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My Adulthood Begins – Part II
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My freakishly rapid healing was only the beginning of my new alterations after the night the Goblin King called to me, although they didn't all manifest at once. Initially, I and those who befriended me at my new workplaces, questioned the lack of scars. Since I'd been inflicted with many lacerations on my arms and face, they should've left marks.
However, none of them or me preferred the terrible scars, so none of us questioned too deeply the why's or how's. Thus the miracle of my rapid healing was quickly accepted and forgotten by all except by me. Not that I could forget as only I knew the true cause but who could I confide in, who would believe me? I hardly believed it myself.
Why would the Goblin King seek me out after almost three years?
This question more than any other dominated my thoughts until the other alterations replaced my concerns. I healed rapidly, my skin gradually appeared brighter(no more hormonal breakouts)and I noticed my normally medium brown hair started growing in a deeper, darker, glossier shade. Stranger still, for the first time in my life I seemed to more easily make friends, especially female friends, as the distressing void eased for a time.
Two months since my incident with the Goblin King and I'd yet to see or hear from him again or anything else unusual. Every day of normalcy increased my tension; it couldn't possibly be over no matter how much I wished it.
While several of the other cocktail waitresses asked after my health then complimented my improved appearance, one woman specifically befriended me. Her name was Lisa: She was a few years older than I, very out-going and she took me under her care. I suppose she sensed I was unfamiliar with friendships.
"Sarah," Lisa call my name from behind the bar counter. I just arrived for my Saturday nightshift at the bar.
"Hey, Lisa!" I called back to the willowy blond already dressed for her shift in the required short skirt. Lisa was an early bird for everything as far I'd seen.
"You're looking really great, Sarah. You change your makeup or something?" I became anxious at her ease of noticing my changes, but she'd not seen anything truly unusual.
"Thanks, Lisa, I'm just feeling really good." I replied nonchalantly, meeting her on the opposite side of the bar.
"I guess the California air agrees with you." She shrugged.
"Yeah...I guess so." I answered vaguely, refusing to meet her eyes and instead caught my reflection in the large embellished bar mirror behind her. I did look good. Not that I was particularly vain regarding my looks. I'd always known I was attractive, but now in the mirror I looked more ... vivid ... as if someone had colored me in with stronger pigments than everyone and everything else around me. Things blurred and faded as my reflection strengthened.
"Earth to Sarah, hey?" I focused on Lisa's voice breaking my stare from the mirror. Her hand passed in front of my eyes.
"Yeah? Sorry." I shook myself slightly. How odd, it felt like a rubber band snapped in my head.
"Geez, you sure you can work tonight? You kinda zoned out there for awhile."
"I'll be fine, just a little tired." I lied smoothly, finally meeting her worried eyes. "Let me go change quick and I'll be right back."
Lisa nodded as I rushed to the employees' breakroom and its attached restroom where I changed into my waitress outfit which I'd carried with me in a small gym bag. I checked my makeup in the mirror noticing once again my subtly altered appearance. I leaned closer to the mirror inspecting my eyes which did appear a bit greener than usual, especially in the restroom's clearer light.
As my face closed the gap to the glass the surroundings grayed and fuzzed, in contrast, my eyes sharpened in detail until I could count the variations of green in my irises. Directly behind me and centered over my head a darkness popped into existence replacing the bland taupe wall. Its a strange swirling cloud of variegated shades of black and gray twisted into a vortex.
I gasped and jerked around, the small of my back smashed the sink, my hands white-knuckling the porcelain edge but only the normal, aging wall greeted my blinking eyes.
What the hell?What fuck was that? Where do it go?
The air in the small restroom became stifling, and my brain couldn't process what my eyes witnessed. I slowly turned back to the mirror, wary to look into its silvery depths and found nothing but the wall reflected back to me. Had I hallucinated?
I forced my breathing and heart rate to slow with deep breaths. I left the small room in a rush, eager to rejoin others and ground myself in reality. This new ability to connect with others felt strange and exhilarating. Looking back, though I had no understanding what could be happening to me, I was certain the Goblin King was at the root of it somehow.
Shaking off the unsettling vision, I concentrated on waiting on the increasing numbers of patrons as the night action peaked. Lisa and I shared short conversations through the shift, but mostly we were kept distracted by the crowd. Throughout the night was I careful to avoid looking too long in the bar mirror, or any mirror; instead I focused on using my new found friendliness to charm the customers and earn additional tips. I actually found myself enjoying the evening and the pleasant interactions with people, both men and women.
"I see you're making several new friends." Lisa's voice behind me caught me off guard making me jump slightly.
"What? Yeah, it's the weirdest thing." I told her, my tone incredulous.
"Really, why's that?"
"Making friends never was my talent but lately ... I don't know, it's like I don't even have to try."
"That's great, Sarah! Maybe you just needed to meet new people." Lisa suggested innocently, but even then I suspected more.
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I continued in this vein for a few more weeks becoming more comfortable with people then I'd ever been in my short life. My day shifts at the coffee shop went much the same and eventually I did begin to forget - just a little - about the terrifying night the Goblin King visited. And the more I forgot the easier it became to believe the vision had been a hallucination. My body felt stronger, healthier, sleeker, and I wanted to trust these sudden changes to late blooming.
I wanted so much to be normal.
Nearly three months passed since that night, and I finally had my first date since I'd moved. Honestly, I really looked forward to going out as an adult rather than a high school teen.
His name was Brian.
I made a coffee for him earlier in the week and he asked me out. I'd agreed to meet him at the bar where I work; he was to pick me up for dinner and a movie. A tad cliché, perhaps, but I was still new to the area and preferred he meet my new friends before we left. In any regard, I dressed up in a new outfit and sat at the bar talking with Lisa while I waited for a guy I was actually excited to get to know as a person before...well other things.
"Here ya go, one to warm you up before your big date. Just don't tell the boss." Lisa served me a tap beer in an iced mug with a huge smile and a pair of waggling eyebrows. I was still underage (though I could serve alcohol) and appreciated her sneaking me some.
"Thanks, I could definitely use a drink. I'm actually a little nervous." I answered grasping the chilly handle gratefully, returning Lisa's smile. She knew I was a bundle of anxiety.
Taking a few hearty sips, I caught my reflection in the large bar mirror again just as I had a few weeks earlier and had been avoiding (along with all mirrors which played havoc on my makeup). I tried breaking my gaze but immediately my vision was frozen staring at my likeness which had grown more vivid in the silver glass. The surroundings quickly grayed until I could see only my face in Technicolor detail. The black twisting vortex returned to float above my head and I lost track of time.
Hands grabbed at my shoulders and suddenly I saw Lisa nose to nose with me. I heard her speaking, saw her mouth moving, but I couldn't seem to make my mouth form words or understand her. I wanted so badly to turn my head towards the mirror again.
The front door of the bar slammed open, snapping my foggy attention from Lisa and I looked over her shoulder to see Brian walk through the door. His blonde hair tossed in the breeze of the closed door and he turned to look at me with mismatched eyes. I gasped aloud, ignoring Lisa's increasingly alarmed questions. His eyes met mine as he walked directly towards us and a chill started at a base of my spine, speeding upwards until it spread into my skull.
"Hello, Sarah," Brian said in a strange lilting voice different from how he sounded when I first met him.
As soon as his baritone hit my ears, my brain exploded with pain, my eyes whited out, and I heard Lisa screaming my name as I my muscles seized and I fell to the floor. Brian's mismatched blue and brown eyes bored into my own green ones as I fell. I remember lying on the hard floor spasming violently while Lisa cried and Brian watched me calmly until I lost consciousness for a second time.
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