I throw my hands on my head and tug at the roots of my hair. This cannot be happening right now. I thought these hallucinations were over. Finnito. Gone.
Is the universe always trying to tell me I'm wrong? I wish I had the power to say that two can play that game, but unfortunately, I am only but a measly human. I will never reach the power of the infinite. No fair, I thought the saying goes pick on somebody your own size.
I groan and pull out of few strands of my hair one last time, letting out my inner frustration.
"Are you real now?" I ask James.
He doesn't answer.
I blink a few times, and James is gone, leaving Jesse in his place right in front of me. What just happened here? Is there something in the water over here? Do I need glasses or am I going psycho?
"Yes, I am real sweetheart. Or are you just trying to find excuses to touch me? Because if you are; I'm down with out." He replies trying to put my hands on his chest.
I snort. “Nice try at being cool Jesse, but you still need some practice.” I say while pulling my hands out of his grip and away from his body.
About the snorting thing, I just have something on my chest that I feel the need to clarify on. I know it's very unladylike, but I never told anybody I was a lady. In fact, I am just one of the millions of girls in the world.
There it is the cold truth. I know it hurts, but don't come and hug me for comfort, I will push you away and poke you in the eyeballs.
"So what did you try on for me?" Jesse asks, motioning for me to spin in a circle.
I spin, like those toy ballerinas with legs that are longer than my arms. I imagine myself lifting my leg in the air and doing one of those nifty pirouettes, internally snickering when I kick Jesse ‘accidentally’ in my head.
Suddenly, Jesse is on the ground, clutching his... um, stuff. I look at him perplexed, I thought my imagination had good facial expressions, but the real stuff is so much better! But...
How did that actually happen? I know for a fact that I, Jessica, would not in a million years, ever be capable of lifting my leg like that, so then how did it happen? How did my crazy thoughts become reality?
Maybe you unleashed super powers when you killed Henry...
Don't even joke about that. What happened with Henry wasn't funny and I should never joke about it, I took somebody's life acting as if I was God. I'm not.
Jesse must have noticed the change in the air because he starts moving around the room, turning on music, and opening windows. A little breeze makes its way into the room and a shiver runs up my spine.
I'm Just A Kid.
Oh gosh, I haven’t heard this song in a while. When I was smaller, James and I used to come home from school and every day, we would lie down on the floor of his bedroom and listen to this song. It was like our twin ritual, we were the only ones that knew about it. It was our little secret. I smile faintly at the thought. Maybe one day we can be kids again.
“So is that all that I stole for you, or have you decided to become a model? I would say good for you, but you don’t exactly have the face for the job. At least you're finally quiet” Jesse says, laughing at his insult.
I look at him bored. “Wow, you’re so funny Jesse. Why don’t you go sign up to be on Jimmy Kimble’s talk show? I’m sure you would fit in there; useless talent. No offence to Jimmy or anything, I was just aiming to insult you.”
“Go change already.” He sighs dejectedly. Where's the fight? The witty comebacks? Why did a party pooper replace the...
I turn my back to Jesse and walk inside the bathroom, locking the door behind me. What happened with James? I swear I saw him then, I couldn’t have imagined it. I’m not that crazy.
“Hey, are you done in there? I asked you to show me the clothes, not get ready for prom.”
I quickly change into another shirt and walk out. I spin around once and then just stand there, waiting for Jesse to give me the signal. How long does it take to look at a shirt?
“Here, I saw you looking at this in the store and I grabbed it for you.” He says, handing me the leather jacket.
I look at him surprised. “Thanks.”
I walk to the bathroom with the jacket, but Jesse grabs my wrist. “Just get ready; we’re going out sweetheart, your first mission.” My heart skips a beat.
I nod my head once, determined not to let my nervousness crack through my fearless mask. What will I be doing? Will I have to kill another person? I know I’m not a little whiney and defenceless baby, but killing somebody is a big deal. It's... Life.
Why am I even acting like this? I thought I told myself that when I killed Henry, I wouldn’t have feelings anymore. Feelings would be meaningless things of life that I threw out the window like it was dirty water.
They scattered into the air that I breathe the second that bullet went through skin.
I walk back into the bathroom, hopefully for the last time and change into a shirt and jeans. After grabbing all the stolen clothes and putting them into the bag, I walk out of Jesse’s room, still holding onto the leather jacket safely in my hands.
I expect Jesse to follow me, but he doesn’t. The only thing he does is tell me to meet him in the hallway after I’m ready. I walk into my room and I throw the clothes onto the closet floor, slipping on the leather jacket.
I find my phone lying on the desk and pick it up on my way out, checking the time as I open the door; 8:20. Wasn’t it just light out? I turn my head back and look around the room, my eyes meeting the windows searching for light, but all they see is dark.
I walk out of the room and shut the door behind me. My head turns left and right seaching for the blond hair that I have gotten used to. When I don’t see him, I let myself fall to the ground in a sitting position, throwing my head in my hands. Wow.
Jesse comes out of his room a few minutes later, putting out his hand for me to grab. My fingers latch onto his and he lifts me up from my sitting position. We walk together in silence, casually sending each other glances, looking to see if one of us wasn’t following the other.
I move my hair so that it’s covering my face, but it hardly helps my attempt at hiding myself. I soon remember the hair cut I got today.
That lady is on my list... I hope she doesn’t think she can get away with cutting away my only beautiful asset. I don’t care if the cut isn’t so bad, she cut off my hair and for that, my hair is out for revenge.
As Jesse and I get closer to the doors, my tracker bracelet starts glowing. I look down at it confused. Why is it glowing? Is it tracking alien ships?
Jesse seems to notice the glow because he turns to me and grabs my wrist. He eyes widen as if remembering something.
“Where is that key?” He mumbles to himself.
I look back at him feeling myself grow more and more nervous by the second.
“What key?” I say as my voice becomes a pitch higher. Oh boy, am I going to die?
“The key that will stop your hand from exploding if I find it. If I don’t then you won’t be the proud owner of a hand in two minutes.” He starts patting his pockets, but suddenly stops as if realizing something.
His hands reach inside his suit pants and he fishes out a silver key. Well that’s a good place to hide it; I won’t ever be touching anything near there.
He chuckles. “You’re staring Jessica.”
My eyes snap to his. What is he talking about, I wasn’t staring at anything. Oh… I must have zoned out when I started thinking about the key. He thinks I was checking him out. That cocky peacock…
“Let’s just go.” I say looking down, trying to escape the now awkward atmosphere and his staring blue eyes.
As we walk out of the gang house, my bracelet now glowless, I get the feeling as if I’m at a hotel. A black SUV is waiting the front of the doors for Jesse and I.
Jesse grabs onto my wrist and pulls me to the car like so many times before, except now I am going to be in a moving object. Not that it makes a difference, but I felt the need to point it out.
He opens the back door and practically throws me in the back seat, not even looking back at me to see if I was alright. I rub my back after the slight fall and cover my mouth as an unexpected yawn escapes.
Déjà vu. I straighten myself up and move more into the chair, surprised when I see two people staring at me. Jesse gets into the driver’s seat and turns his head back, looking at me with an annoyed expression. What did I do now?
“Landon and Rosalie, meet Jessica. Jessica, meet Landon and Rosalie. Oh and Jessica, I hope you’re ready for your second kill seeing as the first one went so well.” He smirks as if knowing the thoughts going through my head right now.
Oh that little… Jessica use your words. Gucci, Prada, Dior… What am I that little queen bee girl in Sydney White? Gosh, what has this world come to? I blame it on the water.
“Hi.” I tell the two fellow killers and look out the window, implying the fact that I don’t want to talk to them.
“Hey.” Landon answers. His eyes find thier way to the window beside him and I get the feeling that he agrees with my method of escape.
Rosalie here, seemed to have a different ideas. “So what’s your deal? You think you can just come here and ignore us like your all high and mighty? I’ve killed more than forty people and I’m only eighteen. What did you do, kill a fly?”
“Do I look like I care about what you have to say to me? I’ve already killed a person. And flies for that matter. How can you be pleased about the fact that you killed over forty people? And for what? Do you get paid excessive amounts of money or do you just like the thrill?” I answer her, widening my eyes while I say 'thrill'.
In a second, her whole attitude changes. “I like you. Welcome to the family.” And she puts out her hand in front of me.
I look at her in surprise as my hand wraps around hers cautiously. Wasn’t she just acting like a crazy Donkey Kong with rabies, accusing me of being a non-fly-killer, a few minutes ago? Loco in the coco I tell you. That’s why there is the rule ‘never trust strangers’.
My hand quickly escapes from her grasp and I start cracking my fingers, trying to escape the fact that I have nothing to do and I have no idea where we're going. All four of us feel the awkward tension in the air as we stay silent, not knowing what to say.
I attempt to keep myself busy, I watch as Jesse’s hands are around the wheel, moving the circle left and right, you know; driving. I look at him while he furrows his eyebrows and he bites his lower lip in concentration. As if feeling my gaze on him, Jesse turns his head and watches me for a few seconds before turning his gaze back to the road in front of him. I small smile appears on his face.
We only drive for another few minutes, all busy doing nothing. I roll my shoulders back, getting the feeling that we are almost there. Wherever 'there' is.
As Jesse parks the black SUV in a dark alley way away from any sort of living thing, I still find myself in an atmosphere full of tension and silence. I crack my wrists, preparing myself for the worst as I feel dread sink into my pores. None of the others seem to notice my presence, all of them staring into space; emotionless.
I wonder, will I become like that one day? Maybe.
“Ok, Landon you will be on my right. Go in right after I kick the door down.” Jesse says breaking the silence, filling the car with sound.
He turns his face to Rosalie. “Rosalie, I want you to be at the end. Watch our backs.”
Both of them nod their heads, rolling their eyes a little as if they already heard this a million times. This must be routine for them.
“Jessica, I want you going in right after Landon. Do you understand me?” I nod unable to speak at the moment. Where is the strong girl that I am supposed to be? Get it together Jessica, this is the last time I'm telling you.
We all step out of the car, one after the other, leaving the doors open and the key in the ignition in case we need to escape quickly.
Suddenly I feel the handle of a gun being pressed onto my humid hand. I look down and observe the model; it’s the same one that I used the first time. I let out an audible gulp, so much for being tough.
Jesse bends his head close to my ear. “It looks like today you’re going to have the chance to kill again. You should be thanking me.”
“Thanks.” I tell him bluntly.
Nobody talks after that. We all walk in an almost straight line; Landon, me, Jesse, and Rosalie. Our steps our soundless, as if we are ghosts floating in the air. I mentally applaud myself for my awkward attempt at a metaphor.
As we walk closer and closer to the abandoned building, I can’t help but feel as if I’m in a horror movie, chills running down my spine at the sight. I look at the ground around me and my nose scrunches up when it detects the rotting smell. Please don’t tell me I just stepped on human flesh…
Landon reaches for the door handle but stops when he sees a thick liquid coming out from the crack at the bottom of the door.
I try moving back a step, but it only results in my back hitting Jesse’s front. I look back at him and give him an apologetic look, still unable to speak any words. He doesn’t even glance my way. His eyes seem transfixed on the blood, as if confused.
“What happened?” I whisper.
The three of them glare at me. I hold my hands up in defence, my gun accidentally pointing Rosalie. She lifts up her gun and shoots.
I hear a groan from behind me. I let out a breath of relief; I thought she was aiming at me.
“Good job little Rosalie, you’ve managed to shoot one of my men in the stomach. Would you like a reward?” A voice says.
Slowly, a man comes out of the dark, surrounded by two other men with guns waiting for the signal to shoot.
Our green eyes meet, shocked. “James?”
Here you are another chapter. I picked Sean Faris for James, just imagine him with green eyes and you're good to go. I still don't know who to pick for anyone else though.... Comment and or vote. Please. Write to you later,
-R.