What have you been doing? Spying on me, for years?”

            Pierce and Kuri shared a look. Pierce sighed. “It’s not that simple.”

            Devon looked them both directly in the eye. “Why?”       

            “Um…” Kuri avoided eye contact.

            Pierce tried to think of the right thing to say. “It’s not like he says! It’s hard to explain.”

            Devon had a realization that caused his heart to sink a few inches. “You know what. Whenever a person says, ‘It’s hard to explain’, that ALWAYS means they know their explanation will hurt the other person.”

            “No…” Pierce shook his head.

            “Then, what is it?” Devon picked up his things and packed them into his bags. “If you don’t tell me right now, then I don’t care, cause we have to go.”

            Kuri pointed at Alexander. “They want to kill Humans, too!”

            Devon looked at Alexander, who shook his head. “No. Not me.” He nodded. “Yes, there are those who are at war with Humans, but I am not a part of that.”

            Pierce also pointed at him. “He’s lying!”

            “No. I am not.” Alexander shook his head, again, this time out of disgust. “Devon, the difference is, upfront, I am admitting, to you, that I will be watching you, and guarding you. Tell Devon what your people will do if he comes out of his dormant state.”

            Pierce and Kuri suppressed a hiccup of nerves, but neither said anything. Kuri had a chilling realization, “Dormant?”

            Alexander had lost patience with them. His voice reflected his feelings of grief on the matter. “If you show any abilities beyond the range of Humans, and they cannot suppress them, you disappear. If you are lucky, they kill you. If not, you may be studied for years.”

            Kuri was almost in tears. “He’s lying!”

            “Am I?” Alexander shook his head. “We have to go.”

            Devon looked at him. He felt that Alexander was telling the truth, but he didn’t have any tangible reason why. All he knew is that Pierce and Kuri had betrayed him. Their presence at that moment didn’t make any sense. He gave Alexander a slight nod and finished packing his things.

            “Sorry,” Alexander said to Kuri and Pierce, and legitimately seemed concerned. He waved his hand, and they closed their eyes, then slowly collapsed to the floor.

            “Oh, my God!” Devon stepped forward, his bags hanging off him. “Why did you kill them?!?”

            “They are just sleeping!” Alexander waved his hands, still holding the guns. “When we are gone, they will wake up.”

            Devon let out a hard breath. “What do I do? Can I really trust you?” He pointed all around himself, indicating his home. “I can’t stay here, can I? Who, the hell, else, is going to be breaking in?”

            “Good question.” Alexander walked to the door and placed the guns on a side table. “They might need these.” He waved his hand, again. An unseen force neatly moved Pierce and Kuri out of the way. He slapped the table causing a loud crack.

            Devon felt a cold chill pull at his insides, and a replica of himself stepped out from his body, and ran after clones of Pierce, Kuri, and Alexander. They screamed through the open front door and tore down the street in terror. That rattled Devon. Alexander relieved Devon of two of his bags and walked out.

            Devon looked down at his ‘friends’, still unconscious on the floor, hoping for some reason to stay. Nothing came. He walked out.

            Alexander was waiting for him on the porch.

            Devon held up a set of keys and pointed to a blue car in the driveway. “That’s mine.”

            “Is it irreplaceable?” Alexander was doubtful. “I have more.”

            Devon looked at his Nissan Altima, then at Alexander’s vehicle.

            Side-by-side, they made their way across the street. Alexander looked over his shoulder, to the roof of the home they just left. Devon turned to see, and from the corner of his eye, he thought he caught a glimpse of a silvery figure disappear like a ghost. He stopped and carefully scanned the entire house, but there was nothing. Alexander’s arm steered him toward the car.

Once they were in, and Devon’s gear was stowed, the car pulled away from the curb and drove in the opposite direction. Alexander calmly said, “Humans are the only ones who would need to kill you. Anyone with any ability would wait to see how you align yourself.”

            Devon laughed out of frustration. “What?!” He held his head. “All right. I don’t even know where to begin! There is SO MUCH I need to know! Were ANY of my friends really my friends? ANY of them?” He didn’t wait for Alexander to respond, “My life really is gone, isn’t it?”  

            Alexander tilted his head. “I understand how hard this is, but you have to realize that you were never one of them. As much as you never felt a real connection, they could not, either.”

            “Oh.” That answered four of Devon’s questions in one snap. “Wow.”

            Alexander let the tone of his voice drop into a soothing stream, “You’ve been wanting that life to die for as long as you can remember. Do you know why you are upset about it coming to an end?”

            Devon held his hands up, “Well, it’s just that I wanted to have some kind of a secure situation, before I walked away from everything.”

            Alexander smiled and sent images of his current life to Devon. “I can understand that. I also understand you cannot except my offer of support. I’ll give you time.”

            Devon saw pieces of Alexander’s existence in his mind, like an ambient video. They were too far removed from any reality he had ever known. He scowled at them. “Why would you offer me all that? Even if you wanted me to help you find my father, why?”

            Alexander smiled. “It is not only because of your father. You, all by yourself, are very valuable, too.”

            Devon sat up, eager to find out, “How?”

            Alexander held his hand up, putting an end to that subject, for the time being. “Also, Devon. To say I have been very fortunate would be a spectacular understatement. There is no reason why I should not extend what I have enjoyed.” He waved his hand to stop Devon, who was about to reply. “Call Theda. Have her walk down the beach. There are two small piers just south of where she is now. The third was partially destroyed. The end is washed away. Tell her we’ll meet her there, in two minutes.”

            “We can’t be there in two minutes.” Devon pulled his phone out of his pocket.

            “Well, she cannot walk there in two minutes. I want to have a good vantage of the beach. I want her to be on foot.”

            “Wait, what?” Devon’s eyes went wide. “You sound like we’re gonna put a hit on her. You’re not gonna kill her, aren’t you?”

            Alexander laughed. “No. I’m not going to kill her. I want to hear more of this world you come from, where you think everyone must die. I simply want to have the advantage and be able to see if anyone is following her or watching us.”

            “Oh.” Devon looked out the side window. He didn’t know which question to ask first. “How… Would there… Why… Wait, how do people know, or why do they want to see me?”

            “Call her first.” Alexander pointed at his phone. “Then I’ll tell you.”

            Devon dialed. 

Theda picked up cutting off the first ring. “Where the hell are you?!”

Alexander held up one finger and slowly moved it from one side of his face to the other.

Devon somehow understood his cryptic gesture. “Hey. I’m almost there, but there’s a pier south of you. It’s the one you can’t go on. There’s a gate on it, and cables across. I’ll meet you there.”

“No!” Theda wasn’t hiding any of her irritation. “Come here. I don’t want to go there.”

Alexander made a face. Devon acknowledged, at least to himself, that Theda always demanded to be in control. He shot her snotty tone back at her. “No. That’s the only place I can park. If you want to see me, that’s where I’ll be.”

Theda made the sound annoyed teenage girls do when they snap their tongue against the roof their mouth. “Oh, my God! Just come here.”

Devon rolled his eyes. “No, I can’t. I’ll see you at the third pier.”

Alexander snapped his fingers, and Devon’s call was cut off.

Devon looked at his phone and it said he had no signal. He turned to Alexander, impressed. “Did you do that?”

He didn’t confirm but said. “It felt as thought she would argue with you forever.”

Devon didn’t care, anymore. “So, who is she, and why would she need to monitor me for years?”

 “The first thing you need to know.” Alexander shifted his position, to get ready. “Your father was developing a technology that Humans want. It will be a revolutionary convenience for them, but it’s a necessity for people like us…”

Devon cut him off. “What was it?" 

Alexander smirked. “To put it simply, it is a way for us to travel safely. We can talk about it later.” He held up his hand because Devon was going to ask another question. “The reason why you have been monitored, but never contacted, all these years…” He paused. What he had to say was troubling, to him. “Is because your father, and probably your mother, rendered you dormant.”

Devon looked out the window with a weird expression. That didn’t really mean anything to him. “Yeah, that’s what you said to Pierce and Kuri.”

“You’re not Human, Devon.” Alexander put his hand on Devon’s arm. “Basically, they put a lid on your abilities, hoping to keep you safe.”

Devon turned to look right at him. He felt held down his whole life, dampened, but when said aloud, it sounded too good to be true. It made him feel like Alexander was conning him with tidbits of information he gleaned from his family and friends. “You know that sounds dumb as hell, right?”

“Really?” Alexander mocked Devon’s tone and expression. “After what you saw at that table in the courtyard, outside your office building? That was exactly NOT Human, Devon.”

“So, you really think I did that?”

“I’m saying I did not do that.” Alexander tried to mock Devon’s facial appearance again, but it just made him laugh.

Devon was knocked into silence, again, as the car pulled to the side of the road on a hill just above the beach.

“Wow.” Devon stared blankly out the window.

“You all right?” Alexander gripped his arm.

“Yeah.”

“Ok.” Alexander pointed toward the beach. “Because, this probably will not be pleasant.”

Devon nodded. “Yeah, I figured.”

 

They could see Theda marching down the beach toward them as they stood in front of the derelict pier. Blonde, pale skin, black hoodie and yoga pants, which she probably bought two sizes ago. Her whole physicality changed when she looked up and saw Devon standing with Alexander. Her gait became more determined, and her look of agony was visible from 100 yards away. She didn’t speak until she stopped four feet in front of them. “Who’s this?” Her round, fleshy face had tinges of pink across the cheeks and nose, but not a healthy glow. Possibly, she drank too much.

“Hello, Theda. I’m Alexander.” He didn’t extend his hand or make any move toward physical contact, but he did have a smug smile on his face. He could see, up close, that she used to be leaner than she was right now.

“Theda,” she said then glared at Devon, who was feeling too many emotions to care a whole lot about her, in that moment.

“Do not worry. He knows everything.”  Alexander offered.

Theda snapped. “Who are you?!”

“I’m Alexander, as I’ve told you. But, the question is, who sent you? The Duat?”

She looked as if Alexander slapped her across the face. “What are you talking about?”

“Get off it, Theda!” Devon was fairly well disgusted with her. “Why have you been watching me, for years?”

She looked at Devon with an expression meant to belittle his intelligence. “What are you talking about?”

“She’s good at hiding her thoughts. I’m guessing she’s a Strix.” Alexander smiled, proud of himself. “Oh, see, now. That’s got you worried.”

She became considerably whiter than usual. Her head dipped and she looked up at Alexander with pure hate.

“What’s that?” Devon looked her over, as if he’d never seen her before.

“It’s a derogatory term for a Soul Sucker. She lives in the life stream of others.” Alexander shifted his weight away from her. He had taken a dislike to Theda.

“This is so stupid!” Theda looked like she was ready to fight.

“They were thought to not have souls of their own, because they cannot be felt. Very hard to read. No images emanate from them. No one really means anything to them, unless they can feed, like a parasite. I assume you’ll feel better with less contact to her.”

“Fuck you!” Theda spat her words at him.

Alexander chuckled. “They are very witty."

“She doesn’t seem all that hard to read.” Devon stared at her. “I can tell exactly what she’s thinking.”

“We don’t have to keep talking about me like I’m not here!” Theda crossed her arms. “Can we just talk, alone, without him?!”

Alexander ignored her. “Not necessarily. She might have grown attached to you.”

“Have you?” Devon was shocked.

“We’re friends!” Her annoyed expression didn’t fade, at all. “Of course, I care about you.” She sneered. “Do you even care about me, at all?”

Alexander pointed at her. “I am guessing she does that a lot. Was everything always your fault?”

“Huh!” One curt chunk of laughter jumped up from Devon’s gut, out his mouth. “You have no idea.”

“Fuck you!” Theda glared at both of them. This is the point at which anyone would normally walk away, but she desperately needed something. That was clear.

            Alexander looked her up, and down. “They are normally not this hardy. She fed well off you.”

            Theda swung her arms wide. “WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU?!!”

            “I already told him who I am.” Alexander tilted his head toward Devon. “If you truly were his friend, you would tell him who you are.”

            Intense fear glinted in her eyes. She looked out toward the ocean, and crossed her arms, again.

            Devon let out an exasperated breath. “Theda. I need to know.”

            Theda pointed wildly at Alexander. “Oh, and you believe him? How stupid does that sound?”

            Devon pointed at him the same way. “At least he told me! I’ve known him for less than, I don’t know, an hour? You’ve been watching me for years, and you never said a word.” He stared at her, waiting for an answer, then continued. “You’re not really in a position to tell me who to trust!”

            “But, you can’t trust him!” Theda took a step back from Alexander, as if to demonstrate how dangerous he was. “You don’t know if he’s gonna kill you, or something…”

            Devon pointed at her. “Neither do you! You have no idea who, or what, he is!” He shook his head. “Theda, if you don’t tell me who you are, and why you were spying on me, FOR YEARS, then we’re leaving!”

            She sighed, and there was an unmistakable ring of grief to it. She looked at Alexander, “Can you just leave us alone for a minute?”

            Alexander motioned to Devon but kept his eyes on Theda. “If he wants that. I would not recommend it.” He put his hand on Devon’s shoulder. “She may not be able to tell you. She may be bound.”

            There was that sigh, again. She ran her fingers through her hair.

            “What can you tell him?” Alexander leaned in, and his voice dropped. “Is he safe, if he goes with you?”

            She shifted her weight and propped her hands on her hips.

            Alexander’s voice was thick and silky, like a snake hypnotizing a mouse. “Do you really want to lose him? Think about the feasts you’ve enjoyed off just one of his vital breaths.”

            She looked at Devon and considered Alexander’s words.

            “You’ve never known anyone like him, anyone who would let you feed off such power… for soooo long.” Alexander’s breathing matched Theda’s. Devon was about to say something, but Alexander held his hand up to silence him.

            Theda was clearly conflicted.

            “Now, tell him…” Alexander took a few breaths in time with Theda before asking. “Will he be safe, if he goes with you?”

            She grimaced, then looked away, again, and implored her old friend. “Please, just come with me.”

            Devon was done. He moved two steps back. “I can’t. I don’t know who you are, or what you want from me.”

            “No…” Theda was almost whimpering.

            Alexander also stepped backward and raised his hand to Theda. “I’ll find out who you answer to.” He smiled. “I’ll set up a meeting.”

            Theda looked down at her feet. She tried to move her legs with her hands.

            Devon jabbed Alexander with the back of his hand. “What did you do to her?”

            “She’ll be able to move her feet, as soon as we’re gone.”

            “Fuck you!” Theda’s eyes glistened with moisture.

            Devon took his misshapen necklace out of his pocket, and held it up, letting it dangle.

            Theda’s eyes widened. Fear was easily readable on her face.

            He dropped it in the sand. “Thanks.”

He and Alexander walked away.

            In the car, Alexander took a moment to program an evasive route to their destination.

Devvon waited impatiently, then as soon as Alexander looked up, he said, “She never was a good friend, but… I mean, to call her a bitch would be a compliment. She’s a cunt. Was she really feeding off me?”

            The car pulled away from the curb and entered traffic.

Alexander nodded once. “They usurp energy that would be used for brain activity. It can confuse the mind. You sometimes felt connected to her?”

“Yes.” Devon clenched his fists together and growled. “She would create problems just to feel the drama. That would help her, in some way?”

Alexander smirked. “Sounds like it did.”

Devon punched the dashboard. “Yeah. I felt it.” He turned to Alexander. “But, how do I know I can trust you?”

Alexander shrugged. “Do not trust me. Not until I have earned it.”

Devon sat with that, even stared at Alexander, who smiled back as he dealt with the navigation of their vehicle, and other issues. A thought occurred to Devon. “Wait! How?” He pointed his thumb behind himself, back to the beach they just left. “If they knew where I worked, they must know where I live. How were they NOT there? And, why didn’t they follow us to the beach?” He looked out his side window and twisted his body to see out the back window. “Was Theda with them? What’s going on?”

Alexander wordlessly acknowledged all of his points as valid, and let him vent, then answered. “I think we are benefiting from a bit of intervening aid.”

“Wait, what?” Devon went on asking questions, then asking more before Alexander had a chance to respond. He ended with an easy one. “Where are we going?”

Alexander answered this one. “Home.”