Masks

Chapter 6

I checked out the next morning and sat around the waiting area for Zac to show up- hoping he would before the guy from last night- Tim I think he'd said- came back. "I can only lie so much... If he insists on taking me to my car or asks more questions... Not that someone's going to believe some guy with hatchets was chasing me- they'd just think I'm crazy."

I checked the time and ran a hand through my hair. "Where is he? ...Did something happen to him? ...He said before noon..."

I felt sick as I thought about the possibilities. They were unlikely but not impossible. The memory of my getting the phone call about my mother crossed my mind, making me feel worse. "The roads aren't bad- it's summer... he's fine... probably stuck in traffic... Nothing happened. It didn't attack him..."

I leaned forward and rested my elbows on my knees as I ran my hands through my hair again, trying to dispel the images being conjured by my mind. A shadow fell over me for a moment and I heard someone sit down nearby. I didn't pay any attention to the action until I felt them staring at me. I sat up again and glanced over, expecting to see the dark haired man from last night only to relax when I saw it was just some other random person.

"Guess they thought I was just weird- don't blame them... Perhaps I should've left and met Zac somewhere else." I pulled my phone from my pocket, my worry growing when I didn't see any messages from him. "...He's never been this late..."

"Ash!" I jumped slightly as I heard my name being called out and looked up to see the tall blond figure of Zac making his way over from the front door.

Relief swept through me as I got up to meet him. "Sorry you had to do this..."

"It's nothing. Just glad to hear you're okay- besides, I stopped to buy a new game that came out on the way here- going to be fun to play later." He glanced around before narrowing his eyes at someone, a less than friendly expression crossing his face. Following his gaze I could see Tim slowing to a stop as he saw us. "Is that him?"

I walked in front of Zac as I heard the low growl in his voice. "It was an accident."

My reminder didn't quite seem to get through to him and it almost seemed to pain him to look away. "I should kill him."

"Don't." I began walking towards the door. "Let's just go... I still need to pick up the pain medication they prescribed."

"Fine." He pulled his hands from his pants pockets before glancing back over at Tim. "Actually, I think I'll go thank him for helping you."

Unease went through me at the underlying tone in his voice. "I don't think that's a good idea..."

He took a step towards Tim before I could stop him. Almost simultaneously a burst of whitenoise swept through my head with enough force to make me take a few steps backward from the rush of dizziness. I felt Zac steady me but was too focused on the warped messages in my head commanding things I could barely understand... I feared what could've happened had control been taken from me at that moment.

"You okay?" Concern laced Zac's voice. "I'm sorry... you're right, we should go."

I rubbed my temple and nodded before following after him, cautiously looking around for any sign of those faceless demons. "Which one had that been? Why... What did it want? ... Or who?"

I snuck a quick glance back where Tim had been standing to see the man was already gone. A chill ran through me as a fragmented memory of a man running away from a body in a yellow hoodie... He'd said something about finding the escapee right? "Surely it couldn't be Tim. That's too much of a coincidence... He probably just left while I was disoriented..."

"This is going to get you killed." Zac spoke up once we reached his car.

My shoulders slumped in defeat as I opened my door and got in. "I've lost count how many times you've said that. But what do you want me to do about it? There's nothing I can do and you can't do anything either."

"I care about protecting you from it." He turned the car on with more force than necessary and gave a frustrated huff. "Dammit... huh... please, just get some rest at least? You look exhausted."

"Maybe when I get home." I leaned my head against the window. "I need to break this cycle... It's clearly starting to hurt him... He was never this prone to whatever that was back there."

Silence filled the car as he began the drive back to my apartment. In my opinion this was becoming too common lately. If I had cash or my card on me I would've just rented a car... unfortunately I rarely had anything except my phone and the clothes on my back when these things happened.

"I hope Angel is okay... I don't think I had a chance to feed her that day- poor cat's probably starving."

"You can't stop me from trying to help you know." He spoke up once more. "I get you don't love me anymore but that doesn't change the fact I'd die to keep you safe."

"You just might." It wasn't meant to be a threat but it still brought the times I'd hurt him in the past to the front of my mind. "I've gotten better at staying in control but... I still broke down... I could've stabbed him that day- pure luck it didn't work... and the times I tried crushing his throat- the stairs- I'm a monster."

"I know that look. It wasn't you." He shook his head and continued looking at the road.

"I know." I sighed and looked over at him. "But it isn't just me who could kill you. That proxy that killed my father is still out there- he's the reason I ran into the road in the first place. And if he doesn't kill you then that demon will."

"We don't know if it's a demon."

"Does it matter?"

"...No..." He admitted sounding defeated.

Once we reached my apartment I got out and hurried up to my front door. Behind me Zac stayed near his car. "You sure you'll be alright?"

I looked back at him. "Just a few bruises and cuts- I'll be good in a week."

"Okay." He started to get back into his car. "I'll... I'll see you then. Just make sure you get some rest."

"I try to." I waved in farewell, wincing as I used my left arm in a momentary lapse of forgetfulness.

Once inside I nearly tripped over my cat as she charged over and wove between my legs. I smiled down at her and rolled my eyes, amused by her obvious attempts to tell me she was starving and demanding food immediately.

"I know, I know, I'll get it if you'd stop that." I reached down and picked her up. "It's only been a day... why does she feel lighter?"

I looked down at her more carefully while she squirmed in my arms impatiently. Nothing seemed wrong and she certainly looked just as fat as ever. I cast the worry off as just being mistaken and went about feeding her and relaxing on my couch while I debated what I wanted to bother making for my own lunch.

My thoughts however continued to drift back to Zac's words- the argument he never faltered to preach about. "He's got a point... I can't stop him... but I can still try- I will find a way to stop this... I wish Ethan was around. He said he was onto something before... the incident."