May 16, 2004
Jeffrey
collapsed into a chair and was about to press the button on the answering
machine and listen to the message when, to his surprise, the phone began to
ring. Frowning, he answered it. "Hello?"
"Hi,
Jeffrey? This is Lanara."
"Hi,
Lanara," Jeffrey said. "How have you been? I'm sorry I've been so
busy lately."
"It's
okay... I understand, new job and
all... Mind if I ask you
something?"
"Anything."
"Can
we do dinner or something? I can dress up like a human again if you want."
Jeffrey
paused, wondering what was up. "Why do you think I'd want you to dress up?
Unless we are going to someplace that wouldn't let you in otherwise?"
"Like
an Italian restaurant?"
"I
think I know one not far from you," he said, pulling open a playbill from
show he'd seen and turning to the advertisements.
"Want
me to dress up?"
"As
a human? Or just formally?"
"Either
one."
Another
pause. "Well, what do you want?"
"I
was just hoping we could do it soon. I don't care how. "
Jeffrey
exhaled sharply as his suspicions were confirmed. "Is there something
wrong?
"No, I just
need some... male company. We just
might get harassed if I go eau naturale."
"Oh,"
Jeffrey said... "But I meant about the formally. If you have to disguise
yourself, do you want to dress up, or not? Because I'd be embarrassed if I
didn't match "
"Well,
I was thinking about dressing up as human to minimize the harassment."
"Okay...
Well, I haven't had dinner yet tonight. I could be over in an hour in your
neighborhood in less than an hour."
"WONDERFUL!
"
"I'm
still wearing my suit. I don't know why they want me to. No one sees me. It's a
helpline."
"Professionalism."
"Probably.
"
"I'll
start getting dressed then. Human or gargoyle? "
"Lanara,
whatever you feel comfortable with. You know that I'm not afraid of being seen
with you. Do you want me to come to your place or meet you at a
restaurant?"
"Could
you meet me here? Why not go as a
gargoyle then. That ought to tweak the locals."
"Okay.
I'll be there in a few minutes. "
"Bye!"
Lanara hung up the phone.
On
the other end, Jeffrey did the same. Heading toward the bathroom, he made sure
he looked presentable, and started out the door. After a quick trip on the
subway, and a few blocks walk, he knocked on her door.
After
a few moments, Lanara opened the door.
There
stood Lanara, made up in a lovely royal blue chiffon dress with a full skirt,
low neckline, and a fully exposed back, allowing her wings to slip through. Her
face had a barely detectable trace of makeup on it, giving her luscious purple
lips, cheeks, and the appearance of large, blue eyes. Her feet were mostly
obscured under the dress, but her long tail slithered out the lower edge. She
wore royal blue opera gloves over her paws, giving her hands a slightly human
touch to them. The overall effect accented her dark blue skin against the royal
blue of the dress. Her raven hair had been curled into ringlets - which was
probably what she had spent the most of the last hour working on. Jeffrey
paused for a second, looking at her in the dress, betraying a hint of
attraction and arousal. "Evening, Lanara."
"Hi,
Jeffrey. We ready?"
"Whenever
you are."
Lanara
didn't move, instead waiting for Jeffrey to offer his elbow. He looked at her
for a few seconds, and then realized what she was waiting for, and offered his
arm.
"Lanara...
.?" He started...
"Thank
you." The gargoyle took his arm, holding the dress in the other.
"Where are we headed?" She asked, unfolding her wings so he could see
the restitching of the back of the dress.
Half
grateful for the opportunity, he changed the subject off what he was going to
ask. "Well, there is a place not that far that I've heard of. "
"Wonderful!"
Jeffrey
started down the block, Lanara on his arm. "Lanara... " He started
again, half-hoping she'd say something else again.
"Yes?"
He
paused for a long moment. Lanara turned to him, waiting for the question.
"I can't shake the feeling that something is ... well, off about you
tonight. You've never called me before. Maybe I'm just being paranoid "
She
sighed. "Well, I need to be distracted from some problems that I am
currently powerless to solve."
"So,
you don't want to talk about them, I guess?"
"I... screwed up on the whole thing with
transforming Richard. I'm trying not to think about it."
Jeffrey
didn't say anything. He was curious what it was, and wanted to help, but he
couldn't ask if she didn't want to tell. "How can I distract you
then?"
"Help
me have a good time."
"I
can try. "
"There's
nothing else I can do about it right now, and staying home is only making
things worse "
"If
you keep saying things like that, you are going to make me worry."
"I've
just... learned a lesson is all."
Jeffrey
tried to put the worry out of his mind, or at least in the background.
"Well, what else, other than dinner, can I do?"
"Wanna
see a movie? I haven't gone to a movie in months. I wanna see the newest
'X-men' movie - it sounds like fun."
Jeffrey
paused. He had to ask one question. "Lanara, this sounds a lot like a
date. Won't Gwen be jealous? "
Lanara
made a scoffing noise. "No. Trust me, right now Gwen has much BIGGER
problems on her mind." Lanara did not need to say what she was hinting to
- Jeffrey and she both knew how well endowed Gwen had become.
"I
just don't want to get in the middle of your relationship."
"It's... on hold right now. Besides, she has nothing
against my dating other people. Can I ask you something?"
"On
hold? You know you can."
"Tell
me more about Amy Klein."
"Amy?
What about her? She's Benjamin's little cousin."
"What
happened to her?"
"Benjamin
left an odd message on my machine. He asked if I'd seen her. I was going to
call back, but then you called. She probably ran off to the Last Mug again. I
saw her there without him a few times."
"Alright... I mean before. With Kanthara."
"With
Kanthara? You mean when she was kidnapped?"
"I
don't know. Tell me what happened."
"Well,
Kanthara and Amy became friends, through Benjamin, although he didn't like it.
And someone saw them together, and took Amy to try and get Kanthara to give
herself up. I was there when they delivered the ransom note to Benjamin."
"And?"
"Kanthara
and Benjamin worked together, even though they hate each other, to get her
back. "
"And?"
"They
got her back."
"There's
something you're not telling me "
"I'm
not sure what you want to know. I only know what I say, and what Benjamin told
me. Why don't you ask Amy? The last time I saw her, you were in the Last Mug
working. That was a few weeks ago, though."
"Yes,
if I see her again, I will."
They
walked in silence for a few moments. Finally, Jeffrey spoke up. "A
gargoyle like you shouldn't be unhappy, Lanara."
"I'm
not unhappy, I'm just learning."
"You
just seem down. I'm afraid I'm not doing a very good job cheering you up.
"
"You're
right. Let's enjoy our night from here on out."
"If
you think of anything I can do to make it more enjoyable, don't hesitate to say
so." They stopped. "Well, here we are. Ready to go in?"
Lanara
nodded. "Ready. Let's tweak the nightlife."
He
clutched her arm tighter and opened the door with his other arm and held open
the door with his other hand. Lanara took in the restaurant and looked around
with a smile. A waiter came over, stopped, and stared at Lanara. "Table
for two, please," Jeffrey said.
Lanara
smiled prettily. Her smile, especially the fangs, seemed to alarm him more.
"Ummmm..." The waiter said to her.
"Problem?"
She asked back.
"Did
I forget to ask for non-smoking?" Jeffrey said, trying to avoid a scene.
He
blinked. "Yes, sir. Nonsmoking."
"Umm...
Are you all right?"
"Fine,
sir. Fine." The waiter left. Lanara could see him out of the corner of her
eye, arguing with another man.
Jeffrey
sat across from Lanara, looking at her. She grinned back at him.
His
eyes glazed over, as he continued to stare. "What's the matter?" She
asked, her grin fading.
His
eyes refocused. "Oh, nothing. I was just... elsewhere for a second. I'll
try to stay here."
"Where?"
Lanara smiled.
The
waiter returned, placing glasses before them, and menus. "Wine?"
"Somewhere
I'm better off not going... " He changed the subject. "No wine.
Lanara, you don't drink anymore, right?"
"No,
I'll have juice or something."
"I'll
stick with water myself."
The
waiter nodded. "Would the Gentlemen and the... Gargess like to start with an appetizer?"
Lanara
laughed a little to Jeffrey. "Gargess...
I LIKE that."
"I
always liked mozzarella sticks."
"I'll
pass, waiter. May I get the Spaghetti Carbonara?"
"And
I'll take the Eggplant Parmigiana."
The
man looked at Lanara nervously once more. "I'll be back with your
mozzarella sticks shortly," he said to Jeffrey.
The
gargess whispered to Jeffrey. "I think he's scared of me."
"Maybe
he gets nervous around pretty gargoyles?"
She
blushed. "Thank you, Jeffrey."
He
smiled back. "You're welcome."
Meanwhile,
other patrons glanced anxiously in their direction, asking the other waiters
things and waving in her direction.
"This
is the first time I've seen you all dressed up." Jeffery noted.
"You
like the dress? It took some...
modification."
"It
isn't something I'd wear, but it looks nice on you."
She
laughed again. "I'd be frightened if you did!"
There
was more commotion among other diners as they found out that the manager
tolerated her presence.
"But
I might not be the best person for an objective opinion. I am biased. "
Jeffrey continued.
She
smiled. "True. Amazing how you
sure can make a girl feel good."
"Am
I making you feel good?"
"Yes."
She said, ignoring the other patrons.
"Then
I'm glad."
Lanara
folded her wings around her shoulders as the waiter arrived with a plate of
mozzarella sticks. Taking a stick, he took a small bite. "Want one?"
"Sure." She nibbled on one. "Mmmm... it's been a while. A month and a half of bad
TV dinners, and years of street food before that, this is good stuff!"
"You
should let me cook for you sometime."
"I'd
love that!" she replied, louder.
"I
like to cook... I used to cook for my
parents. Not as much lately."
"My
mother and father were teaching me when I was younger." Lanara noted,
quieter now.
"Well,
we could cook together. I could teach you a few things."
"I
didn't get much chance to learn anything. I'd sure appreciate that! No more TV
dinners."
"None
tonight."
She
smiled, giggling a little at the stringiness of the cheese.
"You
have to take big bites, or else this happens." He took another stick, took
a small bite, and stretched the cheese inside pulling it away from his mouth a
string of cheese connecting the two, swallowing the cheese till the end of the
stick. "See, that works better."
Lanara
smiled, popping the whole thing in her mouth in a fairly unladylike manner.
"I guess I never was taught to be the perfect lady."
"It
depends on whose definition of perfect. you go by. Maybe not Emily Post's, but
nowadays, who lives up to that?"
"Besides,
who should make up the perfect miss manners for Gargoyles?" Lanara asked.
"I
don't know, actually." She laughed a little to herself. "But you are
close enough."
She
blushed furiously. "Thank you," she replied as the waiter brought the
food over and set it in front of the two. Jeffrey sipped his water as she
smiled, savoring the scent. "Wow."
"You
definitely have to go out more often."
She
slipped her fork in. "I hope so!"
"Well,
why don't you?" While he waited for the answer, he started digging into
his eggplant.
"Lack
of decent company."
"You
have a lot of friends... "
"That
would take me to dinner?"
"You
asked me."
"True,
but I needed the male company." Lanara admitted.
"Male
company?" He frowned. "Why would you need male company, specifically?
And why can't Gwen do?"
Lanara
became nervous. "Gwen is not male right now. Although I'm sure Amy would
love to be in my place," she said with a gleam.
"Amy?"
Jeffrey asked, confused about the sudden mention of Benjamin's eleven year old
little cousin. "What does Amy have to do with this? This is the second
time you mentioned her."
"She
and I talked recently, is all. I'm thinking about her."
"Why
would she love to be in your place? She wants to be a gargoyle?"
"She
wants to be my age - the persecution complex thing."
"I
know. She talks about it all the time. She thinks everyone tells her what to
do."
"She
also has... another reason than just
that."
"What?"
"You."
Lanara said, taking a bite of her food.
Jeffrey
started coughing as the water he swallowed went down the wrong tube.
"What... " He gasped.
"She
likes you."
He
took a deep breath, surprised by the news. He'd never even considered that
Amy... little Amy, had a crush on him. Why would anyone have a crush on him?
"In the way I think you are talking about?"
"Yes.
She envies me very much in that regard."
"Why?
You and I aren't involved in that way."
"She
thinks we should be. She... doesn't
understand about me and Gwen."
"I
never quite understood either." Jeffrey's tone was a little tense.
"Well... I guess there is one tired old cliché that
describes it best. Love at first flight." She ate another forkful. "I
love Richard in a passionate, romantic way." She stirred the rest around
her plate thoughtfully, remembering.
"Then
why did she go away?" He asked, thinking that Gwen's unavailability was
because she'd left.
"She
didn't go away, she's just busy with another problem at the moment. Jeffrey, I
love you in the wonderful way of two friendly intellectuals, and otherwise
would-be lovers... if it weren't for
the species difference. Let's face it...
there's biology involved in romance. At least in my case there is. What
can I say? I'm attracted to Richard physically. I hope that doesn't hurt
you."
"I
can understand you being in love with Gwen and not with me, but I can't
understand that explanation."
"What
do you mean?"
"I
don't understand why you love her, probably because I don't get along with
her... but I can comprehend it. I can't
understand why the species difference matters."
"Gargoyle
sexuality, Jeffrey. Speaking purely physically, I am aroused by male gargoyles,
not humans. There may be no spiritual or intellectual difference between them,
but in some things the body rules the mind."
"Are
you saying you aren't attracted to me because I'm human or because I'm me? What
about Abram?"
"I
AM attracted to you for being you, just not for being human. He's a lot older
than me."
"No,
that's not what I mean. Do you know who his parents are?"
"No,
I don't. I'm just... not attracted to
Abram. I'm attracted to Goliath though. And Brooklyn."
"Abram's
father is human, his mother was a gargoyle."
She
laughed. "So that's why Robbie calls him Hybrid so much... "
"You
see the point I'm making. It isn't a species thing. It is a YOU thing."
"I
think it is. Abram is still part human. I'm not attracted to that. He's more of
a mentor to me."
"I'm
saying you have something to do with what you are attracted to, not your
species. I guess it's... an egg-laying
thing. You have to understand... ALL
human men do NOTHING for me anymore." She stirred the stuff on her plate
once more, and started munching on the parsley.
"Can
we change the subject, please? I don't think we'll settle that."
Lanara
nodded. "Enough Human/Gargoyle sexuality? Did you want to see a
movie?"
"Yes.
Maybe a comedy. This depressed me a little. Sometimes I wonder... " He
sighed. "Never mind."
"I
didn't mean to depress you, I wanted this to be happy!"
"It's
just that, sometimes I wonder if there is someone for me out there."
"I
know there is."
"How
do you know?"
"Just
a feeling. I trust my instincts."
"Okay.
I'll try to be happy, though, from now on."
"Try
hard enough it'll stick. Trust me, that philosophy got me through a decade on
the streets." The gargoyle girl sighed, finishing her plate. "I sure
have a bigger appetite than I used to."
"There
is more of you to feed."
Jeffrey's
comment made her smile once more. "You have a point. I hear wing muscles
require a lot of energy to replenish."
"Gives
the phrase 'Growing Girl' a new meaning, doesn't it? " He laughed softly.
"I
wonder if this is like a shelter, and you can go up and ask for seconds...
"
"You
can order another meal." Jeffrey pointed out.
"How
about dessert?"
"What
do you want?"
Lanara
looked up for a waiter. "What do they have... ?" She glimpsed a lot
of the other patrons staring and idly contemplated making faces at them.
"Don't
worry about them. They just don't know many gargoyles."
"Maybe
that will change, with time. Can we ask for a waiter or something?"
"I
hope so. As sure as you are about me, I'm sure that things will change. Yes, we
can.." He motioned for the waiter.
"Yes,
sir?"
"Can
I order dessert or something?" Lanara asked him.
"We'd
like some dessert." Jeffrey said.
The
waiter produced another set of menus. "I'll return in a minute."
Lanara
thumbed through it. "I haven't even HEARD of a lot of these!"
"Do
you want a to share or get two different things?
"Sure.
Something with chocolate?"
"What
else? We both are addicted to it."
"Ice
cream? Cake?" Jeffrey prodded.
"Do
they have something with both?"
"They
can put it on. How about this? Death By Chocolate."
She
pointed to a listing for a chocolate torte. "What's that?"
"I'M
not sure what a torte is." He started reading the description for Death By
Chocolate. "Chocolate ice cream on a
chocolate cake... "
"Let's
have the Death By Chocolate since you suggested it." They looked up for
the waiter.
"If
you don't want it, we can have something else."
"Oh,
I'm up to try anything! I'm enjoying myself, Jeffrey!" She smiled at him
again.
"I'm
enjoying myself too."
Lanara
leaned over the table and gave him a hug. His ears turned red as she held up a
paw for the waiter. Jeffrey took a deep breath to calm himself.
"Did
I hug you too hard?" Lanara asked, concerned.
"No.
Why would you think you did?"
"You
stiffened a little."
"You
didn't hug me too hard."
"Yes?
" The waiter said, arriving at that moment.
"Death
by Chocolate please?"
"Coming
up." The waiter said, taking the menus and giving Lanara a nasty look.
"I
don't think he likes me." Lanara watched the waited cautiously.
"Are
you going to let it bother you?"
"No,
not really." With an evil gleam in her eye, she pointed at the waiter.
"Chair." The waiter suddenly back into a chair exactly like the
others that hadn't been there a moment before as Lanara giggled to herself.
"I
didn't know you could make furniture."
"Anything,
in theory, so long as I can provide enough mental energy and concentration to
back it up, and know what it's made of. Otherwise it's just a matter of
focusing my desire for something into form."
"Oh.
I just wouldn't have tipped him."
"He'll
get tipped. Not until the end, though."
"You
just made him back into a chair! Yet you are going to give him the full
15%?"
"He
doesn't know I made him back into a chair." Lanara observed.
"Oh,
so you are tipping him to make up for it?"
"I'm
tipping him because it's rude not to. If he gives me any more stony looks, I
might change my mind." The waiter showed up with the dessert at that
point.
"It
looks good."
She
nodded. "Mm-hmmm." The waiter chose that moment to step on her tail.
"YEEEOOOOOOOOOWWCH!"
Lanara screamed, attracting the attention of the entire place. Rubbing her tail
in her paws, she winced and looked at the waiter, waiting for him to apologize.
"Sorry,
Ma'am... " The waiter said, indifferently.
Lanara
replied in a small voice...
"s'kay, waiter... "
"Lanara,
do you need some ice?"
"May
I?"
Jeffrey
looked at the waiter. "Can you bring a bag of ice for the lady?"
"Please?"
Lanara pleaded.
He
nodded. "Yessir, right away."
They
started on the dessert for a moment, with Lanara laying the end of her tail in
her lap. A few moments later, the waiter brought one of those refreezable
icepacks used in first aid kits.
"Thank
you."
"Does
it hurt a lot? I'm not sure how sensitive tails are."
She
set the icepack on the floor under the table, and lays her tail across it,
giving the waiter a dark look. "It startled me more than anything. My tail
IS sensitive, but not as much as my feelings are. It was pretty HARD too.
Either he was pushing hard, or he weighs a lot more than he looks."
"Do
you think he did it on purpose?"
"Sure
felt like it."
"If
I were a violent person... "
"Don't
think that way. He just lost his tip." She took another bite. "That's
all."
"I
don't. I just think that you deserve better than for me to keep silent. And not
at least say something."
"You
want to talk to his manager?" Lanara suggested.
"Maybe
I should."
"I'm
not sure it would help though."
"No,
that is seldom the cure for bigotry."
She
sighed, working on her part of the dessert. "Do you like it?"
"Bigotry?
No. The dessert? Yes," he said, slowly working on eating the opposite side
of the dessert from her.
Lanara
watched the waiter from the corner of her eye, talking to some of the other waiters
and gesturing in their direction.
"This
reminds me of another dessert I had. I never finished it."
"Want
some help?"
She
poked at it with her fork, surprisingly still hungry.
"Have
as much as you want."
Lanara
dug in with earnest.
"Check
please!" Jeffrey yelled.
The
waiter eagerly brought the check over, as Jeffrey reached for his wallet. He
counted out the amount, to the cent, and put it on the table.
"Almost
ready to go?"
"Almost...
"
Another
man, in a suit, with a name tag pinned to the breast pocket, came over.
"I'm the manager. May I have a word?"
"Yes?"
Jeffrey looked up.
"Sir,
we have a policy that we do have the right to refuse service to anyone. I
didn't ask you to leave when you arrived because I hoped you would not make a
scene. Sir, you are welcome to come back, but please do not bring your... pet next time."
Lanara's
eyes narrowed to slits and glowed a little as she snarled at him, which didn't
help her case any. Jeffrey stood up. "What scene did my FRIEND and I
make?"
"That
incident with the waiter, sir," he said, ignoring Lanara, as though she
wasn't even there.
"You
mean when the waiter stepped on her tail?"
"That
IS what I mean, sir."
"He
stepped on MY tail, and now you're throwing me out?" Lanara quipped,
bitterly.
"And
if I stepped on a sensitive part of your body and you screamed out in pain,
would you be expected to leave?" Jeffrey asked the manager.
"I
know what started it. It did." The manager said, referring to Lanara.
"It
is your restaurant. We can't prevent you from kicking us out, but you can't
prevent me from filing a complaint."
"Go
ahead." the manager replied.
"I
think it's time we left, Jeffrey."
"I
agree."
She
picked up the ice bag, and tossed it at the Manager, who caught it. Then she
stood, unfolding her wings, to the surprise of the patrons. The manager folded
his arms, waiting for them to leave. Jeffrey, wanting to do more, but not sure
what, offered his elbow once more.
Lanara
took it. "How about that new Jim Carrey movie?" She said, remembering
his comedy comment.
"Okay.
Let's find a theater."
They
walked out of the restaurant, turning a corner. "OWWWWWWW!" Lanara
shouted as something hit her on the back, and dropped to the ground. Lanara turned and looked, a brick was lying
there.
Jeffrey
looked up the alleyway where several men were standing, picking up bricks and
tossing them. Lanara spread her wings and picked up Jeffrey. He quickly looped
his arms around her neck. Climbing up a wall with one paw, and holding her
dress up with the other, Lanara scaled the wall. "DAMMIT!"
Jeffrey
sighed, thinking that they were out of danger. "It happens, Lanara. Change
doesn't happen overnight. It makes me mad too. What can we do, have you beat
them up?"
She
lifted them both up onto the roof of an adjacent building. Multiple gunshots
sounded, and Lanara shouted, pushing Jeffrey to the rooftop floor.
"SHIT!"
"We've
given them time to gather reinforcements!" Jeffrey pointed out.
"Can't
we just have one night?" Lanara wailed. "AAAAAAAAUUUUGH!!!!" She
screamed again, a bullet punching a hole in one of her wings.
"Lanara!!!"
Jeffrey shouted. Lanara crouched behind an air conditioner, safely hiding
Jeffrey for the time being. From the cleavage of her gown, she withdrew the
laser weapon that had been holstered under her arm.
"I
didn't come completely unprepared for a fight." She groaned. "But I
can't glide on this wing. If you know a magical way to fly, now would be the
time."
Jeffrey
turned pale. "I... I can't do
it."
Lanara
sighed. "Then we hold out." She brought the gun up, and peered around
the corner to assess the situation. More gunfire was heard, and the sound of
Lanara's laser opening up. The laser set off some small explosions, which died
down quickly as the gunfire all stopped.
Another
sound - a vibration. Lanara was back at Jeffrey's side in a moment as they
watched a chopper go flying overhead. Lanara's weapon was out and waiting, but
there was never any gunfire. Was it a friendly chopper? She wondered in
confusion.
It
took a few moments, but finally Lanara began to smell it. She sniffed the smell
cautiously. "Smell that?" she whispered. They searched around in the
dark for several moments until the two began to cough and wheeze.
Jeffrey
and Lanara began to hear a hissing sound. That was when it occurred to Lanara
that the chopper had dropped a gas canister as it flew overhead, and the sound
of it hitting the roof had been drowned out by the noise of the chopper's
rotors. Jeffrey had begun to slump, but a determined Lanara tried to drag him
by his shoulders away from the gas, but soon passed out herself.
Lanara
beat against the bars as hard as she could, screaming "LET ME OUT!!!"
She was locked in a cage the size of a small room. She was weak as a human and
not able to break through the bars, and her weapons and magical tokens were all
missing. There were multiple bullet holes in her wings, making them look like
purple and green Swiss cheese. Luckily, the membranous skin of her wing had
only small capillaries and veins in it, so the bleeding was slowing. Lanara
winced at the pain in her wings - for appendages she was not born with, they
sure could hurt! Her gown was stained and ruffled, a little torn in places, but
otherwise undamaged.
A
man was standing in the cage just behind her. He was watching the gargoyle girl
with an almost idle curiosity. "Here's the deal." he was saying.
"Speak anymore, and we'll drug you, shoot holes in your wings - generally
make your life miserable." he smiled, gesturing to a collection of tools,
including a cattle prod, hot branding iron, a lion tamer's whip, and so on.
"From now on you are an animal - is that understood? The best part is,
you'll regenerate every day, and we'll be able to start all over again. You
will act like an animal at all time, or you'll be beaten down like the little
bitch you are."
Lanara
snarled at him. "You're sick."
Lanara
charged at him, but with two kicks she was on the floor. Why was she so weak?
So slow and clumsy? So dizzy? Suddenly Lanara gave a loud blood-curdling scream
as something hot seared into her back. Spinning, she found her captor had
branded her, straight through the material of her dress, leaving a permanent
"U" shaped scar.
"FIRST
of all! Our show animals do not need to wear clothes." he said, pulling
out a long machete.
Lanara
back away shouting "NO!" in protest, but the man grabbed the neck of
her dress and cut her blue chiffon gown off her body. A few hacks, and all that
remained was her bra and panties.
Lanara
gasped in shock, backing away, wrapping her bloodied wings around her body.
Holding the blade to her throat, Lanara's captor began pull her wings back.
"Please... " she begged, to little avail. Without mercy, her
underwear was removed in a similar fashion.
Naked
and humiliated, she cowered in the corner, crying, her wings wrapped around her
again. "You are no longer a human being! You are an animal! You always
will be! Do it or, you'll wish you were dead, GOT IT?"
Then
the whip cracked. Lanara felt a burning sting on her shoulder, and winced. She
turned her back on the whip as he flailed her again. She refused to give in.
However, and he hit her harder, she began crying and screaming in pain. He hit
her again and again until finally, blessedly, she passed out.
Somewhere,
deep inside Lanara's unconscious mind, it was though Lanara was a mirror that
had shattered. Three different people emerged, fighting for control, a large
Lanara the size of a house battling a more normal sized Lanara. The large one
knew nothing but anger and hunger, snarling and fighting the other like an
animal. The second knew she was a gargoyle and had been born from an egg. The
third huddled in a dark corner of Lanara's mind, frightened and guilty, none
other than Lacy Myers who thought she was a human and always would be. Little
Lacy watched in horror as the two stronger gargoyles fought for control of Lanara's
consciousness.
With
sunset, Lanara reawoke and her body - while still weak - was flushed with a
refreshed energy. Her body was healed! The holes in her wings were closed, but
red still. Some places were tender from the whipping, but they no longer ached.
Bits
of raw meat had been laid out for her to eat. It certainly smelled good, though
the idea might have turned her stomach before. She ate it down with a tenacity
that would have shocked her friends.
The
taskmaster reentered the cell. Lanara went down on all fours. She would NOT let
herself be beaten again! Now she was whole, no longer a sluggish with pain. She
would show this human who he was dealing with! She snarled at him.
The
man smiled, taunting her. "Yes! Good!"
In
that instant, Lanara ceased to be Lanara at all. She leapt for him like a
panther leaping for a kill with claws extended. He dodged, but she leapt again,
throwing him to the ground. He held her back. Why? Why?!!! She knew she was
stronger than this! She slashed at his face, but he rolled out from under her,
and unlocked the cage. Lanara sprang again. The man saved himself by locking
the cage behind him.
She
heard a hiss of air, and felt a stinging in her shoulder. She brushed off the
dart, but her vision began to swirl. She didn't feel sleepy - how strange, she
thought. She began to see people all around her, outside of the cage, they were
all laughing at her and calling her by name. She was The Animal now! She threw
herself against the bars, roaring at the hallucinations with her panther-voice.
She saw things leaping at her to attack her, but when she attacked them, no one
was there! She paced her cage, growling and snarling at the apparitions.
Later,
sometime after midnight, Lanara reawaked from the strange haze. What had
happened? She was whole, but she had not awakened from stone! It was the middle
of the night! Why couldn't she remember awakening tonight?
Studying
her cage, it looked like a wild animal had eaten several large animals in her
cage, and her own claws were covered in bloodstains. Beyond the bars was a
field filled with moonlight and trash. Custodians were picking up bits of
popcorn and candy bar wrappers. Lanara couldn't riddle it out - where was
she?!!!
Then
she saw something. There was a sign near her cage, turned in just a way that
she could read parts of it. The darkness covered it, but her night-eyes could
pick the words out.
OHIO COUNTY FAIR
Gargoyle Exhibit
CAUTION!
Do Not Feed
Gargoyle
Do Not Tease
Gargoyle
Do Not Throw Things
at Gargoyle
Do Not Approach
Cage
Ohio?
Lanara's
jaw fell. She was in a carnival! SHE WAS A FREAKSHOW!!! Stunned, she sat down
by the bars, trying to hold her faith that Gwen, Robbie, Jeffrey, and Abram
would somehow find her.
Lacy
awoke, asserting control. Where was she? Why was she here? Where were her
clothes? What had happened to her? Why did she have wings? Why was she in this
cage? Lacy peered at the sign outside her cage and read it. Why couldn't she
remember how she got here, and how she came to have this body? Last she
remembered was talking to her friend in Central Park, the murder, and running
home to her apartment. How did she wind up in Ohio? What was happening to her?
A sense of desperation filled her, and she slumped against the bars, staring at
her strangely deformed body. The raging questions in her mind began to make her
eyes well up, and she began crying with fear.
"Mommy!"
came the voice of a little girl somewhere close by. The sound startled Lacy.
A
young carnival attendee came running by her cage and pausing when she saw the
teary eyed young gargoyle. The two were silent as they stared at each other for
several long seconds. When the little girl began to reach out a hand to touch
her, and Lacy extended a talon to her. For a moment the two girls touched,
talon to finger.
"Ronda!"
came the girl's mother's voice. The woman came running by the front of Lacy's
cage, scooped up the child, casting a frightened look at Lacy, before running
out of sight. "It's time for the carnival to close, honey... "
"But
Momma!" the girl's voice drifted back. "The gargie was crying!"
Far
in the background, a fat rolling man smiled to himself with satisfaction.
'Captain Jack' Mendoza loved his pet gargoyle - or more correctly all the money
she made him. "Yes..." he told himself. "I should have listened
to Madame Gladstone sooner - that freaky old bag sure knows how to deliver
quality entertainment."
