Chapter Two
I sprang out of bed, only to fall to my hands and knees. I tried to steady myself on all fours filling my hands with carpet. After half an hour I was successful in my endeavor only to hear a terrible rip as I stood up on my knees. The shadowy figure(whom I wished I had dreamt)burst through the door with needle and thread. I wondered what they were for, only to realise what it meant to do. I tried to run, only to collapse due to the pain from a freshly opened wound. Long finger like tendrils held my wound closed as needle and thread sewed it shut at blinding speed with a surprising lack of pain.
Pulling me to my feet the creature walked me to a small table I had never seen in my apartment before. It sat me down and left returning moments later with a plate of breakfast foods. I knew this wasn't mine. I didn't even have milk, or a fridge. I had been living on a diet of mostly ramen for the past two years, but suddenly their was a bevy of new things in the apartment. All of which I knew I couldn't afford.
"How did--?" I began to ask until my hoarse voice started crackling. I was parched.
The creature looked at me concerned. It slid to the sink with a glass in hand and filled it with water. It then slinked back to me grabbing my face and pouring water into my mouth. It was unsettling, but I didn't have the required strength to object. My hands snapped up to the glass, guzzling its contents. The shadow creature let go and watched as I wolfed down the food it had given me. I didn't realize just how hungry I was till I started filling my mouth with food. Tears were streaming down my face and the creature began to panic. It didn't know what to do and started bringing things to me like a stuffed bear and towels, flitting through the window bringing new things with it.
I laughed at the absurdity of it all and the creature stopped, slumped into one of the new chairs it had likely stolen and relief washed over the room. I didn't know what I was supposed to do now. We sat there in silence for a while, confused as to what to do next. I shakily got up wondering how I would explain all of this new stuff to my landlord. I walked toward the bathroom to shower.
I sat there, the water hitting my bruised skin. The warm water felt nice washing over the stitched wound on my chest. I turned off the stream and turned to see my shadowy friend with a towel. I yelled in surprise. I made a mental note to sit down with the thing and discuss boundaries. I took the towel from the startled creature and apologised. It occurred to me that I should find out just what this monster was and if it had a name.
"So what do I call you?" I asked hoarsely
A line appeared across the things head below its eyes and a soul shattering sound erupted from its new mouth. I fell to my knees covering my ears to save myself from the terrible din. It stopped trying to speak and helped me back to my feet. It soon began carving something into the mirror. I looked to see what the shadowy thing had written. My name is ADAM. What's yours? I stood there for a minute not knowing what to say as Adam stood there watching me.
"My name is Richard Bennett, but people call me Dick." I spoke the words like I was trying to thoroughly understand each one properly
Adam opened his mouth to speak. My hands shot to my ears preparing for the impending din, but instead a small voice like a gurgle spoke I couldn't hear what he said so I brought my hands down from my ears to try and hear him.
"Richard…is…Dick?" Adam spoke in a voice like broken glass
"Well that's not how I would've put it but yeah." I replied
"Dick…is…friend." It stepped forward and, before I could object he embraced me in a hug with force that would have made a bear jealous. His touch was cold like ice. My teeth started chattering. He let go of me and handed me a clean grey t shirt, dark blue jeans, some socks, boxers and a pair of red converse sneakers. I put them all on and tore some tags off some of them that I was still pretty sure were stolen.
"How can I understand you now?" I asked
"I'm…talking…quiet…and…slow." Adam spoke in his gurgly way
There was a knock at the door. I finished sliding my shirt on before walking towards the door.
"BENNETT!" a deep voice cried "Your rent is LATE!" Adam cowered behind me
"Abernathy, I paid you last week!" I yelled back before flinging the door open to find Abernathy's head being carried by someone who clearly wasn't the portly man who up until maybe a few minutes ago was still my landlord and still had his neck attached to his shoulders.
Abernathy's head seemed to bubble right before it exploded in a shower of red. Shards of bone shot towards me. They clinked against the armor that had once again formed around my body. A man stepped into my apartment, shards of Abernathy's skull floating above his hand. He began to speak
"Two five six, it turns out you weren't a complete failure after all. Father wishes to bring you home."
End of Chapter Two