The faint sounds of raucous lovemaking interrupt my search for my would-be assassin. The moans are melodic and high-pitched. The soprano voice sings praises to her lover, climbing higher and higher in ecstasy. Aurora. Aurora’s cries of pleasure are for Jared. Tightness again grips my chest, causing me to gasp for air. I can hardly breathe; the air in the room has become extremely dense. I pull on my robe and slippers and pad out of the bedroom, desperately trying to escape this reality.
“Can’t sleep either?” Morgan whispers as I enter the kitchen. She’s dressed in a colorful kimono with a silk scarf wrapped around her hair.
“How can I?” I say nodding my head towards the bedroom shared by Jared and Aurora.
“I know, right? Damn! You’d think Jared’s dick was made of gold,” Morgan shakes her head. Leave it up to her to say what I was thinking. “You ok?” She stirs a cup of what looks like tea. It reminds me that I haven’t had my second dose of herbs. Crap.
“I’m alright. It’s just weird between us. And seeing Jared like this with some girl we hardly know…” I shrug and walk over to my purse to retrieve the little container housing Donna’s secret herbal mixture. I place a scoop in a coffee cup and add some of the hot water that Morgan has heated. I’m not sure what it could possibly do. They already know who I am.
“Yeah, I don’t know how you’re doing it. I don’t think I could be ok with this.” She takes a sip of her tea. “When does Dorian get here anyway?”
“He told me Saturday. So later, I assume. I gave him the address before he left so I guess he’ll just show up whenever.”
“Well, at least we’ll have some time to relax. Though I highly doubt I’ll be able to look Aurora or Jared in the eye ever again. Ewwww,” she cringes. “They’ve been going at it for over an hour now! I mean, damn!”
I chuckle and shake my head. There’s not much I can say to that. I’m no prude but witnessing proof of their sexual activities is a bit much for me to stomach. I drink down the bitter herbs and turn to Morgan’s solemn expression. Something else is bugging her.
“You ok, Morgan?”
Morgan looks around, as if someone else is here. “I had a dream. It scared the shit out of me.” Morgan swallows hard before looking down nervously at her teacup.
“Ok, what happened? What was it about?” Whatever it was, it has clearly shaken my usually poised friend.
“There was an old lady in it. She told me darkness is coming. She said it will kill us all.” Morgan closes her eyes, as if to erase the image from her sight. “It was my grandmother. I know it was; I could feel it. I swear, Gabs, it was like she was right next to me!”
I walk towards Morgan and wrap my arms around her. She is panting wildly, clearly petrified and disturbed. I don’t know what to tell her. I, too, know that darkness is coming. It was already here.
“Hey, how about we head to your room and have a sleepover like we used to do? Isn’t there a TV in there? I bet we could find some old cheesy reruns to fall asleep to.”
I give Morgan a reassuring smile and she eventually nods. After placing our empty cups in the sink, I usher her to the master bedroom, thankful that it’s farther from Jared and Aurora’s love nest. We put on an old black and white sitcom and make idle chitchat until we eventually fall asleep, both trying to clear our minds from the ghosts that haunt our dreams and realities.
**********
“Breakfast is ready!” James calls from the other side of the door. He knocks again before opening the bedroom door, finding Morgan and I slowly stirring awake. “Oh, if I would have known it was that kinda party, and would have asked to join!”
“Shut up, James!” We shout in unison.
“Ok, ok, just letting you girls know that Aurora made breakfast.” He closes the door, leaving us to slink out of bed.
“I bet she did,” I mumble.
“Especially after the hurtin’ Jared put on her last night. Bitch probably woke up singing,” Morgan adds. She groggily makes her way to the bathroom while I slip on my robe and retreat to mine.
Ten minutes later, I make my way to the kitchen in sweats and a t-shirt. I have on no makeup, my hair is pulled back in a ponytail and I honestly don’t care. I’ve gotten very little sleep and Aurora and Jared’s sexcapades didn’t make it any easier. If anyone should be embarrassed, it should be them. Yet, they are laughing and smiling as if the entire house didn’t bear witness to their most intimate sounds. It’s as if I have just stepped into the Twilight Zone.
“How do you like your eggs, Gabriella?” Aurora beams from behind the stove. Oh God. It seems as if sex has made her even more chipper.