Doris placed the plate of hash browns and pancakes in front of Ramon.
“Here you go, hijo.”
“Thanks, mom.”
Ramon took his knife and fork and cut off a piece of pancake. He put it in his mouth. Doris brought over the coffeepot and sat down at the table with Patricio and Ramon. Patricio took the pot and poured some coffee into his cup. He set it down on the table again.
“How’s Martha?” asked Ramon.
Doris sighed.
“Not too good. Her forearm is in a lot of pain. I understand that your cousin Janet is coming from South Carolina to stay with Martha for a bit. She was going to come up anyway, but this accident sped up her plans.”
“When is she coming to New Jersey?” asked Ramon.
“This Saturday.”
“Who’s picking her up?”
“Your cousin, Manny.”
“Ah…ok.”
“I guess she’s going to be out for a while.” remarked Patricio.
“Yeah. It’s tough on her, you know? Martha’s an active woman. She’s very hands on, and is really independent. This is gonna be really rough on her.”
“She’s getting on in years, though.” responded Patricio sadly. “Plus, with that arthritis and her other health problems…maybe it’s time she goes to live with her daughters?”
“Well, that’s one of the things Janet is going to try and do-and she’s rather insistent about doing that. Martha’s headstrong, but so is her daughter. I imagine there’s going to be quite a bit of fireworks between those two. And, I’m sad to say that I’m coming down on the side of Janet.”
Ramon shook his head.
“Well, you guys got a battle ahead. Titi isn’t going to bow to pressure without a fight.”
Doris shook her head.
“I know.”
She sighed and poured herself some coffee. Setting down the pot, Doris reached for some sugar cubes and dropped a couple into the simmering cup. She turned to Ramon.
“Your father tells me you’re having some problems with your car?”
Ramon sighed.
“Yeah. I think it’s time for a tune-up. The car’s engine hasn’t been running smoothly the last couple of days. I think it’s time to take this thing down to my friend Jake on Communipaw Avenue.”
“When are you doing it?”
“I’d like to try for today. In fact, let me give him a call.”
Ramon got up from the table and walked over to the phone sitting on a table near the window. He sat down, picked up the receiver and dialed the number. Ramon waited a few moments as the phone rang. Finally, someone picked up at the other end.
“Jake’s auto repair.”
“Hi, can I talk to Jake?”
“Who’s this?”
“A friend of his. Ramon Veldez.”
“Hold on a sec.”
There was a click, and Ramon heard jazz music play over the phone. He waited a few more moments, and then another male voice came onto the phone.
“Hey, what’s up Ramon!”
“Heya Jake.”
“What can I do for ya?”
“Yeah, my Honda needs a tune-up. When’s the soonest you can do it?”
“Hmmm. Can you drop it off early tomorrow morning? Say at seven thirty?”
Ramon frowned.
“Damn…I have to head off to New York early tomorrow.”
“How’s about you drive down to the shop tonight?”
“Sure. I could pick you up so you can drive it back. It’s drivable, but the engine hesitates.”
“Hmmm. Okay then. Swing by around six tonight.”
“That sounds great. You got my cell number, right?”
“Yup.”
“Okay. See you at six.”
“Later, bro.”
Ramon hung up the phone. He turned to his parents and let out a sigh.
“Well, that’s done.”
“I’m glad that Jake’s a good mechanic.” remarked Patricio.
Ramon got up and walked back over to the table. He sat down.
“Yeah. Let me dig in at this. It’s really good, Ma.”
Doris smiled and rubbed her son’s forearm.
“Anything for my baby.”
Ramon returned the smile. He went back to eating his food. At that moment, a shot of pain thread through his chest and stab wound. It was brief, but sharp. Ramon cringed, pausing in mid-chew. Doris instantly noticed this.
“Ramon??”
Ramon swallowed his food with difficulty. He reached for his orange juice and drank some to help down his food. He turned to his mother and forced a thin smile.
“I’m all right.”
He rose to his feet.
“I gotta go to the bathroom. I’ll be right back.”
Doris leaned towards him, her face full of concern.
“Are you sure??”
“Yeah. I just gotta pee.”
He turned around and walked over to the bathroom door, opening it. He went inside and closed the door. Ramon hunched over, closing his eyes.
The pains in his chest and stab wound were slowly getting worse. Ramon thought about it. Perhaps this was related to Brianna. As she grew weaker, so did her ability to keep him alive. Fear gripped him in a vise. He sat down on the toilet, staring at the door.
Their destinies were indeed linked. And time was running out for both of them.
It was Friday morning. Brianna stood in the magazine section of the bookstore, reading a magazine article about a terrorist attack on a cruise ship. A small plane loaded with explosives crashed into the Queen Mary 2, killing hundreds of passengers and sinking the ship. Al Qaeda claimed responsibility for the attack. Brianna’s lips curled in a grim smile. Ahhh…religious fanatics. Things were still the same, thousands of years later. For all the talk of their advancement in science, humans were still the savage little apes that Brianna had grown to know and loathe. She thought back to when she started the witch-hunts in the 1500s. People were burned at the stake simply for being suspected of witchcraft. Brianna had oftentimes amused herself, watching many of the burnings, laughing at the victims and the spectators alike. It was almost as audacious as when she started the Black Death…and boy, had that been fun to watch!!
Spite filled Brianna to the core. Her hatred of humanity knew no bounds.
She was so desperate to get off Earth that it ate away at her. Six thousand years on this godforsaken planet was more than Brianna could deal with. Having to take on human form heightened her emotions and anxieties in a way she had never dreamed of. Brianna longed for her formless, elastic shape-longed to be able to have the ability to use her mind to cross interstellar space…
But those were the dreams of youth. Brianna was frail and severely debilitated She was reaching the end of her life, and it terrified her. Brianna simply didn’t want it to end. One hundred million years of life were drawing to a close. What Ramon said kept eating away at her. For all their advancement, her race couldn’t figure out the one great mystery–conquering death.
She hated Ramon more and more every passing moment for pointing that out to her. Brianna bit her tongue. She’d get her revenge the moment Ramon got her access to that meteorite. Brianna had a nasty little surprise in store…
A shrill cry cut through the air. Brianna cringed. It was the cry of a baby. Brianna slowly turned to her right, looking over her shoulder. A young couple stood a few feet away from the entrance. The young mother gently bounced the tiny infant in her arms. Brianna let out a hiss. She went back to her reading.
The baby continued to cry. Brianna tried reading a section dealing with shattered corpses littering the ocean, survivors screaming out for their loved ones-
But she couldn’t get through it. The baby’s cries distracted her.
And the noise grew closer to her. Brianna ground her teeth and read on.
“Jerry, I think Jenna’s hungry again.”
“Huh! That little girl’s got an appetite! Hold on Lindsay.”
Brianna looked over her shoulder again. The father had a red backpack. He took it off his back and set it down in front of him. Opening up the bag, he took out a baby bottle. He stood up and handed it to his wife. She took it and placed the nipple in the infant’s mouth, but the child batted it away and cried even louder than before. A couple of other customers looked towards the hapless parents. The young mother looked at the child, puzzled.
“Ssssssshhhh!! Why are you crying, honey? You’re not hungry, are ya?”
The father shrugged.
“Well, I just changed the diaper.”
“Hmmm.”
The baby screamed. Two nearby customers winced. Brianna put the magazine back on the shelf. She turned around, a soft smile on her face.
“What’s the baby’s name? She’s so cute.”
The mother turned towards Brianna and returned the smile.
“Her name’s Jenna.”
“How old is she?”
“Six months.”
Brianna drew closer. She gazed down at the infant.
“Hey there!”
The baby continued to scream. Brianna reached out and rubbed the top of its head.
“Shhhhh!! Why are you crying, sweetie?”
The baby kept crying. Brianna rubbed the little head a bit more, pressing her index finger gently into the back of it. She drew her hand away. Brianna looked at the mother.
“Maybe she’s teething?”
The mother shook her head.
“No.”
She turned to her husband.
“I’m gonna take Jenna to the bathroom. I’ll check her diaper. Maybe she needs another change?”
“Huh…if she did, she didn’t give that new diaper much of a chance!”
The father smiled and shook his head. He looked into his bag again.
“You got diapers, hon?”
“Yup! They’re in my backpack. I’ll see ya in a bit.”
“Okay. I’m going up on the second floor to look at some meteorology books.”
“Gotcha.”
The mother walked off with the infant, its screams reverberating off the walls of the store. Brianna looked at the mother and child as they departed. She smiled.
“Your daughter has a healthy pair of lungs!”
The father chuckled.
“Yep! That she does. Jenna makes a heck of an alarm clock.”
The father rose to his feet. He smiled at Brianna.
“Anyway, gotta go. Take care.”
“You too.”
The father walked off. Brianna’s smile slowly faded from her face. She walked towards the front of the store and opened the door. As she walked out, Brianna heard a piercing scream come from the back of the store. It belonged to the young mother. The door sighed closed. Brianna raised an eyebrow.
“Guess you’ll have to get a new alarm clock, daddy.”
Brianna walked over to the curb. She hailed a cab, and the yellow Crown Victoria pulled up in front of her. Brianna opened the door and got in. The driver looked at her via the rear-view mirror.
“Where to?”
“86th and Lexington.”
“Right.”
The car sped off, disappearing into the maelstrom of New York City traffic.
Ramon made a left from Grand Street into the mini-mall. He slowly drove along, looking for a possible parking spot. As he neared the Pathmark on the far end, Ramon spotted a space on his right. He turned into it, put the Honda in neutral and applied the parking brake. He shut off the motor.
Ramon nodded in satisfaction. Jake had done an excellent job with the car. It was running better than ever. Considering all the errands he had to do with the little Honda, Ramon was thankful things had turned out well. Ramon stepped out of the car and closed the door. He took a deep breath.
It was a cool, crisp, Saturday morning. He had made arrangements to meet Brianna here at the pizzeria.
The mere thought of Brianna sent a shot of pain through his skull. He tried to put her out of his mind, but that was impossible. Brianna consumed nearly every thought. Ramon didn’t know how he was able to get through the day. It was as if some part of him flicked his body on autopilot. Ramon went through the motions of trying to live a normal life, but he knew that was a fallacy. He could feel Brianna’s essence wind through him.
But right now, a greater desire rumbled inside him…
Hunger.
Ramon turned to his left. A couple of yards away stood the pizzeria. That was just what he needed.
He walked over to the restaurant and entered it. Ramon walked up to the counter. A bald Arabic man turned to face him.
“Yes? What can I do for you?”
“Let me have a slice of Sicilian. I’d also like a Coke, please.”
“What size Coke? Small, medium, or large?”
“Medium, please.”
“All right. That will be three dollars.”
Ramon took out his wallet, withdrawing three bills from it. He handed them over to the man. He counted them and opened the cash register, placing the money inside it. The man looked up again.
“Can I help you, miss?”
“I’d like a bottle of spring water.”
At hearing the woman’s voice, Ramon quickly turned around. It was Brianna. She smiled at him. Ramon grimaced. He turned back around. The Arabic man spoke.
“That will be one-fifty, miss.”
Brianna took out a small wallet from her purse. She withdrew two bills and handed them to the man. He opened the register and placed the money inside it, taking out two quarters. He handed the change to Brianna. The man turned around and walked over to a nearby refrigerator. He opened it and took out a bottle of spring water. He placed it on the counter before Brianna. The raven-haired brunette smiled.
“Thank you.”
The Arabic man nodded.
“You’re welcome.”
He turned around and picked up a slice of Sicilian pizza. He opened up the oven and placed it inside, closing it. Brianna moved up to Ramon’s side.
“How are ya, Ramon?”
Ramon frowned. He shrugged.
“Okay, I guess.”
“How’s the car?”
Ramon instantly turned towards her, his eyes narrowing.
“What do you know about that??”
Brianna raised an eyebrow.
“What I need to know.”
Ramon drew closer.
“Are you following me around??”
“I try and keep tabs on you, if you know what I mean.”
“No, I don’t. Why don’t you enlighten me.”
Brianna smiled. It wasn’t a particularly warm smile.
“Why don’t you and I have a seat while we wait for your meal, hmmm?”
Brianna walked over to a booth near the counter. Ramon let out a low growl and followed her. She slid into her seat. Ramon sat down across from her. He leaned towards Brianna.
“Have you been stalking me?”
Brianna's lips curled into a smirk. She gazed at Ramon with disgust.
“Why are you wasting time asking silly questions?! I’m not in the mood for nonsense. I got your phone message about you meeting with your supervisor yesterday. How did it go?”
Ramon felt as if he had swallowed a box full of tacks. It showed on his face. He gazed at Brianna for a long moment, and spoke.
“It went all right.” was the curt response.
“And…what? What happened?”
Ramon sighed. The Arabic man stepped into another room.
“We talked. I let her know I was feeling better. Everything’s all set to begin work on Monday. I’ll be working from 2 p.m to 12 a.m., Monday through Friday.”
“You also told me you learned something about the show for the Jasten meteorite.”
Ramon nodded.
“Yeah. They’ve got an interesting show planned for it. They’re working on the display for the meteorite now. It will be arriving a little more than a week from today-late Wednesday night.”
Brianna nodded slowly.
“Hmmm…”
A twinge of fear swept across her face. She licked her lips.
“This will be cutting it close.”
“What do you mean?”
Brianna gazed at Ramon, her eyes filled with anxiety.
“I’m hoping my powers can last that long. Otherwise, that could spell trouble for the both of us.”
Ramon’s right eyebrow went up.
“What??’
“I’m getting worse. And as I grow weaker, you’ll begin to feel the effects. It won’t be much, at first. But as I lose my powers, you’ll slowly begin to die.”
Ramon took a deep, ragged breath. There was a long moment of silence. He spoke.
“I’m already feeling the effects. I have been for the past week and a half.”
Brianna leaned towards him.
“You can’t afford to screw this up, Ramon. Remember-our destinies are linked.”
Ramon swallowed hard. He stared down at the table.
“I hope this all works out.” Ramon said quietly. “I know you want your life back. I want my life back too.”
Brianna gazed at the lights above her.
“Well…follow my directions, and everyone will be happy.”
Ramon looked up at her.
“Are there any others of your kind, out there? Any chance you’ll find them?”
Brianna snorted. She looked at Ramon with derision and disgust.
“What makes you think I want to find them??”
Ramon gazed at her quizzically.
“A-aren’t you lonely?”
Brianna leaned in towards Ramon. There was maliciousness in her eyes that made him draw back in fear.
“Number one,” she hissed, “I’m too old. None of my comrades wants to deal with me. Think about how the elderly are treated among you humans. And number two…stop with the personal questions and your sympathy. I don’t want or need it.”
Ramon stared at her.
“I-I didn’t mean anything bad-“
“I don’t care what you mean.” Brianna uttered in a low, dangerous growl. “Comprendes? Or am I being too obtuse, here??”
Ramon slowly sat back, his eyes fixed on the brunette. There was a coldness in her eyes that he had never seen before, from anyone. It shook him to the core. Brianna’s eyes turned towards the counter. Ramon looked in that direction as well. The Arabic man walked up to the counter with the soda and slice. Ramon rose to his feet.
“Um-can I get that to go?”
The man nodded. Brianna rose to her feet as well. The man placed the soda and pizza in two separate paper bags, then placed each bag in a plastic bag. He handed it to Ramon.
“Thank you sir. Have a good day.”
Ramon nodded.
“You too.”
Brianna and Ramon left the pizzeria. At that moment, a homeless man approached the pair. Ramon recognized him. It was the same man that he had given onion rings to a week and a half ago. The homeless man smiled a nearly toothless smile.
“Hey! How’re ya doing?”
Ramon frowned.
“All right, I guess.”
The man turned towards Brianna.
“Heya! You’re a beautiful lady.”
Brianna’s lips curled into a smile.
“Thank you.”
“Any chance that either of you can spare a dollar? I wanna buy some food.”
Brianna’s smile grew wider.
“Sure!”
She took out her purse and withdrew a dollar bill from it. The homeless man let out a huge grin. Brianna approached the man and placed the bill in his right hand. She gripped it. His smile slowly disappeared, and he gazed at the brunette in bewilderment. He saw a coldness in her eyes that unnerved him.
“Use it in good health.” Brianna said softly.
She released him and turned to Ramon.
“C’mon.”
She walked towards a red Kawasaki motorcycle. The homeless man rubbed his right wrist. He turned and walked off. Ramon followed Brianna. She unhooked the helmet from the rear seat and put it on. Brianna got on the motorcycle and looked at Ramon.
“I’ll touch base with you next week. We need to get cracking on a plan.”
Ramon suddenly heard a shrill cry. He quickly spun towards the direction of the pizzeria. It was the homeless man. He was clutching his chest, his face filled with overwhelming agony. Then he collapsed to the ground. A few other people who stood nearby ran over to him. Ramon heard Brianna chuckle. He turned towards her. She looked in the direction of the homeless man.
“Looks like he won’t be asking for money any more.”
Ramon’s jaw dropped. He drew closer, his eyes narrowing in shock and anger.
“What did you do?!”
Brianna’s gaze fell upon Ramon. It was full of malice and incredulity.
“Don’t tell me you gave a damn about him.”
Ramon drew closer. He gritted his teeth.
“You killed him.”
Brianna looked at Ramon. Indifference filled her features. She started up the motorcycle and twisted the throttle. The engine roared in response. She lowered her visor, kicked the motorcycle into gear and rode off. Ramon stared after the motorcycle as it sped towards Grand Avenue. Brianna stopped at the corner, then made a left and sped towards the waterfront. Ramon stared towards the area where Brianna had gone. He then looked towards where the old man lay. A crowd surrounded him. He saw a woman kneeling down near him, placing a hand on his throat. She frowned and shook her head. Ramon immediately turned and walked towards his Honda.
Holy shit...She killed him!!
The thought shook him to the core. He had just witnessed a murder.
What kind of monster was he dealing with?!
Ramon quickly opened the door to his car and got in. He closed the door and sat there for a few moments, trembling violently.
It was cold-blooded murder. Ramon knew it. He felt it.
The bitch killed him…
And now, Ramon was going to help this…this thing get access to a meteorite that would extend her life, and possibly give her back unknown powers…
Powers to do what??
Ramon thought back on something Brianna had said to him earlier…
“Let’s just say that I’ve been around for a long time. People worshiped me once. They feared and respected me. With your help, I’ll regain my former glory.”
Feared and respected…former glory…
Ramon suddenly realized the implications of what could happen if he allowed Brianna access to the meteorite. He bit his tongue…
An agonizing situation had just grown infinitely worse.
Ramon tried to read his magazine. He was trying to digest some information dealing with the Cassini spacecraft having taken the first pictures of lightning on the ringed planet…
But he just couldn’t do it.
He closed the magazine. Ramon was in the Manhattan subway on the number 3 train, heading off to 14th Street and Union Square. Alexa sat at his right. Her head was leaning on his shoulder, eyes closed. She was in a light sleep. They were just returning from 42nd Street. Alexa had been doing some computer shopping, and finally settled on one she wanted. She would come back at a later date to buy it. They were now off to Strand’s Bookstore on 12th Street and Broadway. Alexa wanted to look for a book on business administration.
Ramon had started his job at the museum yesterday. It was nothing spectacular. He walked the museum grounds, made himself familiar with the area again as well as his fellow guards. All in all, it should have been a pleasant experience…
…except that he couldn’t stop thinking about Brianna.
His mind kept going back to yesterday morning, when he had witnessed the old man’s murder. It shook him to the core. He couldn’t get it out of his mind. Ramon thought back on Brianna’s reaction to his death. The bitch had actually gotten off on killing the homeless man. He truly didn’t matter to her.
Ramon replayed the incident over and over in his mind. It nearly drove him to hysteria.
Ramon was her prisoner. Brianna’s “blood”, or whatever it was, ran through him. He could feel her essence in him, and it made him sick. It was this that kept Ramon alive. That was Brianna’s bargaining chip. As long as he helped her get access to that meteorite, he would live.
But with the homeless man’s murder, Ramon thought some more…
What exactly was he unleashing by getting her access to something that would give her back her former power?!
“Let’s just say that I’ve been around for a long time. People worshiped me once. They feared and respected me. With your help, I’ll regain my former glory.”
“Worshipped”?!
As what? Some sort of god?!
Ramon gazed at the neon lights above him, slowly shaking his head. He couldn’t let go of that statement. An alien, as advanced as Brianna, living among humans…Of course she would be considered a goddess! How could beings as primitive as humans-particularly in those times-see Brianna as anything but a goddess?!
Ramon was actually having second thoughts about going through with this. But his fear of dying was far greater. He didn’t want to die. He was too young. He wanted to start a life with Alexa, be with his parents…
Ramon’s self loathing at his sexual encounter with Brianna grew a hundred-fold. He felt lower than dirt. Then again, how much of his desire was caused by Brianna fooling around with his insides? He thought back to his encounter with Brianna at Yankee Stadium. He remembered the violent orgasm in the toilet stall…That was totally unnatural. As attractive as she was, even her brushing of his genitals could not have resulted in such a violent sexual reaction. And it was one he couldn’t control. How much of it was him, and how much of it was Brianna?
But Ramon couldn’t lie to himself. He had enjoyed having sex with Brianna. Immensely. And deep down inside, Ramon knew that enjoyment was strictly of his own accord. He hated himself for it.
“R-Ramon…?”
He looked to his right at the raven head resting on his shoulder. Alexa’s sleepy voice brought him back to the present.
“Yeah, hon?”
“We there yet?”
“Not yet.”
“Mmm…wake me up when we get there.”
“Yup.”
Ramon felt Alexa snuggle closer. Soon, he heard light snoring from her. At that moment, the lights in the train flickered and went out-
The train was completely dark. But it kept moving through the tunnel. Ramon licked his lips for a moment in anxiety-
Then the lights came back on again. Ramon released a breath he didn’t know he held. He looked to his left-
-and spotted Brianna. She sat a few seats away, smiling at him.
Rage filled Ramon. At that moment, he had an overwhelming desire to go over to her and beat her senseless, damn the consequences. Ramon saw Brianna’s right eyebrow go up, and her lips curling into a spiteful smirk. Ramon wasn’t making any effort to hide his displeasure, and it amused Brianna greatly.
“14th Street and Union Square-next stop.” announced the conductor.
Ramon turned to Alexa, gently nudging her.
“Alexa? Alexa, wake up.”
“Hmm?”
“Our stop is coming up.”
Alexa sat up and let out a yawn. She smacked her lips and scratched the back of her head. The couple rose to their feet, clutching a pole in front of them. Ramon glanced back towards Brianna. She rose to her feet as well. Ramon clenched his teeth.
Motherfucking bitch...what does she want?!
Ramon swallowed hard and stared at the floor.
“Ramon?”
He turned towards Alexa. She gazed at him, full of concern.
“You okay?”
“Um-yeah! Why wouldn’t I be?”
Alexa opened her mouth to speak, then closed it again. She looked at him for a moment, and turned away. Ramon bit his tongue. It was getting harder and harder to mask the intense feelings roiling around inside him. He knew Alexa was no fool. She knew something was wrong. Ramon looked down, scuffing the floor with his right shoe.
The train pulled into the 14th Street station and stopped. The doors opened. Ramon and Alexa left the train. They ascended the steps to the next level, walking over to an escalator. It took them to the street level. They turned right and walked west on 14th Street, crossing an intersection and reaching the next corner, Broadway. When they had the light, the pair crossed 14th Street, heading south. Ramon looked behind him, searching for Brianna. She was nowhere in sight.
They walked onward until the reached Strand’s Bookstore. A few people milled about, checking out the books on the sidewalk. They entered the store. After walking through the turnstiles, Ramon turned to Alexa.
“I’m going over to look at some movie books.”
Alexa nodded.
“Cool. I’ll be downstairs. If I need ya, I’ll page ya on my cell phone.”
Ramon nodded. Alexa walked off to his left. Ramon headed deeper into the store, making his way around people. Once he reached the end, he turned left and made his way towards the back. Ramon finally arrived at the movie section. He spotted Oliver Stone’s script on JFK and pulled the thick book out of the shelf.
“Don’t make a scene.”
Ramon jumped at the female voice. He knew who it was. Ramon slowly looked over to his right and saw Brianna. She looked a bit more haggard than before. There were faint circles under her eyes.
“You and I are going to get together tomorrow morning at your place.” she said in a flat tone. “Ten a.m. sharp. No excuses, no exceptions.”
Ramon’s shoulders slumped a bit. He nodded once.
“Fine.”
Brianna moved in closer.
“I’m dead serious.” Her voice was hard, low, and menacing. “You be there. If not, you’re going to have a problem.”
Ramon bit his tongue.
“Please don’t threaten me.” he responded, his voice almost a whisper.
A thin smile curled Brianna’s lips.
“Or what, Ramon?”
He closed his eyes and let out a sigh. Then Ramon looked upon Brianna again.
“Nothing. I’m just asking you not to talk to me like that. We want the same thing. There’s no need for this animosity.”
Brianna snorted. She raised an eyebrow.
“I’ll do what I need to do to stay alive.”
Ramon bit his lip. Brianna drew closer.
“Ten a.m., Mr. Veldez. See you tomorrow.”
She turned around and walked off, threading her way through the crowd. Ramon closed his eyes and ground his teeth together. The hatred he felt towards Brianna knew no bounds. He wanted to kill her. He just wanted to wrap his hands around her throat and break her neck…
“Excuse me.”
Ramon spun towards his right.
“What?!” he snapped.
The shorter, older man drew back in shock. A tinge of anger began to cross his face. His eyes narrowed.
“I’d like to pass, please.”
Ramon’s face filled with shame.
“I’m sorry.”
He stepped aside. The older man stepped past him. Ramon heard the man mutter “asshole” under his breath. Ramon winced. He put the book back in its shelf. He decided to go downstairs and join Alexa. He turned and began to walk back in the direction he came. At that moment, his cell phone rang. Ramon took it out of his pocket and opened it. He put it up to his ear.
“Hello?”
“Hijo, it’s mommy. I’m at Saint Mary’s Hospital.”
Ramon’s eyes widened in horror.
“What?! Why?!”
“It’s your father. He had trouble breathing, and I had to call the ambulance. Your father’s in the emergency room, but they’ve stabilized him.”
Ramon closed his eyes.
“Thank God.”
“Where are you now?”
“I’m still in the city. I’m at a bookstore with Alexa.”
“Come back right away, hijo.”
“I will, ma.”
He hung up. Ramon rushed off to find Alexa.
Ramon put on his pants and buckled them. He quickly sat down and slipped on his sneakers.
It was Monday morning, and he had a hellish day ahead of him. Ramon had to go down to Hoboken and get some of his father’s clothes. He also needed to see the doctor to learn more about his condition. Patricio had excess water in his lungs, and had suffered a bout of heart failure. The doctors were attempting to take the excess water out of his system. Ramon had tried repeatedly to get in contact with Brianna, but to no avail. He wasn’t able to reach her cell phone. Finally, early this morning, he was able to leave a voice mail message, explaining the situation with his father. He told her they would have to try for tomorrow morning, at the same time.
He looked at his clock. Alexa would be by in about twenty minutes.
At that moment, there was a knock on the door. Ramon got up and walked over to it. He opened the door-
-and before him stood Brianna. Her face was filled with malice. Ramon stared at her in shock and anger.
“Didn’t you get my message about my father?!”
Brianna’s eyes began to glow. Savage pain ripped through Ramon’s chest. He let out a shriek and staggered back, falling against the wall. Brianna entered the apartment and closed the door behind her. Ramon dropped to his knees, falling into a corner. His face was horribly contorted in agony. Brianna bared her teeth.
“I come before everything else.” she hissed. “I don’t give a damn about your father. We had an appointment this morning, and you’re not gonna squirm out of it.”
Ramon let out a long, agonized squeal. He shook violently as waves of pain thundered through his chest with the force of a dozen jackhammers. He stuck his left hand out towards Brianna, clutching his chest with his right.
“P-P-Please…s-t-top!!” he rasped. “I-I-I want to help-I-“
“Shut up, you pathetic son-of-a-bitch.”
Ramon crumpled to the floor. The pain was so intense that he began to sob. Brianna stood over him. Her eyes narrowed into slits.
“I will do this to you over and over and over again, until I get through your thick skull that I come first. You’re a slow learner, Ramon. But I can be one bitch of a teacher. You fuck with me, you pay the price.”
Brianna’s eyes stopped glowing. Ramon collapsed face-first onto the floor. He sobbed as the storm of torment slowly dissolved away. After a few moments, he rolled onto his left side, staring at Brianna in wide-eyed terror. A thin smile crossed the brunette’s lips.
“Scared shitless?” she said softly. “Good. Get up and go sit down in your sofa.”
Trembling, Ramon rose to his feet. Unsteady and in shock, he hobbled over to the sofa and dropped down into it. Ramon leaned back, gasping for air. He stared at the ceiling. Brianna walked to the sofa, standing over him. She gazed into his brown eyes and spoke.
“Did you learn anything more about the meteorite’s arrival?”
Ramon closed his eyes and licked his lips.
“N-No. Just that it was arriving late Wednesday night.”
Brianna’s eyes filled with anxiety. She began to pace the room. Ramon slowly sat up. He wiped his eyes and gazed at Brianna with uncertainty.
“H-H-How are you holding up?”
Brianna stopped and faced Ramon.
“I’m getting worse.”
Brianna drew closer. For the first time, Ramon saw a deep-seated fear. She clenched her teeth.
“We are cutting this damn close. Too damn close for my comfort.”
Ramon swallowed hard. He was terrified to bring up the following, but he had to know the answer.
“There really is no way for you to get access to this meteorite beforehand??”
Brianna’s right eye twitched. She turned away.
“No.”
Ramon shook his head. His lower lip trembled
“I can’t believe this is happening! I-I-I can’t believe this is happening to me!!”
The brunette spun around. Her emerald eyes pinned Ramon like daggers. She rapidly approached him. Her arms snapped forward. She clutched Ramon by the shoulders and tugged him forward. Ramon trembled violently at the wild look of rage and near-insanity in Brianna’s eyes. They began to glow softly.
“Damn straight this is happening. You, homo sapiens, are going to help me get that meteorite. One way or the other. I’m not going to die, especially on this putrid rock with you ugly sacks of flesh.”
She dropped Ramon back on the sofa. He stared at her. Brianna spoke again.
“Here’s an idea I had. Since there’s no way I can get past the security system, I plan to go to the museum Thursday afternoon. I’m going to locate you, and you’re going to take me where the meteorite is.”
Brianna drew closer.
“Do you understand?”
“Y-Yes.”
“You’re going to find out the night before where the meteorite is stored, and get in touch. Thursday, we’ll finish this. Got it?”
“Y-Yes.”
“Don’t screw this up, Ramon. You’d better work out your end of the deal to perfection.”
Ramon trembled a bit. He nodded. The brunette glared at him in disgust.
“Finish getting dressed.”
Ramon rose to his feet. He walked over to a nearby chair and picked up a purple T-shirt. He put it on. Ramon then put on his watch. He looked at it. Alexa would be here any moment. He looked at Brianna in fear.
“M-My girlfriend’s coming by any moment. We’re going to the hospital to see my father-“
“The meeting’s over. Go off to see your father.”
He got his keys and wallet. Ramon slipped the wallet into his hip pocket. The pair left the apartment. Ramon locked the door. The two went downstairs and outside. Ramon looked to his right-
-and he spotted Alexa, walking up the street. His eyes widened in fright.
Suddenly, Brianna grabbed Ramon and spun him towards her. She gave him a hard, demanding kiss, thrusting her tongue deep into his mouth. She grabbed his buttocks and tugged him towards her. Ramon struggled in her grasp. Finally, Brianna released him. A wicked smile crossed her face. She ran across the street to her motorcycle, got on it, and started it up.
“Ramon!!”
Ramon spun towards Alexa. She stood a few feet away. Her face was filled with rage. She looked towards Brianna, who sped off, heading up Ocean Avenue at a high rate of speed. Alexa quickly turned towards Ramon, baring her teeth.
“You son-of-a-BITCH!!”
She rushed up to him and began swinging at him. Ramon raised his arms, blocking the violent blows. They felt like metal pipes hammering into his forearms.
“A-Al-“
“You two-timing mother fucker!!”
Alexa swung out a foot, kicking Ramon in the groin. He let out a strangled cry, doubling over. Alexa slapped him hard in the face. Blood burst from his mouth. He dropped to his knees. Alexa stood over him, panting hard. Tears streamed down her cheeks.
“You fucking bastard…Who was that bitch?!”
Ramon gasped, clutching his groin. He breathed heavily, staring up at Alexa in terror. Her face was ashen with shame and rage.
“Who WAS she?!”
Ramon stared at her. He couldn’t think of an answer. Alexa’s eyes narrowed. She let out a loud sob, turned and ran off. Ramon stared after her.
“A-Alexa…!!” he gasped. “W-W-Wait!!”
But it was too late. She got into her white Volkswagen, started it and sped off with a loud screech of tires. Ramon closed his eyes and began to sob.
Why did Brianna do that?!
Why?!
But it didn’t really matter why. The damage was done.
Ramon tried for the next several days to get in touch with Alexa. He left voice messages, stopped by her house, all to no avail…
But this time, he was lucky. It was Thursday morning. He stood in front of her apartment building, at the corner of Kennedy Boulevard and Fairview Avenue. He saw Alexa’s white Volkswagen Rabbit parked on Fairview Avenue.
Ramon knew she was home.
He had wracked his brains trying to think of a lie to tell Alexa, and he finally settled on one. But he wasn’t sure it would work. He knew Alexa well enough to know she could smell a lie a mile away. But he had to try and salvage the relationship-one way or another.
He climbed the steps and opened the door. Ramon went inside and turned to his left. He looked at the buzzer buttons and found Alexa’s. He pressed it. After a moment, there was a buzz. Ramon opened the door and walked into the hallway. Ramon walked down to the end and turned to the door on his left, marked 1E. He waited, and the door opened. Alexa stood there, in a red T-shirt and blue sweatpants. Ramon drew back slightly at the icy demeanor on her face.
“Who is she?” Alexa asked in a quiet, menacing tone.
Ramon swallowed hard. He looked down at his shoes.
“Co-worker from my last job, in Newark. She’s a nut job.”
He looked up at Alexa, his eyes full of fear.
“There’s nothing between us. I swear on my father’s life. She was a troublemaker who fooled around with the other guys on the job.”
Alexa crossed her arms. Her eyes narrowed.
“How interesting that you didn’t mention her until now.”
“I didn’t know how you would react to that!!”
“A lot differently than I reacted when that bitch was Frenching you.”
Alexa bit her tongue. She raised an eyebrow.
“You know, I’m wondering if some of your moodiness had to do with more than you getting stabbed. Did it also have something to do with me finding out about that little cunt on the side??”
Ramon’s jaw dropped in shock.
“Alexa, I swear-“
“Fuck you, Ramon. What do you take me for?! A beautiful woman like that, riding off on a motorbike like that?! Working as a guard?! Go fuck yourself!!”
She slammed the door shut, the violent impact reverberating through the marble halls. Ramon rushed up to the door.
“Alexa!!”
He heard her start to sob. Ramon’s eyes widened in fright.
“Alexa, I’m not lying!! Please!!”
“Get out of here before I call the police!!”
“Please!! I want to talk!!”
“I swear to God, Ramon, I’m gonna call the cops if you don’t leave. I won’t say it again!!”
“Alexa!!”
There was silence for a moment. Ramon heard the noise of phone buttons being pushed.
“Hello? Yes, please send the police over to 2554 Kennedy Boulevard. My ex-boyfriend won’t leave me alone-“
Ramon turned and bolted off. He rushed out of the apartment building, ran around the corner onto Fairview and over to his car. He got in, started it up, and drove off.
Ramon trembled in disbelief, grief, and rage. Brianna had effectively ended his relationship with Alexa.
It was Saturday night. Ramon had gone through the week from hell. His father was hospitalized and Alexa had broken up with him-thanks to Brianna.
All thanks to Brianna.
That fucking cunt…
Why had she done that? Why?! Ramon thought back to the expression on Brianna’s face. It was one of glee and malice. Come to think of it, it wasn’t all that different from the expression she had after killing the old beggar at the Grand Street mini-mall. She had gotten off on it. She got off on messing around with Ramon.
Ramon got onto the PATH train. He was tired, dejected, and frightened. Walking around Manhattan had done nothing to alleviate the turmoil inside him. With the specter of Brianna overhead, it was of little use.
And there was of course the matter with Alexa. He had not told his parents about it. They didn’t need to know…yet.
He sat down in a seat near the train doors, placing his right arm on a railing. He leaned his head on his forearm. Ramon felt exhausted. All he wanted to do now was to go home and sleep.
Maybe sleep would help my shitty mood…
At least, that’s what Ramon had hoped. But it was incredibly difficult, at times, nearly impossible to sleep lately. Heck, it was tough to go through any of his normal routines. How do you go about your normal daily activities when you had the threat of imminent death hanging over your head?
All these things roiled through his mind. But his body didn’t really seem to care at that moment. Utter exhaustion had finally caught up with Ramon. His body wanted rest. And it was going to get it, one way or the other. Ramon’s eyes started to droop. He felt himself fading into a light sleep-
-and suddenly, there was loud, boisterous laughter.
Ramon opened his left eye. A group of six black youths entered the train from another car. One plunked himself down on the seat to his left, and three others sat across from him. Two more stood at his right. One of them held a small boom-box radio. The one across from Ramon stared at him, smiling.
“Man, you is one ugly muddafucca!!”
The other youths burst out laughing. Ramon bit his tongue.
Oh, I’m in no mood for this shit…
The one on his left nudged Ramon. He turned towards the teen.
“Yo man, are you gonna take that shit from this niggah?”
Ramon shrugged with indifference. The one standing to his right bent over, looking into Ramon’s face.
“Check out dem bubble lips on this crackuh! Mebbe this white boy’s Italian?”
The youth across from Ramon snorted.
“Yeah-a pasta-eatin muddafucca!!”
The other teens laughed. Ramon glanced at the other passengers. Some of them glared at the teens. Others did their best to mind their own business. Fear coursed through Ramon. It was bad enough to deal with one of these punks, but this was like a pack of hyenas.
Ramon remembered a news item from last week that he heard on the radio. It was about a group of kids cruising around a Long Island neighborhood. One of them had a frozen turkey in his hands. They were about to pass a car, and the teen tossed the turkey out the window. It smashed through the windshield, hitting the driver. His car crashed into a tree. The man was still in a coma, hanging between life and death. The teens had been arrested.
Ramon thought about the young punks that surrounded him. To him, they were no better than those teens from Long Island. The only difference between them was skin color. White or black, they were all punks, looking for an excuse to start trouble. Looking to start shit with you, simply because you existed, and because you happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Ramon didn’t put it beyond these teens to do something brazen. Some people were capable of anything.
The teen across from Ramon grinned even wider.
“Yo man, betcha the doctor slapped ya moms for poppin out an ugly, fat-lipped bastid like yaself!!”
The other teens roared with laughter. The boy then turned to an Oriental woman on his right.
“Yo, isn’t he ugly?”
The woman glared back at the boy.
“Leave me alone!”
The boy clicked his tongue.
“Yo, tell me!! Ain’t that the ugliest muddafucca ya evah saw?”
“Stop with bullshit, you stupid niggers!!”
The boy’s eyes widened. The teen on Ramon’s left spoke next.
“Oh shit! She called us niggers!! This chop-suey bitch!!”
“Who dis ugly bitch think she is, her ugly Bruce Lee self?!”
“Yo, close your legs, bitch!! You STINK!!”
The boys’ laughter grew deafening. The woman sunk into her corner. Ramon sighed. Of all the things for this woman to say, that was the worst. All of the teens’ attention was now focused solely on her. And she’d pay for it. Ramon gazed outside. The train had exited the tunnel, and was close to pulling into the Journal Square station.
“Ya skanky, slanty-eyed bitch!!”
“Ching-chong-chung cha-cha-ching!!”
“Ya rice-eatin dick sucker!!”
“Me sooo horny!! Suck big dick long time!!”
The teens’ laughter was raucous. Savage. The woman shrunk further into her seat, her eyes filled with rage and terror. The train pulled into the station. Once the doors opened, the woman instantly got up and rushed out of the train. And the boys, like a pack of hyenas, chased after her. Ramon could hear their laughter and taunts echoing throughout the train station.
They weren’t going to let her go without some form of serious payback. Ramon just knew it. He shuddered to think what it was…
He bit his lip. Ramon had his own problems to deal with. He had to deal with his own predator. A predator in the form of Brianna. No one was going to help him out here with this one. Ramon had to figure it out all by himself.
He slowly rose from his seat and left the train, walking towards the escalators. Ramon knew he had a long night ahead. He was hoping to get some sleep. He needed it desperately.
But he wasn’t sure it was going to come.
He climbed the three sets of escalators and walked out onto the street level of Journal Square, where the One Path Plaza building stood, towering over him. He walked over to a staircase and descended it, over to where several taxis stood. Ramon walked over to one and peeked into the passenger window at the black driver. He was drinking coffee.
“You taking fares?”
The driver nodded.
“Get in.”
Ramon got into the back of the cab.
“I’m going to Ocean Avenue and Warner Street. Know how to get there?”
The driver nodded. He put the taxi in gear and drove off.
It was an uneventful trip. The driver kept to himself. Ramon was glad for that, especially now, of all times. He wasn’t in the mood for conversation. Ramon gazed out at the late night scenery. A few people milled about, but it was somewhat quiet for a Saturday evening. The taxi went up the hill from Garfield Avenue, heading west onto Ocean Avenue. He finally pulled up in front of Ramon’s building. The driver looked at his meter.
“Nine-fifty.”
Ramon placed eleven dollars in the change tray.
“Keep the change.”
The driver took the money and looked it over.
“Thank you.”
Ramon got out of the cab and closed the door. It drove away. Ramon entered his building, climbed the steps to the second floor and opened the door to his apartment. He walked in and closed the door. Ramon entered the living room. He saw the red flashing light of his answering machine. Ramon grimaced.
Was it Brianna again?! If so, he planned to have a chat with her about Alexa…
Ramon turned on the light, walking over to the answering machine. There was only one message on it. He pressed the “play” button.
“You have one message.” said the electronic male voice. “Saturday. Two-thirty five p.m”
Ramon waited.
“It’s me.” said the female voice. Ramon’s eyes widened in disbelief. It was Alexa. He moved closer to the machine. Her voice sounded tired and downtrodden.
“I was seriously thinking of not telling you this. But you do have a right to know.”
Another pause. Then…
“I’m pregnant.”
Ramon’s hand went to his mouth. He collapsed into his sofa, overwhelmed with shock.
“Ya wanna know the funny thing? That day when I saw you with that woman, I was going to break the news to you then. But you had to ruin it, didn’t you??”
There was a soft, sobbing sound and a pause. Then she spoke again.
“I’m taking a leave of absence. I’ll be with relatives in Virginia for a couple of weeks. Don’t try and contact me, because ya won’t find me. We’ll get together and talk about this when I get back. Bye.”
There was a click. “End of messages.” said the electronic voice.
Ramon stared at the ceiling.
He was going to be a father.
His insides turned to jello. Ramon wrapped his arms around himself. Tears streamed down his cheeks.
He was going to be a father.
The thought of that overwhelmed him. It was something that Ramon wanted to be someday…a dad…
Ramon and Alexa had always used protection. But apparently, that failed.
A wondrous moment had been ruined-by Brianna. She had come into his life and was ruining it, step by step. All she gave a damn about was herself. Brianna enjoyed hurting others. She enjoyed killing others…
Ramon bit his lip.
Humans meant nothing to her. What would happen if Brianna got those powers? What would she do to humanity?
Or…his family…and his unborn child…
And suddenly, second thoughts about helping Brianna with her plan grew ten-fold.
Ramon stood near the Exchange Place PATH station. He looked out over Manhattan. The moon glowed softly , floating above the sparkling metropolis. He rocked slightly on the balls of his feet. The aching sensation in his side and chest was growing much worse. It brought back memories of that night when he was stabbed. The pain was reminding him of the upcoming job ahead, 3 days from now.
It was a little hard to breathe at times. His ribs felt sore. Ramon felt Brianna’s hold on him slowly slipping. The emotions he felt over that were varied and tumultuous. The moment Brianna lost her powers, Ramon would die.
But if she got that meteorite, would she save him?
The answer came back a resounding no, over and over again in his mind.
He saw what Brianna truly was. A monster. She didn’t give a damn about anyone but herself. Brianna committed cold-blooded murder. If she got back her powers, what else would she do to humanity? What other heinous crimes was Brianna responsible for, during all those millennia on Earth?
“Ramon.”
He turned to his right. Brianna stood there, wearing a black sweatshirt and jeans. The circles under her eyes had grown more pronounced. She was looking thinner. Ramon had an incredible urge to lash out at her, but he kept his cool.
“The time has come Ramon.” she uttered. Her voice was raspy; there was a sense of urgency and anxiety in it. “I won’t last much beyond next weekend. I will be at the museum; Thursday, at 1:30. Where will you be?”
“In the lunchroom downstairs. I’ll meet you there.”
Ramon drew closer to Brianna.
“What are you going to do, once we get into the room where the meteorite is?”
“I need to get my hands on it. I need to be able to touch it. I’ll absorb what I need from it that way.”
“You promise you’ll cure me?”
Brianna bared her teeth. She drew closer.
“Do you doubt me?”
Ramon paused.
“No.” he lied.
Brianna studied his features. She gazed into his eyes for a good length of time.
“I will cure you.” she said steadily. “You’ll be whole again.”
The two sized each other up for a moment. Then Brianna spoke once more.
“This all ends Thursday. See you at the museum.”
The brunette turned and walked off. Ramon watched her.
Thursday was the day of reckoning. The cards had been dealt, and the final game was about to be played…
When Ramon finally encountered Brianna in the museum restaurant, he was shocked at her appearance. She appeared to have aged twenty years. Brianna was hardly the beauty she was when Ramon first encountered her. Her green eyes seemed hazy. They were filled with dread and an overwhelming sense of urgency. Her face seemed haggard, her skin wrinkled and flaky in spots. She wore a dark blue sweatshirt and jeans. They seemed to fit loosely on her. Brianna appeared to have lost some weight.
He managed to somehow sneak her into an elevator that led to the areas below the museum. The doors closed, and it began its descent. Brianna stood there with him, trembling, her dilated eyes fixed on the floor of the elevator. Ramon studied her gaze. It seemed far away, distant. She rocked on her heels.
“How far down??” Brianna blurted, her voice hard and panicky.
“Bottom floor.”
She raised her head, looking around erratically.
“Elevator needs to move faster. Fucking elevator needs to move faster…”
The fire underneath Ramon’s left arm had grown into a roaring maelstrom of pain. Ramon took deep, ragged breaths. Each breath grew more difficult by the moment. Pain crackled through his chest like violent lightning strokes, ripping through with each heartbeat.
Part of him wanted the elevator to move faster, too.
And another part of him wanted to shoot her right there.
The conflict inside Ramon had grown into a full-scale war.
Ramon didn’t believe in a god, or an afterlife. As far as he was concerned, this was the end of the line. The terror he felt was unlike anything he had ever known. He didn’t want to die…
In the worst way, he didn’t want to die.
But Brianna wouldn’t save him.
In the worst way, he didn’t want to die.
But Brianna wouldn’t save him!!
His unborn child…
What would this bitch do to his unborn child?!
To Alexa?! And anyone else he loved?! Brianna didn’t give a flying fuck about that homeless man she killed-
Yes-KILLED.
How many people had she slaughtered during her stay on Earth?!
He let out a low moan of terror and frustration. He glanced at Brianna. She was staring at him.
“You won’t die.” she said simply. Quietly.
And Ramon didn’t believe a goddamned word of it.
So, why didn’t he just draw his gun and pull the trigger?
Fuck it all!! The alien bitch just wanted her goddamned powers restored!!
Nope. He couldn’t pull out the gun. He couldn’t pull out the gun and waste the bitch.
Couldn’t do it….
Pussy. You’re a pussy, Ramon…
Nothing but a big pussy…
Ramon bit his tongue. Then the elevator stopped and the doors opened. Ramon stepped into a large hallway. He turned right and headed down it. Brianna followed closely.
“Where’s the meteorite?!”
“That room at the end of the hallway.”
“Then start running, dumbfuck!!”
Ramon broke into a run. The pain increased tenfold in his chest and under his arm.. He gritted his teeth. He panted heavily. Brianna was close behind. They reached the door. Ramon fumbled for the keys.
“Hurry up!!” hissed Brianna.
Ramon opened the door and the pair stepped inside. Ramon flicked on a light switch. They were in a large room. To their left was a stack of crates. Brianna took out a small silver box with a green light on it. She pointed it towards the crates, and the light began to glow intensely. Her eyes widened in joy and hope.
“It’s here!!”
She rushed up to the crates, running the device along their sides. Then Brianna suddenly stopped.
“It’s in the crate behind this one!!” she exclaimed. “C’mon, help me!!”
Ramon squinted his eyes closed. He had to decide. Ramon had run the arguments a million times through his head. The decision had to be made now.
He walked towards Brianna. As he passed a nearby table, Ramon went behind it and triggered the silent alarm by pressing a button under the table. Brianna looked towards him, in rage.
“Hurry up!!”
She put the device in her hip pocket and turned back towards the crate before her, trying with all her might to move it. Ramon approached Brianna. He drew his gun-
-and suddenly, a burst of blinding pain drilled through his chest. He squealed in agony and dropped the gun. It fired a shot into the wall. Brianna spun around. She stared a t Ramon and then the gun on the ground. Her eyes narrowed, a feral smile crossing her lips.
“Read my mind, eh?”
Brianna’s eyes began to glow. Ramon’s chest and the area under his left arm exploded in white-hot agony. He let out a piercing scream, falling onto the table. Ramon glanced at his right, spotting a heavy crystal ashtray. He grabbed it and threw it at Brianna. It struck her square in the face. Blood burst from her nose and mouth. She fell back against the crates. Ramon hurled himself at her, hitting Brianna with punishing force. Both of them fell to the floor. Ramon grabbed the cracked ashtray and proceeded to hit Brianna repeatedly with all his might. Blood flowed from the side of her head. Suddenly, Brianna’s right hand shot out, grabbing his wrist. She snapped it and he cried out in agony. The ashtray fell out of Ramon’s hand. Brianna threw him off her. He rolled away. Ramon struggled to get onto his knees. Brianna quickly rose to her feet, her eyes glowing brilliantly. Ramon felt his chest cave in. Blood burst from his mouth. He fell back against the wall into a seated position. Ramon felt warm wetness rushing out of his left side, just under the arm. He clutched at the area with his right hand, and pulled it back, staring at it. It was dark with blood. Brianna turned towards the crates-
Then she suddenly stopped. Her eyes dilated. Brianna arched back and let out an agonized cry. Her body became enveloped in a bright, green-yellow glow. She shook violently. Her screams reverberated throughout the room. The glow grew so intense that her form disappeared. The air rippled from the heat. The room shook fearsomely. Soon, the glow subsided. Brianna collapsed onto the floor. She trembled uncontrollably, and began to sob.
“Noooooooooooooooooooo….” Brianna began to whine.
She got up on her knees, looking at her hands and arms. Her eyes were wide with terror.
“I-I’m human…I’ve turned into a HUMAN!!!”
Brianna spun towards Ramon. He gazed at her, eyes half open, smiling. Her eyes went wide with fury.
“You son of a BITCH!!!!!!!”
Brianna made a move towards Ramon’s gun. At that moment, the door burst open and two security guards rushed through, guns drawn. They spun towards Brianna.
“Freeze!!” shouted the female guard. “Move away from the gun!! NOW!!”
Brianna instantly stopped. She stared at the guards in terror. The female guard drew closer, her gun aimed at Brianna’s chest.
“MOVE AWAY!!”
Brianna crawled back, towards the wall.
“Get on the floor, face-down!! Hands behind your head!!”
Brianna quickly obeyed. The female guard rushed over and got on top of Brianna, hand-cuffing her. The male security guard ran over to Ramon, gasping at all the blood. He felt for a pulse. The guard turned towards his comrade.
“He’s dead.”
He took out his walkie-talkie.
“This is Jerrison. We need extra security down in the lower level, at room 5g. There’s been a homicide.”
Brianna turned her head, staring at Ramon. Even in death, Ramon’s vacant eyes taunted her. Laughed at her.
It was all over for Brianna.
Brianna sat in a holding cell, with a few other prisoners. The police didn’t have anywhere to keep her at the moment, so she was to spend a couple of hours here until she could be taken downtown. She sat in a corner, staring at the ground.
Brianna had come so close. Escape from Earth was just within her grasp…
And it was snatched from her. Forever.
She was condemned to spend the rest of her days on this miserable planet. Worse still, Brianna was a murder suspect. She could very well spend the rest of her life in prison. A terror Brianna had never known filled every part of her. She trembled. Her fate had been sealed, and there was nothing Brianna could do about it.
Nothing.
“Hey white girl.”
Brianna turned to her left. A large, heavyset Hispanic woman towered over her. Three more women stood behind her. The massive woman glared down at Brianna.
“You’re sitting in my seat, white girl.”
Brianna bit her tongue. She rose from the bench and walked towards one on the other side of the cell.
“Na-uh, white girl.”
Brianna turned around. The massive woman stood before her again. Brianna stared at her.
“What??”
“That’s my seat, too.”
“Where am I supposed to sit??”
“Nowhere. And now, you’re standing in my space.”
The woman’s beefy arm snapped out, shoving Brianna backwards. She stumbled, falling against the wall. Rage overwhelmed Brianna. With a harsh cry, she turned and slapped the heavyset woman hard across the face. Blood burst from her mouth. The woman immediately swung her right fist into Brianna’s jaw. Blood exploded from her mouth, along with several teeth. She flew back, crashing into the wall. The heavyset woman grabbed Brianna and threw her onto the ground. She was upon her, and began to beat Brianna mercilessly, until she was a bloody pulp. Shouts and catcalls came from the other women. Brianna groaned in agony. Her face was puffed up and bruised, her right eye was swollen shut. She felt the woman’s beefy fingers wrap around her neck. Brianna heard shouts from officers outside the cell, trying to open the door. The heavyset woman leaned down into Brianna’s face.
“Ya rolled craps, bitch. You lose.”
Brianna felt her neck violently twisted to the left. There was a loud snap, and a fiery blast of pain shot through her neck into her head. Brianna’s head faced the wall. Sounds became muffled. She felt violent movement on top of her, and the massive weight of the woman was yanked away. Brianna gazed at the wall with her left eye. Her vision became blurred. A face moved into her line of sight. She couldn’t make out who it was. A vision crossed her mind as darkness began to thread through it. The face of a bloodied Ramon, smiling at her. The darkness enveloped Brianna’s sight. She was wrapped in a bone-chilling cold.
And the final thought that passed through her mind before entering the eternal night…
Fate shows no favoritism. Even to the gods.
THE END
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