The Quarter Moon (Afterlife saga) (9 page)

“Impossible! Impossible for a human! Give it to me!” The voice grew into a growl and I took a step back.

“I said GIVE IT TO ME!” It screamed and the sound cracked the windows, making one give out and smash to the floor behind me. I jumped and held up my hands.

“Hey, it’s not my fault you can’t feed from me, we made our deal
.” I said playing dumb.

“Then your flesh will just taste all the sweeter!” It said before I finally got my first glimpse of the creature itself.

It stepped from the shadows and I screamed at the sight. The first light to hit the Demon sizzled like it was being burnt but the further it came forth, I soon realised it wasn’t its own skin that cooked, it was the skirt it wore that was human skin sewn together like a horrific patchwork quilt. Soon the room started to fill with the smell of charred skin and burning hair. Some pieces of his demonic uniform even had tattoos from the pieces of flesh he had taken from humans. As he stepped closer the skin suit was made like a coat that had thick straps crisscrossing all his torso and it reminded me of a straight jacket made in Hell.

One arm looked broken and twisted back to lie flush against his back while the other, a long and thin black bone
, had several joints as though it belonged to a spider. It had a pincer on the end that clicked as it snapped out and back in on itself. The claw type bone looked as if it had been carved out of flesh as it bled from the tip and it alone was the size of my hand.

When the last of him came into view
, it was the face of a man with long, grey hair, centre parted and it hung down his torso in two strands straight as a board. His eye sockets were impossibly deep and the two eyes staring at me with a mixture of hate and feeding lust, were bleeding tears. Like two pools overflowing from the source, they flickered as something in him started to ripple from his smoking chest.

The nauseating smell was making me keep swallowing my own bile back down
, but when he took the last step and I saw what his face was doing, I could no longer keep it back. The rippling had travelled up his chest, to his neck and then started to literally rip his face apart. The split started at his chin and spread up his face, spraying blood out in a fine mist.

Once the blood cleared the air
, it left me staring at a face cut in two, only now with tiny rows of teeth running vertical up the sides of the hanging flesh. His face had now become one massive sideways mouth and his eyes were the only things spared from the change, as even his nose had become two nostrils inches apart.

I turn
ed my head and heaved up my vomit, finishing just in time to move out of the way. His one arm had swung out to grab me and missed by so little, I had felt the whoosh of air from the action on my face. As I was taking steps further back something in my mind clicked and one word flashed like a neon sign.

‘
Shield’.

In one swift movement I brought the umbrella I had back round from the hook of my belt and pressed the button. It flew out and I held it out in front of me hiding myself behind it. It covered my dress perfectly and when I heard the roar in frustration
, I knew he couldn’t see me. I heard the movement of a frantic arm looking for prey as it blindly whipped this way and that. I took little steps back, not knowing how well it relied on its hearing but not willing to take any chances. As soon as I thought I was far enough away I stopped to look around for an exit. To get back to the stairs I would have had to have passed ‘Big Ugly’ and I now realised why that name was picked for him, as it was oh so very fitting.

I saw on the other side
, an exit door and I made my way towards it making sure to keep myself from view the whole time. It was slow going walking backwards but I soon made it. I let out a sigh of relief when I pushed on the bar in front and it opened near where my truck was parked. I fumbled with my umbrella while running for the door and it was only when I was safely inside my vehicle that I could breathe.

I didn’t feel like waiting round here while I studied the letter so
I turned Big Blue around and squealed the truck down the road back to the guard who let me through with a wave. I only just managed to make it out of sight before I cut the engine, threw myself out the car to throw up again on the side of the road. When nothing was left, I spit a few times to get the taste out of my mouth and got back in the truck.

It wasn’t what you would have called my finest hour, that was for sure
, but at least I had done what needed to be done. I tried to tell myself this over and over but it didn’t help when trying to open the envelope with shaking hands. I pulled the letter out, feeling something weighty in the corner of the envelope but left that for later.

I unfolded the page and thought my eyes were deceiving me for a minute but no, I read it over and over again and then said the first thing that came to mind,

“Son of a Bitch!”  

Chapter 9

Paid for my Wasted Hopes

I just couldn’t believe that all I had gone through was for a piece of paper that’s said what, another damn riddle!

‘If Alice is sick of Wonderland then pull an ET, But if she wishes to meet the Royalty down the Rabbit hole, then wait ten minutes for one to show up’

And that was it! I screamed out in frustration and fisted my hands. How was that any help to me at all I didn’t know
, but one thing I did know, was that I was being led on a merry dance! Question was, how did I know what the bloody steps were without any music? All this cryptic crap was getting me no closer to Draven and I was close to jacking it all in. I mean I had just nearly become a main course for a Demon to chow down on, and for what...? A letter and a…

I tipped the envelope, just remembering there was something else in there and something weighty fell into my gloved palm.

“A coin?” I said looking down. It was a misshapen silver coin which looked like it belonged in a museum. It was so old it was barely even classed as being round in shape. On one side had the head of a person, man or woman I couldn’t tell, but they had their mouth open and their tongue hanging down. Tiny round circles surrounded the head that could have been curls or snake heads, I couldn’t tell. I turned it over and the other side looked like an anchor with three symbols around it at different points.

I don’t know how long I stared at it but when another car passed me it brought me back from my trace. I put the coin back in the envelope along with the pointless letter and started the truck. All the way home my mind kept going back to that coin and what I was supposed to do with it. Of course it was at this point my truck decided to give up for the second time and I cursed like a sailor as I pulled it over.

Old tricks came back and I hit the steering wheel in hopes the truck would know yet again how pissed off I was with it! I got out, dragged my hands through my hair and tried to calm down. This was turning out to be one Hell of a day and it wasn’t even past morning yet.

“I doubt I will get another chance at seeing Big J,” I said finding
that my own comfort in this situation was to talk to myself like a crazy lady that lived with a shopping trolley, collecting cans. I once again saw the smoke coming from the grill on the front and I wasn’t about to burn my hand twice in one day doing the same stupid thing, like touching the bonnet.

Well
, it looked like I only had one choice. I got back in the truck and fished my handbag from under the seat where I had stuffed it and rummaged for my mobile.

“Time to phone…
home”
I said slowly and then dropped my phone along with the penny in my mind.

“Phone home! That’s it!” I shouted reaching for the letter I had stuffed angrily back in the glove box. I read the letter again and groaned out loud.

“I don’t know what you’re playing at Pythia, but I am starting to see you’ve got one pain in the ass sense of humour. Ok, so I will keep playing…ET indeed.” I said shaking my head at the last part. So she was saying if I was to call Frank, game over but if I waited here, for only she knew what to show up, then I was still a piece on the board. So that is what I did, I waited.

It was almost the longest ten minutes of my life as I painstakingly waited for each number to change and when spot on ten minutes hit, I saw help coming my way. I got out to meet the tow truck as it pulled up in front of me. I watched as a stocky guy got out of the truck and approa
ched. He was about five foot ten but was square in the shoulders and had a shaved head that he rubbed on his way over. When he lifted his gaze to me, he looked uncomfortable for a moment and when he looked me up and down, I realised why.

I was still wearing my dress and with the combination of gloves and heavy black boots, I didn’t exactly fit the expected profile of someone broken down at this time in the morning. I bit on my lower lip and when I still felt the remains of lipstick there
, I winced. I really hoped he didn’t think I was a working girl.

“Are you Keira?” He asked in a deeper voice and I frowned at him. 

“How do you know that?”

“A guy came i
nto my garage as I was opening up. He told me that a girl called Keira in a hot…umm…red dress was in need of a tow.” He said rubbing his head again and it looked to be a nervous habit. When his gaze finally found mine, I was taken aback by light green eyes and a rough but handsome face. He had week old stubble on a strong jaw, a flat nose that added to his roguish charm and a pair of full lips. And I hadn’t missed the blush his little ‘hot’ slip up, had caused him. Although I really didn’t see why, as I felt like a swamp critter at the moment, with wet hair and no doubt a red nose due to the cold the early morning brought. I missed my jacket already.

“Well
, I appreciate it.” I said not knowing what else to say.

“Hey
, you’re British!” He said and then looked as if he instantly regretted it. He walked past me to my truck to hide another blush.

“Sure am
.” I said in a higher pitch than was needed, but the smile he flashed me to the side told me that he was thankful for my light-hearted response.

“Let’s see what we got here then, can you pop the hood?” It was amazing how many times you could hear the same sentence in the space of a few hours, from two very different guys.

“I will do but I can tell you now what’s wrong.” I said and he straightened from the bonnet and folded his arms. He had a playful glint in his eyes as he said,

“Oh really
?” I smiled back when he raised an eyebrow.

“Yes, Mr oh really…” At this he gave me a beaming smile and I knew if I wasn’t already in love with the world’s most handsome man
, then this smile would have made me melt. I went to my door, opened to the pull the latch. By the time I closed the door he was still waiting for me to elaborate.

“There is a small leak in one of the pipes from the radiator. I know I should have been watching my temp
erature gauge so it didn’t overheat but I…well, I had more important things on my mind at the time… anyway, I think I might have warped the metal and blown an overhead gasket.” I finished and he now looked stunned. He actually had to clear his throat and I laughed a little when he turned from me.

“Let’s take a look should we
?” He said, his voice dropping an octave. I tried not to notice when he covertly adjusted his jeans slightly. He looked at my steaming engine and started nodding his head.

“Well sugar, you know your stuff, I will give ya that
.” I laughed making him look my way.

“Not really…I kind of…well I broke down earlier this morning and some guy helped me then, I just remembered what he told me
and reeled off the same stuff to you.” I confessed and this granted me another beaming grin.

“I can see I am gonna have to watch myself around you
.” He laughed out a husky sound and rubbed his head again.

“Ok sugar, I am gonna have to get her hooked up and tow her back to my shop, can I drop you off somewhere on the way?” I gave him my address and he nodded. I stood back to let him work and he told me to wait in the cab as it was warmer in there. At first he had tried to give me his jacket but I convinced him I was fine. Just before he was about to strap my
poor truck up, I remembered something vital.

“Wait!” I shouted and ran to my truck door.

“Sorry, I forgot my bag and stuff.” I said making him shrug his shoulders and motion for me to go ahead. I reached in, grabbed the most important thing which was the frustrating envelope and my bag.

“Thanks
.” I said letting him get back to it.

We were soon on the move and after a few silent minutes he startled me by reaching acro
ss me while driving and offered me his hand.

“I’m Edison Tucker but my friends call me Eddie or Tuck
.” He said as I shook his hand.

“ET
!” I blurted out and he raised his eyebrows.

“Sorry, I just mean…your initials, are ET right?” I said, now being the one to blush.

“I guess, hey…you’re not comparing me to a short, wrinkly alien are you, ‘cause man, I will tell ya, that will hurt any guys ego?” He said joking, making me laugh and shake my head at the same time.

“Sorry, I have this bad habit of speaking without thinking…I think I need a new brain filter or something
.” I said hoping that letting him know I was a little mental would help. He let out a mighty laugh that shook his large frame.

“I think your brain is just fine…
damn fine
.” Did I hear that last part right? I chose to ignore his whispered compliment but I couldn’t hide the damn blush that went with it.

“So, was that guy your boyfriend?” The question caught me off guard.

“Sorry?”

“I mean…sorry it’s none of my business
.” He looked uncomfortable now and I put my hand on his arm before I could stop myself.

“Which guy?” I asked feeling my pulse quicken at just the thought…why wasn’t I even thinking straigh
t. I mean someone had walked into this guy’s work place and told him where I would be. Did the Oracle have someone working for her on this little game or could it have been someone I knew?

“He never told me his name
, but he paid me for the tow and more than enough to fix what’s wrong with your truck, I just guessed he must have been your boyfriend is all.”

“This guy paid for the work?!” I said a bit dumbfounded.

“Yeah and I am guessing with that tone, you don’t know who he is?” I just shook my head at him and gave him a blank look of pure confusion.

“Apart from paying for the job, what else did he say?”

“Well it was weird ‘cause he told me not to hurry with fixin’ your truck, ‘cause you won’t be needing it straight away…and I am taking that cute wide eyed look of yours that this is not the case?”

“Umm, that would be a big
Hell no! Why would anyone say that?” This last part I asked myself out loud. He shrugged his shoulders and then jumped a little as if remembering something.

“I almost forgot. H
e also gave me something to give you when he paid.”

“What was it?” I shouted eagerly grabbing his arm again. Man wasn’t I the touchy feely one today, I thought letting go of the poor guy.

“Sorry, I guess my social skills need working on today.” I mumbled.

“Hey, don’t go saying sorry for touching me…I mean…oh shit, I didn’t mean that sexually or anything…shit!...Now look who is the one that needs to find their social skills
.” He said rubbing his large palm over his shaved head. I laughed thinking this had been one Hell of a morning.

“Let’s start over, my name is Keira, I have a broken truck, that hopefully you will be able to fix, because I have a real soft spot for that hunk of junk, and the guy you met wasn’t my boyfriend
.” I said shaking his hand again, making him grin at me. That look had me regretting all this as I now thought he got the wrong impression that this was flirty…was this flirting?

“Eddie, the id
iot that keeps putting his foot in it and will, without a doubt, thanks to my mad skills as a mechanic be able to fix your hunk of junk.” I laughed and slapped him lightly on the arm.

“Hey, less of the junk bit!”

“Hey yourself sugar, you said it first and besides…she isn’t that bad.” He added with a sideways smirk.

The rest of the journey to my house continued on in this playful conversation and I found I liked Eddie and his easy, blushing smile. That was until he pull
ed up to my house and asked me his next question,

“So Keira, I…umm, well I wanted to ask you if you fancied going for a drink sometime…or maybe, I don’t know, like dinner?” Right at this point my mind got slammed with a vision so strong I couldn’t breathe. I don’t know how it happened or where it came from but it put me on a cross roads with two paths to choose. To the left was a sign that said ‘Blooming Orchard Drive’ and when I closed my eyes that path filled my
mind with an onslaught of images.

It started with chatty dates, evenings filled with laughter thanks to Eddie’s playful manner. Then nights sat kissing on his battered couch in the flat above his shop. Teasing nicknames like ‘ET’ for him and ‘Hot Red’ for me. Introductions to friends and family. Him holding little Ella and shaking hands with Frank after having a beer from out of our fridge. BBQ’s, birthdays, Christmas’s all merged into one. Then a simple wedding flashed up a
nd a beautiful man in a Tux who had shaved for the occasion.

Then
there it was, a sign we drove past that said ‘Blooming Orchard Drive’ where a little quaint house that needed painting and a new fence sat. What came with it was a montage of snippets of our time there. Chasing each other with paint brushes, that ended in a tangle of limbs on the floor in one of the rooms. I swallowed hard when I saw us making love and me calling out a different name.

The visions only stopped on the cruellest of all. I was being wheeled into the hospital by an anxious Eddie at my side and my breathing was laboured in pain. My hands were protectively on my pregnant belly, as I was ready to
give birth to our first child.