Counter Lotus

Chapter 18

Relaxing back in his chair, my lack of a response brought amusement to his face. "You don't actually feel guilty, do you? The girl was strangling you."

"How do you know about that?" Our drinks arrived (mine as well shockingly).

"It's my job to know. I monitor certain people and situations. Like the one you're in."

"Monitor?" I offered a disgusted laugh. "You mean you stalk me too? Inside and outside of dreams?"

"No, I do not stalk you. I'm not pathetic and I have a high level of respect for you. There are other ways I gather my knowledge."

"Well, have you gathered why that chick was trying to kill me?" I asked sharply, running a tense hand through my ringed hair. "You said you would give me answers, you said you want to protect me. You said we can help each other, whatever that even means. So why did she attack me last night?"

With a humored smile, he sipped his drink. As if my question took us into exciting and entertaining territory. Setting his drink aside, resting his arms against the table, his dangerous eyes danced in mine. Something big was flirting behind his daunting front.

"Are you religious, Josephine? Or spiritual in any fashion?"

Oh boy. Where was he going with this?

"Not really. I do hope there is something more though beyond this life. Why?" I asked, taking a sip.

"Well... there is something more," he said, placing emphases on each word. "You don't have to wait until the end of your life to find that out."

"How do you mean?"

His alluring voice paused. Each passing second added momentum and an intensity to the air. There was a reason why he was milking each moment, soaking me in with delighted eyes. Because what he was about to share... what he was building up to... was life-changing.

"The girl that attacked you last night... was a demon."

Well, slap me silly guys! I was trying to be open minded, but come on. "A demon?"

"Yes. Listen carefully," he said, voice shifting to a low tone. "You see, people like yourself are born half blind – and they are born that way for a reason. People are not meant to know the truth of what's out there. The most they can do is have faith something is waiting for them on the other side. But I'm telling you... there is a Heaven and there is a Hell. The girl that attacked you... worked for Hell."

"You start speaking in riddles and metaphors again, I'm going to get pissed."

"I wish I wasn't speaking literally, doll, but I am."

He was serious. Famine answered the million dollar question everyone wondered about. He was stating, as a solid and unmoving fact... that there was more beyond this life. Including demons. My gut reaction to that though: how was I supposed to take such grand words seriously?

"Do you understand how insane you sound? That's like me saying 'bigfoot exists, and we hang out all the time.' Would you believe me if I told you that?"

He couldn't hide a toothy and pretty smile. "I would if the proof is all around me."

"Alright, where is the proof? Where is the proof that the chick that tried killing me worked for Hell?" I scoffed, flustered. "That sounds stupid. You can't even know that! What, she would have received a paycheck from Satan for killing me?"

"Well, it wasn't a regular 9 to 5 – and I don't think Satan has influence in the payroll department – but in a sense, yes."

"You are batshit crazy."