"Dylan…?" Why was she looking at me like that, and why was she in character, why the hell couldn't I remember anything? I must've really tied one on last night. I had the headache to prove it.
"Babe why are you looking at me like you never saw me before? What did I do now, was I gone too long?"
"No, no, you did fine."
"Babe whatever part you're rehearsing for must be a beauty, you look like heck, and isn't that thing a bit cumbersome? I hope you don't plan on wearing it the whole time we're here, speaking of which how long are we here for?"
She moved and the chain around her ankle rattled and something nudged at the edge of my memory. Dude, you're spazzing the fuck out, what, the fresh air pickle your brain or some shit? Why you asking her those stupid ass questions?
What...who? My head was splitting in two, and Becca was still looking at me strangely. What the hell is going on? She looked almost...afraid.
***
BECCA
My poor Dylan, what have I done to you, how have I brought you to this? I'm so-so sorry. Please forgive me, if I could take it back I would, but I can't.
I've destroyed you; a more beautiful spirit I have never met and I brought you to this.
But maybe, maybe there's a chance, for just a moment there I saw you, you are still in there...somewhere.
DYLAN
My days are a cacophony of...madness? I'm beginning to realize that there is something very wrong, but what? Becca's pregnant, but I don't remember how, when, there's a void, I've lost time.
She tells me it will all work out, I believe her; I trust her, don't I? Maximilian says yes, Jason says no, and the others just lead me into darkness. I don’t understand, Max and Jason are my names, but…
Becca keeps a better watch on me now. She knows the signs. She plays the guitar of all things when she senses the darkness. That calms me; it soothes the wild beast that wants out.
Jason has been lurking for the last two days, him and the other two, they keep telling me about the job I left undone. They said if I don't see to it it will destroy me, destroy us, but what can do that?
We're solid, we're whole, we've always been Becca and I. We're getting married, shouldn't we be getting married, for the baby? I remember getting her the ring, where was it?
"Becca, what happened to your ring?" Why is she looking at me like that again, I haven't seen that look on her face in a few weeks at least. It's because the bitch knows what she did; now you see?
Blinding pain! I grab my head to stop it but it's too much. Things flash behind my closed lids. What’s real and what’s imagined? When I pick my head up I'm no longer me, I know it, can feel it.
Can feel that other me trying valiantly to hold on. I reach for her throat; I will destroy her like she tried to do me.
Go ahead; kill the cheating, lying bitch. We’ll just find another one. The red haze intensifies as my hands tighten. She kicks and shakes, her nails biting into my wrist.
That’s why you shoulda left the bitch chained. I want to shake her, hurt her, I want…Do it come on, let’s get some of our own back, show her that you’re a man.
DYLAN stop; do not listen. Look down Dylan do you see it? That's you in there, you kill her you kill you.
I rock back on my heels. What's going on, why would I...
Now they're fighting, Jason and Maximilian. If you don't let him finish what we started then I'll let him do her, it's one or the other. It will destroy him destroy all of us.
The bitch already took care of that; we're nothing they took it all. No you're wrong, there's still hope all is not lost. You're such a pussy Max.
And you're blind can't you see he still loves her? When I'm through he wouldn't spit on that whore if she were on fire. I won't let you win you know that don't you?
May the best man win you fucking sap.
I thought you were trying to help him Jason.
I am Max, what the fuck do you think I'm doing here in this fucking dump? He can't exist in a world where they both still live.
There's got to be another way.
That's why I'm here, those two fucks came up with this hair- brained plan when I was otherwise occupied, now I got to fix shit. Well killing Amos Jones won't help the situation it will only make things worse.
It will make me feel a fuck of a lot better; he touched what’s mine. Are you fucked or some fuck? How can I let him live? I won't let you do this.
It's three of us and one of you Maxi baby, and you're half a pussy anyway, what you gonna do huh? Jason just smiled.
Chapter 7
Okay enough of this happy shit let’s go we’ve got shit to do. They wouldn’t stop. I can’t get them to stop. Becca keeps calling to me, but I can hardly hear her. My hands fall away from her and I step back. Without another word I turn and walk away.
Did you bring everything like we said? That was Jason; he had taken the lead I think. Somehow I was more wary of him than of anger and madness, his was a controlled and cold purpose, I could feel it.