Possession - Chapter 1

1.

 

 

     "It's a nice house," he promised with a grin. "You'll like it."

Maria had her doubts, however. She sighed, glancing out the car window at the hulking figures of grey skyscrapers crawling past them as they headed west out of Atlanta, and closer towards the road to Tennessee.

    "I don't know for sure, hon." Maria said, her gaze focused on the receding towers. "I mean, it's out there in the middle of frigging nowhere, and I am definitley not surprised it took your grandfather thirteen years to renovate it."

    "Hey, hey, hey," Peter soothed. He took his right hand off the steering wheel and slid it gently across his wife's pallid cheek. She held her forehead in her hand, her elbow propped up against the sill. "There's no need for that kind of talk. My granddad will be pleased that you came along for the visit. He needs all the company he can get nowadays."

    Peter replaced his hands firmly on the steering wheel. His thoughts were elsewhere.

    Maria said nothing, only staring blankly at the ghostly flashes of orange lights whizzing past. Her mind wandered too; floating beyond fading memories, drifting along as if on a ripple, then silence, and finally darkness.

 

                   ---

 

 

   "You don't understand!! I need to see him! He's my son!"

   "Ma'am, there is nothing we can do to help you! You need to go and take a seat, or I will have to call security--"

   "Then call f*****g security! My son is in there, and he needs my help! And you guys are just going to sit on your candy-asses while he's DYING?"

    "Mrs. Anderson, please calm down! We need to--"

    "No! Get your f*****g hands off of me! Peter! Peter, oh my God, my son! My son! David! Dav..."

 

 

                  ---

 

 

     "Maria, baby, wake up."

     A voice. Peter's voice, whispering. Movement. Calm movement.

     "Baby, I've stopped at a motel for the night. I can't drive while it's dark."

     Maria opened her eyes. She found herself in the car. Not in a hospital. Thank God; not in a hospital.

      "Where are we?" There were pins and needles in her arm, with a circular red mark where her head had rested.

      "Typical place. A Motel 6, right off the interstate." Maria could hear a grin in his voice. She smiled thinly, then recollected herself before stepping out of the car.

     "Welcome to our temporary abode, honey. Enjoy it, cuz we got a long day ahead of us tomorrow."

     Maria could only simper tiredly. She massaged her arm, which had finally begun to circulate blood. She looked down at her scars. Still there; only visible by the blood that had begun pooling itself back through her veins.

     She shook away the memories for now. Instead she focused on Peter, standing at the doorway, holding it open and grinning. She knew what he wanted, yet a little quickie couldn't hurt, could it?

     All negative thoughts and feelings aside, she stepped across the threshold, and the door closed behind them.