Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. I'm merely using them to
entertain you. And in the tone of a public broadcasting service announcer,
this story has been brought to you by Exploding Charlie Sheen Productions.
"I'm not doing this again!"
On the drive back to his aunt's house, Cage was confused, happy, upset, and unnerved all at once. He was bursting at the seams to tell Kaoru and Susan that he saw Sonya, but a part of him said that would be a very bad thing to do.
"I saw her, damn it. I know I did. But I can't tell Kaoru and get her hopes up, if in fact I didn't really see her and it was just lack of sleep and my own high hopes. Not to mention Susan will think I'm crazy. Oh, terrific. Yeah, and if the press heard, then I'd be a crazy gay fake." Johnny groaned and put his head on the steering wheel as he sat at a red light. "But she was there! Argh, this is going to drive me nuts!" He chuckled suddenly. "Going to? I'm talking to myself, so I'm already nuts." A pause as the light turned green and he continued driving. "No. No, I can't do that. No, it was probably a trick of the light and she wasn't there. Yeah, but what about her shampoo? That's right, the shampoo… Oh, my God, I'm answering myself now…"
He began laughing again, and found that he couldn't stop. It got to be so bad that he pulled off the road and just let the car run. When he got his breath back, tears were streaming down his face.
"Breath in, breath out. Air good. Breathing good. Hysteria bad." Another bark of laughter. "Sleep. I need sleep." A heavy sigh. "God, Sonya, was that really you? If you're really trapped, how can I help you? Who'd believe me?"
And would you really want her to go?
Johnny shivered, wiped his eyes, and continued home.
"I'm going back tonight."
Susan stared at her handsome nephew with frustration and desperation. After going through the day of watching Johnny hang to himself, then learning after dinner what had been bothering him so, Susan thought he was high when he mentioned the crazy possibility of Sonya's ghost residing on the dock. She was glad Kaoru had gone to her room willing, as she still didn't want anything to do with her step-father.
"Don't do this to yourself. It was nothing, Johnny, but a trick of the mind. You miss her so much, and you had no sleep last night, and with those stories yesterday, you created a picture in your mind that was so vivid you thought it was right in front of you. But it wasn't. She's dead John, accept it."
"I have to know for sure," he stated firmly, his fist pounding lightly on the table as he spoke. "If it was just a trick, Sue, I won't see it again. But if she's really there-"
"Then you've lost your senses, not to mention your grip on reality." Susan stood and began to pace the kitchen.
"I think we both know I lost that a long time ago," he joked.
Sue sighed. At least he hadn't lost his sense of humor. But humor was not what they needed right now. "Are you going to tell Kaoru?"
Johnny shook his head. "No, of course not. I don't want her to get hurt."
"But that's what you're going to do to yourself if you keep up this nonsense!" Susan half shouted as she slammed her hand down on the table, making him jump. "How are you going to feel when you go tonight and find nothing? Are you honestly going to sit here and say that you'll come back perfectly fine, happy as a blue bird on a spring day? You've told me time and time again how much you loved her, and I can still see it in your eyes when you reminisce, and I know that if you go back there and find that she's gone, really gone, you're going to be devastated." She searched his eyes as she tried to make him understand. "You want Kaoru to be safe, so your keeping her away from those silly lies. Now take your own advice," she commanded softly. "Forget about it, and move on."
Johnny looked at her, and she looked back. Neither spoke, making a heavy silence fall over the kitchen. Finally, Johnny replied.
"I can't do that, Sue. I'm sorry. I have to know."
Her hands flew up in the air and she gave an exasperated sigh. "Fine. You want to put your heart on your sleeve and trample all over it, go for it. Just leave me out of it." And with that, she stormed out of the room.
"Susan…"
"I'm going for a walk. Don't wait up for me." She slammed the door behind her.
His chin fell to his chest. "Shit…"
Knowing Kaoru couldn't be left home alone, Johnny decided to do something he hadn't done in years. Meditate. Setting himself on the floor in the living room, the lights low and the windows open to let in the breeze, he closed his eyes and let himself relax into a mellow state as he waited for Susan to return home.
Rise, fall. Breath, breath.
Running. Ice. Wind. Chill. Afraid.
Footsteps. Gaining. Slow. Steady. Frightening.
Choking. Air. Lacking. Hot. Burn.
Wet. Seeping. Drip drop.
Door. Light. Translucent. Shimmers. Sparks.
Bells. Flutes. Dancing. Bittersweet.
Growling. Anger. Insanity.
Scream. Pain. Blood. Gunshot.
Help. Me.
Join. Me.
JOHNNY!
Johnny gasped as he came awake, his name ringing like a thousand shards of shattered glass in the back of his mind. Breath coming in puffs, sweat soaking into his damp clothes, he looked around and remembered where he was. Most of the lights were out, and he could guess Susan had returned, but she had chosen not to disturb him. His eyes drifted to the clock on the wall.
2:18.
His eyes widened. He'd been out for nearly eight hours. Never before had he meditated that deeply. It was almost frightening for him. But he felt oddly refreshed and energized, though his heart still pounded against his ribcage. For a moment, he thought of the images he had seen, and another chill swept over his body. The pictures weren't so much… memories, or random thoughts. It was more like... real moments, being played out in the present. And it all seemed to resonate around the docks.
He stood, went for the car keys, and with a decisive nod, turned out the lights and headed out the door.
It started raining again, around 3:30. Kind of odd, it was, considering there weren't any clouds in the sky. Johnny frowned. Then the wind picked up, ruffling his hair and shirt sleeves. The deck trembled beneath him. Through the thick soles of his shoes, the planks quivered slightly, in even intervals, in steady jolts. The first impression Johnny got was of someone walking along the dock, but no one was there. Completely lit by the surrounding light fixtures, the dock was empty around him.
The vibrations grew stronger. It felt like someone was running. His heart began to pound as the wind blew against his damp skin, making him shiver. And something dark swirled across the dock. It was a black cloud that had the shape of a twister, and it was spinning slightly. Something red began to glow at the middle, and the red dot split into two, before cultivating into the shape of fire filled eyes.
And then the cloud disappeared, and a dark, feminine figure was standing there. The glowing eyes had disappeared, to be replaced by bright white with dark pupils. Johnny stifled a cry of disgust. Nise smiled from the hands that held her head.
…missed you… The wind whispered to him. …need you…
Silver glinted off the gun that appeared in her hand, and it cracked through the air without warning. Johnny jolted, his eyes dropping to his chest to see the blood oozing down the front of his white shirt.
"Oh… God…" His knees gave out under him and he sank to the wet planks. Blood began dripping from his mouth.
…Join me…
Johnny began coughing.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
The decapitated creature was approaching him.
…Join… me…
It was getting black. Not even the rain touched him anymore. He was numb to everything but the hot blood that pooled in his hands and around his fallen form.
A scream pierced the night air. Johnny's eyes flew open to see white fighting black. Hissing. Growling. Scratching, grating cries that made his skin crawl and his teeth grind. A burning sensation crept up from the wound; it spread over his body, until his screams were drowned out by the roaring of the flames
He… Is… Mine…
…Join… me…
RUN JOHN!
Whack. Whack. Whack.
…Johnny…
Rap. Rap. Rap.
…Johhhny…
Drip. Drip. Drip.
…save me…
Sonya…
…Kill me…
Another gunshot. Johnny jerked up from the ground, and suddenly he felt himself begin to retch. He turned his head to the side until the nausea passed. Finally, the white prickled at the ends of his eyes disappeared, and he was able to look around clearly. His head lifted to meet the eyes of Sonya Blade.
She was watching him again, like last night. Mutely. Stiffly. Distantly.
Something was dripping near him. It came from her fingertips. They were dripping with blood. It was running down her arm. Pouring from her shoulder. Flowing from the hole in her chest.
Not again…
Her mouth moved, but only blood flowed from the pale lips. She fell forward to her knees, her jaw was still moving and her body was pitching forward.
"Sonya!" His arms moved to catch her. She fell into him, past them, through him, and she was gone.
…de… ea… fe…
Johnny looked around him, but Sonya and Nise were gone. The wind dispersed, the rain stopped, and his wound had disappeared. He was alone once again.
On the drive back to his aunt's house, Cage was confused, happy, upset, and unnerved all at once. He was bursting at the seams to tell Kaoru and Susan that he saw Sonya, but a part of him said that would be a very bad thing to do.
"I saw her, damn it. I know I did. But I can't tell Kaoru and get her hopes up, if in fact I didn't really see her and it was just lack of sleep and my own high hopes. Not to mention Susan will think I'm crazy. Oh, terrific. Yeah, and if the press heard, then I'd be a crazy gay fake." Johnny groaned and put his head on the steering wheel as he sat at a red light. "But she was there! Argh, this is going to drive me nuts!" He chuckled suddenly. "Going to? I'm talking to myself, so I'm already nuts." A pause as the light turned green and he continued driving. "No. No, I can't do that. No, it was probably a trick of the light and she wasn't there. Yeah, but what about her shampoo? That's right, the shampoo… Oh, my God, I'm answering myself now…"
He began laughing again, and found that he couldn't stop. It got to be so bad that he pulled off the road and just let the car run. When he got his breath back, tears were streaming down his face.
"Breath in, breath out. Air good. Breathing good. Hysteria bad." Another bark of laughter. "Sleep. I need sleep." A heavy sigh. "God, Sonya, was that really you? If you're really trapped, how can I help you? Who'd believe me?"
And would you really want her to go?
Johnny shivered, wiped his eyes, and continued home.
"I'm going back tonight."
Susan stared at her handsome nephew with frustration and desperation. After going through the day of watching Johnny hang to himself, then learning after dinner what had been bothering him so, Susan thought he was high when he mentioned the crazy possibility of Sonya's ghost residing on the dock. She was glad Kaoru had gone to her room willing, as she still didn't want anything to do with her step-father.
"Don't do this to yourself. It was nothing, Johnny, but a trick of the mind. You miss her so much, and you had no sleep last night, and with those stories yesterday, you created a picture in your mind that was so vivid you thought it was right in front of you. But it wasn't. She's dead John, accept it."
"I have to know for sure," he stated firmly, his fist pounding lightly on the table as he spoke. "If it was just a trick, Sue, I won't see it again. But if she's really there-"
"Then you've lost your senses, not to mention your grip on reality." Susan stood and began to pace the kitchen.
"I think we both know I lost that a long time ago," he joked.
Sue sighed. At least he hadn't lost his sense of humor. But humor was not what they needed right now. "Are you going to tell Kaoru?"
Johnny shook his head. "No, of course not. I don't want her to get hurt."
"But that's what you're going to do to yourself if you keep up this nonsense!" Susan half shouted as she slammed her hand down on the table, making him jump. "How are you going to feel when you go tonight and find nothing? Are you honestly going to sit here and say that you'll come back perfectly fine, happy as a blue bird on a spring day? You've told me time and time again how much you loved her, and I can still see it in your eyes when you reminisce, and I know that if you go back there and find that she's gone, really gone, you're going to be devastated." She searched his eyes as she tried to make him understand. "You want Kaoru to be safe, so your keeping her away from those silly lies. Now take your own advice," she commanded softly. "Forget about it, and move on."
Johnny looked at her, and she looked back. Neither spoke, making a heavy silence fall over the kitchen. Finally, Johnny replied.
"I can't do that, Sue. I'm sorry. I have to know."
Her hands flew up in the air and she gave an exasperated sigh. "Fine. You want to put your heart on your sleeve and trample all over it, go for it. Just leave me out of it." And with that, she stormed out of the room.
"Susan…"
"I'm going for a walk. Don't wait up for me." She slammed the door behind her.
His chin fell to his chest. "Shit…"
Knowing Kaoru couldn't be left home alone, Johnny decided to do something he hadn't done in years. Meditate. Setting himself on the floor in the living room, the lights low and the windows open to let in the breeze, he closed his eyes and let himself relax into a mellow state as he waited for Susan to return home.
Rise, fall. Breath, breath.
Running. Ice. Wind. Chill. Afraid.
Footsteps. Gaining. Slow. Steady. Frightening.
Choking. Air. Lacking. Hot. Burn.
Wet. Seeping. Drip drop.
Door. Light. Translucent. Shimmers. Sparks.
Bells. Flutes. Dancing. Bittersweet.
Growling. Anger. Insanity.
Scream. Pain. Blood. Gunshot.
Help. Me.
Join. Me.
JOHNNY!
Johnny gasped as he came awake, his name ringing like a thousand shards of shattered glass in the back of his mind. Breath coming in puffs, sweat soaking into his damp clothes, he looked around and remembered where he was. Most of the lights were out, and he could guess Susan had returned, but she had chosen not to disturb him. His eyes drifted to the clock on the wall.
2:18.
His eyes widened. He'd been out for nearly eight hours. Never before had he meditated that deeply. It was almost frightening for him. But he felt oddly refreshed and energized, though his heart still pounded against his ribcage. For a moment, he thought of the images he had seen, and another chill swept over his body. The pictures weren't so much… memories, or random thoughts. It was more like... real moments, being played out in the present. And it all seemed to resonate around the docks.
He stood, went for the car keys, and with a decisive nod, turned out the lights and headed out the door.
It started raining again, around 3:30. Kind of odd, it was, considering there weren't any clouds in the sky. Johnny frowned. Then the wind picked up, ruffling his hair and shirt sleeves. The deck trembled beneath him. Through the thick soles of his shoes, the planks quivered slightly, in even intervals, in steady jolts. The first impression Johnny got was of someone walking along the dock, but no one was there. Completely lit by the surrounding light fixtures, the dock was empty around him.
The vibrations grew stronger. It felt like someone was running. His heart began to pound as the wind blew against his damp skin, making him shiver. And something dark swirled across the dock. It was a black cloud that had the shape of a twister, and it was spinning slightly. Something red began to glow at the middle, and the red dot split into two, before cultivating into the shape of fire filled eyes.
And then the cloud disappeared, and a dark, feminine figure was standing there. The glowing eyes had disappeared, to be replaced by bright white with dark pupils. Johnny stifled a cry of disgust. Nise smiled from the hands that held her head.
…missed you… The wind whispered to him. …need you…
Silver glinted off the gun that appeared in her hand, and it cracked through the air without warning. Johnny jolted, his eyes dropping to his chest to see the blood oozing down the front of his white shirt.
"Oh… God…" His knees gave out under him and he sank to the wet planks. Blood began dripping from his mouth.
…Join me…
Johnny began coughing.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
The decapitated creature was approaching him.
…Join… me…
It was getting black. Not even the rain touched him anymore. He was numb to everything but the hot blood that pooled in his hands and around his fallen form.
A scream pierced the night air. Johnny's eyes flew open to see white fighting black. Hissing. Growling. Scratching, grating cries that made his skin crawl and his teeth grind. A burning sensation crept up from the wound; it spread over his body, until his screams were drowned out by the roaring of the flames
He… Is… Mine…
…Join… me…
RUN JOHN!
Whack. Whack. Whack.
…Johnny…
Rap. Rap. Rap.
…Johhhny…
Drip. Drip. Drip.
…save me…
Sonya…
…Kill me…
Another gunshot. Johnny jerked up from the ground, and suddenly he felt himself begin to retch. He turned his head to the side until the nausea passed. Finally, the white prickled at the ends of his eyes disappeared, and he was able to look around clearly. His head lifted to meet the eyes of Sonya Blade.
She was watching him again, like last night. Mutely. Stiffly. Distantly.
Something was dripping near him. It came from her fingertips. They were dripping with blood. It was running down her arm. Pouring from her shoulder. Flowing from the hole in her chest.
Not again…
Her mouth moved, but only blood flowed from the pale lips. She fell forward to her knees, her jaw was still moving and her body was pitching forward.
"Sonya!" His arms moved to catch her. She fell into him, past them, through him, and she was gone.
…de… ea… fe…
Johnny looked around him, but Sonya and Nise were gone. The wind dispersed, the rain stopped, and his wound had disappeared. He was alone once again.