Nocturnal Dementia

IV: Attempt

"Devi…"

Johnny's voice cracked after he managed to whisper her name; he couldn't' seem to find his voice and he cast his gaze down upon the grass. He heard Devi's footsteps approaching him.

'Nny, it's been too long…seven years." Devi murmured. Johnny scoffed. She didn't seem to be mad. It was as if he never attempted to kill her. After a few minutes of awkward silence he found the strength to look up and stare into those emerald eyes of hers, the eyes that he always stared into in his nightmares.

"I know." He replied quickly, and turned around to face the sunset. It was halfway down now, and the sky was bleeding shades of purples, oranges, reds, and yellows. It was getting darker.

"I-I have to go." Johnny muttered abruptly, and he turned to leave, but he stopped when he felt Devi's grip on his arm.

"Don't…don't leave Johnny. I want to talk…I need to talk to you." He heard her plea. Johnny closed his eyes. Meat's voice flooded into his head unexpectedly.

You still love her…

Stay Johnny, stay.

"I…" Johnny managed to wriggle out of Devi's grasp and he turned to face her, his eyes glinting dangerously. Devi took a cautious step back.

"Please…leave me alone." He whispered, and walked down the hill faster than he usually would.

--

That was weird.

After Johnny left, Devi walked home, and now she was sitting in her small living room, reflecting on what just happened to her.

Johnny looked the same. He was taller, but nonetheless he was still Johnny C.

He didn't act like Johnny C. though.

He seemed so…cold, so distant, as if she was a stranger to him. She thought that it was a complete mess and that it should be turned around. She should've been the one scared to see him. To be honest, she felt a little nervous when she saw him at the hill, but for some reason she felt calmer than she expected herself to be.

Seven years have passed…maybe he changed?

No…when someone attempts murder, they can't change. She knew that Johnny had some issues. She knew he was sick with something…but maybe he's gotten help. He seemed a little…sane up at the hilltop. She had the sudden urge to talk to him, but she didn't know his number.

She knew his address though.

A chill surged up and down her spine. Did she really want to go to Johnny C's house, the house where she almost died? Did she really want to face the man who attempted to kill her after such a great night out with him?

She turned to look at the painting. The night sky and the black ground seemed to be calling out to her.

An amazing illusion.

Johnny…

She knew what she had to do. She wanted to finish the painting, but she couldn't remember what happened that night. She couldn't remember the very beginning of it, but after today she knew that she wasn't alone on that night.

She needed help to complete the painting, and the only person that could help her was the one who accompanied her that night.

And that person was Johnny C.

--

Johnny sat cross legged in the middle of his torn up living room, exhaling loudly. His eyes were red from crying and his face was paler than usual.

Devi. He saw Devi.

He needed to talk to her, so why didn't he do anything? Why did he just back away?

"FUCK!" He screamed in frustration.

ARRRGHHH!

The doorbell (which was really a series of circuits connecting the doorbell to a poor innocent man) was ringing. Someone was here.

"No one ever stops by…" Johnny's voice trailed off. After a few seconds of silence he rose and slowly reached for the doorknob. He turned and opened the door.

The blood drained from his face when he stared at Devi, standing three feet away from him.

--

"Johnny, I really need to talk to you. I'm sorry for interrupting whatever you were doing, but this is really important." Devi pressed on. She stepped forward so that her shoe was in between the doorway, so Johnny couldn't close the door on her. Johnny gulped and stepped aside, letting her in.

"What makes this so important?" Johnny inquired impatiently. The ice in Johnny's tone made the hairs on the back of Devi's neck stand up.

"Look…you know what happened seven years ago…and I think we need to settle this. It's been bothering me for some time now…and I'm sure it's done the same to you. I'm sorry I screamed at you over the phone that day. I still couldn't get over the fact that you tried to kill me, but after seven years I got over it and I just really need to talk to you about it. Can you just listen to me, Nny?" She blurted out whatever came to mind, hoping that Johnny would oblige.

"Devi…I don't know…" He mumbled back. His voice seemed weak, almost detached from himself. Devi felt a pang of guilt rising in her chest. She reached out to him, but he immediately shrunk away, telling her that he disliked being touched. She dropped her hand in defeat and sighed.

"Seven years ago, I liked you. I liked you a lot, Devi. That date that we went on was absolutely extraordinary. It was nothing like I've ever experienced before; it was the only time where I felt truly happy with what I was doing." Johnny explained jadedly. He turned his back on her and walked to the living room. Devi decided to follow.

"Then why did you try to kill me?" Devi asked. A lump formed in her throat. She suddenly regretted asking such a question. Johnny spun on his heel to face her. His dark brown eyes were reflecting a deep hurt, and it ached Devi to see him in such a state.

"I…I was enthralled in my happiness that I was afraid to lose you. I was afraid of losing you to the wearing affects of time. I wanted this to be kept forever. I wanted it to be perfect forever. I thought that I could keep it that way somehow…by killing you so that the moment would forever be remembered." Johnny explained monotonously. Devi's mouth twitched at his tone. He seemed to be showing no affection through his voice, but his eyes were showing his true feelings.

"So you tried 'immortalizing the moment', huh?" Devi asked, recalling the line he used before pulling the knives out on her. Johnny managed to smile a little, but it quickly faded. He nodded solemnly and sat on the couch. Devi sat down beside him and watched as he cradled his head in his bony hands.

"Nny…" She started, but Johnny interrupted her.

"I messed everything up, I know. I messed up what would've been something so perfect, so happy…so sane. Now I can never get it back. When I finally grasped it, I let go on purpose." Johnny cried. His voice was cracking, which meant he was crying. Devi reached out to touch him again, but as she moved her hand closer he didn't seem to mind this time. She ran her fingers through his hair, which felt surprisingly soft.

"Nny, don't cry…that happened nearly seven years ago…what's passed has passed." She soothed, but Johnny continued crying.

"Nothing you can say will undo what I have attempted on you, Devi." He sobbed.

"Johnny…" Devi started, but her words escaped her. What was she supposed to say?

It's okay, Nny.

Everything will be okay.

We'll get you help. I'll help you.

There were so many things that seemed appropriate for her to say, but whenever Devi tried saying it, her mouth went dry and her voice wasn't present.

"Devi, I-I think you should go." Johnny broke the silence. Devi pulled herself out of her thoughts and turned to look at him. His eyes were rimmed with tears and he looked dreadfully tired.

"Nny…"

"Go."

Rushed footsteps.

The slamming of a heavy wooden door.

The empty sighs and crystalline tears of a homicidal maniac.

--

It was pouring outside. Devi cursed under her breath for walking and not taking a car. She brushed her soaked bangs out of her eyes as she crossed the intersection. She was walking down a bad part of the neighbourhood at the worst possible time.

Smart, Devi…very smart. Her conscious was teasing her again. Devi ignored this and continued walking. She heard distant footsteps behind her but she didn't pay much attention to them.

Ten minutes of walking and the footsteps began to crescendo.

Devi's heartbeat quickened, and so did her walking speed. The footsteps began to speed up too. Devi broke out into a jog and dashed down the sidewalk. She turned a sharp corner, only to face a solid brick wall.

Fuck.

"Thought you could run from me, eh pretty?"

It was a short, stubby, hairy, grotesque lump of a man. He stood a few feet away from her. He was licking his chapped lips and a sickening feeling emerged in Devi's gut.

"Get the fuck away from me, bastard." Devi growled. Her fists were clenched tight. She knew how to defend herself; she wasn't THAT scared.

Her bravery washed away almost immediately when the man pulled a long, snarling knife out of his long coat.

"Don't move and I won't use this on you." He said quietly, inching closer. Devi shook her head and tried to muster up all of her remaining self-confidence. She kicked someone's ass that had two knives; why was she afraid of this guy?

"It won't hurt, I promise…" She heard the man whisper. It was a poor attempt at trying to be seductive. In lightning speed, Devi grabbed one of the man's thick wrists and pushed him to the wet concrete.

"Ah, so you're a frisky one. I like you already!" He squealed in delight, and attempted to stand up. Devi stomped hard on his chest, cutting off his air circulation.

"Don't even think about it, you nasty fuck." Devi grunted.

Unexpectedly, the man grabbed her foot and swung it around, causing Devi to trip and fall on the floor. Opening her eyes, Devi found the shimmering blade staring at her in the face. Tears of fear squirted from her eyes.

"Who's the arrogant bitch now, eh?"

Devi was about to spit into his face when she heard the sound of a blade slicing through flesh.

The man dropped limp at her side; his legs were cleanly sliced off. Blood and rain rippled violently on the concrete as Devi looked up to see her 'savior'.

It was none other than Johnny C.