Entry #6 - The Encounters

I walk down the street. The sun peaking around the buildings as the sun sets, slowly darkening the sky. It isn't long before the street lights shine into life, providing a light to those that would explore the city at night time. Perhaps giving way to restrict those that would do illegal acts or deeds. I try to distract myself with the night life that bustles the street: people going to the bar to have a drink or two with their friends, homeless wandering down the road trying to find something to eat or perhaps just somewhere to lie down in peace. No matter how much i try to distract myself, I keep seeing those men. Why did I kill them?

I'm not sure, though, what terrifies me the most: the fact that I killed them, or the fact I have no remorse. Don't get me wrong, I feel sorry for them. If they were like me, supposedly, it means that they likely lost someone as well, but they forced my hand.

I didn't want to kill them. I had to.

I'm new to this world of magic, so I can't risk the chance of them knowing about me. Not yet.

I continue down the road and find myself at an old motel. Shoddy, and run down, it hasn't been updated in 20 years, but it is cheap, and will do for now. I go up to the man running the counter, and he lifts his gruff face up from the book he intently had his nose in. He states in the most monotone and agitated voice: "$50 for the night." I slap a $50 bill on the counter and without a word, he tosses me a key before going back to his book. I go up to the room and try to tuck in for the night. Try to figure out what's next, tomorrow.

~~I am surrounded by the same white void as before, with magic dancing around me, but this time I find myself motionless, not wanting to do anything. I throw myself on to my back and gently rest. I manipulate the magic in the air and cause it to dance for me, flowing back and forth. I eventually infuse it into my body and concentrate on the feeling. What bounds is the body held to in regards to magic? I push the magic into my head and try to observe past the void I am in. What is this place anyway and why do I come here in my dreams now? As the thoughts cross my mind, the void fades to black and suddenly I am thrust into a house that is unfamiliar to me, but somehow, feels peaceful.

I stand myself up and proceed to explore the house, observing every detail. I pass the fireplace, which has a gentle fire crackling away, a recliner facing it, its cushion indented with countless years of someone relaxing next to the fire. I pass into a kitchen which has the usual appliances, but with a particularly unique dining room table, something you'd see in an old 70s sitcom.

Entering the foyer, are 3 distinct pairs of shoes next to the entry door: a pair of lightly used sneakers, the small shoes of a child no more than 5 years of age perfectly aligned as if meticulously place to match the faded and well-worn work boot, still damp from the rain which has quickened outside.

Making my way up the stairs, I gaze at the pictures of the wall, and...

wait...

I see a familiar face. The face of, well, myself.~~

I wake up in a cold sweat. My head aches as I try to gain some composure, I hear the sounds of sirens in the distance, and they are getting louder. Before long, I hear multiple police cars pull into the parking lot of the motel. My thoughts started racing on what could be happening. Are they coming to take me away? How did someone find the bodies? How do they know I'm here? I gaze down at my clothes and see blood splattered on my shirt. How did I not notice? The man at the front desk must have seen and called the police.

I rush to the bathroom and quickly strip my shirt off, and try my best to wash the blood out of it, but the night proved effective in drying and staining my shirt, preventing it from being washed out.

No need to panic, just remain calm.

After trying to wring it out in the bathtub, I slip on my now, bloody and soaked shirt. Peeking through the window, I see what appears to be a lady of the night and a man being escorted to a police car in handcuffs.

Good.

Just wait for them to leave, return my key and leave. Though that gives me an idea. I swore I wouldn't contact my friends, but if I trust anyone, it is Rachel, surely she can help me. She'll believe me, right?

With my plan to mind and the police vacated from the motel, I make my way out of the door. The same grizzly, old man sits behind the counter of the front desk, now 50 or so pages more into the book from the night before. I place my room key in front of him on the counter and he peeks his eyes above the book. Taking a short glance at my damp, reddened shirt then to the key haphazardly placed in front of him, let's out a grunt before turning the page of his book and continuing to read. He may be indifferent, but the general public might take notice, I should probably find a new shirt somewhere.

I make my way to the road and collect my bearings. Heading north, I make sure to duck into as many alley ways as possible as to avoid being seen by anyone that might become suspicious.

"Hey, what do we have here?"

Fuck.

I turn to face the source of the voice behind me and before me stands 3 men with various blunt weapons and what I presume to be their leader in front of them. Just some two-bit thugs; nothing I shouldn't be able to handle, right?

The leader speaks up again, "What's your type doing in these parts? You think you can walk through here and not pay the tax? So what's it going to be, are we going to get paid, or are we going to have to rough you up a bit?" He lets out a small chuckle.

Cocky. Confident. Weak.

I grind my feet into the ground, ready to attack swiftly and methodically. Taking out the leader, I can shove him into the one guy and quickly take out the other two, should be easy. Just as I am about to proceed with my attack, I realize something; They're just human. I diffuse the magic I built up in my legs and arms and restrict myself to mental awareness and fortitude.

Anticipate. Avoid. Knock out.

Flaring my mind with magic, I watch as the first two men approaching me begin to slow down in movement. I always thought those movies had some time dilation thing happening, but I can feel what's happening: Everything seems slow, because my brain is just processing all the information so quickly. This is better than any drug.

With ease, I wrap my hand around the bat approaching my head from the left, thrusting it behind me as it loosens from the grip of its user. His disbelief soon shifts into that of pain as my right hand connects with his jaw, dislodging multiple teeth from their place. Just as I twist my body to face the other man, I feel his bat slam against my right shoulder.

Good to know I can still feel pain, I suppose.

I direct magic to gather at my shoulder as I begin to gain composure. Delivering a swift kick to his gut, he stumbles to the ground. Turning to face the leader of this group, I gaze into his eyes as the fear and confusion commingle in his expression. I proceed to approach him, but he quickly bolts to his friends to help them up, so I don't bother. I continue to walk down the alley as before as if nothing happened, never speaking a word.

Just then, I hear the sound of sirens, and two police cars close in on the two entrances of the alleyway.

The thugs collect themselves as 4 cops exit their respective vehicles. One of the cops speaks to myself and the group, "We had a report come in about some fighting in this alleyway, what's going on here?" Before anyone can speak, I immediately try to save myself from any wrong doing: "Officer, these men approached me, demanding that I forfeit my possessions. When I refused, they proceeded come at me with weapons." I point to the bat lying on the ground a few feet from where the men were standing.

The cops eye the bat, the men, bloodied, and then to myself, blood staining my shirt. Two of the police officers whisper to each other. They point to the men, and it appears they recongise them. It appears they have been waiting for an opportunity to arrest them. That is when the first officer takes a step towards me and says, "Sir, would you like to accompany us down to the station, get an official statement and get you cleaned up?"

Honestly surprised they are buying the blood is the man with the broken teeth, there is way too much for that, but I'm not going to complain. Plus, a ride to the police station would be preferential to finishing my walk.

After arriving at the station, I give them an account of what happened (aside from the magic parts of course) and they give me a fresh set of clothes to change into. After finishing my statement, one of the other officers in the station recognizes me, no doubt judging me for being crazy. He walks over, "Well well, roughing up the riff raff now? I knew you'd go crazy."

"Hey, knock it off," a familiar voice interrupts, "that man had been through a lot, and he doesn't need you being an ass."

I reply, "Rachel Hayes, it's good to hear your voice it's..." She quickly walks over to me and whispers, "Brain, where the hell have you been? I gave you the lead on the warehouse 4 days ago, and you fell off the face of the earth, I was afraid you overstepped and got yourself killed. I even checked your house a couple of days, but no one was there." I reply, "Rachel, I can explain everything." She escorts me to the front of the police station. "Alright, speak."

I shake my head, "I have to show you, take me to my house and it will all make sense."

Simply and with no word, she motions me to follow and we get into her car.

She always trusted me, about the only person aside from my wife that I appreciated. Granted, when you spend your whole life at home and at work, you tend to not interact with many people at all, but can I really trust her? Well, only one way to find out.

I turn to Rachel and simply ask, "I can trust you, right?" She glances at me with confusion as if I offended her. "It is just that some strange things have happened and I need to know I can trust you with what I'm about to show you and tell you." Rachel, with a face that now conveyed an almost motherly concern says, "I'm here for you, I always have, no matter what."

Just then, we arrive at my home, and the memories of what transpired yesterday take it's hold of my mind.

We exit the car and approach the front door, but before opening the door, I turn to Rachel one more time. "Promise me you'll hear me out. I did something really bad." Rachel, in the same concern let's out a subtle smile and nods in affirmation.

Opening the door, I lead her inside. I round the corner into the kitchen to let her take in the scene. Realizing that I had since closed my eyes upon entering the house, I slowly creak them open to see a surprising and confusing sight.

The kitchen is spotless.

No bodies.

Not even a drop of blood.