Chapter 72: Wiener Dogs

I woke late the next morning. I think every muscle in my body ached. I was so stiff and swollen. I could barely move. The light streaming through my pale pink curtains told me it was early afternoon. My fingers crawled to the edge of the bed. Every fiber in my muscles screamed as I eased up into a sitting position. My feet touched the floor. I very carefully took one painful step at a time to the bathroom.
The door opened before I could touch it. That girl, Marcy, stood in my bathrobe facing me with a shocked look on her face. It quickly turned into a smile. "Oh, hi. I didn't know you were awake."
I gave her a tight-lipped smile and a nod. She inched around me and disappeared. I rolled my eyes as I inched closer to the bathtub. I flipped the hot water on and let it fill. After a great deal of maneuvering, I pulled off my clothes and slowly sank into the hot depths. After a long time, I could finally feel relief seep in. Everything still ached, but I could move now.
My thoughts drifted to Remi and Angie as they usually did when I was alone. I wasn't any closer to finding either one of them. Angie was being yanked around by Karma. I knew she was toying with me and using him as bait. I just hadn't figured out a way to save him yet. My best bet was to find something valuable to trade with her. But what could I trade with a Force of Nature that she would want? Remi had given me a soul stone. Maybe if I could figure out how to make one of those, I'd be in business.
My mind shifted to Remi. The Mila thing had taken him. I hadn't seen or heard a peep from the darkness since. No hint, no clue, nothing, I had no idea where even to start looking for him. That pulled at my heart. I could still feel Lanie's betrayal at him, but also her adoration for him. Kira's pain sank it even further. But even with both of their memories and thoughts, I still wasn't sure how I felt about either one of my guardians. I missed them. I liked them. They were hot. I wanted them back. But, when it came down to it, what were they to me? Family? Lovers? Would I have to choose between them? I didn't have any answers, not yet. I guess I would have to see once I rescued them.
I could probably pop on over to the library later today. Maybe I could find something in their older books. I needed to do some digging. Then I realized it was Monday, Labor Day. They wouldn't be open. And creepy Manager Kline was expecting me at his lame party. I hung my head. I really didn't know if I could weather that kind of party. But I also wasn't sure if I could afford not to go. I'd have to find another job, and I didn't have anything lined up. I also couldn't afford the time it would take me to find one.
I sunk lower in the bathwater. I blew bubbles out my mouth into the water as I thought. Why was being me so hard? What if I just disappeared? No one would notice. I didn't have Remi here to save me or Angie here to give me a pep talk. And if I just disappeared, no one would be left to save them. I squeezed my eyes shut. Alright.
I pulled the plug and stood to shower off. I cleaned up and dressed. When I walked through the apartment, it was empty. I breathed a sigh of relief. Something about having Anton around set me on edge. I wasn't sure if it was because I knew what happened to his sister. Well... I killed his sister. Or maybe it was because the man he had become after her death was even worse than the man I first met.
I crammed a bagel down then headed out. I picked up a six-pack of beer and some nacho cheese then drove towards the manager's house. I pulled up to the suburban home. There were already five cars parked in the street. I stepped out with my bag of goodies. I took a deep breath, then headed towards the front door. A tall line of sunflowers decorated the flower bed. Everything looked so ordinary. I knocked on the red door. Yipping sounds came from the other side of the door. It sounded something like a herd of small dogs.
The door wedged open. Mr. Kline's face poked around the edge of the door. His smile was broad.
"Kira! Please come in! Don't mind my little babies." He opened the door just enough for me to squeeze in with my bag. The little wiener dogs scurried around my legs, yipping and jumping on me. I tried not to step on them with each step. There must have been seven of them.
Mr. Kline turned around. "I'm so glad you could come. Here, just set your stuff down right on this table. Food here, drinks there, and come join us, we're all out back."
I plastered on a tight fake smile as I wove my way through the dog maze. I really wasn't a dog person. I didn't hate animals, but this was the sort of situation that made me uncomfortable. I didn't really want to get nipped and peed on. Or, I may end up hurting them because they weren't smart enough to get out of the damn way when I was trying to walk.
I shuffled forward, then set my food and drink down. I snagged a beer then shuffled through the dogs until I reached the back porch. There was a firepit with several of the employees sitting around it. The manager was operating the grill further into the backyard. I took a seat at the fire pit and started sipping at my beer. Now, I just had to bide my time until I could escape. It would probably be the most pain I endured in the last three days. Too bad there wouldn't be a guardian to come save me from this particular death.
I listened to the mindless chatter as the other employees got drunker. Mr. Kline walked around with burgers on a tray. Everyone took one, so I couldn't politely decline. I got up and went to the food bar as many times as possible to fill my time. After agonizing hours, the sun started to fade, and the drunken employees started throwing stuff in the fire. Two of the younger men were dancing around the lawn, making fools of themselves while others laughed and encouraged them.
Mr. Kline slid into the chair next to me. "Are you having fun?" He asked me.
I didn't want to lie outright, but I couldn't seem to say yes, so I just nodded once then sipped my beer.
"You should join the fun." He pointed to the two men.
I shook my head.
"Charades is easy, just give it a try."
"No, thanks."
"Are you afraid of looking silly?"
"No."
"Then join them."
I turned to him with the biggest scowl on my face. I was about ready to unload on him when I looked into his eyes. They were black.
"Why don't you join them," he said as a command.
I could feel my body moving. I marched over to the two other men and started acting out driving a car. I beeped the horn as I pretended to crash into the other two people. They shook their fists and started chasing me around the yard in their own imaginary cars. The other employees around the fire pit laughed hysterically. I tried to fight it, but I couldn't make my limbs obey me. I couldn't even open my mouth to speak a command for my magic. I just puttered around the lawn helplessly.
I was able to flick my eyes to Mr. Kline. He sat grinning and laughing while he watched us run back and forth. I felt violated. No one should have that kind of power. That must have been what Mila felt when the darkness took her over. Was he the darkness?
I stared as much as I could as I moved around, acting out the next scene at a grocery store. He did have black eyes, but they weren't clouded. His eyes looked like he had huge pupils. I didn't see any dark billowing clouds around him. And the feeling of him controlling me felt more like a violation instead of the cold tingling sensation I had felt before. So, he was some new type of predator I hadn't encountered yet.
Apparently, my life wasn't in danger, or at least to the point of dying because neither of my guardians were here yet. I could still feel him controlling me. I could feel my insides reel with revulsion as my throat tightened because I wanted to cry. It felt like a complete and utter violation of my being. I fought the feeling. I needed to concentrate. I needed to figure out how to get out of this situation.
I occupied my mind by watching the other actors. I was trying to decide if they were doing this of their own volition. Their movements were smooth, not jerky, but I didn't feel that way either. Their faces looked happy. I really couldn't tell if their eyes were saying otherwise. They seemed to be into it. Maybe it was more like hypnosis, and I was just more aware of it. Or perhaps they were actually dying on the inside like I was. Either way, it had to stop.