1 July 2012
He smiled.
"Hello yourself."
Then smiled again, inviting me to engage. I stood, dumbfounded and beyond terror, silent. I fingered my watch, what was the time? I think I only stay here for 47 minutes, how long did I have left? And how long would it take for him to harm me? And are all those urban myths true? Do you really die if you dream yourself dead? His eyes lingered on me, soliciting more conversation. I thought I should stall him until intentions were clear.
"I've been here before." I replied, wanting to sound informed but sounding more childish than anything else.
"I know, glad you are so observant, noticing the door and." He gestured to my watch, "I see you are in quite a different league from the rest, you've worked out our time constraints already, impressed, well impressed!".
He stretched in the old brown velvet button back armchair, reminding me of the Cheshire cat. Lazy and confident, knowledgable but sinister.
"I filmed myself sleeping, then started noting times." Too much info Cords, my inner me screamed but I needed him to know I was aware, I was clued up, well a little and yes I was different.
He smiled again. I wish he'd stop, is it a manic smile or overly kind? Or perhaps he's "special" any of the above is not good.
"That's really inventive, wish I'd thought of that. Took me fucking ages to work out what was going on. See the feathers like you." He gestured to my arms, the crescent shaped bruises glowed darkly against my pale skin. They would be looking peachy in the morning.
"Yeah, it's a love hate kinda thing."
He laughed. I didn't.
Then he rose from his chair. Panicked I skittered backwards, God he was tall and young about 19, there was a gangliness about his limbs but enough strength to hurt me. Moving back I reached for the door, finger tips outstretched. When my heel slipped on a piece of that damn paper and I found myself cracking down onto the Art Nuevo tiles. Winded, with a sharp pain sparking through my spine, I gave in. Tears spilled forth in abundance as I placed myself into the role of victim.
Nothing, he hadn't held me down, no hands were placed around my neck nor was any weapon drawn. I looked up. The stranger, my would be attacker looked ashen and absolutely horror stricken.
"You..." His once melodic voice broke. "You thought I would hurt you."
Stunned by the clarity of his pain I answered quite plainly.
"Yes."
"Oh. Shit. You really did."
He stepped back, running his hands through his dark hair. It looked dyed and was quite possibly styled well when he was awake. Awake, was he like me? Suddenly he didn't appear quite so menacing.
Wincing I slowly arose. He had sat down again but now looked forlorn and exhausted, roles reversed some what I stepped forward. Wanting to start our introductions again I said.
"I'm Cordi. I'm so sorry about before but this place has me totally spooked. I can't tell which way is up and which is down."
"I know, I was just so pleased to see you here after all this time. I guess I just forgot what it's like to be a newbie. Totally sorry."
We were face to face now and he extended a hand. A hand with long fingers, neat black varnish covered most of the finger nails and his wrist was bound with many festival bands. I extended my hand too.
"Tobias, I'm Tobias or Tobi."
Genuinely we both smiled and as our skin met each other's a surge of electricity sparked and I woke up.
I woke up. Just as a sight of pleasure slipped from my lips.
No Title..... Part 13 • Opuss № I