Psychopath

It was then that I realized that everything Elisa had just said to me was true, I was becoming a monster, and here I was about to hurt another person I truly cared about.  I took my hand away from Alana's face and studied her laying there unconscious.  There had been a time when Alana and I were so close that we were practically inseparable.  Now, though, I had taken everything from her and still I was about to take more.  I stood up and, cradling Alana in my arms, I carried her to her bed and laid her gently down.  Something about me suddenly felt more human than I had in the last couple of weeks since I had discovered my ability.  I felt myself wishing I could take it all back and go back to my old, melancholy, quiet self.  

My phone started ringing and I rushed out into the hall, careful not to disturb Alana, to answer it.  

"Hello?"  I answered, forgetting to look at the Caller ID on my phone.  

"Ryan, you were supposed to be here at nine thirty to get the store ready to open.  What's going on?"  It was Matt's voice on the other end of the line.  I pulled the phone away from my ear to check the time, 10:03 AM.  Damn!  I thought.  

"I'm sorry Matt, it completely slipped my mind, I didn't sleep at all last night.  I'll head there right now!"  I responded quickly trying to recall my schedule. 

"That's not an excuse Ryan, when you get here you'll have a counseling statement waiting on you, now hurry up!"  Matt said abruptly followed by clicking off the line.  

I arrived at work about twenty five minutes later.  When I got back to the Technician's Desk, Anthony was the only one working, the line was longer than usual.  Anthony was still relatively new and not very familiar with "cashing out" the customers.  I studied him, his face was slightly panicked as he searched for something on the register computer.  The expressions on the customers' faces were obviously frustrated, and you could hear murmurs among them as they waited.  

"Matt?"  Anthony called back to the break-room, where Matt was obviously waiting for me to arrive.  

"What do you need, Anthony, I'm sure I can help you out.  I've got to clock in anyhow."  I explained being as genuine about my offer as I could.  Anthony looked at me, his face was blank, his eyes desperately shaking, the expression practically begged for my assistance.  

"You're not a manager, I need the manager."  His expression quickly changed, now looking disgusted, as he snapped at me.  Matt came from around the corner of the break-room, "About time you got here."  he said with frustration in his tone.  I watched as Matt walked over to assist Anthony, looking as if he were struggling with the computer himself.  Before long he had queued the "check-out" screen, and Anthony was back to helping the customers.   

"Instead of just standing there, you need to sign in on the other computer and start helping Anthony check out customers."  Matt said before exiting back into the break-room.  I walked past Anthony and signed into the other register as instructed.  

"I can help the next person in line."  I called to the people in line.  Within just a few minutes I had finished helping most of the customers in the line, probably just to make a point to Anthony.  

"See, sometimes it's okay to ask for help."  I said sarcastically, hoping he would have something to say.  I turned to see what was left to work on as far as open customer tickets.  Anthony walked over and shoved me, and I stumbled tripping over a few parts that were lying on the floor.  

"What's your problem, Ryan?"  He spat at me while I tried to recover from my trip.  

"What's your problem, Anthony?!"  I said as I tried to slide out of the corner he had pushed me into.  

"Never mind, you're not worth me losing my job."  He said returning to the other side of the counter.  

I started back on my work orders and, before I could get anything significant done, a now familiar voice startled me. 

"So, have you considered my offer?"  Sofie was standing on the other side of the counter, with her phone in hand.  

"No actually I was trying to forget about our encounter all together, to be completely honest."  I said trying to keep the conversation between just the two of us.  

"How'd you know to find me here anyways."  I questioned her.  Sofie was mysterious, so I probably shouldn't have been surprised but, she seemed to have a knack for catching me off guard.  

"That's not really important, now is it?"  She looked at me with her twisted grin that seemed to stir a nerve. 

"You really like him, don't you?"  Sofie was now becoming more of a nuisance.

"Umm, do you mind?"  My expression was the definition of embarrassed.  

"Just an observation.  Listen, I can help you, and you really don't want to be on my bad side."  I looked at her in disbelief.  I was certain that she could help me, but I didn't want anything to do with this psychopath.  I started to turn away from her, but my body froze in the process, and I couldn't move a muscle.  

"Oh, no you don't need to run off now."  She said while clutching a small piece of a crystal in her hand.  

"Gosh, it's kinda stuffy in here, I can barely breathe."  She said, placing the crystal to her throat, and I watched as the crystal started to glow faintly.  Suddenly, my throat was restricted and my lungs gasped for air.  Nothing came, I felt as though I was suffocating, like all of the oxygen had been removed from the building.  I choked, trying to breath, and still my body was frozen in place.  Sofie was doing this.  

"You are going to help me, one way or another."  She said in a hushed tone while looking at Anthony who was now approaching us.  Quickly, Sofie stuffed her crystal into her pocket. 

"Can I help you with something ma'am?" Anthony said looking utterly confused.  Air filled my lungs and my arms flew up around my throat naturally.  

"No, I was just leaving."  Sofie said winking at me.  Anthony looked at me, and I could tell he was concerned.  Anthony scrunched his face at me, quickly checking to see if I was okay, then rolled his eyes and walked back over to where he was working.  

The afternoon couldn't have come to a quicker finish, it seemed to drag by.  Apparently I was mistaken in thinking Sofie would just go away.  When I got to my car I noticed that the scratches in the side were gone, and a small piece of yellow notepad paper had been placed under my wiper blade. 

A gift, I figured it was an eyesore.  -Sofie 

            P.S. I'm sure you'll like my other gift too.

Anthony followed behind me, I hadn't noticed before that I parked right next to his car.  Quickly I stuffed the note into my pocket and unlocked my doors so I leave before he had something to say.  Anthony got into his car just as quickly, I felt myself staring as his movements seemed graceful to me.  I watched as he shuffled about, looking confused.  He popped the hood of his car and got out to see what the problem was.  I started my car and rolled the window down.   "Everything okay?"  I said as a shocked expression slid across his face.  

"No."  He answered quickly.  I opened the door and walked 

over to where he was standing.  When I looked under his hood, there was something wrong, his spark plug wires and battery were both 

missing.  What a b***h.  My thoughts were cynical though, because 

she was right about me enjoying her gift.  As appalling as this was, I couldn't help but to see humor in it.  

"Why would someone want to steal my spark plug wires?"  

Anthony asked sounding slightly upset. I placed my hand on his shoulders, trying to be reassuring.  

"I can give you a ride if you want?"  I said, directing it as more of a question.  

"You sure that wouldn't be too much?"  He looked at me and I could tell, by the look in his eyes, that he was hoping I wouldn't rescind the offer.  

"No, it's fine."  I told him.  I stopped to think about Sofie and what she had said about my attraction to Anthony.  I wasn't sure if she planned for me to offer him a ride, but I also didn't want to put much thought into Sofie's private brand of manipulation.  

The ride was quiet for the first few minutes, aside from his directions, but I knew once the conversation started that the silence wouldn't last the entire ride. 

"So, is it true?"  Anthony said, and his face gave away a sense of glee.  

"Well, that was kinda vague.  What do you mean?" I asked completely unaware of what he was referring to. 

"That lady earlier, she pointed out that you might like me?"  The joy on his face didn't match the uncertainty of his tone.  

"Oh, you heard that, huh?"  I asked, at a poor attempt to steer away from his question.  It was a useless attempt at that, he remained still, he wanted an answer.

"I don't know what I think about you.  I don't know what I am supposed to think about you, Anthony."  I told him.  

"Why don't you just give yourself a chance to think or feel something?"  I looked over glanced at him, one eyebrow raised in question he sat there staring at me, perhaps studying me.  

"I get it, you've obviously been through a tough ordeal.  You've been hurt, or you are finding yourself.  But, I am perfectly okay with that."  He told me, and he shuffled a bit in his seat.  My silence must have been making him uncomfortable.  

The next few minutes went by and I was fighting with myself about what to say to this guy.  I didn't want to have to let him in, or get close to him, for what?  To hurt another person? 

"We're here."  He said as I drove slowly past a few buildings in his apartment complex.  I stopped the car, and looked over to where he was sitting.  Anthony was looking straight ahead surely, though, he knew I was looking at him.  My mind went back the the night we kissed in the parking lot at work.  The kiss, although unexpected, was indescribable and amazing.  I started thinking about Sofie, and how her "observation" and it made me wonder how long she had been watching the two of us.  

"You're right Anthony."  I told him in a soft tone.  His head turned and he quickly focused on me.  I looked into his eyes, and they sparkled, the same way they had the night we kissed.  My mind kept taking me back to that night, sitting here in the car with him made it nearly impossible to think about anything else.   

"What if we go out?"  I asked him, sounding completely unsure of my own question.

"Really?  I---I mean when?"  He asked stuttering over his words.  

"Tonight, we can get showered and ready, I'll pick you up at eight.  We can go get dinner or something."  I said, and my heart skipped on my words.  Was I really asking him on a date?  

"Yeah, that --- would be great!"  He said, and joy returned to his voice after a short pause.  

"Okay, well give me your number so I can shoot you a text when I am on my way."  I told him, trying not to give away my excitement.  We exchanged phone numbers and he got out of the car.  I could tell his entire attitude had changed.  Half paying attention to driving I pulled off, while saving his number in my phone.  When I looked up there was a figure standing just a few feet in front of me, and quickly I put on the brakes.  Sofie!

She walked around the front of the car to the passenger side door and got in.  I looked at her in disgust, thinking about her sitting in the same spot as Anthony, made me so irritated.  

"So, I suppose you did like my gifts then?"  She asked sounding smug in her question, which seemed rhetorical. 

"What do you want from me now?"  I looked down and noticed the crystal from earlier, in her hand again.  

"Drive!"  She demanded.  I sat there looking at her for just a moment, and her expression quickly changed from content to a, demanding "NOW", look. 

"I understand, I probably haven't been very inviting with my offer to help you.  So I figured that my 'gifts' would make up for my asperity."  She explained to my while making air quotes around the word "gifts".  I pulled off noticing her crystal as it starting, again, to glow.  

"Listen, I don't know how clear I can make this for you.  And I can see your reluctance.  But I will get what I want.  For example your friend, Leonna, she won't make it through the night."  

I was startled at her remark, which was more of a threat.  When I looked over, however, she was gone.  I thought about what she had said, and my mind ran rapidly.  If I was ever going to win Elisa over, I would have to find a way to make certain what Sofie said didn't come true.  I picked up my phone and dialed Elisa's number. 

"Answer Elisa." I said out loud to myself.  

"What?!"  Elisa's voice was loud, and clearly she was still upset with me.  

"Elisa, where are you?"  I asked and my tone must have given away my distress.  

"At home, why what's wrong?"  Elisa asked slowly sounding baffled at my hastiness. 

"You need to get to the hospital right now!  I'm already on my way, something is wrong with Leonna, she's in trouble and I can't explain right now."  I told her, my thoughts were furious now.  I may have been the one that put Leonna in the hospital in the first place, but by no means was it on purpose.  I wasn't going to let Sofie win, nor was I going to let her control me. 

"Alright I'm on my way Ryan."  Elisa told me sounding exhausted at my request.