Complexities Chapter two (first draft)

April 17, 1998

He opened the door to the astral plane and stepped into the abyss. He scanned the inky blackness for that one specific…

There it is!

Excitement built inside of him as he locked his sights on that single violet thread and followed it like a bullet train. He ebbed and flowed along the ocean of human lives until he found the one that he needed. He must follow this one to its origin. He knew that instinctively, even without his perfect plan. He focused on following that line backwards to the mind that created it. When he reached the origin point another door appeared. He could hardly contain his excitement; he’d finally made it. Only a little further to go. He followed the line until he reached a door that was floating in the darkness. He wrapped his massive hand around the ornate golden handle, turned it, and pushed the heavy oak door.

“What the…” More darkness. He knew he’d be flying blind, but this? What kind of person is filled with such emptiness? Such vacancies? He smiled as he recalled the painful trek through his own mind before appearing in the wasteland. He had found a kindred spirit, but would he be a closed book like he himself had been? He fumbled ethereally in the recesses of this vast chamber. Finally he found a solid wall, and a lamp? Not worrying about that too much, he produced a match from thin air, at least his powers still worked here, and lit it.

The light revealed that he was standing in the middle of a movie theatre. He began to wonder if he’d made a wrong turn somewhere. There was a screen larger than anything he’d seen in his limited experience with the outside world. There was only one seat in his monstrous auditorium, so he took it. It was your typical cushioned chair, nothing exceptional. He looked around again, thinking maybe he missed something. There was a button marked PLAY in the side of the seat. He pressed it and witnessed one of the happiest sights he could imagine. A young nubile bitch of a whore was begging for her pathetic life. After the movie he wandered some more. He was frustrated. It wasn’t there! There was one more door he must enter, one last defense to keep him at bay. He liked it here and had no plans to leave anytime soon. There were great sights; amazing floor space and the sheer volumes on torture…

“I think I’ve found a new friend.”
***********************************************************
May 14, 1998

Johnny tossed fitfully in his bed. Sleep was coming in snatches and he was having the most fucked up headache. And he was having the dream again. For weeks he’d been dreaming of a deranged madman who was watching movies of his memories and slamming things around in his brain. A few days ago he’d seen that madman when he looked in the mirror. It felt like he was taking over him.

That’s because I am Johnny…

He bolted upright from his bed. Sweat was pouring from his skin. He turned to the cool body next to him for comfort. She would give him what he needed. She always did. He nibbled gently on the soft skin of her shoulder and she stirred sleepily beneath his touch. He nibbled at her again and this time she turned over and kissed his lips hungrily, climbing on top of him and smiling.

He watched as she guided him slowly into her and he smiled.

Fuckin’ A this is what I needed

She smiled back down at him.

“Oh my lord! I’M FUCKING JESUS!!!” Lei giggled.

“What was that?” Johnny inquired.

She looked down at his face, smiling sweetly at the uncanny resemblance to our lord and savior. The shoulder length brown hair tumbled in messy waves and the neatly trimmed goatee accentuated the roundness of his features. He looked nothing like the reputation that preceded him.

“I was just thinking about how much you looked like Jesus lying there with that look on your face.”

When his eyes darkened and his face twisted in anger Lei was flabbergasted. He lifted her gently by her hips and sat her down next to him. All he could do was laugh; the situation was ridiculous to him, he was not about to put up with this shit no matter how good she was in bed.

“Fuck you” he spat at her as he got up and began to dress.

This is ridiculous!!!

She got in his face.

“Go then, what the fuck ever!!! Oh the poor Jesus man has been insulted. Stop being such a drama queen, Jesus was damned sexy.” She knew she’d crossed a line when his entire body went rigid. He took a few steps away from her and then he stopped for a moment as if to digest her comment. The curl of his lips made it obvious that he thought she was full of it. She just shrugged her shoulders dejectedly and let it drop. There was no point in arguing anymore. She didn’t care that he was being patient with her, it didn’t matter, and her feelings were hurt.

Johnny couldn’t believe it. Where did she come off talking back to him? He reached out, grabbed her left arm and twisted it behind her back.

“You want to be a rough little bitch? Fine, I’ll treat you like one.” He pushed her violently into the open closet and she collapsed on the floor in a heap.

As she sat on the closet floor and watched him leave she thought what a moody fucking baby; things were going great until he flipped out.
My god, all I said was that he looked like Jesus.

Lei got up after he left and took a shower to wash away the evening’s trauma and realized that she missed him already. For that, she punched a hole in the wall.

“Fuck you asshole!” she yelled. She screamed it for Johnny and for every other man in her life that made her feel so shitty about herself so often. She got out of the shower and still felt angry. She was so pissed she couldn’t even tell she’d split the knuckles on her left hand and she began a warpath through the apartment, destroying things in earnest. She broke dishes, snapped CDs in half and for good measure she sliced apart the velvet Johnny Cash poster she’d bought only because he liked it so damned much. As the tears began to flow, Lei got dressed, grabbed her smokes and left for a nice long walk.
*************************************************

Johnny muttered to himself angrily as he walked to his car.

“Fucking evil bitch!”

His footsteps quickened as his canary yellow camaro came into view, sparkling in the afternoon sun. It was the only thing that had remained true to him all of this time. He pulled open the door, sliding comfortably into the leather seats. He inhaled the new car scent deeply. It was time for a new air freshener. Just like it was time for a new girlfriend.

He started the ignition and sped off, replaying the incident over and over in his mind. His brow furrowing deeper and his eyes darkening even more in anger. He narrowly avoided an elderly woman crossing the street and whizzed by a young woman holding her infant son, their yells drowned out by the gunning of his engine.

As he rounded another corner something familiar entered his field of vision. His mouth tightened and he squealed the car to a crawl a few feet behind her, tapping the gas impatiently.

“Get in the damned car Lei!”

She turned to face him, her face screwed up like a sour lemon.

“Screw you Johnny!”

He sped up a few feet in front of her, forcing the passenger door open when he came to a stop. He got out of the driver’s side and grabbed her by the arm.

“I said now bitch!”

She squealed a protest that was quickly stamped out by the menacing glare in his eyes. When he threw her in the car and slammed the door she was frighteningly still.

Johnny climbed back into the car and sped off, slamming her head into the seat. Johnny felt his stomach turn inside out, saw darkness creeping across his eyes and he moaned aloud. The madman was coming.

“Oh no…please…”

He looked over at Lei and saw the tight line of her mouth and the rigid set of her shoulders. She was pointedly ignoring him.

It serves her right whatever happens to her…shouldn’t be such a bitch.

And as he imagined the consequences he succumbed to the darkness.

They rode in silence for a while until Lei finally exploded.

“Hey Johnny, what’s the matter? Cat got your tongue?”

“No cat has yet to have my tongue at all.” He replied with a smile.

Lei cocked her head sideways. Johnny had never been one to form a complete sentence. She shrugged her shoulders. It was an improvement at least.

“I find that hard to believe. That a man such as yourself has never partaken of such marvelous fruit.”

He fixed her with a hard stare.

“Well Lei, just because you jumped on the blowjob junction at such a tender age doesn’t mean we all like to suck on strangers.”

Her face turned purple at that.

When did he get so damned smarmy?

“You fucking asshole. First of all, I didn’t jump on the “Blowjob junction” as you so eloquently put it at a tender age. I never sucked a dick until college. Second off, your own sexual inadequacies are no reason to belittle my natural talents. So when you learn to make women purr and not screech you can talk. Until then keep your fucking mouth shut!” Her screeching voice echoed off of the car’s interior.

He sat there, mouth agape. This woman just ripped me a new one, Fuck her AND the horse she rode in on. I should just kill her right now that would serve her right.

“What’s the matter Johnny? Can’t handle a woman who speaks her mind? Do I remind you of your mother or something Freudian like that? Or is it that I simply touched a nerve?”

She was fucking relentless. How did he live with this psychotic shrew?

He wanted to tear her to pieces right there, but he knew the time wasn’t right so he had to play her game.

“Fine, be a bitch if that’s how you want it.”

“Yes that is the way I want it. If you don’t fight you’re not communicating.”

He drew on Johnny’s memories.

“And why should we communicate Lei? Everything that I say turns into an argument with you.”

She threw her hands up in exasperation.

“This is ridiculous. There’s no need for all of this crap. Men are so stupid.” She growled and it was kind of sexy to him. That is until she assumed the tone of a second grade teacher.

“If you are on a first name basis with someone, that usually indicates a relationship with some sort of familiarity. Which in turn would signify a possible friendship, and what pray tell do friends do? Why oh my goodness...they communicate.”

I hate bitchy women.

“Well now that you have dazzled me with your verbal gymnastics, shall we depart?”
She finally smiled.

“Yes Johnny, we shall.”
When he didn’t start the car he could see that she was confused so he leaned over and opened the door.

“What the hell is this?”

“Why, my dear, we’re departing. Now get out.”
She looked like she would say something and then decided better of it. As she climbed out of the car he felt himself responding to the sensual curve of her behind. His gaze dropped to her shoes as she walked. High heels, of course. She was a harlot just like the rest of them. He sped off, squealing tires and watching Lei sway in the rear view mirror.
*************************************************

As Lei strolled along, watching the trees swaying in the breeze, she began to wonder what she was doing here. Lei grew up in Chicago and moved to New York last summer for a change of pace. She got one all right, another smelly city full of ignorant people. She was thoroughly pissed at the entire misadventure, so she immersed herself in the “local culture” so to speak. She went to pool halls, exercise classes; even took a self-defense class once. Eventually she began to frequent a club called Bitchin’ Wine, within whose walls was a pool hall, bar, and dance club. She figured it would save her some time.

Soon she even began dancing topless there and bartending to make ends meet while she figured out what to do with her life. So here she was 24 years old, 6 different men in one year, and still no stability or commitment.

Aside from John the Jesus man, there had been no one she really gave a shit about. The only thing that saved her had been working at Bitchin’ Wine. Sure it was a haven for the sick and twisted, but that suited her masochistic personality just fine. At least she was sure of that much. She worked in a place that catered to her true nature. That was where she’d met Johnny. He was an okay guy but he seemed to have a lot of secrets. She also knew, after today’s fiasco, that she wouldn’t be seeing him for at least a week. He frequently abandoned her when she pissed him off. It made her sad, especially because her best friend moved out because of him. Serenity would never tell her why she hated Johnny so much. He was a regular customer, a good tipper. Sure he had a temper, but doesn’t everyone?

Of course every natural born idiot doesn’t develop a collegiate vocabulary overnight either.

She looked up to realize she had reached the park and found herself a bench to recline on. She laid back, closed her eyes, and imagined that things were better. She imagined that Johnny had done more than just fuck her for the last four months; she imagined that she lived in a penthouse suite; she imagined that New York wasn’t so big and scary to her.

I’m so glad he’s finally gone. Maybe he’ll really stay away this time.

Lei sleepily traced her way through Johnny’s overly dramatic outburst and never even realized that she’d drifted off. She woke up in a very strange place. She was in a large grassy field, lying underneath a fig tree. This is really pretty…why am I here? Am I dreaming?

She stood up and looked around. The field extended about 50 feet in all directions. Everything around it was desolate and empty. She could see an enormous castle with black and white towers to the left and a flashing neon light to her right. In front of her was a large celestial body that must have been the sun. Only instead of being round and yellow, it was definitely star shaped and was a soft periwinkle. It cast a bluish haze on everything, but the light was sufficient. Somehow that light to the right seems safer. She decided to head off in its direction.

After what felt like an hour the field had disappeared behind her and the flashing light didn’t seem any closer. She briefly contemplated heading back and realized that that soft light was actually quite illuminating and quickly disappearing. Turning back was not an option.

However, rest is a good idea.

Lei stopped and sat on the dust-laden ground. She picked up a handful and studied it. It was mostly hard and consisted of little, round, gray pebbles.
Nothing could grow here. Where did that field come from?

Just as she was wishing for a bottle of water a woman appeared. She was about Lei’s height and dark-skinned with short, spiky, black hair. She was all smiles as she approached with her hand extended. Lei thought she looked like a kid from a Marilyn Manson concert.

“Hi.”

“Hi.” Lei looked at the ground.

“My name is Nex. You’re Lei right?”

Lei looked up.

How’d she know that? This is a strange dream.

“I know everything around here. I’m practically the owner.” She grinned proudly.

Lei just stared at her open-mouthed.

“Well, more like the sheriff, sometimes.”

“Wh-What is this place? Am I dreaming?” She hugged her legs close to her and rocked slightly.

“This is the Wasteland, Lei. It is the place where the dead come when they cannot, or will not, rest.” She collapsed in a fit of giggles.

“I’m sorry. That just sounded so creepy. I mean this place would be creepy to the living I suppose. Though there are some that like to visit.” She stopped and looked at Lei.

“You know what? It’s getting cold out here. Let’s go someplace warm.” She grabbed Lei by the arm and they reappeared inside of a large living room. Nex walked her to a cozy velvet cushioned couch and gave her a fuzzy black fleece throw.

“I know you living people still get cold. Can’t have you freezing on me.” She smiled again as she crossed the room and reached into a wooden cabinet.

“Food?” She pulled out a tray of cheese, crackers and sausage. Lei nodded and began making some sandwiches. For some reason she felt comfortable here. It felt like home. Nex sat on the ottoman and placed a hand on Lei’s foot.

“So, like I was trying to tell you. This is a place for the dead, undead and other. It’s like a blank slate for the damned. Weren’t evil enough in life? Didn’t wreak enough havoc on the living? Well here’s your place. Nothing exists here that isn’t created or “imported”. The original idea was to have a place where no one could die since they were already dead. It’s also like a lounge for people who die in particularly heinous circumstances, but apparently the place chooses you. The magic here works pretty much to that effect. Only some people have figured out a way around that.” She wrinkled her nose at that. “So basically anyone who dies and still wants to be surrounded by evil, or just plain weirdness comes here.”

She’s smiling at me again. It’s sort of unnerving. I only have one question…

“So you’re telling me that this place is evil?”

“No, not totally. I’m not technically evil. Also, the “victims” here are pretty much only of the perpetrators creation. Remember, nothing exists here that isn’t created, or imported like you were.”

What does she mean imported? Am I stuck here? Who is this woman?

“So who are you again? I know you said your name is Nex and that you kind of own the place and all of that, but ummm…you’re dead too right?” This was beginning to make Lei uncomfortable. She thought she was dreaming; now she wasn’t so sure. Nex wasn’t looking too good either. She looked worried. For the first time since they’d met she wasn’t smiling. Lei wasn’t sure that was a good thing.

“Well, Leila…” Nex looked down at the ottoman as if it would give her strength. How can I tell her who I am without scaring the living daylights out of her? She’s a jumpy one, this girl. If she leaves here she’ll never survive on her own in this place.

“Have you ever taken any Latin?”

Lei shook her head.

“I shoulda figured that.” Nex chewed her lip nervously.

“Well, logically, who do you think I am?” Nex thought that if she figured it out for herself it wouldn’t be such a shock to her.
Lei just rolled her eyes.

“I hate riddles! Just point me in the quickest direction home and I’m there. I don’t need your damned ciphers and circular logic! Thanks for the food and warming me up, but no thanks.”
Nex just stared at her. She had made a serious miscalculation.

“Calm down Lei. I was just trying to make this less of a shock to you. I guess it backfired.”

“No shit Sherlock.”

“Keep digging Watson.” Nex had replied before she even realized it.

I think her attitude is contagious.

Lei was furiously trying to unwrap herself from the fleece blanket but Nex stopped it. With a wink of her eye the blanket bound itself around Lei.

“I guess you forgot who the boss was around here.”

She was pacing slowly now. Now Lei was scared.

Damn if I don’t know when to shut my fucking trap. Now this crazy bitch is gonna kill me.

“Oh, stop it. I’m not going to kill you. I might be a crazy bitch and you definitely have a big mouth, but I am not going to kill you. I am going to answer your question truthfully and fully. And you will stay put until I am finished.” She was smiling again, obviously relaxed.

“Now, as I told you before, my name is Nex. The reason that I asked if you knew any Latin was because my name has trickled its way down into Latin. Misspelled though it may be, Nex is now one of the words for death. Specifically murder. Originally it was Nyx.”

Lei squirmed in her makeshift bindings. She can read my mind…and she’s the devil?

Nex laughed out loud. “No, love, I am not the devil. He lives down the road a bit. I am just a once humble woman who now has the powers of a God. She took a little bow and smiled proudly.

This was it for Lei. She just sat back and let out a long sigh. I must have hit my head or something.

“When will you get it? You are here for real. Well your soul is anyway. Your body is lying somewhere on a bench in central park. Speaking of which, you need to get back before someone thinks you’re dead and steals your wallet.”

“What the hell? Dead? Why would they think that?” Lei was tired and her head hurt. She couldn’t wait to wake up.

“Your soul is separated from your body. Without it you’re just a corpse. Now go.” She waved her hands at Lei. “Come back and visit me later. We’ll have tea.” She snapped her fingers and the blanket fell away. Lei felt oddly cold. She wanted to ask Nex more about her family and the strange place that she “owned” but her voice didn’t work. She reached out in panic and Nex smiled calmly.

“Just relax and let it take you. You’ll be fine. I promise. We’ll see each other another time dearie.” With that she turned her back and Lei felt as if she were being sucked inside out. When her insides settled she realized that she was lying on a bench in the middle of central park and it was the middle of the night.

I need to go home.

That was when she heard the rustle in the trees. She assumed it was the wind. She knew she was wrong when the short, squat, beady-eyed little man appeared from behind the tree.

“Lookin’ for a good time mama?” He leered at her and Lei was terrified. Her hand grabbed the can of mace that she kept in her pocket and she tried to slip away as quietly as she could. That’s when he grabbed her arm and she let loose full in his face with nearly the entire can of mace. That did not deter him. He was still clamoring for her. She finally decided she’d had enough. She whirled around and punched the little man in his right eye with her still bloody fist and sent him toppling to the ground. She was feeling no pain.

Damn that was lucky.

She seized the moment that his confusion gave her and booked home as quickly as she could before anything else psycho happened to her tonight.

She felt slightly vindicated as she walked into her trashed apartment. She had finally stood up for herself and won.
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May 12, 1998

Lucas sat at his desk staring at his cell phone warily.

Thank god I’m alone…

He continued staring at the phone in silence and nearly pissed himself when the door swung open and he saw Lieutenant Dunn standing in the doorway.

Marshall Dunn was an imposing man by anyone’s standards. He stood 6’7” and weighed a good 350, minimum. He carried himself with authority and he had the right. When he saw Lucas, however, his posture softened. He had a soft spot for him. The man had been through a lot recently. His daughter was killed last year, and he looked good for it at first. The only thing that saved him was a lack of forensic evidence. He swore from the gate that it was the work of the Lucietti family but no one believed him. He’d since spiraled out of control, binging on drugs, alcohol and prostitutes. His wife left him last month because of that. So to Dunn, it wasn’t a complete surprise to see Lucas looking nervous and disheveled. It was commonplace these days, but something about the vacant look in Lucas’s eyes worried him.

“Lucas, are you-“

“Shhh!” Suddenly Lucas was up at the window, his back pressed against the wall, peeking through his blinds. Dunn knew there was nothing on the other side of that window but a brick wall and a narrow alleyway. Was someone after Lucas? Of course they were. It was probably some skank or dealer. He had other detectives and uni’s to think about. He was just about to read Lucas the riot act when the telephone pierced and shattered the silence with its banshee cry.

“Christ Kincaid that’s fucking obnoxious!” He spoke in a fierce whisper. For a moment he wasn’t even sure why he was whispering, the phone was so damned loud there was no point. Lucas was still looking spooked, though, his hands inches from the still screaming cell. It was now vibrating too, skittering across the table like a dying fly. He finally flipped it open after what felt like an eternity to both of them.

Lucas held the phone to his ear and said nothing. Calcove could hear a voice on the other end. It wasn’t intelligible but the tone was clear. It was menacing, even and flat. Lucas was in real shit whatever it was.

“Are you in some kind of trouble Lucas?” He looked deep into his eyes. They were vacant. The man was empty. His wife leaving must have been the last straw. Maybe it was the drink. Or perhaps he had syphilis. No matter the cause he was a danger.

“No trouble I can’t handle Dunn.” Lucas laughed off the comment, phone still inches from his ear. Dunn knew he was full of shit. Lucas never laughed these days, and those soulless eyes betrayed him.

“Well I can’t handle it anymore Lucas. So why don’t you take a long vacation, hunh? Take care of yourself?” He eyed Lucas warily. He was hanging by a thin thread. This had to be handled carefully. Surprisingly Lucas offered no resistance and just collapsed in his chair.

“You’re right Dunn. I’m gonna go home and sleep for about a week.” He stood up and pulled his coat on.

“You gonna be okay Lucas?”

“Yeah” he grunted. As he closed the door behind him he mouthed a silent prayer of thanks for Dunn not taking his glock or his badge. He contemplated returning them for a moment.

Fuck him, he fired me. Someone wants to kill me and I get fired for it. How fucking ironic is that?

Lucas spit blood on the floor as he left the building. He’d nearly severed his tongue keeping quiet in there, but obviously he didn’t have an ally in Dunn. He wasn’t safe there. Being fired could be a blessing and a curse. They would either hunt him without prejudice or leave him to live looking over his shoulder for the rest of eternity. It was a fear that dogged him constantly as it was, among other things, and Lucas now had nothing to hide behind. As if he needed anything else to keep him awake at night. The nightmares were back now, and he saw Aryanna each time he closed his eyes.

He wandered down the streets on autopilot. He needed to find a fix, and soon. He was hearing Ari’s laughter ringing in his ears. He had to make it stop. He opened his cell and dialed Mickey. Mickey had been dealing to him for the last year or so. Since he first picked up the habit. His use was intermittent then, maybe once a month or so. After Ari died he became a pretty regular customer. He went once a week at least, in the first month, and then every day after that. The good thing about Mickey is that no matter where Lucas was he would deliver to him. Mickey wasn’t in a hurry to piss off the cop he was dealing drugs to. It wouldn’t be good for business. So he accommodated Lucas as much as possible. Lucas was well aware of this, but he never lorded it over the poor guy. When he finally showed up, Lucas was all smiles.

“Man Luc, why are we like 50 feet from the friggin police station?” Mickey was the jumpy sort and rightfully so.

“Chill out Mickey. Let’s go for a ride.” Lucas climbed into Mickey’s green 1976 Gremlin Hornet and waited. When Mickey finally got in he turned to Lucas in confusion.

“You needed a ride? Don’t you have a car? Why are you fucking with me dude? This is seriously tweaking me out right now.”

Lucas took a deep breath and chewed his lip a moment. Mickey was always so melodramatic. He turned and stared out of the window.

“Just drive.” Mickey grudgingly started the car and they headed down the (whatever expressway they need to go down) Lucas and Mickey deftly exchange products.

“Where to?”

“Sugar.”

“Thought so.” Mickey dropped Lucas off in front of Sugar’s apartment building.

“Hey Lucas?”

“Yeah Mickey?”

“Be careful, okay? She’s been through some things today.” And he sped off before Lucas could ask what, or how he even knew. Shaking his head, he opened the door and made his way to the elevator.