The Company

Nightmare

Lie to me,
Convince me that I've been sick forever,
And all of this will make sense when I
Get better

-- Evanescence

After all is said and done, everything signed, the Mediator stands, straightening his tie.

"Well, that's that," he says, gathering his things. "You may start your Attendance, Miss Clarke. Be aware, though, that I will have to report your little display here."

I don't look at him, picking at the edge of the table.

"My Lord," he says to Oberon before exiting, who gives a regal nod in return.

Please... you're in a damn wheelchair.

When the Mediator is gone, silence fills the room. I feel his eyes on me.

"Are you still drunk?" he asks after a beat, and I hear his smile in his words.

"No."

"Good. I want to start right away. I will give you the rest of today to gather your things."

I nod.

"Are you even curious about where we are going or what we will be doing?"

"Not at all," I drone. "I'm here to help you. That's it."

"Hmm, helping me may be a little more trouble than you are expecting."

I finally look up at him. "Any trouble is fine by me."

He tilts his head at me, an amused look on his face. "Well, alright then."

"Do I need to take you anywhere before I go get my stuff?"

"No, I have someone coming by."

"Good, because I don't have a car right now."

He sighs, but simply says, "I've got another meeting today before we leave. You have to be quick, car or not... if only you humans could open portals."

Ignoring that puzzling last bit, I rise to my feet. "I'll go now, then."

Before I am around the curtain, he says, "Try to cheer up, Sasha. Who knows? You may grow to be as fond of me as you were Miss Star."

I clench the fabric in my hand and force myself to bite my tongue, then wrench it open and leave.

I need to get my things, but there is something else I need to do before I go.

I have to say good bye to Vik.

An Attendant never knows if and when they will return, and I couldn't bear dying without seeing him one more time.

I take the bus back to my apartment. I look at all the passengers, the people who live their lives day to day not knowing anything about what is actually going on in the world-- how their days of freedom are coming to an end.

I watch two kids playing, a brother and sister, laughing and looking out their window, their mother scolding them everytime they stand up on their seat to get a better view. They don't know that one day they will be enslaved by Demons. None of them do.