Part XLIII

Pat XLIII

Grandfather Lee chattered in my ear the whole way. It eventually became white noise that settled deep into me and became the rhythm for the drive. Truth is he kept me awake and I was able to make superior time. By the time I pulled into the beach lot off Rose, the sun was overhead and I was arguing with him in Mandarin. I didn't think about it anymore. I finally knew what he was saying, He was a smart man, and as I climbed the stairs to Destiny's apartment we'd figured out a solution to my problem.

I smiled as I knocked on Destiny's door. I was excited, and I didn't know how to hide it. She opened the door wearing her painter's shirt and my grin almost ripped my face in half. She placed her finger on my lips and I didn't say a word. She led me through the place and sat me down on her bed. I hadn't slept in two days. As she pushed me back onto the bed and straddled me, I looked up into her eyes and fell asleep.

I woke to the smell of bacon cooking. She'd turned the tables on me. I was still dehydrated from the drive so the first order of business was a glass of orange juice and a glass of tomato juice. I followed it with her smiling face and some whole wheat pancakes, bacon and maple syrup. She'd laid out breakfast like the last supper. It looked like she must have spent two hours just coring and cutting up fruit.

After breakfast we had coffee and retired to the balcony again. I was getting a serious case of deja vu. We hadn't spoken a word since I'd passed out the night before. She took a sip, then broke the silence.

I can't believe you fell asleep on me.

Let's be clear, I fell asleep under you.

She smiled, and I tried to think of what to say next other than, “I'm sorry.”

Either way, it was very anticlimactic.

Not for me, I slept like a baby. I guess it all depends on what you were looking for a climax to. Me it was a two day drive without any sleep. By the way, I didn't meet a dwarf.

You will.

Looking forward to it.

She took another sip of coffee.

You wanna try again?

Won't it be a bit odd, with me going to be killing you and all?

I don't know, might be exciting.

She was right, it kind of was, well at least when it wasn't really disturbing.

While she slept, me and Grandfather Lee conversed silently in Mandarin and laid out our plan. Truth was he wasn't too bad a guy. Although he pissed me off a few times during my and Destiny's tussle. I guess it'd been a while since he'd had that type of experience.

I slipped out of bed while she slept and prepared the living room. I moved all of the furniture to the side and drew some nasty and not so nasty symbols in circle. It'd bind her, and if I did it right protect her at the same time. The last thing I did was place my hand palm down at the center of the circle. I mumbled under my breath and burned the symbol on my hand into the hardwood floor. It hurt like a son of a bitch, but it was the only way I could think of to transfer it. I turned the tattoo into a branding iron. I was going to be wearing it for a while now. It would scar over soon, with the help from the salve Grandfather Lee had made me whip up.

I sat in a chair with a fresh cup of coffee and waited for Destiny to rise. While I waited I made a fist over and over to make sure the scar didn't set my hand in a way I couldn't use it.

A half hour later she walked into the living room rubbing her eyes. She stopped when she saw the circle. I stood up out of the chair. She smiled a sad smile at me and without even flinching she stepped into the center.

What now?

Well, you’re going to fell a prick.

Is that all?

No, after the prick, you'll feel like you’re on fire, and then hopefully before it gets too bad you'll pass out. Don't worry though, you won't fall. You'll be in stasis within the circle.

How will I die?

Slowly.

She pulled herself up straight and gave me a look of determination. She was still just dressed in her painter's shirt, and there was something almost too vulnerable about that, but I think she knew this.

I had a great time Aubrey.

Me too. I pulled out my pocket knife and cut open my finger just enough to draw blood. I mumbled under my breath, activating the nullification symbol, then I drew the last symbol on the floor sealing the circle. Destiny screamed. I stood firm, clenching my teeth. I started to breath heavy as she went limp, but stayed standing.

I mumbled under my breath again and stuck my scarred hand into the circle and closed my fist as though wrapping it around a piece of cloth. I ripped my hand back out and a sheet of energy came with it. I planted my feet and brought my other hand up and rolled the “cloth” around and finally into a ball, where it stabilized. I went to her front door and opened it. The bowling ball bag was still where I had left it. I unzipped it and shoved my hand in. I felt the bowling ball suck the energy right off me. It felt like having acid poured on my hand, but the burn died quick. I zipped the bag back up and this time I carried it with me into the apartment.

Destiny was still upright, protected but close to death. The only thing keeping her alive was the nullifying symbol. The Tall Man had created a kill switch that would kill her when the piece of my Uncle's soul was removed. By temporarily putting the kibosh on his hex I'd bought time, but that was it.