Capricorn Cursed (16 page)

She typed and retyped, trying to find the words to send him. She wrote a rather long email but decided to erase it. She didn't even know the guy, so why was she pouring out her heart and soul?

In the end, she eagerly wrote a succinct response.

 

Dear Gus

I would love to see you again. Name a date and let's see what we can do.

Natasha

 

She sent the email and waited to see if it went through. Once she was satisfied it was merrily on its way, she shut down her computer.

A surge of happiness swelled through her. Whatever Gus's problem had been, it had nothing to do with her. She had suspected that was the case, but now she knew.

A scratching sound outside her window startled her. She ran over to see what it was. When she looked out, all she could see was thick clumps of snow coming down. The sound had likely been the snow hitting the windowpane.

No matter. Between the ghosts, the weather and the energy of the town itself, something new and strange was always going on.

She hurried around the apartment, gathering up her purse and coat. With a sigh, she went out to greet the night.

Intuition was crowded, but Maggie and Ellie had found a table near the stage. Natasha was covered in snow when she sat down.

“Look, it's the Abominable Natasha,” Maggie joked.

“Ha-ha. Very funny,” Natasha said as she pulled off her coat.

“Your guy is looking at you.” Ellie grinned. Natasha looked over at the stage, and Craig beamed at her as he strummed his guitar.

“It's so fun to have a musician boyfriend,” Maggie said. “You can imagine that every song he plays is just for you.”

“He's not my boyfriend,” Natasha said. “We jammed together a couple of times.”

“Was it fun?” Ellie asked.

“It was lots of fun. But, quite frankly, I think I'm more attracted to Gus. “

“Really?” Maggie asked. “But you don't even know where he lives. Or what he does.”

“I know he's a writer. He lives in Hermana somewhere. He sent me an email today.”

Maggie sat forward excitedly. “What did it say?”

“It was just a simple request for a date,” Natasha said.

“And what did you say?” Ellie pressed.

“I accepted, of course. I just don't know when.”

“Maybe he's emailing you right now,” Ellie said.

“Maybe, but I'm here with you guys. I'm not sitting around the house waiting for some guy.”

The set was over, and Craig came over to the table. He kissed Natasha on the cheek.

“How's it going, Natasha?” he asked.

“I'm doing great, thanks,” she replied. “And you?”

“I'm happy to see you.”

Natasha nodded. Maggie nudged Ellie.

“Let's go out for a smoke,” Maggie said to Ellie.

“Sure thing.”

Maggie winked at Natasha as the ladies left. Craig scooted his chair closer.

“So, when do you want to get together again to jam?” he asked. “I do enjoy our sessions.”

Natasha took a deep breath. She even surprised herself when she spoke. “I'm sorry, Craig. But I'm going to have to stop seeing you.”

Craig frowned. “But why? Did I do something wrong?”

“Not at all,” Natasha said as she petted his hand. “You're a great guy. A wonderful guy. And a fantastic musician. But I'm going to have to stop seeing you.”

“There's someone else?” he asked.

“I don't know,” Natasha said. “I'm kind of confused, and I don't want to hurt you.”

Craig's eyes were sad. “Is there anything I can do to change your mind?”

“I need to think. And I don't want you waiting around for me.”

Craig sighed heavily and drank his beer. “It's because you think I'm a flaky musician who can't be stable, isn't it?”

“No, it's not. Believe me, this town is full of flakes.”

“So why can't we hang out?”

“We just can't. I'm sorry.”

Craig stared at her. He fidgeted for a moment and then stood up.

“All right, Natasha. I'll respect your decision. But if you change your mind, even about jamming,
just jamming
, please let me know. We make beautiful music together.” He tried to smile, but it seemed false. He left her to return to his bandmates.

When Ellie and Maggie arrived, they were all smiles. “So?” Maggie asked.

“I broke up with him,” Natasha said.

“What?” Ellie asked. “You were just talking about how much you like him.”

Natasha looked sadly toward the stage. “I do like him. But I like Gus too. I can't juggle two guys.”

“But he's the real deal. He likes you a lot. You can see it in his eyes. And he's here, and Gus isn't,” Maggie said.

“I know. I can't explain it. There's just something about Gus that I need to explore. Maybe I won't like him after all and I'll regret hurting Craig. I don't know,” Natasha said fretfully. “I have to get out of here.”

“Do you want us to come with you?” Maggie asked.

“No, I think I just want to be alone for now.”

Natasha put on her coat and glanced once more at Craig. He was busy tuning his guitar for the next set. She would miss his wiry, little body and his
joie de vivre
. But she was drawn to Gus's darkness.

The snow had stopped falling, and Natasha wandered through the cobblestone streets, wondering if she had acted too quickly in cutting Craig loose. However, the more she walked, the more she was sure she had made the right decision.

She was hungry and hated it.

Why couldn't her meals hold her appetite at bay longer?

Part of the reason she had broken up with Craig was that she didn't know if she could stop herself with him. His blood made her mad with desire.

Each time they made love, she was closer to wanting to consume him. To drink of that lively musician blood and feel it coursing through her veins. She had already gone farther than she should have with him. Luckily at this point, he just thought she had a weird fetish, but if she one day went too far, he would be one more person to know her secret. She didn't want to hurt him or kill him. He had too much to offer the world.

On the other hand, if he got to know her too well, he would wonder about her strange habits. How she stayed young. How she slept all day and wandered the streets all night.

In the distance, she heard a wolf howling. The sound was mournful and soared through her body.. She ached as the wolf howled again. A howl and a little yelp. A cry. Like grief. Like the world was a dark, hollow void of emptiness. She felt like the wolf sounded. Alone and sad.

After a few minutes, there was another strange sound in the air. A low, humming noise tickled her senses. She wasn't sure if she was hearing it or feeling it. It was almost like the steady vibration of a motorboat approaching the docks, but the sound wasn't coming from the water. Besides, who would be foolish enough to take a boat out in a January snowstorm?

She stopped walking and grew more curious about the humming sound. She hadn't recalled hearing it before last month. She had been walking the streets, the beach and the forests of Hermana for decades. She was familiar with most of the noises of the night. This noise was new, and it piqued her curiosity.

However, it was becoming apparent that the sound was happening more frequently on her late night sojourns through the town.

She was determined to figure out where it was coming from. She closed her eyes, turned around and walked until she determined the source must be in the woods. Maybe it was some kind of generator. Maybe there was a new home in the woods or some kind of work being done. It was far too cold and blowy to go traipsing through the woods that night, but she was determined to get to the bottom of it soon.

It was likely no big mystery, but so little amused her these days.

Her bones ached from the cold, and her face felt like a wooden slat of splinters. Between the grueling weather and her decaying body, she wanted to lie down on the beach and have the icy, cold fingers of the ocean pull her out to sea.

Instead, she needed to do what she could to right herself in her own little world. Her aches and pains could and would be dealt with, even though she never truly enjoyed what she had become.

She continued until she passed by a warehouse where there was loud music. Dozens of teenagers and young people spilled out into the streets, smoking cigarettes and laughing. She decided to see what was going on. By the brightly colored clothes of the partiers, she knew it was a rave.

Young people went to raves.

She needed to be around young people.

Her senses tingled and twitched as the youthful energy slammed into her, taking hold in her body. An urgency surged through her and she knew she was in the right place. The scent was here, and she would follow it until she found what she needed.

She paid the $10 cover charge and went inside. Kids jumping around to techno music packed the dance floor. Their glowing, sweaty bodies were bumping and grinding. Fashion was a garish combination of fluorescent greens and oranges in polka dots and plaids. The black lights on the dance floor added a heightened unreality to pallor of the skin, and eyes glowed weirdly, as if she had wandered onto another planet. She noted with interest that most of the dancers were girls in skimpy clothes. Many of the girls wore ponytails or short, spiked hair. The boys had both long and short hair, with a few multicolored Mohawks towering above the rest.

The smells of sweat and sexual fever invaded her nostrils. She stared at the dance floor, but what she sought wasn't there. She followed her nagging senses down one of the hallways and into the basement level. There was another dance floor where jungle tribal music boomed through her feet.

The kids were dancing in a sweaty throng to the music but she wasn't going to enter the room.

She continued on.

The sensation grew stronger, and soon her fingers and breasts burned. She was close, so close.

Around the corner was the bathroom, and she went inside. She took off her coat and hung it on the hook. As she sat in the stall, she could hear some girls giggling outside the door.

“He's so cute. I could just die,” one girl said.

“So go for it,” her friend said.

“I can't. He doesn't go for virgins.”

“You don't know that.”

“Yes, I do. He wants girls that put out. It's too bad.”

The girls gossiped and giggled as they put on their makeup. When Natasha came out, she stood beside them, brushing her hair. The girls wore miniskirts and tank tops, applying rich, red lipstick to their young, pouty lips. Natasha glanced over at them. The blonde smiled at her.

“I like your hair,” the girl said. “And your necklace.”

“Thank you.”

“Tell her she shouldn't be so shy around guys,” her redheaded friend said.

“What's the problem?” Natasha asked.

The blonde rolled her eyes. “I like this guy but I don't think he likes me.”

“Why not?”

“Because I don't put out,” the girl sulked.

“So, pick another guy, then,” Natasha said.

“But I like this guy. He's cute and funny. He's so hot.”

“Well, talk to him,” Natasha offered.

“I do talk to him. We're in the same college classes.”

“Then he knows you exist.”

“Yeah…but…”

“Don't worry. If it's meant to be, it's meant to be,” Natasha said, applying more eye shadow.

“God, you sound like my mother,” the blonde said.

Natasha cringed. “I'm sorry. I don't know what else to say.”

“I bet you have a guy,” the blonde said. “You're so pretty.”

“Why thank you, but actually, I have no one right now,” Natasha said. “I'm single and have been for a very long time.”

“Why?”

“Why, indeed? Well, let's just say I like having my freedom. Men can really mess that up for us, you know? You get with a guy and next thing you know, you're cooking, cleaning and doing their laundry. Then you have kids. And then you've lost who ever you were. Just enjoy life.”

The girls stared at Natasha.

“I've heard that before too,” the blonde said.

“Well, would you feel better if I bought you a drink?” Natasha asked.

The blonde nodded. “Sure.”

The three women went over to the bar, and Natasha bought a round of orgasms.

“Here's to woman power,” Natasha said as she clinked her glass against theirs. The girls giggled as they downed their drinks.

“That's so good,” the blonde said. “Thank you.”

“Oh, they're playing my song,” the redhead said. “Let's go dance.”

“You go on. I'm going to stay here,” Natasha said as she looked at the writhing bodies on the dance floor. “The beat is a bit fast for me.”

“I'm going to stay here,” the blonde said.

The redhead danced away, and the blonde turned to Natasha.

“Do you smoke?” she asked.

“Yes.”

“I don't mean tobacco,” the young woman said. “Want to go outside?”

“All right.” Natasha's heart beat quickly as she was led outside. The youthful steps as the stranger looked for a dark alley away from the club made Natasha giddy. This girl was so lively, so innocent, a virgin.

In the distance, above the thrum of the music and the chatter of the people, Natasha still heard, or rather felt the humming vibration she had sensed earlier. She cocked her head, trying to figure out if it was still coming from the woods, but it was too hard to tell with all the noise around her.

At last, the girl was satisfied with a spot that was secluded. She opened her purse and pulled out a joint.

“What's your name, anyway?” the girl asked.

“Natasha.”

“I'm Sandy. Pleased to meet you.” The girl shivered as she tried to light the joint. The wind had picked up, and it was snowing again.