Chapter 13
Angela walked along a stone path with Tommy, hand in hand, the sun setting in the background. She smiled as Tommy raised her hand up and pressed it gently to his lips, leaving a little purple mark on her hand from his lipstick. She giggled as she wiped away the mark and pulled Tommy into an affectionate kiss. Suddenly, Tommy fell weak, his face turning pale and wrinkling. Angela gasped and tried to call to her boyfriend, but no sound came out. The sky turned blood red and a pair of yellow eyes looked down upon them. The sound of deep and evil laughter echoed all around the pair of lovers. Angela tried to touch Tommy, but her hand went through him and his body disintegrated into nothing but ash and bone.
"Tommy!" Angela awoke from her slumber panting heavily. "Tommy?" She looked next to her, surprised to see no one there. She quickly got up out of bed and hurried into the kitchen. She sighed with relief as she saw Tommy sitting at their countertop table in the center of the room, resting his head against it. She turned her head to the stove to check the time, 7:39am. "What are you doing up so early?" She asked, walking over to her boyfriend.
"I couldn't sleep," sighed Tommy sadly, "I kept having bad dreams."
"You too?" Angela took a seat in the stool next to Tommy, running her fingers soothingly through her hair. "Poor baby," she said. Tommy didn't move, he just frowned and sighed as his eyes looked longingly at the roof. "Don't look so glum, baby," said Angela rising to her feet. "How 'bout I make your favorite french toast? I know how much you love the taste. Would that make you feel better?"
"There's only one thing I wanna taste right now..." mumbled Tommy to himself. Angela grabbed a frying pan from the cupboard and the ingredients she needed out of the refrigerator.
"Here," she said, sliding a remote control to Tommy, "watch some tv while I make the toast. It'll make the wait less painful." Angela giggled, but Tommy just sighed and clicked on the television.
"Our top story," said the news reporter on the screen, "another pile of bones was discovered by the LAPD this morning in an alleyway on 17th street. We now go live to Margaret Hasher who is on the scene talking with investigators."
Angela's stirring of the toast batter slowed as she listened carefully to the news report.
"According to the LAPD private investigators," said the news woman, "the bones belonged to 39-year-old Andrew Thompson, who was the superintendent for the apartment building adjacent to the alleyway. Witnesses say they heard loud screaming and growling coming from the alley at around eleven o'clock last night. Some even claim they heard demonic noises that were of biblical proportions." The show transitioned to an interview of one of the supposed witnesses. It was an elderly woman still in her pajamas.
"I heard a loud roar that sounded like a movie monster's," said the old woman, "and a man screaming, 'Help! Help!', so I went to my window and I see this shadowy thing pinning 'em to the ground. I couldn't see all of it because I didn't have my glasses, but it had a long snake tail and two big horns in the front. I swear to sweet Jesus above it was a demon that killed that man and I done saw it! I went for my glasses, then looked back and saw that both of them were gone. It was the most terrifying thing I've ever seen in my entire life." Angela poured the batter over the toast, then turned around to look at the tv. The newswoman was now back on the air.
"Authorities are still on the lookout for the murderer. In the meantime, citizens are encouraged to stay indoors, keep windows and doors tightly secured, and to travel in large groups at night, if it is necessary. More on this story as it develops."
"Tommy," said Angela in shock, "did you see that?"
"I know," replied Tommy, "Adam and Sauli were out last night with a murderer walking around! Do you think Adam's okay? What if he got hurt?" Angela rolled her eyes and walked over to the telephone that hung from the wall.
"I'm sure he's fine," said Angela, slightly annoyed, "I'm more concerned about Sauli. I'm gonna call him up and make sure everything's okay."
"Good idea!" Exclaimed Tommy, nodding his head. "Sauli would know if Adam's alright." Angela put her face in her palm and sighed.
The phone rang loudly at Sauli's house, breaking the peaceful silence. Sauli grabbed a pillow and put it over his face in an effort to block out the ringing that vibrated his eardrums.
"Mika," he grumbled yawning, "vastata puhelimeen." Mika tossed and turned, snoring as he did so. Sauli groaned and moved the pillow away from his face, rubbing his left eye as he answered the telephone on the nightstand next to him. "Haloo?"
"Sauli?"
"Speaking," replied Sauli with a yawn.
"Hey!" Said Angela happily on the other line. "I'm so glad you're okay!"
"Why wouldn't I be?" Asked Sauli, stretching his arms and back as he sat up from his bed.
"Did you see the news this morning?"
"No," replied Sauli, walking into the kitchen, "I just woke up. Mika is still asleep and I think Adam is too." Sauli plugged in his coffeemaker and placed in the coffee grounds on the top, pouring a cup of hot water in afterward as he talked. "Why? What happened?"
"The police found another pile of bones in an alleyway on 17th street." Sauli put the coffee cup he was holding down on the counter and gasped lightly.
"Just like those teenagers," he said, a chill running down his spine. "Did they catch who did it?"
"No," replied Angela, "but people were saying they heard and saw some kind of beast do it."
"Beast?" Said Sauli skeptically. "Come on, Ang, what did they really say?"
"I'm not kidding!" She replied. "This old lady said she thinks it was a demon. She saw it!" Sauli poured three cups of coffee as he spoke.
"I don't know anything about demons," he said, "but they better catch this psychopath and, how you say, whoop his ass." Angela giggled at that and so did Sauli. He blushed as he realized how silly he must've sounded.
"Anyway," said Angela, "I was just worried about you because they said it happened last night at around 11 o'clock-ish and Tommy said that's when you and Adam were out."
"Adam!" Sauli heard Tommy's voice in the background of the other line. "Ask him if Adam is okay!" Angela grunted in irritation.
"Tommy would like to know, is Adam alright?" Sauli let out a small gasp.
"Adam!" He said. "I almost forgot to check on him! He got hurt really bad last night. Some idiootti with a knife cut him up like he was freshly caught salmon!" It was Angela's turn to gasp now.
"Oh my gosh," she said, "that's terrible!" Sauli hurried to the living room and spied Adam on the couch. He walked over to him, being careful not to wake him from his rest, then stopped at his side. Sauli tilted his head in confusion as he noticed Adam's cuts, or better yet, lack of cuts. Adam looked completely fine, as if his encounter last night had never happened. Sauli delicately ran his fingers down where the scar on Adam's face had once been, Adam smiling with a light purr at Sauli's touch.
"That's weird," he said quietly.
"Sauli?" Said Angela on the other line. "Sauli? Are you still there?" Sauli moved away from Adam, who fidgeted at the sound of Angela's voice. He stealthily moved back into the kitchen and took a seat at the table.
"I-I'm still here," he said, "Adam's fine now, but, last night he had these gashes in his leg and knees and stomach and arms. He was bleeding everywhere and now...there's no scars or scabs or anything left on him. He looks perfect."
"That's really weird," said Angela intrigued. "But, hey, I guess it's good that he's okay. Tommy is sure going to be relieved to hear that..."
"Is everything okay between you two?" Asked Sauli, frying up some eggs.
"I thought so," sighed Angela, "but ever since Adam showed up, it's like he's a whole different person. Like he's under a spell or something..." Sauli chuckled to himself as he flipped the egg in the frying pan.
"First you talk of strange beasts, and now spells? This is real life, Angela, not a fairytale."
"Don't talk to me like I'm hysterical, Sauli," said Angela, "I just don't have any other explanation. I can't think of anything else besides that that would make Tommy act so...different." Sauli stopped what he was doing, detecting the sadness in his friends voice.
"Tell you what, Ang," he said, turning off his stove, "how about today you, Tommy, and I go shopping like we used to? It will be good fun for all of us and you two can, like, get close. I won't get in between, I promise."
"Well..." Angela turned and looked at Tommy, who was rushing to get his clothes on and grab his things. Angela covered the end of the phone with her hand and asked Tommy, "What are getting all worked up over?"
"You heard, Sauli," he replied, "Adam got hurt last night! I need to get over there and make sure he's okay!" Angela lowered her eyebrows in annoyance and uncovered the end of the phone.
"We'll be there, Sauli. How's 11am for you?"
"Perfect," answered Sauli, "see you then!" Angela hung up the phone and grabbed Tommy's arm before he could run out the front door.
"Oh no you don't!" She said, pulling him back inside. "You're not going anywhere."
"But I-" Angela put her fingers to Tommy's lips, keeping them shut.
"But nothing. You, Sauli, and I are going out shopping like we used to do. So you're gonna stay here and help me pick out an outfit, then I'll get dressed and we'll meet up with Sauli to have a nice day of fun."
"But what about Adam?" Angela scowled at Tommy.
"What about him? Today's about you and me and Sauli having fun again, Adam isn't coming." Tommy winced and looked down.
"Oh...yay." Angela kissed Tommy's nose.
"Don't look so sad, baby," she said, "It'll be fun, I promise. Now go eat your french toast. I left it for you on the kitchen table." Tommy sighed and started walking to the kitchen.
"Yes, dear." Angela smiled and skipped into her bedroom, ready to start her day of fun.
Sauli put his house phone back on the receiver in his bedroom, then walked into the living to spy Adam, laying on the couch sexily with a smile on his face.
"Morning handsome," he said with a wink. "Sleep good?" Sauli blushed red with a giggle and nodded.
"Well, yeah," he replied with a smile. "And yourself? You look fantastic!" Adam smirked with a chuckle.
"Oh Sauli, you spoil me with compliments." Sauli rolled his eyes, still red from blushing and a smile still on his face.
"I meant your wounds, you crazy boy." He laughed. "You look as if nothing happened." Adam smiled bright and looked at his arm and legs, admiring how nice, smooth, and healthy they looked.
"You're right, Sauli!" He said happily. "Aren't they gorgeous?" Sauli blushed bright red and nodded awkwardly. "I'm a fast healer," said Adam, "I rarely bruise or scar."
"That's very good to hear!" Said Sauli with a smile. "I have some news to share with you."
"What is it, Sauli, darling?" Asked Adam, caressing Sauli's cheek lovingly. "Something wrong?" Sauli gulped and gently moved Adam's hands away from him.
"No," he replied, "everything is fine. I just want to tell you that Angela, Tommy, and I will be going out later to shop."
"Ooo!" Squealed Adam. "Sounds fun! Where we going shopping?" Sauli chuckled nervously.
"Well, actually, um, we're going to the outlets downtown, but you won't be."
"Oh," said Adam, "okay. So I'll be here alone?"
"No, no, no!" Said Sauli. "That'd be so rude for all of us to go out without you. Mika will be here with you. He probably won't get up until noon." Sauli laughed and so did Adam, though Adam's was slightly more sinister.
"That's lovely news!" Said Adam with a smile. "Mika and I will finally have some time to get to know each other and become great friends." Sauli smiled bright and hugged Adam tight.
"Thank you for understanding. And thank you for wanting to try and be friends with Mika. I know that once he knows you, everything will be better." Adam gave a sinister smirk behind Sauli's back and rubbed his back soothingly.
"I know so too," snickered Adam, "Now, you should go get ready to have fun with your friends!" Adam smacked Sauli's bum as he chased Sauli upstairs and into his clothes closet. He then walked back downstairs and chuckled to himself. "This is almost too easy," he said. "I love it when things go my way. First things first though, time to change out of these old clothes." He walked into Mika and Sauli's bedroom and rummaged through Mika's closet. "No, no, no, ah!" Adam quickly changed into a navy blue sleeveless top with a black leather vest with spikes on the shoulders. He also changed into a pair of black and white jeans with leather fingerless gloves. "There," he said, twirling in the hallway mirror, "perfection!" He smiled, baring his long and sharp fangs as he watched Mika toss and turn in his bed.
"Rest peacefully, Mika," whispered Adam, his voice demonic and doubled, scowling at the sleeping Mika with a vicious smile, "while you still can."