Chapter 5 – A blood sacrifice

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At home, I walk to my living room and begin the rite. I light five black candles which burn with a red flame and place them in a circle around me. I sit cross legged within the circle, and begin.

"Ama me." I remove a human heart from my bag, a souvenir from a student who looked at him with too fond a gaze. I unsheathe a blade, close my eyes, look up towards the ceiling and stab the heart above my head. The blood drips into my hair with warm red drops streaming down my face.

"Ama me."

Flynn

I'm sitting in my office doing work on my PhD, contemplating the series of events that have unfolded. I've seen that hallway and the mysterious woman twice now and despite my intellectual capacities on which I pride myself, am no closer to unveiling her identity. I stand up from my chair and climb onto the desk, sitting cross legged. I place my hands on my knees and close my eyes, and visualise the events that had occurred to search for possible clues. I see her in front of me, shrouded in darkness. There is limited data, I can't even figure out her height or weight from the lack of reference points. Suddenly, I feel something, I open my eyes as I feel a stabbing pain in my heart. An electric shock of agony flows throughout my entire body as I fall from my desk, convulsing in a tormenting suffering which penetrates the deepest nerve endings of my form. As soon as the eternity of pain begins, it stops, and all I can think about is her.

"Flynn?" I look up from the floor and see Sayori standing over me, looking down at me with an expression of extreme concern.

"Oh. Don't worry, I was just." I stammer, struggling to figure out an excuse which explains this behaviour.

"Being weird?" She says, laughing at me on the floor.

"Yeah. What do you want anyway?" I reply, as I push myself from the ground and dust off my tweed jacket.

"It's association time!" She said excitedly, grabbing me by the hand and pulling me out of my office. We make our way to the literature association, for another evening of discussions. As we enter the room, Yuri, Natsuki and Monika are already there, sat around a table talking to one another. I sit down with the girls and we discuss a vast array of topics, ranging from the works of HP Lovecraft to the poems of Philip Larkin. I was impressed by Yuri's capacities, and – perhaps unfairly – shocked that Natsuki knew of such writers.

"Hey, Flynn, can I talk to you for a moment in private?" Monika asks me.

"Of course." We both stand and walk to the corner of the room, out of earshot from the rest of the group.

"I was wondering if I could get your number? You know, for literature stuff." Monika asks, looking up at me as she flutters her eyelids. I must admit, I was taken aback by this request and, despite Sari assuring me that Monika did like me, I did not expect her to want my number.

"Um… Yeah, sure, I guess?" I reply. I give her my number and we return to the group.

"Hey, Duke Douchebag." Natsuki says, gently punching me on the shoulder. "I got you this manga."

I stretch out and grab the manga, which is entitled 'Ichor Oblation'.

"What is this?" I say, baffled by the title of the tome encased in my grip.

"Just read it and you'll find out." She replies, giving me another gentle punch to the shoulder. Later that night, as I finally removed my clothes and crawled into my bed, my phone vibrates. It's a text from Monika.

Monika: Hey you, are you still awake? I can't sleep.

Despite my body almost begging for rest, I resist the urge and reply to Monika, engaging her in conversation. After all, it is only 9pm.

Flynn: Neither can I.

Monika: At least you can keep me company.

Flynn: I can't honestly say that my company can be held in such high regard.

Monika: Maybe I could find out.

Was Monika flirting with me?

Flynn: Maybe we could.

Monika: Maybe you should come over and keep me company.

Flynn: Address?

Monika: 754 Park Avenue.

I jumped out of bed and practically threw on my clothes, desperate to get to Monika's place as fast as I could. I quickly dash to my en-suite to style my black hair and make sure nothing is out of place.

"Where are you going?" I turn around and Sayori is in the door way of my en-suite in her unicorn pyjamas.

"Monika's, she's asked me to come over." I say excitedly, this must have shocked Sayori as I rarely show such energy. Come to think of it, such passion is out of character.

"You're going to Monika's? But? I just thought…" I stare at Sayori, she looks broken. Dejected. I can almost feel her anguish radiating from her body as she stares at me with eyes that pierce my skin.

"Sari?" I probe her for an answer. Sayori sheds a single tear from her right eye. I think I understand, it may have been a few years since one had 'danced' with the opposing gender, but I still have an ability to empathise.

Flynn: My apologies dear, but something is wrong with Sayori. Another time perhaps?

I text Monika but do not receive a response.

"You've never shown me. You've never given any indication. Not even a hint." I say, handing her a tissue to wipe the tears from her eyes.

"Huh?" She replies, as I walk towards her, putting my hand on her arm.

"That you cared this much. This isn't how friends react Sayori. So put on a dress." I say, walking back into my bedroom from the en-suite.

"Why? Where are we going?"

"Le Bernardin. A French restaurant. Come on."

"I don't understand."

"It's a date."

Sayori doesn't say a word and runs to her bedroom. I feel terrible for standing up Monika, however, I will not betray my deepest, secret, feelings. She gets dressed and emerges in beige a dress which rests on her mid thighs. Her makeup is simple, but elegant. I had honestly never looked at her in such a manner. I take her hand and we use an uber to get to the restaurant. A well-dressed waiter escorts us to a table in the centre of the room, decorated with pristine cutlery and cream candles gently burning to create an atmosphere or romance, as we sit down Sayori questions me.

"How did you know?"

"There's only two reasons a person cries over another with such pain. When they love another, or despise another." I say, starring into her eyes and gently holding her hand. Her pupils dilate, her skin blushes, and she follows up with an unexpected query.

"What happened in Afghanistan?" She asks. I sit still, my breathing slows, and I remove my hand from hers. I stare through Sari and visualise the events which preceded my journey to the Americas.

"In 2013 I was on a routine patrol with my section. I was just a rifleman. We were ambushed by the Taliban. It was a blood bath. Every single one of us was killed. Except for me. I only survived because I hid under the bodies. I stayed there for hours. Waiting. Expecting to be killed. But I wasn't. I survived when everybody else died." When I refocus my vision, Sayori isn't there. Instead, it is another. Monika. She stands up from the table and, suddenly, my chair is pushed back by an invisible force, and she straddles me as she kisses me with a fervent passion.

"Flynn?" Sayori's voice snaps me back into reality. I think I need a Doctor.