Jess continues to stare at her phone while Casey works with incredible speed to transform Toby’s living room into a home again.
Casey stops abruptly, as if hit by one of my smells, “All that bull-shit Jenna gave me about being scared of Dale!”
Jess chuckles, “She told me that you and Kirk assaulted her, tied her up – she’s probably private messaging everyone on social media sites the same thing,” she says, while staring at her phone.
“What! Why didn’t you tell me this?”
“I just did.”
“I mean sooner.”
“You guys had a lot more to tell me, before I told you anything.”
“What else has she been saying, bring it Jess?” says Casey, with a little anger in her tone.
Jess puts her phone on her knee, I read a stern look on her face, “Look Casey, if anyone has the right to be pissed here, it’s me,” she says, with a calm tone.
Casey looks downward, “I hear you Jess – but you know, it wasn’t just me...”
Jess cuts her off, by jumping up, “Look Case – cry me a river, build me a bridge and get over it! Here’s the truth: I knew Jenna was bullshitting – to frame you and Kirk,” she squats in front of all three of us, “It’s how the Dark Side works, framing people for their evil, so they can continue doing it – it’s not rocket science.”
Toby joins in, “I figured that was their strategy – making us believe you’re the Reanimater – to break us down, split us up, cause chaos.” He pauses, a worried look returns to his face, “But – whoever’s behind that basement means business – big business! And they’ve employed D&J to do their dirty work.”
“Agreed!” says Jess.
Casey has a troubled look on her face, “Have you guys any idea who the Reanimater is?” she asks.
“I do,” says Jess.
Casey lights up, “YOU DO! Share it, Jess,” she says with enthusiasm.
“No, I’m not ready,” says Jess, before delving back into her cell-phone.
Casey looks at Toby; I see a questioning look flit between their eyes.
I feel a tiny tension, tugging at my friends.
Toby breaks an awkward silence, “Kirk – go lose the butt-tissue – you can fix your face in my sisters room, we still have her make-up, you’ll find something you can use up there,” he says, with empathy in his tone.
......
The room is like a shrine to Taylor, Toby’s sister. I feel a small sense of connection to this departed soul; she has walked in my shoes.
On a small dressing table sits an array of make-up products. I sit, and unwind the toilet tissue from around my face.
……
Her smell jolts me.
I see Casey’s face, reflected in the mirror, staring open mouthed at my horror.
I slam my hands over my death mask.
But it is too late; she’s seen my grotesquely gruesome, torn and tattered face – my ugly truth.
……
My hands remain clamped to my face. As Casey approaches I lower my head until it rests on my knees.
She places her hand on my shoulder, “Kirk, we’re having a disagreement with Dr Shaheed and your folks; they want to lock you in your basement, they don’t trust you not to go walk about again. We need to convince them that locking you up serves no purpose, you’re one of our biggest assets,” she says.
I remain face down, “Look at me Kirk,” says Casey, with assertion in her voice.
Her words affect me. I feel something from life; an uncomfortable emotion floods me – embarrassment. Yes – I am embarrassed.
Slowly I raise my head.
I don’t look at Casey; first I study my face in the mirror. The gum at the right side of my temple has become loose and a patch of skin hangs down, exposing a portion of my skull.
The glistening white of skull bone jars startlingly with the dull blue/grey of my skin tone. My eyes, without my coloured lenses, are coal black holes. I am not a pretty sight.
In contrast, Casey’s face is a flawless canvass of warm, dark brown. Her large brown eyes are set within a dazzling pool of sparkling white and framed by long lashes that curl upwards, almost touching her eyebrows. She is pretty, personified.
I remove my gaze from the mirror and fix it on Casey, “I am so sorry,” I say.
“Why, what have you done Kirk?” she asks, with a worried expression.
“I am sorry for dragging you into my hell.
Her eyes always show kindness when they meet with mine, “Kirk, you’re making your own hell, hating yourself isn’t helping you, or us. We accept you: the way you look, the way you are, we understand your difference, we embrace it. You enrich my life Kirk.”
She places her fingers on her lips, kisses them gently, then places them against my corner flap of skin, pressing it back into place with her soft touch.
Then, something remarkable happens.
My skin beneath Casey’s fingers begins to fuse to my skull. We watch as the torn skin re-connects; the jagged scarring melts away, leaving my face mended.
I see no sign of awe in Casey’s face as she watches this thing that I believe is a miracle.
Running my hand along the contours of my fixed face, I say, “Casey, you do not seem surprised by this.” She smiles softly, “I’m not. Nothing in this world will ever surprise me again,” she finishes her words with a gentle kiss to my temple – it warms my cold carcass.
…..
I am more confident with my face mended and made-up.
I look Casey in the eye, and ask, “Casey, do you think I have a future?”
Her hand grips my shoulder, “Of course you do Kirk.”
I hesitate for a moment before I ask my next question – “Do you think we have a future?”
I feel her grip on my shoulder tighten, but she remains silent.
I remove my gaze and lower my head. Her silence continues, so I break it with, “I am sorry Casey, that was a stupid question – the embarrassed feeling floods my carcass again.”
Still no response from Casey.
I lift my head; and see that Casey is: frozen, stiff, staring ahead. I note her eyes grow large and widen with what looks like terror.
“KIRK – I’m not so sure of our future anymore!” Screams Casey.
She is panting, shaking; I place my hand on her shoulders to steady her quivering body.
Suddenly, she regains her composure; when she speaks it is with a resigned realisation in her voice, “I know what they’re doing – The Dark Side’s removing all the people in the know, people like Jess, Toby and I – Responsives and Associates.
I follow her gaze – and see what she sees.
Three ravenous reanimated Boars are charging towards the house – on target to first, obliterate Toby and Jess, followed by Casey and I.
I sprint for the door, turn to Casey and say, “I’ll do my best to protect our future.”
She doesn’t respond; fear has frozen her.
I lunge down the stairs, determined to do battle..
