Possess (4 page)

“Excuse me, what are you doing?” I asked, failing to mask the nervousness that shook my voice. She continued her task, not responding to me at all.  

“What are you doing in my apartment?” I demanded a little louder, my voice a bit more convincing this time.

Still nothing.

I took a few more steps until I was right behind her and I carefully placed my hand on her shoulder. Immediately she spun around, startled bright blue eyes staring at me.  

“Oh, honey, you scared me!” She let out a gasp before a broad smile spread across her lips and she wrapped her arms around my neck.
Honey?
I let out a squeak and stumbled back, but to my surprise I didn’t pull away when her lips pressed against mine. The hairbrush I had been clenching so tightly tumbled out of my grasp as my hands reached for her waist and pulled her closer.

What the fuck am I doing?

The ceiling fan in my bedroom greeted me as my eyes shot open.
What the hell was that?
 I stretched my arms above my head before pulling myself to a sitting position. Turning to look out of the window above my bed, it was still early morning. My ears perked listening for any sound, but the apartment was completely silent. I groped the nightstand for my hairbrush as I climbed out of bed, but it was missing.
It was just a dream
, I told myself.
Maybe I hadn’t put my brush there.

My eyes scanned the apartment suspiciously, but nobody stood in the kitchen. No dishes were in the sink. Nothing appeared to be amiss. I let out a relieved breath and headed for the fridge, intent on a glass of iced tea when something skimmed the side of my barefoot.

“Shit!” I flailed and jumped back as I looked around for whatever rodent or pest had ran over my foot. Instead, I found my hairbrush lying on the kitchen floor. “Ugh! Really?”

I put a hand to my chest as my heart pounded from the sudden exhilaration and snatched my brush off the floor.
I must have been sleepwalking. That’s all.
My mother had caught me doing it a few times when I was younger. It was entirely plausible. Still, I glanced around the room once more for any signs of an intruder before pouring a glass of iced tea.

I looked at the clock on the entertainment center. I still had a few hours until I was due at Finley’s. There was no way I could get myself back to sleep, so instead I settled on putting away the rest of the things I’d purchased for the apartment.

I grinned to myself as I walked into the bathroom, my muscles easing once more as I began hanging up the shower curtain I'd bought. It was covered in cute little cartoon rubber ducks. I could just imagine Jackson cringing at the sight of such a tacky thing.

“My place, my tacky shower curtain.” I nodded as I looked over my handiwork. I'd even gotten a matching soap dish, toothbrush holder, and bathmat. After I put away the rest of the kitchenware and made my bed, I checked the time again.

It was 11AM .
I might as well start getting ready.
I still had a few more things to put out, but they could wait for tonight. I snatched up my toiletries and towels before making my way back to the bathroom. Nothing made me feel better than a good warm shower. After all the running around town and cleaning I did the day before, it was a comfort to feel the warm water soak through my hair and run down my back. Ever since I was young I remembered my mom telling me that “A good shower will make you feel brand new!”

Even after the other night...after Jackson’s attack, I’d stood under the shower  letting the near scalding water run over my body, and it was then I decided to put that life behind me. It was then that I'd planned my escape from him and the fear he had instilled in me seemed washed down the drain. No, I didn’t feel brand new yet…but I was getting there. 

After I’d finished rinsing off I pushed the ducky curtain aside and wrapped myself in a fluffy white towel before stepping out of the shower. Fragrant warm mist still hung in the room as I ran another towel through my hair then tossed it over the shower rod. I moved to the sink, grabbing my toothbrush and flipping on the faucet before looking up at my fogged reflection.

The toothbrush dropped from my mouth as I stared at the tall dark figure standing behind me. I could feel the blood drain from my face as I stared at the blurred image. I was sure I'd locked everything. How had he gotten in here? What did he want with me? My heart sank as I thought of the only answer that seemed logical.

Jackson!

My fingers squeezed my toothbrush in my fist and I spun around, but nobody was behind me. I let out a slow relieved breath, turning back to the sink, but shrieked as the figure still stood behind me in the reflection.
This can't be real
. I reached a hand forward and hastily rubbed at the mirror, but as soon as the condensation was gone, so was he.

Waiting

Aggie's eyes lit up as I walked into Finley's a few minutes early for my shift.  I smiled back, mostly recovered from my eventful morning.  I pushed my concerns about my newly rented place to the back of my mind as Aggie bounded towards me with a spare apron in hand. 

“Glad to see you've returned.” She said, as she handed me the little black apron. 

“Well, I found an apartment, so I'm going to have to pay for it somehow.” I laughed as I tied the apron around my waist. Aggie grinned.

“Since you said you had experience, I’ll go over the menu, as well as some bar tending with you later tonight, but tomorrow you will be more or less tossed into the frying pan on your own.” Aggie said as I followed her.  We walked into the back, passing a small office with the door cracked open. Inside I saw the guy from the other night – Nolan, my new boss. He was hunched over his desk, typing with narrowed eyes. He looked up for a moment and his eyes met mine. He seemed to study me for a brief moment before returning his attention to the computer monitor.

“He’s doing paperwork. He
loves
to hide in there and do paperwork. He's a bit on the antisocial side, don't take it personal.” Aggie rolled her eyes then sat me down at a small table in the back, slapping a laminated menu down in front of me. She didn't even need to look at the menu as she went over the various appetizers and entrées, rattling them off. She also had their specialty drafts and the recipes for their most popular mixed drinks and shots memorized as well. My head was swimming. My old job at a small local greasy diner was nothing compared to this place.  Aggie must have recognized my dazed look, as she finally took a breath.

“You don't have to know it all just yet, Harley.” She assured me as she reached into her apron and produced a silver nametag. “I almost forgot, I made this for you. Welcome to Finley's, prepare to be assimilated.” She winked then watched me pin it on my shirt. Aggie then led me back out to the floor introducing me to Eli, one of the cooks, on the way.

When we reached the front a few more customers had just arrived. Another waitress was taking drink orders from a table so I followed Aggie to the next group as they were sliding into a booth. She introduced herself, explaining that I was “new” and would be helping them out as well today. Aside from a few surges in customers, it was a pretty lazy Sunday, but it gave me time to acclimate myself to everything. It had been a few years, and it was nice to get back to working. 

Jackson hadn't wanted me to work. At first I thought it was sweet that he wanted to take care of me, after a while I realized it was just another way he found to control and isolate me. Being here, getting to meet new people and talk with customers, I realized how much I needed these seemingly trivial interactions. After a few hours, Aggie turned me loose and went to man the bar, showing me a few drinks during the lulls in business. Nolan poked his head out from the kitchen a few times. He would nod at Aggie, then watch me for a second before going back to his office without a word. He was a good-looking guy, but a bit on the odd side and very hard to read. A complete contrast to Aggie, who was bubbly and entertaining and seemed genuinely interested in helping me “assimilate.”

Aggie caught my attention a little while later as I came back from one of my tables. “Harley, can you do me a favor? The napkin dispensers need refilling. We’ve got more in the storage closet by the office.”  

“Yeah, sure.” I placed my tray down behind the bar and headed to the kitchen.

“They should be on the top shelf,” she called back before the door swung shut. Walking into the kitchen, pale blue eyes looked up from behind the computer monitor. Nolan still hadn’t spoken one word to me since I started my shift today. I offered a friendly smile, but his lips pulled into a straight line and his eyes immediately darted back down to the computer.
Right. Antisocial.
 

I looked away and continued on my path to the storage closet feeling a bit confused.
Why would the man hire me if he seemed so bothered by my presence?
Maybe they were just that desperate for new help. I shrugged it off and pulled open the door to the storage closet. I spotted the napkins, a good foot out of my reach, so I grabbed the step stool that was wedged into the gap between the wall and one of the racks, unfolding it before climbing up. 

“Sonofabitch,” I huffed quietly as my fingertips squirmed just inches away from the box of napkins. I pursed my lips as I looked back down at the stool. After assessing the distance, I grabbed the rack with both hands and attempted to wiggle the stool forward. It seemed like a good plan until I realized the racks weren't bolted down. With this one holding only paper products and other lightweight items, I easily outweighed it. I shrieked as I fell backwards and the stool slipped out from under me, praying I didn't crack my skull open the first day on the job. Instead of slamming into the racks behind me, two arms caught me around the waist, letting out a grunt as I fell back against them.

Rolls of toilet paper tumbled from the rack and napkins fluttered down to the floor like fall leaves. I hesitantly turned my head to see those searing blue eyes staring at me once again – along with the frown.
Shit
.

“Are ya alright?” Nolan slowly let go of me as I turned to face him.

“Um...yeah.”

“What, exactly, were ya trying ta do?”

“Grab napkins.” One fluttered past his face with perfect timing.

He sighed then picked up a pack of them. “Here.”

“But the mess –”

“I'll get it. Go back out front.” He nodded toward the front and shoved the pack of napkins into my hands. 

“What happened? I heard a shriek.” Aggie smirked at me as soon as I came through the kitchen door with a sheepish pout on my face.

“I knocked over a rack. Nolan wouldn't let me clean up though.” 

“Oh, he could do with a break from that stupid computer. You're fine.” 

“If you say so.”

“I do. Now go fill those dispensers,” she winked.

As it rolled into early evening, things at the pub picked up a little. It was obvious I was far from the Bible belt as the place grew crowded. College students, out for a few drinks and a game of pool filled the pub. Aggie had me back behind the bar with her for the remainder of the evening, watching as I fixed a few of the drinks she taught me and giving me pointers on pouring the beer. I barely saw Nolan all evening until it was time to leave. I headed towards the back to clock out and hang up my apron, once again passing Nolan's office. The door was cracked open but I didn't see him in there this time. I shrugged and turned toward the wall to punch my timecard before tugging at my apron.

“Good job today.” Nolan’s low voice rumbled behind me. I jumped and my hands dropped the apron strings I'd been fussing with as I spun around. “Sorry. Didn't mean ta scare ya.”

“It's fine. Thank you for the job, by the way.” I returned to untying the apron from my waist.

“Don't mention it. We needed extra help.” His gaze slowly lifted to mine as he leaned against the adjacent wall. Once again, I noticed that odd look of recognition as he seemed to study the features of my face. After a moment his lips turned down into a frown and his stance suddenly grew rigid. “Anyway, um...keep it up. See ya tomorrow.”

He cleared his throat and abruptly turned away from me, leaving me baffled at how quickly his demeanor towards me seemed to shift. Maybe Aggie was right, he was just on the antisocial side. I was too exhausted from a full day of work to contemplate it further. After all, he was just my boss. I didn't need to like him, as long as I could tolerate him.

I grabbed my bag from the hook and replaced it with my apron. After leaving the pub, I pulled my hair out of its ponytail and let it fall free. Despite sore feet, I kept a brisk pace as I walked home. I was ready to curl up with some tea then hit the sack. I hoped I wouldn’t have any more weird dreams like the night before.

I still couldn’t piece together why I’d dreamt about that girl, why I’d kissed her, or why she looked like a paler version of me. And the mirrors. Had I really seen something in them? I was sure it was only my subconscious teasing me after the landlord told me about the suicide. Just like my eyes had played tricks on me in the bathroom mirror. I always had an overactive imagination and a knack for scaring myself. When I was about six, my mom made the mistake of letting me watch
The Shining
with her one night. It was the main reason why I don’t like sleeping with all the lights off, and why to this day, I still feel a little creeped out whenever I see identical twins.

When I arrived home, there was nothing to greet me but peace and quiet. I kicked my boots off by the door, started a kettle of water on the stove, and walked to the bedroom to change. My legs and feet had grown painfully sore from spending the day on them, but it felt good knowing that I could take care of myself – despite it being drilled in my head otherwise by “Mister Wonderful.”

I stripped down to my underwear and slid on PJ pants and a long sleeve top before tentatively peering at myself in the large oval mirror. There was only my reflection staring back.
Hmmph. Just my imagination. There’s no such thing as ghosts.
I didn’t have the luxury of getting spooked like the previous tenants, so better not to divulge in ghost tales and other supernatural crap that wasn’t possible.

I smiled contently and reassured myself as I padded back toward the kitchen where the kettle was just starting to whistle.
Chamomile tea with honey, then sleep
. My mouth salivated at the thought and as I poured the hot water over the teabag, the fragrant and calming scent of chamomile instigated a yawn. I squeezed some honey into the mug and stirred it around, watching it melt into the hot liquid. After a few minutes and blowing a few breaths over the surface, I lifted it to my lips and took a sip. My body relaxed as the tea’s warmth spread through me. I started for my bedroom as sleep called out to me, my senses already dulling.  I paused outside my bedroom, flipping off all but one small hallway light. My tired eyes gave the darkened living room one last compulsory sweep, running over the dark silhouette of a man by the large picture window before I turned for my bed.

Wait…what?

My heart thumped loudly and tea spilled over the ceramic mug as I spun around, flipping on all the lights. My pulse raced as I stared around the empty living room for a couple of minutes, but nobody popped out of a hiding place. The only movement came from the building across the street that casted shadows into my living room.

It’s just your eyes…It’s just your eyes playing tricks on you.

Go to bed.