SAMANTHA GRIMES (33y) JANUARY 2022, 9.12
Samantha's head hurt. She sat on the driver's side wing of the car while she fished about in her handbag for the car keys and after a short search found them. She looked up and grimaced, the grey clouds matched her mood. A dizzying wave of nausea hit her again. Samantha turned, put both hands on the wing of the car then took a deep breath in an attempt to counteract the sick feeling. It didn't work, and the cocktails made their surprise re-entrance to the world, dribbling down the side of the car. The smell made Samantha retch again, this time the projected fluid was a horrid shade of pink.
'Oh, God. Never again. Ever.'
She took a step away from the car and stood up. From her bag, she got a tissue and wiped her mouth, then fished around for a mint. Ahh that was better. The minty flavour overwhelmed the taste of bile that'd lingered on her tongue. Semila balanced her way across the backrest of a bench, with the innocence of a child.
Both her shoes had been kicked off, one lay over by a wall, and the other was in front of Samantha's car. She jumped and turned in the centre, giggled, and carried on walking backwards. And all that whilst perfectly drunk and perfectly balanced. What was wrong with this woman? Once her feet reached the end, she bent down, grabbed the back rest with both hands, and with the grace and poise of a ballet dancer, performed a handstand and dismounted.
Semila looked over to Samantha and grinned. 'If you had a scoreboard what would you have given me? A ten? Please say a fucking ten!'
Samantha shook her head, the action hurt, a lot. 'How do have the energy for that? You were ploughing drinks down you last night. I mean, like bloody hell, you drank all the fellas under the table.' Flashes of the night out streaked into her head. 'I have images of you table dancing, oh God, please tell me you weren't table dancing.'
An indignant look settled on Semila's face. 'I most certainly was not.' Semila picked up her shoes and went around to passenger door.
Samantha turned the key and the central locking buzzed.
Both women slipped into the car seats, Semila's hand squeezed Samantha's knee. 'Like I said, I wasn't table dancing. We were table dancing, and very fucking good we were too.'
The mortified look on Samantha's face made Semila grin. That was until she had a lap full of off pink congealed cocktail.
Sam looked up. 'Oh God, I'm so sorry.'
Semila waved her hand. 'Think nothing of it Sam, I'll clean up at your place.' Samantha opened the window to get rid of the smell, purely for Semila of course.
'Hey it's no problem, honest,' Semila said, and a grateful whimper escaped Sam's lips before she could stop herself.
'Just put the key in the ignition and drive, okay?'
Samantha nodded. 'Yeah, okay. Really sorry about the puke.' She wiped her mouth again, grabbed another mint and put the key in the ignition.
The engine purred and the sound was so normal that the contrasting roiling in her stomach felt like a disease.
SEMILA LEANG
On the way Semila put her head out of the window, enjoying the cool sensation of the wind caressing every part of her face, loving the wind coursing through her hair, loving the feeling of being mortal, being alive.
'Are you okay Semila? Do you need me to pull over? Are you going to be sick?'
Semila brought her head back into the car. 'No, I'm just enjoying life. Living it to the full, y'know shit like that.' She tilted her head to one side. 'You wanna fuckin' try it?' Samantha shook her head. One dazzling smile later and a look with those hypnotic eyes, and she found herself in the passenger seat.
Semila looked at the steering wheel, Samantha had made it look easy. The car was still ticking over, which was a good thing as Semila couldn't see a key anywhere. 'Okay, right err.' Semila looked down at the gear shift. 'Ah, the gears. Last time I drove was in America, it is a lot different over here. Fuckin gears, I hate fucking gears.'
Semila rammed the gear into first, making the car judder violently. Samantha's head cracked off the door post. She looked over at Sem. 'Jesus, do you even have a licence Semila?'
Semila gripped the steering wheel tight. 'That's twice you have used His name in vain, please don't do it again Sam.' She smiled that dazzling smile. 'Pretty please?'
Confused, Samantha nodded.
'Okay,' said Sem, 'Off we go.' She switched the radio on. AC DC's back in black started pumping out. Semila laughed.
'I fucking love this song!' she shouted.
She drove off at the speed of a learner, there was lots of horn honking and gestures, to which Semila retorted with equal, or sometimes greater ferocity. Samantha didn't seem to mind it though, it was a smooth drive, and there was no more puking. And no more puking was good.
They got to Samantha's house, Semila pulled over and stalled the engine. 'Oops! Sorry. Haven't stopped a car in a while.'
'I don't care,' Samantha said, 'I just want out of these clothes.'
'Yeah...' Semila smiled, even with puke dried out on her skirt. Did Samantha realise how ironic that statement had been?
SAMANTHA GRIMES
Once they got inside, Samantha immediately put on the kettle. 'Wanna cup of tea Sem?'
She got no answer. 'Sem, do want a cup of tea?' Samantha stopped as she saw the spare bedroom door was open. 'Sem? Oh Semila please don't be in there!' She walked into the spare bedroom; Semila was standing there, her mouth open, trying to comprehend what she saw.
Samantha burst into tears. Semila whirled around, fists up ready to fight as if caught by surprise. 'I'm sorry,' she said when she saw Samantha, and put her hands down.
Samantha, tired and worn out, sat on the floor. 'I'm not a stalker,' she said as her shoulder racked and bobbed.
Semila hunched down beside her, putting her arm around her. 'No, I know that. Is every day accounted for? Every single day?'
Samantha nodded. 'Well apart from five days, when I couldn't get into the Finnie house.'
A steeled look crossed Sem's face. 'And why was that?' Samantha started crying again. 'Because that's when Charlie went missing.' She wiped the snot and tears from her face.
'And we never found her.' She started sobbing again. 'And now my niece......'
SEMILA LEANG
Semila looked up at the room, over six thousand photos adorned the wall and ceiling. All set out in their years, and every one had John lay on his bed, slack and unmoving, aging. The room represented John's last seventeen years of life. For the first time in her existence a real shudder of fear went up Sem's spine. Forces were at work here. More powerful than she.
Semila made the tea, she put a spoon of sugar in both cups. Two in hers, as she decided she liked sugar, yeah sugar was nice. They both sat against a wall in the photo room, it was a while before they spoke again.
'Seventeen years,' said Sem. 'Did you ever have another man?'
Samantha nodded. 'I was married once, he was lovely. But he wouldn't put up with the obsession I had with the photos. He wanted kids, hell I wanted kids but the photos overtook me. I can't explain it. It was just something I needed to do.'
Semila nodded. 'It's okay, we all have secrets to hide, it a perfectly natural normal thing.'
Samantha smiled. 'Honest?'
Semila shook her head. 'No, is it fuck! This is way beyond normal behaviour!'
Samantha started sobbing again. 'I'm a bloody freak, Jes....'
She looked up at Sem. 'I'm a freak, and I don't know why I even started this.' She put the tea down, brought her knees up towards her face, and hid.
Semila stroked Samantha's hair. 'Sleep,' she said and Samantha slipped to the floor, snoring light and woman-like.
Semila looked up and grimaced. 'I fucking hate asking for fucking favours,' she grumbled.
On the chocolate coloured carpet, she knelt and drew a circle around her with her finger. The carpet glowed where she had touched it, she looked around and smiled. A perfect circle. Now she concentrated, she brought her hands together, and started reciting a prayer in a language unknown to all but the most Holy Ones. Once she'd finished she waited and waited, then she waited a little more.
She was about to give up, when a most handsome man walked into the room. Semila grinned. 'Hello Gabriel.'
Gabriel looked down at the mortal girl on the floor, he kneeled down beside her and blessed her. Semila smiled. 'Still got a soft spot for the mortals I see.' Gabriel looked over at her; no hint of a smile adorned his lips.
'I have no time for riddles Angel Semila, out with it. I am busy.'
Semila stood and bowed. 'Gabriel, Sir. The mightiest of us all I need your help.'
The Arch Angel stood, straight and majestic. 'Cut the crap Semila. Why am I here breaking rules for you...again? again?' The door closed behind him, without even a slightest hint of a noise. He moved to the centre of the photo room. 'It seems you ask for help more than others do Semila, why is that? Are you going soft? Can you not handle you're chosen path? Why are you even on this mortal plane?'
She bowed her head, then looked up with a defiant look on her face. 'I ask for help,' she said. 'More than others because I take on the hardest tasks. I am not going soft. I need help with this.' She waved her arm around the room. 'What is this? Is it....' She moved closer and pointed upwards with her thumb. 'Is it something to do with Him?'
'Semila, His will is unknown to me, you know that. He reveals what He wants, when He wants. It is not up to you, or I, to try to second guess the eternal plans set in motion.'
Semila smiled, 'Okay, but did you know John Finnie is going to awaken?'
Gabriel took a step back, and looked around the room. 'All these photos are of Finnie?' Rage emanated from the Angel as he spoke. 'Anubis assured us he was dead; it was supposed to be finished before it started. The balance maintained, the quirk gone.' He spun on his heels. 'I must report this; it must be reported higher up. He must be stopped, for the good of us all.'
Semila grabbed him by the shoulder, spinning him around. 'You will not kill him; he is in all essence a boy. I will not allow you to kill him.' Gabriel knocked her hand from his shoulder. 'You will not stand in our way Semila, if you do then you will be destroyed also.'
Semila's shoulder sagged for a split second, she gathered herself, standing as tall as he. 'Then so be it Gabriel, I am a guardian angel. Death is not something I fear. But tell Him, that you will have to go through me first. You know me Gabriel, I will not go down without one hell of a fight.'
Gabriel smiled, the light bathed Semila with calm and a pureness unknown to the mortal soul. 'I know Semila, that is why you are a guardian angel, not a... what was it? Oh yes, la de da Angel. You are so pure of heart Semila, you deserve to be with us. Not down here.' He opened the door, then turned and spoke. 'I will converse with those above me. I will try to sway them to your way of thinking, but remember John Finnie is dangerous. He is a tipping point. This is a most perilous task; you are guarding a game changer. If you fail it will be to the detriment of us all.'
He moved over to Semila, and kissed her on the forehead. 'Please forgive my earlier threats.' And with that he left, shutting the door behind him.
Semila stood for a while, looking around her, taking in all the photos. 'La de da Angels! I can't believe they heard that!' She spoke to herself while looking at a birthday photo. Charlotte looked about ten; she was leaning over John with a party hat on. It looked like she was blowing a party horn in his face, the grin on her face was a joy to look upon.
For about an hour she looked at John's face getting older, then she came to the only part of the room that didn't have a photo on it. A gap of five photos showed the wall paper behind, a gap of five days. She decided that once she'd got John out of his 'Lock in', and back into his body, she would make some inquiries into who Charlotte's guardian is or was.
But first things first, John needed her at this moment. She looked down at the woman in blissful sleep at her feet. 'Awaken.'
SAMANTHA GRIMES
Samantha pushed herself back into a sitting position, then rubbed her eyes. 'I dreamt of Angels. Isn't that funny?'
'Fucking hilarious,' said Semila walking out of the room.
Samantha got up and walked into her bedroom, she fished out some fresh clothes. She got a few things out for Sem, who was already in the shower. 'I have put some things out for you Sem, just take what you want.' 'Thanks,' came a voice from behind.
Samantha turned while speaking. 'Oh, I didn't even hear you get ou...' A very naked Semila stood in front of her, Samantha blushed and looked away.
'Like I said your clothes are there,' she said, pointing at the bed without looking back.
Semila looked in the mirror. 'Does my nakedness offend you?' Samantha shook her head, still looking away. 'No, not really. It's just that I hardly know you, and you are standing around naked in my bedroom. That is not something that happens to me every day.' She walked into the bathroom, grabbed a towel and threw it in Sem's direction. Semila let the towel fall to the floor. 'I prefer to air dry, but thank you.'
'Course you do,' Samantha muttered as she looked the door to the bathroom.
P.S.
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