A Work of Art
Chapter: 2
Odd Happenings
Next chapter is up for all of you that praised and asked for more.
It had been a few weeks since that day that Zelgadis had visited the antique shop and he felt like shit. He hadn't slept well the past week or so after visiting the shop. He couldn't think of why, but he knew that he need to get some sleep some how. He was walking out of work when he heard Martin's voice calling him, "Hey, Greywords. Your look horrible man why don't you come with us tonight and rest."
"If you're referring to going to a bar and getting drunk as per your usual I think I'll skip that thank you," Zelgadis said curtly as he walked out the door.
After finishing his usual walk Zelgadis pulled out his keys as he reached his apartment. He unlocked the door and walked inside. He turned on the light to be met with two playful, ruby red eyes. He smiled as he looked at the woman in the painting hanging above his couch. Even though it was just a painting it seemed to brighten his mood when he looked at it. He looked at the painting for a minute before he walked passed it and into the kitchen. He began to cook his meal adding the little odds and ins he usually did. As he reached for the salt, that he had placed next to him, he noticed it wasn't there. He looked to where the salt should be just to notice it was all the way across the counter. "What the hell," he commented to himself as he went to fetch the salt.
He retrieved the salt and finished cooking his meal. He plated his meal and opened the refrigerator to grab a drink. He found a bottle and thought to himself, 'Well looks like the bottle will be my friend tonight,' as he pulled out a beer. He then sat down on the couch to begin to eat his meal. As he ate he could've sworn he heard a loud thump every once in a while. He looked up to the ceiling thinking it was the people on the next floor, but it didn't come from there. He quickly looked to the painting of the woman to hear the thump once more. It seemed to be coming from the painting but he knew that wasn't possible. "Great now I have rats," Zelgadis thought out loud as he got up to put his plate in the sink.
As he was washing off the plate he felt something cold run across his neck. He turned around quickly, throwing a small amount of water across the room, but nothing was there. He looked around slowly and listened for anything, but nothing was amiss in the place. Nothing physical that he could see was wrong. He shook his head and thought, 'Pull it together Zelgadis...you've just had a bad month that's all...You just need some sleep.' He finished the plate and placed it back in the cabinet. He then turned off the lights in the kitchen and living room as he walked towards his bedroom. "Time to bring out the big guns," Zelgadis said as he placed two sleeping pills in his mouth and swallowed them with a glass of water.
He then stripped down to his underwear and crawled into his bed to awaited the pills affect to take over. Soon the pill began and Zelgadis fell asleep for the night.
Zelgadis was dreaming and it was taking a turn for the odd. He found himself in a field somewhere. He had never seen it before in his life that he could remember but he was there nonetheless. He looked down at himself to see he was now dressed in an off white shirt and pants. He found this kind of odd, seeing as how he didn't own any clothing of this color. He walked for a bit until he came to the beginning of a forest. He looked around again wondering why he was here. He then heard a low moaning voice call out, "Zelgadis."
He turned towards the forest again to see a figure walk out from behind a tree. He couldn't tell much about the figure as it got closer to him. It looked, as best he could describe it, like a living shadow. It was black and featureless other than it's arms, legs, and head. It moved closer to him as he slowly backed up while keeping his eye on the thing. It seemed to speed up as he back away until it was right on him. It grabbed his shoulder and pulled him to it in a strange embrace. It was then that he noticed this thing had a chest. When he went over the feeling of it's body he realized that this thing was female. He tried to pull away but only succeeded in moving a few inches from it. As he looked at where the things face would be he saw some of the shadow pull away from it's mouth. As he watched it opened it's mouth to let out, "Beep, Beep."
Zelgadis shot up to hear his alarm clock going off. He quickly turned the offending device off and breathed raggedly as he still recovered from the dream. He wiped his brow of sweat as he got to his feet. He walked into his bathroom and turned on the shower while he sorted through his dream. 'What was that about? What was that thing that was after me? Am I going insane...I don't know anymore,' Zelgadis thought before he stepped into the shower to bathe himself. As Zelgadis finished he turned off the water and grabbed a towel from the rack on the wall. He toweled off as he stepped out of the shower and into his bedroom again. Zelgadis then selected the outfit for the day while saying to himself, "Another day, and more boring work."
After getting all he's things together he walked out the door and headed to his work saying, "Here we go again."
Zelgadis arrived at work and went through his normal routine in the mornings. Once he logged on to his computer he walked to the coffee maker and poured his usual large cup of black coffee. He set down to work and began programming more office software as he took sips of the coffee at different intervals. He typed away for most of the day but taking his hour for lunch like everyone else. It was about an hour and a half before quitting time and Zelgadis found himself having trouble getting the program to compile. As his frustration grew he began to pound on the keys more than it would be typing on them. Right as the clock hit five Zelgadis sent a run command and waited with his fingers crossing each other from holding his hands at opposite angles. A moment later the program stopped without a hitch showing that it had finally compiled. He sighed with relief and saved his work. He then shut the computer down and picked up his coat as he left his desk. He made his way down to the first floor without hearing the voice of Martin call him. He quickly made it out the door and walked down the street not looking back. "Well this day wasn't a total drag," Zelgadis said to himself as he got closer to his apartment building.
Zelgadis opened the door to his apartment and turned on the light. He then flopped down on the couch to lay down for a moment and cool off. He rolled on his back and looked up at the painting as he asked, "I think take out will be good tonight don't you?"
The painting did the only thing it could do, and smiled back at Zelgadis. Zelgadis smirked and said to himself, "I'm really losing it if I'm asking a painting questions," as he went to call his order in.
After eating and loafing around his apartment for the rest of the night Zelgadis made his way to bed. He stripped down and laid in the bed drifting off to sleep. He was so tired he forgot his sleeping pills. He dosed off and began to dream again. This time he found himself in the middle of a forest. In fact he was sure it was the exact same forest from the night before. And, again he was in the same off white outfit that he knew he didn't own. He looked around the forest and saw nothing at all. He sighed and then asked, "What in the world is going on here?"
Before he could think of he heard a moan. He turned but didn't see anything in the forest. He started to walk forward when he heard the moan again, but this time it moaned a name, "Zelgadis..."
Zelgadis quickly turned to see the shadow again as it came towards him with blinding speed. He turned on his heel and ran as quickly as he could. He raced through the forest dodging roots and underbrush trying to get away from the shadow creature that was chasing him. He looked behind him as he ran to see the thing had disappeared and was no longer in sight. He stopped and looked around trying to find it or a way out. As he was looking two arms came out of nowhere and wrapped around his waist from behind. Zel looked down to see arms that where gray and not black like he saw before. He also noticed that the arms had detail not just a blob of black like before. The hands were covered with gloves that came halfway up the lower arm. The rest of the arms were bare until a little before the shoulder where a sleeve started. Zelgadis looked behind him to see a woman but she had no face. There was no face but the rest of the body was fully formed and holding to him as her embrace continued. He struggled against her grip but she didn't give an inch to his attempts. He turned to look at her again and as he did she moaned out, "Zelgadis..."
Zelgadis jolted from his sleep and looked around his room. He breathed heavily as sweat poured down his brow and his heart raced. He turned and looked at the clock to see that it two in the morning. He placed his head in his hands and pulled them down in frustration. He grunted and said, "Man, what a dream...guess I'll try a change of venue to try and finish sleeping."
Zel then gathered up his pillow and blanket and moved to sleep on the couch. He dumped all his bed apparel on the couch as he reached over to the clock on the day stand and set the alarm. He then laid down on the couch while pulling the blanket over his body. He looked up at the painting and whispered, "Good Night," as he drifted off to sleep.
Zelgadis had been sleeping without dreaming and was getting the rest he wanted. As he went to roll he felt a weight on his body. He soon felt the weight shift and felt something grab a hold of his arm. Zel's eyes shot open to be meet with a pair of ruby red ones. He just stared into those eyes as the same eyes just stared back. Their breath intermingled as they returned each other's look. It was the owner of the ruby eyes that moved first. She lifted herself up slightly as to separate themselves and to get a better look at Zel. As she did Zel realized that this woman looked exactly like the woman in the painting. He then also noticed that the painting was missing it's main attraction. He started and then said, "You...you're form the painting."
The young woman jerked her head up to where the painting was and then quickly back to Zel with a big smile on her face. She then embraced Zel's neck while resting her head on his shoulder saying, "Thank you. Thank you for not covering the painting up."
To say Zelgadis was in shock would've been an understatement. Here he was being hugged by a woman that apparently came from a painting that he had bought a week ago. He looked at her as she turned her head to look at him and asked, "Who are you and what's going on?"
She smiled and giggled as she replied, "I'm Lina. Lina Inverse and you're the one who didn't listen to the curse crap and actually left the painting uncovered long enough for me to escape."
"Escape? You mean you were trapped in that painting," Zel asked still in shock.
"Yeah, it seems that I pissed off the wrong old hag and she cursed me into that painting," Lina explained as she wrapped her hands around the back of Zel's head.
"And this was how long ago," Zel continued to ask as he began to blush at the situation he was in.
"Umm...a few centuries," Lina answered as she pulled Zel closer, "But, I'm not interested in talking about my past. I'm interested in you."
Lina then pulled Zel into a kiss. At first Zel was too shocked but he soon allowed himself to relax and kiss back. After a few moments Lina pulled away and looked at Zel as he opened his eyes. Zel then smiled and said, "You're rather forward, aren't you," as he ran a hand through Lina's hair.
Lina lifted her head slightly and sighed as she felt Zelgadis' hand run through her hair. She then looked at him and said, "That was your reward for letting me escape the painting."
Zel smiled and asked very uncharacteristically, "Well, is there anymore to this rewards program?"
Lina smirked as she placed her finger over his mouth. "Maybe tomorrow," Lina replied as she laid her head on Zel's shoulder and whispered, "Good night."
Zel smiled for the first time in his life he felt content holding this woman in his arms. He wanted to tell himself that it was too good, that it was just a dream, but he couldn't shake the feeling. He pulled Lina closer to him and closed his eyes as he drifted off into a blissful sleep.
Disclaimer: Any characters or ideas from The Slayers do not belong to me. I am not selling this material, just writing for the heck of it as I go.
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