The Heart of Darkness
by Akane-Rei
PART THREE
A Matter of Temptation
"The snake had charmed me."
Marlow from "Heart of Darkness" by Joseph Conrad
Jessie was quiet as she ate her dinner that night at the Quest Compound. In actuality, everyone was silent throughout the meal with the exceptions of Dr. Quest and her father.
Thank god for fathers, she thought. Otherwise, the silenced would have oppressed her.
Dinner was late this evening due to a series of circumstances, most of which involving Hadji. First of all, Hadji was late coming home and they decided to hold dinner and wait for him to arrive. When he did arrive, looking a great deal more disheveled than when she last saw him, he went straight to Dr. Quest and the two had a long talk in the library. After which they, along with her dad, checked every security system installed on the Quest Compound. Given the size of the compound and the indecent amount of security systems her father added over the years, this task was no small feat.
When asked by both her and Jonny what was going on, her dad shrugged and said, "Apparently nothing."
She had looked at him for a second longer before deciding not to pursue the matter all together. She had problems of her own and one of them happens to be Jonny Quest. Barring the incident at the grounds today, Jonny had been a little . . . different since she got back from Paris. At first he had been distant. She blamed that on the fact that he now had a girlfriend.
She had to admit that that, more than anything else, had been a shock. Okay, to be truthful, it wasn't the fact that he had a girlfriend that shocked her. No, what really surprised her -- and maybe hurt? No. No, ofcourse not -- was the fact that Jonny didn't tell her anything about it. They were each other's best friends. She had thought they had told each other everything.
Apparently not.
However, Jessie eventually got used to Jonny's being a little distant at times. Sort of. After all, they still did the same stuff they always do. In other words, she can still pound him in Quest World. Although there are those occasions when he got lucky.
Jessie sighed and looked at her dinner companions once again. Her dad and Dr. Quest were still discussing some minor adjustments, i.e. upgrading, they wanted to try out for security purposes. Jonny and Hadji, like her, were still as silent as ever.
She thought back to this afternoon's encounter with Jonny and cringed. Something happened between them on the grounds of the Quest Compound today, but Jessie will be damned before she does anything about it. there is absolutely no way she's going to do anything to jeopardize her friendships ever again. Her experience with Hadji, if anything, taught her that any romantic interests between friends should be outlawed if one wanted to retain the friendship. In her and Hadji's case, she got lucky. With a lot of work and effort on both their parts, they were able to put the whole incident behind them and build an even stronger friendship between them as a result.
But it had been hard. Harder than anything she'd ever had to do in her entire life. However, whether it was an academic challenge or a game between her and Jonny, Jessie had been determined to succeed. She did everything she could think of -- including acting like her normal self -- to erase the look of pity in Hadji's eyes. And in this endeavor, she had also succeeded. She remembered the relief she felt and the joy as ever so slowly, the awkwardness between her and Hadji faded into nothingness.
Jessie looked at Hadji from her position at the dinner table. As if in response, he raised his head and met her gaze. Jessie smiled impishly at him then continued on with her supper. From the corner of her eye, she saw Hadji look at her curiously and she smirked.
Men, she thought. Every expression had to be explained for them to understand anything. Even when the expression means absolutely nothing.
She glanced around the table and noticed that Jonny was already staring at her. She quickly looked down on her plate to avoid further eye contact.
Dammit, she thought. She really needed to do something about the situation. Actually, she needed to do something to avoid a situation.
Still . . .
She remembered the rush of warm she felt when she touched his cheek and he her hand.
*NO. No, no, no, no. Absolutely not gonna happen again*
She remembered the way his blue eyes looked when they stared at each other.
*Snap out of it, Bannon! Remember Hadji?*
But Hadji never looked at me the way Jonny did, she thought.
*Romance can ruin a friendship*
What if it's mutual?
*What if you break up*
What if we don't?
*Think of your girlfriends . . . how many of them has had so much as a relationship that lasted longer than six months?*
What about Eliza and David.
*They are one couple in how many relationships . . .?*
Innumerable, Jessie thought regretfully.
But what's to say that Jonny and I will break up?
*What about your parents?*
*Estella and Race*
...
*Divorce*
...
*Remember how much everyone says that you remind them of your mother?*
*Doesn't Jonny remind you of your father?*
*Divorce*
...
That was low, she thought. That was very, very low.
*That, my dear, was truth*
Jessie unconsciously clenched her hand. She stared at her plate, her appetite gone.
"-ess? Ponchita?!" a voice interrupted.
Jessie looked up to her father in response. She tried to say something, but she couldn't. There was something in her throat . . .
"Are you okay, Ponchita?" her dad asked, concerned.
She looked around the table and noticed everyone staring at her, waiting for her to respond. If only she could get rid of this lump in her throat, but she couldn't so she did the next best thing. She nodded in response.
"Are you sure, Ponchita?" probed her dad further. "You looked madder than a hornet there for a second."
Why won't this stupid lump disappear? She felt an ache in her chest.
Dammit! she thought. Go away.
She took a deep breath. Control, Bannon, achieve control.
*Suck it in, Bannon!*
She swallowed.
"I'm fine, dad," she said. "My mind was just elsewhere."
Her father looked like he wanted to disagree, but for some reason or another, decided not to pursue the matter.
Jessie sighed with relief and thanked whoever was up there for her reprieve.
Again, she stared at her plate. From beneath her lashes, she took a peek at Jonny's direction. He was busy finishing his meal.
So what do you intend to do about him, Bannon? Jessie asked herself.
That's the 64 million dollar question.
I don't know what to do, she thought. God help me, but I don't know what to do.
*Ignore it* a voice whispered in her head.
Not you again, thought Jessie. There were times when she really thinks her conscience -- or whatever it is -- is working over time.
*Pretend it never happened*
That's the coward's way out, thought Jessie.
*Treat him like you always treat him*
*Turn a blind eye*
It took Jessie a moment to realize that by now it was her who was doing the suggesting to herself to act like nothing ever happened. It wasn't just her conscience or anyone else. It was HER.
She forced herself to eat.
******************************
An ancient being savored the sense of touch as he felt the water of the ocean slide against his chosen physical manifestation.
I'm free, he thought. I am free.
After billions of years of solitude and boredom and nothingness, after billions of years of pent up rage, unending frustration, and unrealized thirst for vengeance, after billions of years of waiting, he craved . . . satisfaction.
He realized, ofcourse, that those responsible for his forced isolation are, for all intents and purposes, millions of light years away from his reach. And without the ability to summon the portal, he was, more or less, trapped in this world. However, billions of years of immobility did not equate to billions of years of idleness. In all those years of forced exile, he had been busy making plans for his revenge.
It had all started when he first noticed what looked like the beginnings of life in this planet. He had waited -- quite patiently, he might add -- to see if evolution will work its wonders towards the primitive organisms. On the day he noticed the forming of a complex organism as a result of the symbiosis of two simpler ones, he had rejoiced and a plan started to form in his mind. all he needed for its execution is time. Fortunately, that was something he had in abundance of. So, he had waited.
When the emergence of the beings gifted with the Capability occurred on Earth, he had been surprised that such power, such Gift, was granted to such vulnerable beings. But it didn't matter. That development only made his plans much easier.
He opened his mind to the world around him as he allowed the strong current to slowly bring him to land -- the dwelling of the Gifted. His mind had been his window to the new world when he had been trapped in the cylinder. It had been his way of gathering information from his environment. When the Gifted Ones started to multiply in huge proportions, however, he had made it a habit to only open his mind and receive his information once every century.
The sheer number and volume of the Gifted Ones' thoughts had hurt him. He had eagerly awaited the time when the gifted Ones will discover how to mute their thoughts from beings with the sixth sense -- such as himself. But that time is a long way from coming and he was already free. He resolved to put up with the inconvenience.
He was slowly absorbing new information through his mind probe when he felt something strange. He recoiled when he realized what it was.
Impossible, he thought. How could such a primitive society have a strong Wielder?
But there it was . . . the aura of a strong Wielder. Wielders are Gifted Ones who have the potential to use and manipulate all facets of the Capability. They are able to use the Capability beyond mere, ordinary thought. In fact, the strongest of them can open the portal.
He observed his surroundings. He was about a mile off shore. In order to be able to mingle with the Gifted Ones of this planet, he would need an instrument, a host. He considered using the Wielder, but thought better of it. He knew from experience that strong Wielders are most difficult to subdue. They have an inherent aversion to being dominated. He then decided to conceal his presence for the time being from the Wielder. Although he was sure the Wielder felt his presence, now was not the time to alarm him or engage in battle.
Instead, he let his mind wander through the shores, looking for a suitable host.
*********************************
Jeanette waded on the public beach part of the Maine coastline. She had always loved the beach at night. She enjoyed the feel of the chilling wind against her face. The frigid water touching her toes made her feel invigorated. Her friends had called her crazy, ofcourse. Maine temperatures don't exactly inspire people to leave their jackets at home and prance around the beach. But then, Jeanette had always felt a certain affinity to anything cold. Her bratty, little brother, however, took it a step further and called her the Ice Queen. He claimed that ice water flowed through her veins instead of blood.
She did everything in her power to encourage him to that way of thinking. Sometimes she wondered herself if it was true. She does tend to pursue her goals with a single-minded intensity that may scare someone who is there to see it. She manipulates people to her own ends with heartless efficiency and without conscience.
Ofcourse, no one in school would ever accuse her of being an ice queen. To achieve her goal, she had played her role well. It's a talent, really. She presents the appearance of a warm, vivacious, if not bubbly personality in order to conceal the ruthlessness with which she gets her way.
Take Jonny Quest for example. She wanted him at her side as a symbol of her success at Rockport High. She had schemed and lied to get is name attached to hers. While some might see her actions as those of a desperately in love individual, she knew better. She was not capable of loving anybody but herself. Jonny is just a means to an end. Securing him would get her what she wanted.
Which is why she must, ofcourse, get rid of a certain Jessie Bannon. She is what stands in the way between her and the realization of her goals. It was all Jonny's fault really. Had he not fallen in love with the red- haired bitch, she wouldn't have had any reason to hurt her. Now, she must figure out a way to incapacitate -- if need be, even kill -- Jessie. It's the only way she can think of to detach Jonny from the tomboy. Jonny, ofcourse, will need somebody to comfort him in his time of need. That's where she comes in. She wonders how Jonny would feel if he were to know that he was the reason behind a tragedy that will befall Jessie.
Jeanette was savoring her plans as she walked by the shore when something hard hit her foot. She looked down and saw the waves bring forth a crystal.
A gift, she thought, from the sea.
She picked it up and looked at it closer. Although she can find nothing extraordinary about the cut, she had to admit that it reflected the light from the moon rather nicely. It was about two and a half inches in length and less than a centimeter in width. Ofcourse, there was that black smudge in the center . . .
Oh well, she thought. It will still make a nice pendant.
She tucked it in her pocket and took it home with her.
That night, in her bedroom, she dreamed.
************************************
He looked at his chosen host. She was young, really. He would never have chosen her had he not felt an instant and certain kinship towards her when his probe brushed her mind. She had the same darkness, the same feelings of hate that he has. Although she didn't know it, her feelings for a certain girl she intends to destroy goes way beyond simple convenience.
She will learn soon enough, he thought.
He approached her.
She turned to him. He could see her assessing her surroundings with a hint of confusion in her eyes.
He didn't blame her. In her mind, she was standing in the edge of nothing. She can feel the solid ground she's standing on, but can't see it. The only thing she can see is him -- or rather a form of him -- and herself.
"W . . . what's going on here?" she asked.
"I have come to offer you a . . . proposition," he hissed in what he considers to be a very good imitation of a human voice.
"Who are you?" she asked suspiciously.
"Does it matter?" he asked. "I can give you what you most desire."
"What a bunch of sh--"
"Silence!" he interrupted. "I can kill you right now . . ."
She started gasping for breath.
"But I won't . . ."
Her breath returned.
"Instead, I am offering you the power to get what you want."
He then proceeded to touch her mind and show her the magnitude of is offer. He saw her close her eyes and smile as the images danced around her mind.
"Do you want this power?" he asked.
"Yes!" she replied with fervor.
"I can give it to you," he said, "for a price."
Her eyes opened and narrowed. "What do you want?" she asked.
He smiled. "Your acceptance of me," he said. "To receive the power, I must become a part of all of you. Your every action and every thought will never be solely yours again. It will be mine, too. I will exist within you and in the end, I will have your soul."
She laughed nervously. "What are you, the devil?" she asked half jokingly. "What's next? Do I sign a contract with my blood or what?"
"The question is," he said, ignoring her comments, "do . . . you . . . accept?"
She hesitated.
"Think about it, Jeanette," he said. "Knowledge and power beyond your wildest dreams . . . Do . . . you . . . accept?"
She looked at him speechless.
He flooded her mind with images of her goals and her achievement of them all.
Then, ever so slowly, she nodded her head.
Swirls of black smoke envelope her.
********************************
Jeanette abruptly woke up and sat in her bed, breathing deeply. She was drenched with sweat and she felt it. She rose from her bed and headed towards the sink. She turned on the tap for the cold water and splashed some in her face. She looked up in the mirror and saw her reflection. On her neck, hung a crystal pendant which is attached to a black choker.
She touched the pendant.
"Welcome," she said.
**************************************************************************** **************************************************************************** ****
Revised December 29, 2001
by Akane-Rei
PART THREE
A Matter of Temptation
"The snake had charmed me."
Marlow from "Heart of Darkness" by Joseph Conrad
Jessie was quiet as she ate her dinner that night at the Quest Compound. In actuality, everyone was silent throughout the meal with the exceptions of Dr. Quest and her father.
Thank god for fathers, she thought. Otherwise, the silenced would have oppressed her.
Dinner was late this evening due to a series of circumstances, most of which involving Hadji. First of all, Hadji was late coming home and they decided to hold dinner and wait for him to arrive. When he did arrive, looking a great deal more disheveled than when she last saw him, he went straight to Dr. Quest and the two had a long talk in the library. After which they, along with her dad, checked every security system installed on the Quest Compound. Given the size of the compound and the indecent amount of security systems her father added over the years, this task was no small feat.
When asked by both her and Jonny what was going on, her dad shrugged and said, "Apparently nothing."
She had looked at him for a second longer before deciding not to pursue the matter all together. She had problems of her own and one of them happens to be Jonny Quest. Barring the incident at the grounds today, Jonny had been a little . . . different since she got back from Paris. At first he had been distant. She blamed that on the fact that he now had a girlfriend.
She had to admit that that, more than anything else, had been a shock. Okay, to be truthful, it wasn't the fact that he had a girlfriend that shocked her. No, what really surprised her -- and maybe hurt? No. No, ofcourse not -- was the fact that Jonny didn't tell her anything about it. They were each other's best friends. She had thought they had told each other everything.
Apparently not.
However, Jessie eventually got used to Jonny's being a little distant at times. Sort of. After all, they still did the same stuff they always do. In other words, she can still pound him in Quest World. Although there are those occasions when he got lucky.
Jessie sighed and looked at her dinner companions once again. Her dad and Dr. Quest were still discussing some minor adjustments, i.e. upgrading, they wanted to try out for security purposes. Jonny and Hadji, like her, were still as silent as ever.
She thought back to this afternoon's encounter with Jonny and cringed. Something happened between them on the grounds of the Quest Compound today, but Jessie will be damned before she does anything about it. there is absolutely no way she's going to do anything to jeopardize her friendships ever again. Her experience with Hadji, if anything, taught her that any romantic interests between friends should be outlawed if one wanted to retain the friendship. In her and Hadji's case, she got lucky. With a lot of work and effort on both their parts, they were able to put the whole incident behind them and build an even stronger friendship between them as a result.
But it had been hard. Harder than anything she'd ever had to do in her entire life. However, whether it was an academic challenge or a game between her and Jonny, Jessie had been determined to succeed. She did everything she could think of -- including acting like her normal self -- to erase the look of pity in Hadji's eyes. And in this endeavor, she had also succeeded. She remembered the relief she felt and the joy as ever so slowly, the awkwardness between her and Hadji faded into nothingness.
Jessie looked at Hadji from her position at the dinner table. As if in response, he raised his head and met her gaze. Jessie smiled impishly at him then continued on with her supper. From the corner of her eye, she saw Hadji look at her curiously and she smirked.
Men, she thought. Every expression had to be explained for them to understand anything. Even when the expression means absolutely nothing.
She glanced around the table and noticed that Jonny was already staring at her. She quickly looked down on her plate to avoid further eye contact.
Dammit, she thought. She really needed to do something about the situation. Actually, she needed to do something to avoid a situation.
Still . . .
She remembered the rush of warm she felt when she touched his cheek and he her hand.
*NO. No, no, no, no. Absolutely not gonna happen again*
She remembered the way his blue eyes looked when they stared at each other.
*Snap out of it, Bannon! Remember Hadji?*
But Hadji never looked at me the way Jonny did, she thought.
*Romance can ruin a friendship*
What if it's mutual?
*What if you break up*
What if we don't?
*Think of your girlfriends . . . how many of them has had so much as a relationship that lasted longer than six months?*
What about Eliza and David.
*They are one couple in how many relationships . . .?*
Innumerable, Jessie thought regretfully.
But what's to say that Jonny and I will break up?
*What about your parents?*
*Estella and Race*
...
*Divorce*
...
*Remember how much everyone says that you remind them of your mother?*
*Doesn't Jonny remind you of your father?*
*Divorce*
...
That was low, she thought. That was very, very low.
*That, my dear, was truth*
Jessie unconsciously clenched her hand. She stared at her plate, her appetite gone.
"-ess? Ponchita?!" a voice interrupted.
Jessie looked up to her father in response. She tried to say something, but she couldn't. There was something in her throat . . .
"Are you okay, Ponchita?" her dad asked, concerned.
She looked around the table and noticed everyone staring at her, waiting for her to respond. If only she could get rid of this lump in her throat, but she couldn't so she did the next best thing. She nodded in response.
"Are you sure, Ponchita?" probed her dad further. "You looked madder than a hornet there for a second."
Why won't this stupid lump disappear? She felt an ache in her chest.
Dammit! she thought. Go away.
She took a deep breath. Control, Bannon, achieve control.
*Suck it in, Bannon!*
She swallowed.
"I'm fine, dad," she said. "My mind was just elsewhere."
Her father looked like he wanted to disagree, but for some reason or another, decided not to pursue the matter.
Jessie sighed with relief and thanked whoever was up there for her reprieve.
Again, she stared at her plate. From beneath her lashes, she took a peek at Jonny's direction. He was busy finishing his meal.
So what do you intend to do about him, Bannon? Jessie asked herself.
That's the 64 million dollar question.
I don't know what to do, she thought. God help me, but I don't know what to do.
*Ignore it* a voice whispered in her head.
Not you again, thought Jessie. There were times when she really thinks her conscience -- or whatever it is -- is working over time.
*Pretend it never happened*
That's the coward's way out, thought Jessie.
*Treat him like you always treat him*
*Turn a blind eye*
It took Jessie a moment to realize that by now it was her who was doing the suggesting to herself to act like nothing ever happened. It wasn't just her conscience or anyone else. It was HER.
She forced herself to eat.
******************************
An ancient being savored the sense of touch as he felt the water of the ocean slide against his chosen physical manifestation.
I'm free, he thought. I am free.
After billions of years of solitude and boredom and nothingness, after billions of years of pent up rage, unending frustration, and unrealized thirst for vengeance, after billions of years of waiting, he craved . . . satisfaction.
He realized, ofcourse, that those responsible for his forced isolation are, for all intents and purposes, millions of light years away from his reach. And without the ability to summon the portal, he was, more or less, trapped in this world. However, billions of years of immobility did not equate to billions of years of idleness. In all those years of forced exile, he had been busy making plans for his revenge.
It had all started when he first noticed what looked like the beginnings of life in this planet. He had waited -- quite patiently, he might add -- to see if evolution will work its wonders towards the primitive organisms. On the day he noticed the forming of a complex organism as a result of the symbiosis of two simpler ones, he had rejoiced and a plan started to form in his mind. all he needed for its execution is time. Fortunately, that was something he had in abundance of. So, he had waited.
When the emergence of the beings gifted with the Capability occurred on Earth, he had been surprised that such power, such Gift, was granted to such vulnerable beings. But it didn't matter. That development only made his plans much easier.
He opened his mind to the world around him as he allowed the strong current to slowly bring him to land -- the dwelling of the Gifted. His mind had been his window to the new world when he had been trapped in the cylinder. It had been his way of gathering information from his environment. When the Gifted Ones started to multiply in huge proportions, however, he had made it a habit to only open his mind and receive his information once every century.
The sheer number and volume of the Gifted Ones' thoughts had hurt him. He had eagerly awaited the time when the gifted Ones will discover how to mute their thoughts from beings with the sixth sense -- such as himself. But that time is a long way from coming and he was already free. He resolved to put up with the inconvenience.
He was slowly absorbing new information through his mind probe when he felt something strange. He recoiled when he realized what it was.
Impossible, he thought. How could such a primitive society have a strong Wielder?
But there it was . . . the aura of a strong Wielder. Wielders are Gifted Ones who have the potential to use and manipulate all facets of the Capability. They are able to use the Capability beyond mere, ordinary thought. In fact, the strongest of them can open the portal.
He observed his surroundings. He was about a mile off shore. In order to be able to mingle with the Gifted Ones of this planet, he would need an instrument, a host. He considered using the Wielder, but thought better of it. He knew from experience that strong Wielders are most difficult to subdue. They have an inherent aversion to being dominated. He then decided to conceal his presence for the time being from the Wielder. Although he was sure the Wielder felt his presence, now was not the time to alarm him or engage in battle.
Instead, he let his mind wander through the shores, looking for a suitable host.
*********************************
Jeanette waded on the public beach part of the Maine coastline. She had always loved the beach at night. She enjoyed the feel of the chilling wind against her face. The frigid water touching her toes made her feel invigorated. Her friends had called her crazy, ofcourse. Maine temperatures don't exactly inspire people to leave their jackets at home and prance around the beach. But then, Jeanette had always felt a certain affinity to anything cold. Her bratty, little brother, however, took it a step further and called her the Ice Queen. He claimed that ice water flowed through her veins instead of blood.
She did everything in her power to encourage him to that way of thinking. Sometimes she wondered herself if it was true. She does tend to pursue her goals with a single-minded intensity that may scare someone who is there to see it. She manipulates people to her own ends with heartless efficiency and without conscience.
Ofcourse, no one in school would ever accuse her of being an ice queen. To achieve her goal, she had played her role well. It's a talent, really. She presents the appearance of a warm, vivacious, if not bubbly personality in order to conceal the ruthlessness with which she gets her way.
Take Jonny Quest for example. She wanted him at her side as a symbol of her success at Rockport High. She had schemed and lied to get is name attached to hers. While some might see her actions as those of a desperately in love individual, she knew better. She was not capable of loving anybody but herself. Jonny is just a means to an end. Securing him would get her what she wanted.
Which is why she must, ofcourse, get rid of a certain Jessie Bannon. She is what stands in the way between her and the realization of her goals. It was all Jonny's fault really. Had he not fallen in love with the red- haired bitch, she wouldn't have had any reason to hurt her. Now, she must figure out a way to incapacitate -- if need be, even kill -- Jessie. It's the only way she can think of to detach Jonny from the tomboy. Jonny, ofcourse, will need somebody to comfort him in his time of need. That's where she comes in. She wonders how Jonny would feel if he were to know that he was the reason behind a tragedy that will befall Jessie.
Jeanette was savoring her plans as she walked by the shore when something hard hit her foot. She looked down and saw the waves bring forth a crystal.
A gift, she thought, from the sea.
She picked it up and looked at it closer. Although she can find nothing extraordinary about the cut, she had to admit that it reflected the light from the moon rather nicely. It was about two and a half inches in length and less than a centimeter in width. Ofcourse, there was that black smudge in the center . . .
Oh well, she thought. It will still make a nice pendant.
She tucked it in her pocket and took it home with her.
That night, in her bedroom, she dreamed.
************************************
He looked at his chosen host. She was young, really. He would never have chosen her had he not felt an instant and certain kinship towards her when his probe brushed her mind. She had the same darkness, the same feelings of hate that he has. Although she didn't know it, her feelings for a certain girl she intends to destroy goes way beyond simple convenience.
She will learn soon enough, he thought.
He approached her.
She turned to him. He could see her assessing her surroundings with a hint of confusion in her eyes.
He didn't blame her. In her mind, she was standing in the edge of nothing. She can feel the solid ground she's standing on, but can't see it. The only thing she can see is him -- or rather a form of him -- and herself.
"W . . . what's going on here?" she asked.
"I have come to offer you a . . . proposition," he hissed in what he considers to be a very good imitation of a human voice.
"Who are you?" she asked suspiciously.
"Does it matter?" he asked. "I can give you what you most desire."
"What a bunch of sh--"
"Silence!" he interrupted. "I can kill you right now . . ."
She started gasping for breath.
"But I won't . . ."
Her breath returned.
"Instead, I am offering you the power to get what you want."
He then proceeded to touch her mind and show her the magnitude of is offer. He saw her close her eyes and smile as the images danced around her mind.
"Do you want this power?" he asked.
"Yes!" she replied with fervor.
"I can give it to you," he said, "for a price."
Her eyes opened and narrowed. "What do you want?" she asked.
He smiled. "Your acceptance of me," he said. "To receive the power, I must become a part of all of you. Your every action and every thought will never be solely yours again. It will be mine, too. I will exist within you and in the end, I will have your soul."
She laughed nervously. "What are you, the devil?" she asked half jokingly. "What's next? Do I sign a contract with my blood or what?"
"The question is," he said, ignoring her comments, "do . . . you . . . accept?"
She hesitated.
"Think about it, Jeanette," he said. "Knowledge and power beyond your wildest dreams . . . Do . . . you . . . accept?"
She looked at him speechless.
He flooded her mind with images of her goals and her achievement of them all.
Then, ever so slowly, she nodded her head.
Swirls of black smoke envelope her.
********************************
Jeanette abruptly woke up and sat in her bed, breathing deeply. She was drenched with sweat and she felt it. She rose from her bed and headed towards the sink. She turned on the tap for the cold water and splashed some in her face. She looked up in the mirror and saw her reflection. On her neck, hung a crystal pendant which is attached to a black choker.
She touched the pendant.
"Welcome," she said.
**************************************************************************** **************************************************************************** ****
Revised December 29, 2001
