An old grudge
"You have wronged me, your face came to through the mists of Time and I know it as my enemy. In a past life I was Yu Jing a wise and pious Akashic brother. You were the Scum the sadist Chandra Vandamatta bani Euthanatos. And I have to destroy you for vengeance." He says, backed into a fighting stance.
A total stranger this Asian guy who jumped off his bike and out at me.
"Uhh....I'm sorry....I don't know you are or what I was in a past life." I say backing away.
"Don't lie to me, I knew you were a death witch and I vowed to hunt you down and kill you on my dieing breathe now I have chance." He says in choppy English.
I stop, then I turn to run towards the street. "Taxi!" I scream. The taxis speed by me as if I don't exist. Damm it! Some kind of blasted mind effect so everyone ignores us.
"No, running, no hiding, now Chandra you will meet your doom!" He screams, his face contorted with a manic look on it. "Kea-heit!" He gives a cry and gets into a spear hand pose and leaps at me with inhuman speed.
"Oh, Fuck!" Screw paradox, I don't care what happens next, these Martial artists can rip your spine out. I rub the heels of my sandals together. "Winds take me far,
inds blow me near,
Winds just take me--
OUTTA HERE!"
I scream the poem as 'Jackie' lunges at me inches from my face.
It works. I'm standing off to the side of him now, thank the powers above.
"Ah, you thought you could escape so easy, coward! You will never escape me!!" He shouts maniacally apparently his mind effect is still working cuz nobody notices me at all. He comes at me with a flurry of fists. Luckily I dodge each one bobing and weaving I can smell his sweat and feel the breeze as they pass me missing me by a minute. I'm fast-a fist flys towards my nose- I can't move: "Windstakefarwindstakem nearwindstakemeOUTTAHEREQUICKK!"
I'm out of the way of the fist and above him, not far, never that far. In fact where IS HE? I'm on top of his head.
"AAAAAAARRRRRRGH!!!!" He shouts. I'm not heavy only 110 to 120."Don't try to attack me Death witch. I'll destroy you!"
He raises his hands above his head and they glow with strange, crackling, glowing. I leap off his head and onto this bike.
"Come back treacherous woman!" He yelps over my shoulder.
The mind effect must have stopped working because people sure as hell notice me. As the they yell obscencitys while I dodge and weave though the sidewalk, the Asian guy following after Creep.
I'm not a Euthanatos, heck, a creepy hollow one scared the shit out of me once. I'm just a sixteen year old with frizzy brown hair, chicken legs, and my entire skinny pale body is covered with freckles. I 'm self awakened an orphan and ward of Gywneffel but I ran away when she tired to make a verbena like her. Live in the woods and Miss Buffy?! Hell no! I've been told by separately by a Hermetic, and a Etherite. That I have the inteligence of a nematoad and the ambition a blob of paint. Oh, who gives a crap, about them, their just a bunch nerds who probably stayed home when there prom came up. some other trads are too creepy or just plain LAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMME! I think as I peddle off with the reincarnation of Yu Jing hot on my tail.
Finally the wacko uses forces and gets his scrawny ass doxed. Thats when I duck into an alley as he curses a blue streak in Catonese. Soon the spectale s over and people move on to go about their daily busnies.
That's why I love New york city. Nobody's surprised by anything or if they are it's just a momentarty distaraction in a city filled with distractions.
I'd love to stay and gloat save for two reasons. One, 'Yu Jing' might get up and decided to kick my reincarnated ass, two the blackhats and mirrorshades are gonna swarming this place and we don't exactly get along that awful well.
So I peddle away droping his bike a few blocks away at good old Ma & Pa's Diner a nice little chrome train car diner with the neon sign blazeing.
I walk in and the bells on the door jingling. Its such a sweet place, I must remind this old couple of their grandkids or something becauase they've always been so kind to me, givng me free meals, free rides and occisonally a place to crash, I guess its the freckles.
"Hello, sweetheart what'll ya have." Ma ignores her latest customer a striking black man in white turtle neck. He mutters to himslef as she walks over to me.
"Ma, you know the regular and better not be fussing so much or you'll have a civil suit on you're hands." I say bending over to give the little, gray-haired old matron a hug.
"Okay," She loks a bit puzzled for miintue as she decontstucts what I jsut said.Then her jaw drops and her eyes widen then she tunrs to the black man in the booth. "Oooh, so sorry sir. I-just-just well she's our little sparrow, I'll get your order."
He nods and rasies an eyebrow at the term sparrow. I see that look on his face and I blush and squirm. Oh, its so embaarsssing in puplic.
I sit down at my normal little booth Away from Ma and her fussing for a moment. Then it materializes, Persphene my avatar a primordiel, this time it's her summer vistage Kora daugther of Demeter not the queen of the dead, flowers woven in blonde curls, bright green eyes in a blue chiton she smells like fresh spring and wild flowers.
"How, come you never told me about my past lifes?" I sigh.
She shifts nervously in he booth "Uh, well he usally gets us much later."
"LAter!" I decide not to yell it's drawing stares. "later- you mean in every life I've been knocked off by this nutcase?"
Kore looks at me nervously again and gives a weak smile. "That's why I so disspaoiotned you didn't become a verbena like your caretaker. You'd be liveing in the woods and he wouldn't find you for at least 20 more years."
"Every life he kills me? So why hasn't he stopped?" I ask her perfectly logical question.
"I guess..ummm.. he only...remebers the moment of his death in that life none of the rest, from what I learned in your past expernices from him as Chandra you were a real a bitch."
"So, your takng his side!?" I give a stunned look to Peresphone.
"No, It's just Chandra was." Perephone chrips. "Your a good girl Anette, not like her at all."
"How are you going to help with this Persphene?" I give her hopeful look. whisphering so I don't look nuts.
"Well, in the past I said to run or fight, but in both cases He's gotten us eventully, So I just suggest you sit here and maybe he won't find yo or if he does maybe he'll kill you quickly and painlessly."
SHe says chirping in her annoying little voice.
"So, like I just wait here to be toasted?" I Ask her quriking an eyebrow. She nods yes. "NO WAY IN HELL-"
Everyone in the diner looks up at me. I blush and attempt to hide my face on the cold forcmica tabletop. "Oh, come on, my Home fries aren't THAT bad."
It's Pa. Clad in his stained white apron, and white T-shirt, a wirey sorta old man, with wild grey hair falling over a sweaty doggish face.
"No, Pa it was-- something else entirely I'm just--" I said blushing.
He places a large hairy hand on my head giving me hearty pat. "--going a little coocoo, sparrow?"
I scowl at him and struggle off his hand. "No." I croak in an irrated fashin.
"Well, here's your lunch terrble as always." He sets down my normal, Chickhen & cheese sanddwhich with sweet tater fries and a coke. It's okay, I think as I eat it. Suddenly I can hear his voice again, 'I hope you choke, on that scum!' I look around no one new in the diner, I look out the window, no one. 'I took my bike back. I linked your mind with my own, so I can weaken you and crush you.' His thoughts probing into my mind, He sends me these images and these thoughts twising, warping crushing my mind. Now, I can't see the diner... my eyes are opned.... but I can feel, rocking pounding, the world swirls arond me.
A hand grips my shoulder lightly, it stops me. "You okay?" It's the black man from the other booth.
"Yeah, thanks." I repile.
"Well, it looked like you were about to have a sezurie or something." He says.
"Were you talking to me?" I ask feeling extremely embarassed.
"Yes, but you wern't quite there, I was just saying my thanks for getting my me quick service here." He smiled. "Also, the old woman gave me a slice of free cheesecake though she didn't have to apolize that much. " HE said furrowing his brow.
"Oh, Ma's like that she's a sweetheart." I say Smiling.
"Bye, Sparrow." He says heading out.
"Oh, my name is Anette." I say blushing.
"Mine is Destin- Destin Lowe, and I hope we meet again." HE says leaving.
Wow, that name sounds famlir, I kow it but from where? That mindlink musta doen some kinda damage. I pay the six fifty for the meal. Though Ma inists not to. But I have the money, thanks to a new job and it's not like Ma's & Pa's is doing blockbuster business.
Speaking of which I gotta get going. He's nasty when I'm late. Well, he's ussually nasty but I hate to see what he'd do IF I was late.
I run down the eight blocks, not risking the dox now, the streets are corwded, here Yu jing's yammers constanly in the back of head sprewing those rightious words. I ignore it by having some muzak in play in my mind The girl from Ipa Neema. Then I'm there a rundown boarded up warehouse. The Faded sign reads: Fred's storage. I don't know who fred was but he doesn't own the place now: Mr. Markadi does. Yep, my boss, he owns a lot of buildings but why he chooses to stay in this rat hole is beyond my reasoning. I'm barely catch my breath, getting to the heavy door of the entrance. I wave to the sercuity camara above the door and then with a subtle click the lock opens and I walk into the darkness.
The warehouse is sweltering, huge eching and almost pitch black Expect for a small desk lamp on Mr. Markadi's desk is on the far end and turned away from me. The desk is the only peice of funture in here. Mr. Markadi isn't talking to me so far. I slink across the room and then hear a sicking crucnh under my foot. I stop dead and pick up the crushed remains of a World war one bi-plane. OOooh god. Mr. MArkadi is obessed with that war he has shelves runing the length of the warehouse filed with models of machincs in that war.
"It's okay Netty." He says not even turnign his chair to face me. "It was one of the Bloody Hun's aeroplanes, in fact you could smash into powder if you wish." He speaks that small voice of his with a british accent. "CRUSH IT I SAID!" he roars.
"Bu-bu Mr.-Mr. Ummmm.. You spend so much time building these things." I stutter. I don't whether to trust his orders he changes them so often.
"Those dirty Huns, deserve nothing less, Come on, aren't you yanks suppose to be saving the world for democray?" He asks.
"Ummmm Okay...." I Jump on the model as it snaps under my feet, until it's a pile of mangled plastic.
"Yes.... excellent... their pay...for that...mud drenched hell...Dammed Huns..." He sighs, savrign his words slowly.
"Now, moving on to your arrival time. Little Ms. DON't ever be late. I Was never late, IF wasted my time I'd be dead." HE says, the back of hadn waveing at me. I don't try to exaplain what happened to me, even he wouldn't belive. "Today, you will be my carryer pigeon I want to deliver a singing telgraph and this package." He slids a damp cardboard box over to me. "To some tenents. You my carrier pigeon.... go over the top but tht's insane We'll be slaugthered......" He trails off again.
This job is strange, Everyday is differnt somtimes arragnging his models, or runngin some errand for him and sometimes he just sits their and has me listen to all his war stories.
I don't want to interrupt. last time I did I was almost impaled by a letter opener. But I have to. "Ummm were are these tenents."
".....oh, a Theater... here's the address..." He write it down on a slip of paper and throws it over his shoulder I scramble for it and he chuckles, malliiouly "Sir, I can't do this, IT's across town and I ran here, I'm exhuasted."
"The runner at Marathon in anicent greece ran twice as far and naked mind you, I'm sure you can mange the same thing." He comments.
"But, Mr. Markadi the dude like delivered the message and died." I balk.
"Oh, well then I wouldn't have to pay you anymore." He says. "Either way is fine for me."
I take the package and sighing walk out the door, the pay he gives isn't enough to get a decent rat hole in this city, let alone an apartment, but eh, its a living.
I arrive at the theator, useing corrpesednce came in handy it's obiovus this places glory days are long behind it. Darkedn winodws and rundown, tatteres of posters and thisngs I knock on the front glass door and peer through the glass into the cavernous lobby. Suddunely a sgin Lightsup Neon Green:
M-E-S-S-A-N-G-E-R-S
G-O T-O T-H-E B-A-C-K-S-T-A-G-E
D-O-O-R.
Oh, great now I have trudge aorund this whole dammed theator. 'So, your near a theator Hmmm.... Easyer for you to stalk you down and kill you.' Just what I need, that stalker am I going finish my job or not.
The back door is in a this damp, narrow, dark alley and it reaks of garbage. I Knock on the door, feeling the dampness of the cardboard box under my hand ewwwww.
I wait, I can here footfalls from deep inisde the theator coming closer closer door opening and slight chatter. Finally I can here the locks clicking on the other side of the door, a mousy looking woman with short brown hair and coke bottle glasses pokes her head out.
"Yeeees?" She narrows her eyes glares at me.
"Ummm.... a mesaage from Mr. Markadi a telegram actully." She rolls her eyes, I put the package on the ground Stand up nstraght and unfold the paper: "Ahem.
Come ye deadbeats
and pay up don't delay.
For the rent that you owe,
is due upon this day."
And I pick up the package and hand it to her. "This will be you,
If I don't get the funds."
She rolls her eyes and opens the pacakge her eyes widen, and her jaw drops. "Oh."
"Hey, whatsa a goin on?" a male voice syas from within. Thens he's poking his head out the door a guy who looks like he's the winner of a the Crow imperonateor contest, he looks in the box totally blaise and sighs. "Oh, whata lovley gift, from our caring landlord, I'll get vase for it."
I turn to leave, but what the hell is in that package, I wonder what the hell is in there? I walk over and look in. Its a heart... a human heart scleaved from the chest.. bleeding all over the place... I feel a wave of nauesous and I black out.
"Hey, ya okay girlo?" I hear I look up I'm inside the theator, in a large dressing room, the goth is sitting on a stool and the mosuey chick is hovering near me, but that's not who said it's a beefy man with rosey cheeks and curly chstnut hair. He's dressed in sweats he looks like somone's father. Then I notice the ring on his left ring finger, the omega sigil.
"Oh, I'm I'm fine..." I mumur sheepishly. then I see the ring "Like sorry about the like death threat. I didn't know, like Honest. Like don't like kill the messanger!" I get that way when I'm frightened.
HE sighs. "I'm not going to kill you. I'm a doctor and Or at least I am now. I used to be the stage manager." He sighs looking around the dressing room.
They all give a collective sigh at that. "I know this place should be given the good death so to speak, but I sure as hell cna't do it."
"Well, if don't pay the rent, we might as well be dead, I mean I knew this was too fucking good to last." The goth sighs.
"Andrew mind the Languge, in fornt of the yuong lady!" A another woman pops out from the shadows. Redish blonde hair stream down her shoulders, she's tall and willow dressed some kind of form fitting dress. "don't have such a pessamistic atitude about it."
I finally regain myself and I figure they musta gauged my prime in my pattern by now. 'let me guess, Anndrew Hollow one. Tall chick Choir, and you brown haird lady ummmm uhhhh...."
They nod as I point go around the room.
"I'm Angela Tawler bani Thig ." She says. "And who might you be and what is yoru tradtion?"
"I'm Anette, no last name, no tradtion." I say.
"That's a shame." angela shook her head wistfully. "No, guidence, no direction, no history, nobody to support you or shaare youur views."
"Actullly it's not. I mean no rules, no stodgy old farts contolling me, no one teling what my views should be." I repiled watching Angela bristle.
"Heh, heh. Angela's sore about that, seeing as they had to implant the stick up her ass." Andrew laughed.
Angela scowled muttered something Latin and waves her hand. Andrew screamed a blood curdling scream and clasped his hands over his face.
"Ohmigod, Whatda she do you to you!?" I ran over to Andrew. No one else in the cabal seemed excited at all or cocerned. What kind of people treat their own cabal members like this?
"My, face, my god, my face..Nooooooo." He whined. What in the hell had that woman done to him? Then he gave anther cry. "My,makeup it's all gone..noooooo."
I back away. "Oh, so put up all this fuss because she made your make up dissolved?"
"Well, uh look at me." He moaned and unclapsed his hands, raising his face. Then I saw rounded cheeks, long thick eyrbrows surronding the eyes, a button nose and full thick lips. It looked like the face of a preteen girl.
"Oh well, I see." I try to stifle my giggles but it didn't work. I burst out laughing. Andrew scowls, but that just makes it worse and I contuie to laugh.
"You happy, Angela? You made me the fucking figure of fucking ridicule, you've ruined me." He says dabbing more makeup on his face.
"Oh, shut up. Your so mellowdramatic Andy." The Doctor repiles.
"Well, some one has to be." Andrew shruggs appileing eyeliner thickly. "I mean we're all fuckng fryed here, our staff is dead or gone to better things. And Our best writer deciced he had fcuking better things to do. And we ain't getting no funding to fix up the place"
Angela sighs, she starts to repile then sighs again. "Well, its the truth, no matter how crudely it's put. We what remains of the final call production company." she says. Lookign at me like I should know what she's talking about.
"Huh?" I responed.
"Why, should she know what we're talking about." Andrew says turning to me again. " This comapny ummm...Doc your better at this then me."
"Was an experment you see about five years ago a bunch of talentd awakened got to togteher and they decided to form a cabal in this theator and resotre it. Some could act, sing, dance, tell jokes and some well were jsut weirdos. So we began puting a sorta varity show ummm sketchs singing and perfomance art." HE turns and scowls at Andrew. "At the end of each show we'd ask for a small contribution a dollar or so. Well, we got really big." All of sudden I was handed some old yellow newspaper clipiing by someone. I read them over, they said things like brillant orginal and when on and one about nhow funny some bits were or how cool the ligthing was. "You see, I mean, I don't know who New yorkm socity and mostly I don't care, But anyone who anyone was there."
"Yeah, and we began to make some real good progess, the retoration work was under way. then it happened." The Choirster sighs.
"He quit." Angela moans.
"whos's he?" I asked.
"This is the guy." The Doctor brought over a large group photo and poitned to some guy way over in the back I could ahrdly see him, then whisked it away, before I got a good look.
"You see, he was a what they call a reaisssance man. You know what that is?" The Doctor turns to look at me.
"Yeah, well rounded, smart." I gave him the I'm not an idoit look.
"Never trust a reaissance man." Andrew grumbled.
"You see, he was briallant. He could do mathmatical equations and write satire. He was gifted, his writng singal handly gained us the that popularity and that orgianllinaity." Angela Interjected. Her eyes alite.
"Never trust a reasissance man. You see writing wasn't his primay talent and he left becasue well. He said it ate up all his time." Andrew snuffs. "Then everything went to shit, we stoped being the paper's dalrings, we stopped getting the audenices and they said we stoped beign orginal. Production memebrs dissapered or died or left. So now were the sucky situtaion were in now."