Part X: 1 Year Later

Part X:1 Year Later

Sydd

     One day, Sydd is in his group at a meeting. “…and all I’m saying is that with the right type of therapy, anybody can keep their anger under  control, eventually even being able to bypass the triggers that set them off in the first place if you’re lucky enough.”

     “Yes it does happen, but not too often, especially in cases of mental illness.” The counselor says.

     “What the hell do you know? You’re a woman and baby killer, you scumbag.” One of the members of the group says.

     “I don’t think that’s advisable, Tony, apologize and let’s continue this meeting like adults, shall we?” The counselor says.

     “I just don’t think that a baby killer has the right to think he knows what he’s talking about.” Tony says.

     “What was that…F****R???” Sydd shouts, and then immediately stands up.

     “Sydd! Sit back down!” the counselor says.

     “COME ON! SAY IT AGAIN! DON’T BE CHICKEN S**T!” Sydd yells.

     “No, I’m, I’m sorry Sydd!”

     “F**K YOU!” Sydd blacks out and swings his fist towards Tony, and Vera catches it. He pushes toward her with all of his might, but she pushes just as hard, using both hands on his fist. He takes this opportunity to use his other fist and swings it, but she uses one of her hands to catch it, and positions herself to keep balanced, while providing enough force to keep Sydd back, the harder he pushes, the harder she pushes, until his arm muscles start to cramp, which wakes him up immediately, and he automatically lets go. “I’m, I’m sorry.” He sits back down.

     “I, uh, think we’ll end early today.” The counselor says, and everyone else leaves except for Vera and Sydd.

     “Vera, can I talk to you?”

     “What is it?” She asks.

"This is an odd way to put this, but, no one has been able to stop me before during one of my rages, you're the only one who ever has. I knew subconsciously there was something special about you when I first laid eyes on you; it’s why I’ve been trying to get your attention. I liked you, but I wasn’t sure why."

"What do you mean?"

"You neutralized me, stopped me from hurting someone. With you, I can be normal... "

"But how?"

"I dunno...its like, a natural connection; I can’t really explain it in words."

“But if that’s all it took, then why has no one else thought of it?”

“They have, but, usually, I resort to other methods if my hands are locked, I kick or knee, or use the person’s weight against them, for some reason, I didn’t hurt you, I stopped at just my fists, even subconsciously I don’t want to see you hurt, that’s only ever happened with relatives.”

“I still don’t understand, you think I should date you just because I stopped you during a freakout?”

“In a manner of speaking…”

“Why? What makes you so special?”

“Because it’s not what makes me so special, it’s what makes you so special.”

“I-I don’t know, I mean, how do I know I won’t end up like your last girlfriend anyway? What if this was a one time thing and I end up taking a risk that gets me killed?”

“Yes, I know, we’ve discussed this before, believe me, I don’t think it will ever happen again, what if she was a one time thing?”

“I’m still a little concerned…”

“Trust me, it’s a feeling I have, a good feeling, a feeling I’ve never felt, instead of the rage that I felt five minutes ago is completely replaced by a feeling of gratitude.”

“You should probably apologize to Tony next time you see him.”

“Yeah, yeah, I should. So…please?”

“Alright, I’ll give it a shot. Dinner tonight at seven.”

“Are you serious?”

“Yeah.”

“What if you become the other you and forget about it?”

“Then I apologize in advance.”

“Ok, cool.” Luckily for Sydd, that night at seven, she meets him at a restaurant and sits down across from him. “Awesome, you made it!”

“Yes I did!”

“So, thanks for meeting me tonight.”

“My pleasure, so here we finally are.”

“So, how come you actually decided to come out tonight?”

“Well, I thought it over, and, ya know, I got a vibe off of you too.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I sensed a kind soul under all that corruption.”

“I-What?”

“I don’t think you’re the a*****e baby killer everyone makes you out to be.”

“I-“

“You either had a crappy childhood where things were constantly fucked up or had a good childhood and a loving family, and just made the worst decisions possible.”

“It’s the second one.”

“Why?”

“Because I was a really stupid teenager.”

“That’s it?”

“Yeah, I copied my best friend, who’s dead now because of all the bad decisions HE made. I’m just glad I got out of it when I did.”

“Because you were obviously smarter than him, and because there was always that part of you that knew what you were doing was wrong, and he didn’t. He just didn’t care, you do, and that’s why you’re still alive.”

“It’s like, you know me.”

“I told you I got a feeling off of you.”

“It’s kinda weird.”

“I know, it’s the first time I’ve ever felt it, so I was just kind of using what I’ve observed over these past couple of years, and I can tell, just by your emotions  and the fact that you have a heart and have remorse for things you have done, that you’re not bad, just misdirected. Being in person with you, I get a feeling that you’re actually calm.”

“I gotta confess, I did smoke a bowl before I came here.”

“So did I, but that’s not what I’m getting at, even in group, I got the feeling that you were calm by your body language, you were pretty relaxed before Tony started.”

“I was.”

“So, tell me, what was the feeling you got off of me?”

“It was odd, there was something about your mannerisms, attitude, intelligence, and personality that attracted me, that, and I find you particularly beautiful.”

“Thank you.” She blushes.

“You seem like a pretty cool chick, too.”

“Oh yeah, how?”

“I don’t know, it’s a little hard to describe, it’s like, you’re comfortable to be around.”

“Oh, ok, anything you wanna know?”

“Why did you reach out and stop me?”

“To see if my feeling was right.”

“Wait, you mean-“

“Sorta, like I said, I was taking a chance.” Sydd opens his mouth, closes it and thinks about it for a little bit, then says,

“There’s a lot more to you than I was expecting and I love it.”

“There’s a lot more surprises in store for you, and you may or may not love them.”

“There’s just one more thing I wanna ask you…”

“And what is that?”

“What’s your other name?”

“I’m not going to tell you.”

“When will you tell me?”

“If we get married.”

“Wha-um…?”

“Well, first, I have to agree to it, I don’t even know if you’re boyfriend material, I’m taking a chance, remember?”

“Oh, yeah.” He looks crestfallen.

“Let’s see how you do.”

“Haha, sounds like my interview.”

Charlotte

“No, I don’t want anyone to die…except you, haha, I couldn’t help it! I’ve got a sick sense of hu-(hic) mor.”She runs home, crying. She unlocks, opens, then slammed the door shut and runs to the kitchen. She takes a quarter bottle of rum and runs upstairs to her room. She downs a substantial amount in one swig and collapses on the bed, crying harder. Leon’s words swim in her mind as she hears them being repeated over and over: ‘”Just kill yourself already… I don’t want anyone to die…except you, haha…You’re just teasing yourself…”’.

     “He’s right, I should have done it already. I’m a worthless piece of s**t that not even my husband wanted, I was just a cover. I had two kids with him, loved him, I thought it was real, and none of it was. I acted like a skank in a devious plot to get with him in the first place; I don’t deserve to be alive.” She reaches under the bed and takes out a box labeled ‘the kit’. “I didn’t think I’d actually use this.” She dusts it off and takes off the lid. Inside is a large, sharpened knife, a pad of paper, and a pen. “I wanna make sure I do this right.

‘To whoever reads this, I have decided to end my life. Nobody wants me around and they’re right, because I am worthless. My husband used me as a cover and never actually loved me, despite the fact that we had two children together. He left me a note saying what he’d done and why he did it, and that he never loved me or the kids and that he’ll see me in hell, and it looks like he will. I’ve thought about doing this before, and trying it once. I’m not going to f**k this one up, goodbye.’

“Should I include anyone? Hmm… I should let my kids know that at least one of their parents loved them.”

*’To my kids, I’m sorry, I’ve been a bad mom, but I just wanted to let you know that even though daddy didn’t love you, I did. I’m not leaving you; I just can’t be the mom that you deserve. I hope that your lives will be better without me. I’m sorry to do this, but I can’t deal with it anymore.’*

“Should I include anyone else?” She finishes off the bottle. “Oh, yeah, that’s right! The one person who’s fault this is.”

*‘If Leon is reading this, then I just want to say that I took your advice, am I good for you now? Better off dead? ‘*

“I probably am, I better do this before I change my mind.” She sits at her dresser and picks up the knife. She takes a deep breath and slowly slides the knife across her throat. She gets halfway across her neck and cuts her windpipe. It causes her hand to continue the slice another quarter.  Still holding the knife, her head smashes into her dresser mirror. She tips backward in her chair, her hand holding the knife swings back so that the knife’s tip touches her back, she lets go, and the knife goes through her back as she lands on it all in one motion. When she lands on it, the knife goes through and impales her through the heart and coming out of her chest. When she hits the ground, the back of her head smashes the rum bottle on the floor. She lies there for a good fifteen minutes before there’s a knock on the door.

“Charlotte? Charlotte, are you ok? Charlotte?” Her neighbor checks the door and noticed it’s unlocked. She starts in the living room and the purse, coat, and shoes are strewn about the floor. She goes into the kitchen and notices the small cabinet over the stove is open and the light is on. She turns around, goes back into the living room and walks upstairs. She notices the only room with the light on and walks in. There’s Charlotte, lying on the ground, sprawled awkwardly with the broken rum bottle under her head, and the knife in her back and out of her heart, and the slash across her neck. The note on the dresser has a few splotches of blood on it, and the chair is lying on its side. She calls 911 and the cops arrive. They do their investigation and discuss the note.

“I noticed she mentions a Leon, wonder if she means Xero. She says she took his advice, I wonder what that means.” Luxor says.

“Think he told her to kill herself?” his partner asks.

“Possibly. I wonder what he said.”

“How do you even know who she’s talking about?”

“There are only four Leons in this entire city. The other three are up in the middle and upper parts of the city, it has to be Xero.”

“Call the boss.” Luxor takes out his phone and dials.

“Hey cap, it’s Alpha. Just curious, would Xero happen to know our victim? Well, he was mentioned in the note; at least we’re sure it’s him. Uh huh, ok, are you gonna call him, or should I? Ok, we’re going to investigate a little further until he gets here.” He hangs up the phone. “Break?”

“Break.”

Leon

One night, Leon is coming home from the bar when he bumps into Charlotte, also coming from a bar.  “Oh, what the- oh, it’s Char-s**t. What’s up, b***h?” Leon says, incredibly intoxicated.

“Oh, it’s you, what the f**k do you want, you piece of, I miss you Leon.” Charlotte says, also incredibly intoxicated.

“Huh, wha-?”

“I miss you.”

“Well, too bad. You fucked that up.”

“I know, I’m sorry.”

“Too-too f****n bad, you’re a s**t!”

“And you’re a cheater!”

“You deserved it, besides, you got what you wanted, a family and kids.”

     “My husband is dead, I haven’t seen- (hiccup) my kids in we-weeks, and you just throw all this s**t at me.”

“Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why haven’t you seen your kids?”

“Oh, they’re at-at my dad’s house until I figure s**t out.”

“How long has that been?”

“I don’t f*****g know.”

“Oh… What?”

“Yeah, I know but I can-can’t stand to look at them right now, they look too much like their fath-father.”

“Oh, yeah, what happened with that, why is he dead and why do you hate him?”

“Cause I married a selfish a*****e who I found out just used me.”

“How did he use you?”

“Because he said in the note that he was just waiting for things to cool down. We were just a cover.”

“Yeah well, I-I forgot why I was yelling.”

“I- what? Yeah, me too.”

“Looks like there’s a lot more scars than the last time I saw you.”

“Oh yeah, that’s thanks to Bri-Brian.”

“What did he do?”

“He went back to his old habits, waited till we were out of his life, then proceeded to kill himself. He left me a note saying he’ll see me in hell among the other things.”

“That’s pretty harsh.”

“Yeah, well, then you don’t see me for I forget and then you yell at me!”

“Cause you’re a b***h.”

“F**k you, dick.

“Hey, you were the one, who’s husband killed himself, looks like even he couldn’t stand you, haha.”

“SHUT UP! SHUT UP!” she yells, and stomps her foot repeatedly.

“That’s pretty sad if even your husband won’t want you.”

“Why are you being so mean to me?”

“No, you need to hear this, cause, you know why, cause you’re a c**t.”

“You son of a b***h! Why the f**k would you call me that?”

“Because it’s true.”

“F**k you, a*****e!”

“You know what, you’re arms are one big zebra pattern, why don’t you just finish the job, and just go kill yourself already.”

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me, you’re just teasing yourself at this point.”

“Ugh! I can’t believe it!”

“Pssh. Believe it.”

“Are you being serious?”

“No, I’m kidding, I don’t want anyone to die…” He pauses. “Except you, haha, I couldn’t help it! I’ve got a sick sense of hu-(hic) mor.”She runs home, crying.”I was just kidding.” He says to himself. Leon continues his way home, and finally collapses on his bed at four forty five in the morning. The next day, Leon’s cellphone goes off at seven o’clock in the morning and sees that it’s the police department. “Hello?”

“Leon, how are you doing?”

“A little hungover, why?”

“Done anything last night that you shouldn’t have?”

“No, cap. Not that I know of, why?”

“We need you over at 234 37^th street; there’s been a possible manslaughter.”

“But, I don’t work in homicide, let alone the force, I can’t investigate this case.”

“I’m not asking you to investigate, you’re a suspect.”

“A sus- a suspect?”

“Get down there now.”

“Ok.” Leon gets dressed and goes to the address. He sees two police cars and a coroner outside. “What’s going on here?”

“Ah, Leon.” Luxor walks up to him. “Possible manslaughter, a slash mark to the throat, and impaled through the chest.”

“Why did you need me down here? And why am I a suspect?”

“Because of the victim.” He uncovers the sheet, and there lying on the gurney, is Charlotte with a slash mark across three quarters of her neck, and a large knife through her heart.

“What in the hell?”

“Yeah, apparently she was discovered by her neighbor who woke up to banging, glass shattering, and then a thud. She went over and knocked, but didn’t hear an answer. The door was unlocked, so she let herself in, and saw a light on upstairs and when she checked on her, she was facedown, impaled on the knife and the room a disaster.”

“So how does that make me a suspect?”

“Because of this.” He hands Leon a note. He takes it, opens it up, reads it, and starts to freak out.

“I swear, I don’t remember anything from last night. All I remember was drinking a lot and accidentally meeting up with her and she was really drunk too.”

“Do you remember anything else?”

“No, but I don’t see how I’m a suspect if this is a suicide note, unless...” He rescans the note. “’If Leon is reading this, then I just want to say that I took your advice, am I good for you now? Better off dead?’”

“It doesn’t look good for you, Leon. What did you say to her?”

“I-I’m not sure.”

“You’ve gotta remember something.”

“I remember a lot of yelling.”

“Good, that’s a start.”

“I don’t know, I’m having a hard time remembering.”

“Not a good start, you’re going to do hard time if you don’t remember.”

“What?”

“She specifically says she took your advice which strongly suggests you told her to kill herself.”

“What? No…”

“Unless you have anything that proves otherwise.”

“I-I don’t know.”

“Well, then I guess we’ll have to take you into custody.”

“No…I…” He sighs and looks down at Charlotte one last time. “Her life was ended by the one thing she was trying to protect.”

To Be Continued…