Mark stood in the darkroom as he watched the two people sleeping in the bed. He stood there and tilted his head from side to side as he started to think about Vivian. Mark felt this pull to see her even tho he has just seen her the other night. He tried to push it out of his head since he needed to really get this list completed. He looked back at the couple and started to stare really hard at the male asleep in the bed. Mark stood there as he could feel his life beginning to slip away, and then he woke up. Mark faded into the darkness, and the man looked right at him next to his bed and got up and walked to the kitchen. Mark followed him, hiding in the shadows as he got himself a glass of water. He took a drink and stood there in the kitchen for the moment, and Mark clenched his fits and made a twisting motion, and just like that, the man was on the floor not breathing and passed away.
Mark walked out of the house and into the dark of night. His work was complete, and he contemplated if he should go home or go see Vivian. He still felt this nagging in his stomach that he needed to go see her. He decided to just go for a little and check on her. He stood outside her house in a matter of minutes; times like this, he was grateful for his speed. He fixed his large brim hat that covered his face from the storm that was brewing. He walked into the house as he stood at the door, watching Nicholas and Michelle fighting with each other. He was screaming at her, and she was screaming at him. Mark noticed that things between the two seem to be even worse than normal. He used to see them screaming at each other, but it looks like drugs were now getting involved as he noticed a substance on the table. Mark shook his head and walked up the stairs, and gently opened the door to Vivian's room. She was lying in her bed, covered up to her neck as she stared out the window.
She turned around and squinted into the light. "Mark?"
"You should be sleeping. It is late," Mark said as she sat up, and Mark took a seat on the edge of the bed.
"I can't sleep. There is a storm and..." She trailed off and looked at Mark
"I hear your mom and dad are fighting again."
"Yeah," She said, looking down and frowning. "They always fight" Mark wrapped his arms around her and hugged her. She snuggled against his chest.
"It's okay, Vivi. You are safe with me," he said as she snuggled against him once again.
"I was hoping you came tonight," She said as she sniffled a bit. Mark hated to see Vivian upset, but upset seam to be the ordinary event that she would need him.
"There is a way for you to call me if I am not here." He said, and she looked up at him with those big ocean blue eyes.
"Show me" She paused, and Mark tilted his head, and Vivian knew what she needed to do. "Can you show me, Please?" She said, and Mark smiled and kissed the top of her head.
"Come here on the floor, and I will show you." He said as he got up and sat down on the floor. Vivian climbed out of bed and into Mark's lap as she smiled at him, and he smiled at her. "Watch very carefully," He said as he pushed all the fibers of the carpet in one direction and then slowly drew out his symbol on the rug. He could feel the emblem on his forearm start to glow. Mark pushed up his sleeve, and Vivian looked at it as it glowed the yellowish-orange glow. She looked up at him and then back down at the symbol that still faintly glowed.
"Does it hurt?" She asked as she reached over and touched the glow on his arm as she was very curious about this symbol on his arm.
"No, it doesn't hurt" He smiled. "Now, let's have you draw it." He said as he wiped away the symbol and the carpet in the same directions. Mark took Vivian's hand and drew the symbol on the rug once it was finished. She looked down at Mark's forearm and watched the symbol glow brightly and then dull and then brightly over and over again in a pattern. "My arm will not stop glowing this pattern until I come and see you. So, no matter where you are or what happens if you are in danger and you need me, you draw that symbol anywhere." He paused "you understand?"
"Yes," She whispered as she stared at the symbol over and over.
"Good, now we will practice it again, but right now... let's get you to bed," Mark said and pulled Vivian up to her feet. She scurried into the bed and pulled up the covers to her neck. Mark looked outside as he could still see the thunderstorm still brewing outside. Mark laid down next to Vivian, and she snuggled up to him. He rubbed her head over and over, and he could hear that she was fast asleep.
Vivian sat at the kitchen table as she ate her bowl of cereal and colored with her broken crayons. She looked up at her mother, whose hair was a mess and her clothes dirty and falling off her body. Vivian put another spoonful into her mouth, and she heard the bus honking the horn.
"Bye, mom!" Vivian said to her mom and grabbed her backpack, and ran off to the bus. Michelle stood at the aisle in the middle of the kitchen, not even noticing that Vivian left for school. Nicholas came up behind her and kissed her neck. She smiled a laugh as he placed a few small baggies in front of her.
Vivian sat on her floor in her room as she played with her dolls. She could hear the phone ringing in the kitchen but knew that she could not answer it... "Mom, phone!" Vivian screamed, and the phone continued to ring as if her mother could not hear it. Vivian yelled once more, and finally, the phone stopped ringing.
"Hello?" Michelle said and rubbed her head once more.
"Mrs. Haynes, this is Vivian's teacher, and I have some concerns," She said, and the two began to talk. Michelle sighed as she continued to talk to her teacher on the phone.
Vivian continued to play with her dolls as she sat them up against the wall. She sat back and continued to talk to her dolls as she chatted with them. Her bedroom door flew open, and Michelle pushed over several of the dolls.
"Mom!" Vivian called out to her as she reached over and pulled one of her dolls stuck between the door and the wall.
"Vivian, what did you tell your teacher about Mark?"
"Nothing," She said, pulled the doll to her chest, and looked up at her mother. She could see that she was mad at her and did not like seeing her mother like this.
"Your teacher called and said that all you do is talk about Mark," she said to Vivian as she looked down at her. "Vivian, you can not talk about your imaginary friend."
"Mark is not imaginary" Vivian was getting upset. "Mark is real!"
"Vivian, stop! Do not talk about Mark in public anymore." Vivian began to grumble, "He is not real!" Michelle yelled at her and slammed the door closed. Vivian sat in the middle of the floor and started to cry uncontrollably as she kept repeating "Mark is real" over and over again.
"What is she crying about?" Nicholas was annoyed as Michelle came back to the living room and sat down in front of the coffee table.
"She told her teacher about her imaginary friend and told her to stop talking about it," Michelle said; she was annoyed with Vivian herself and just wanted another hit.
"Maybe you should take her to the doctor. She could be crazy like you." Nicholas said to Michelle as he pushed together some powder on the table. Michelle looked at him the nastiest way she could.
"If she is crazy, it is your fault," She shot back "horrible fucking father," she mumbled under her breath as she watches him take his hit.
Mark sat on the step of the porch as he looked up at the pink sky. He leaned his head back against the house. Randall studied Mark as he slowly smoked his pipe. "Do you want to share what is on your mind?" He said to Mark, and Mark looked over "or maybe who?"
"Vivian," Mark sighed as he just stared out into the woods. "There is something inside of me nagging about going to go see her again."
"Didn't you just see her the other night?"
"Yes," Mark hissed and hung his head. "She is not in a good situation, anyone can see that, but she is too young to bring here."
"Ah yes, the human world sometimes moves a lot slower than our world." Randall paused, "Blaze still brings Hailey back here from time to time, but that is another battle you will have to fight inside of yourself."
"Just like the other battle?" Mark snarked
"I believe your body is already answering that question."
"I have not imprinted on Vivian." Mark barked back, and Randall took a long draw on his pipe. Randall knew different than what Mark was telling him. He has been around for a long time and knew the early signs of imprinting. The silence grew between Mark and Randall as a very loud tornado made its way down the block.
"Good night," Blaze said as he stood in the front yard, still dripping some type of goo from his last event. Mark noticed that his mohawk was a bit flat, and he could use a shower. Mark snarled his nose a bit at the smell that Blaze was giving off.
"Good night; where were you?"
"In the sewer system." Blaze paused and shook off some more goo from his arms.
"I would like to ask why you were in the sewer, but I doubt I want to know."
"Well, I was not scoring a lady friend down there, that is for sure" Blaze laughed at his joke.
"I think you should shower with the hose," Mark snicker.
"Yes, please do clean up outside of the house and don't bring that mess inside for me to deal with."
"You can't tell me that your lists never took you to some strange places."
"Strange, yes. But nothing like that, Blaze. I can't imagine who you pissed off for that name." Randall said and took in a long drag from his pipe as Blaze stormed off around the house to find the hose.
Vivian sat in the back of the car as she stared out the window, looking up at the clouds. She smiled as the sun came out, and she closed her eyes. She enjoyed the warmth of the sun on her face. She looked over at her mother as she continued to drive and
stopped in the mists of traffic.
"When we get home, make sure you go up and clean up," Michelle said in a very monotone voice.
"Yes, Mom," Vivian said in almost a singing voice. "Mama, what happened up there?"
"It is just an accident," She said, not wanting to deal with the traffic.
"The boy is covered in dirt," Vivian said as she stared out the window at the sad little boy about her age that was covered in mud and his clothing all torn apart. Michelle looked back at her.
"No boys are walking around outside. Did you listen to what the doctor said, Vivian? You don't need to make up stories" Vivian shifted in her seat as she continued to look out the window. She knew what she was seeing, and a boy was standing outside her window.
"Yes, mom," She said and sat in silence as she watched the little boy, wondering what happened to him.
Mark walked out to the back porch with two beers in hand. "Beer?" He handed it off to Blaze, who was sitting down on the back porch's wooden steps. Mark groaned a bit as he took a seat next to him. "I need your help."
"My help?" Blaze laughed a bit at the thought that Mark would need his help, knowing that Blaze was the baby of the group.
"Yeah," Mark took a big drink of his beer, "I want to ask you about Hailey."
"What about her?"
"How did you know that you imprinted on her?" Mark asked as he could still feel part of him, not even asking the question that just came out of her mouth.
Blaze looked up at Mark and took a drink of his beer. "In the beginning, it was like a pull inside of me that I just needed to see her all the time. Then it grew to I worried about her all the time wanting to take away all the pain and all the problems in her world." He paused and looked at Mark. "It doesn't feel normal for us. We shouldn't be having these feelings."
"Right"
"Not like we can't, but having those feelings were not made for monsters like us." Randall paused and took a drink. "But at the moment, those feelings are beautiful." Randall shook his head as he remembered plenty of times that he and Hailey shared those beautiful, loving moments alone in several places. "So, do you believe that you imprinted on Vivian?"
"I keep feeling like I need to be with her even though I just saw her the other day. I feel like my day is not complete unless I know she is safe. The feeling is nagging and at times even drowning myself." He paused. "I am not sure I want to imprint on a human."
"Sounds like you have imprinted and just trying to deny the feelings." Blaze said with a raised eyebrow, and Mark finished off his drink. "I am not going to tell you that it is easy because it is not, but I knew Hailey for years now, and each stage is better than the next."
"Vivian is six now."
"Aw, I remember when Haily was six. She played a lot and was filled with the innocent love she wanted to share with everyone." He paused. "You will need to teach her that not everyone can see you."
"I did not think about that" He paused and started to feel the internal battle happening between himself. He knew now what this nagging feeling was inside him and knew that he was behind the ball teaching Vivian about his kind.
Several nights have passed, and Mark was too busy talking to Blaze and doing his job to stop by Vivian's house. It is not like Vivian was far from his thoughts. She always ran across his mind multiple times a day. Mark stood outside of her home as he could hear Michelle and Nicholas screaming at each other once more. Mark lowered his hat over his eyes as he walked into the house. He stood in the kitchen a bit as he looked around the house, now looking like it was more run down than before. He sighed and made his way up the stairs to Vivian's room. He noticed the door was completely closed, which was out of the norm for her.
Mark glided into the room and stared at the bed positioned in the corner of the room. Vivian laid on the bed under the covers. Mark stood in silence, unsure if she was sleeping or staring at the wall. He walked over and sat on the side of the bed. Vivian wiggled over more towards the wall. "So, you are awake" Mark chuckled a bit. "What is wrong?" he asked in the silence in the room. "Nothing?" He paused again and took a deep breath. "Do I get a hug at least?"
"Mom says that you are not real," Vivian squeaked out as tears started to escape her eyes, and Mark started to laugh.
"I am very real" He paused. "Turn around... give me a hug," and Mark waited for a while, and Vivian scooted around and rolled over and looked up at Mark. "A hug?" Mark said, opening his arms and a smile on his face. Vivian hugged him as she laid herself over his legs. "Thank you. Now, let's talk about what your mom said."
"Mom says that you are not real, and I am telling stories." She looked at him as he gently ran his large fingers against her cheeks to wipe away her tears.
"Don't cry, Vivi," Mark said softly. "You have a very special gift that allows you to see people like me."
"What are you?" Vivian asked as she pushed her head against his hand that stopped rubbing her face as he began to think of all the names that he was called over the years; none of them would be appropriate for a six-year-old to hear. Mark continued to say as he rubbed her cheeks. The tears trail slowly, ending as he could feel the shakes slowly stopping from Vivian's body.
"People like me are old souls," he said once he figured that was the best way to put what he was to a child. "Old souls are hard for normal people to see. Only special people can see them."
"Why are you so old?" she asked, and mark chuckled to himself as he had to remember she was only six.
"Because I am very wise, and that only happens when you are an old soul." He said, and the two of them were silent. Mark could hear Nicholas and Michelle still screaming at each other about getting drugs. Mark continued to rub Vivian's cheek as she fell asleep in his lap.
Mark walked into the house, seeing Blaze already screaming at the video games and Randall sitting in the kitchen. He walked through the living room to Randall. "Good Night," Mark said to Randall as he pulled a beer out on the refrigerator and took a seat at the table as he watched Randall fill his pipe.
"How are you doing?" He asked as he started to take that long first drag lighting his pipe.
"I am doing well." Mark paused. "I have been thinking about this for a while."
Randall took a long drag and looked at Mark. "What is that?"
"I think you are right... I think that I have imprinted on Vivian." He paused. "I have been trying to figure out these feelings for a while. I never want to see her upset, hurt, or anything beyond happiness." He paused and took a sip of his beer. Randall was quiet, almost to the point that Mark knew that he needed to ask him his opinion. "I never felt this way about anyone, and you know I have been around for a while." He paused again. "Randall, what are you thinking?"
"Monika," He said was the only word that came out. Mark was a bit shocked that Randall would not talk about her since she passed away. "Mark, I have to say maybe this lifetime Vivian is put in your path for a lesson, but I am letting you know now that our boss has a very sick sense of humor." He paused, and Mark could see the lump in Randall's throat as he swallowed.
"I can't stop myself, Randall. I want to see Vivian any time I can, and this nagging feeling inside of me is torture at points."
"I know, son" He paused, and Randall put his hand on Mark's. "Talk to Blaze. He is the master of being able to see Hailey more often than you and I know." He paused and moved his hand back on his lap. "But Mark, when the day comes to say goodbye, please understand that the boss does not"
Vivian sat on the floor in her room. She played with her dolls as she made them dance across the floor with her hands. She giggled to herself as she entertained herself from the screaming matching happening in the kitchen. She leaned back again on her bed as she pulled her hair around the best she could and pulled it into a ponytail. Vivian put her dolls down and walked over to her mirror. She stared at herself in the mirror as she fixed her hair. She wore warned blue jeans and a t-shirt even tho this time of year it would be better to be wearing long sleeves. She looked at herself once more and closed her eyes.
Mark looked through the window to see Vivian standing in the mirror as he left himself in and headed up to Vivian's room. Vivian turned around, and a bright smile beamed across her face "Mark!" She said and ran across her room and hugged him.
"Hello, little lady," Mark said as he patted her back. He could already hear the fighting happening downstairs.
"Did you come to play?"
"I will play in just a few minutes." He paused, and as he noticed that his tattoo started to glow. He knew there was a new message that he was receiving "I will be right back" He paused as he keeled down to her and ran his hand against her arms. "I need you to stay up here."
"Why?"
"Because I am telling you to" He looked at her straight into her eyes, and Vivian could tell he was not playing. "Promise me. I need you to stay up here." He shook her a little since she was not responding.
"Promise," She said softly, and Mark stood up and hugged her, his trench coat falling against his calf's. Mark stood up and started to walk out of her room. She watched Mark standing at the doorway. He turned around and looked back at her and closed the door.
Mark knew the number that just came across his list as he took a deep breath. Mark walked down the steps and looked over at Michelle and Nicholas standing in the kitchen screaming at each other. Mark stared at Nicholas even harder as he started to pick up anything he could get his hand on and throwing it at her.
"I am tired of you mouthing back at me!" He screamed and threw some of the raw dinners at
her, and Michelle put her hands up to block him. "I have no idea why you can not get this right!" He screamed and threw another handful of items. Mark stared at Nicholas as he could feel the rage inside of him just building and building up. "I need some," He said, and Michelle knew what he meant.
"You already had it!" Michelle screamed at him, "That is mine!"
"You always say that it is yours!" Nicholas said as he pulled out the powder substance and started to heat it. Michelle watched him as he prepared it for himself. He began to draw up the hit.
"You never share!" Michelle yelled at him and started a fight once again. Mark started to stare at Nicholas as he stared harder and harder at him. He knew what was going to happen. Nicholas took the syringe and, in one motion, pulled her arm palm facing him. She smiled at the sight, and just like that, Nicholas empty the full syringe into Michelle, and it was over.
Mark stood in the kitchen and just watching Michelle and waited for her to take the last few breaths of air. He did not feel right to just leave her lying on the floor alone. Nicholas sat in the living room like nothing was happening as he was coming back down from his high. Mark walked back upstairs to see Vivian's door still closed. He walked into her room and sat down, and started to play with the dolls. Vivian looked up at him with a big smile as the two of them continued to play.