Victor - A Short Story

IV.

I had a growing suspicion of what was happening; the events that followed only confirmed it.

I was flying full speed. A melody of honks and curses sounded from below, vying for my attention. Hovering above a highway, a swarm of cars buzzed by beneath me.

At this point, I failed to be fazed. My monstrous captor nowhere to be seen, I assumed I was free and attempted to slow down.

I kicked against the direction I had headed in, wincing as the invisible umbilical cord cried out, and a sharp pain poured through my lower body as the invisible force surrounding my waist tugged sharply. A human helium balloon couldn't possibly man himself, meaning the monster wielding me was ten meters below...carpooling, apparently. I couldn't distinguish which car the invisible rope trickled to, but it was a car. A car going 60 mph.

I laid on my back horizontally, rolling my eyes. The wind frolicked in my hair and licked my face, tickling the lobes of my ears and kissing the temple of my head. I peeked through the crevices of my eyelids and past the cloak of long lashes. The fumes of the cars painted the sky grey, the sun dimming as it was shroud in a veil of greenhouse gases.

I stared at the sun until it blushed, brightening until I closed my eyes once more. I saw red as the sun pierced through the lids of my eyes, warming my face and making me redden in return. The orchestra of honks reached a peaceful pianissimo as I sliced through the air, distanced from the city sounds. I heard only one lone vehicle now, the tired tires grating gravel and grit as the quality of the road shifted. The quiet clicks of  car doors opening and the sharp sounds of them slamming shut emitted from below me, but I remained on my back, blissful. I sailed slowly through the air now, the thumping footsteps of the creature in sync with my heartbeat.

Deep down, I think I knew where we were. But as I gathered myself and sat upright, my heart still lurched when I saw the tall turrets of Ingolstadt University.

*****

I wasn't surprised when we were swallowed by the gaping mouth of Ingolstadt University, nor was I surprised when the creature crawled up the steps, a suitcase handle clenched in its pale palm.

I was thankful for the high ceilings as we entered the boys' dormitory, the crown of my head inches away from embracing the ceiling. The creature kept walking down hallways, halting at the door of my dorm. My dorm was small enough for me to stay outside, and for the creature to enter, the cord between the two of us stiffening slightly. My heart pushed and pounded against my chest, my hands balled into fists.

I heard the crash of my belongings flung to the floor, a creak of what I knew to be the bottom bunk, moaning wind, and birdsong...

Just birdsong. That's funny. I could've sworn they were more...

articulate.

I heard the faint click of a window shutting as the monster emerged from my dorm; his pale palm empty now.

I led the way this time, drifting down hallways...

and into the cafeteria.

*****

I watched the exchange between Lizzy and the monster.

Her toasty topaz eyes were warm and welcoming; the freckles spattered across her face animated as she smiled and laughed. Her huge, round glasses slipped down her nose, but was prevented going down any further by the nose-bump. Her honey-blonde hair bounced, as bubbly as she was.

How could she act like that in the presence of a monster?

Suddenly, like a lightbulb, Lizzy's light dissipated. Just moments upon completing a measure of giggles did she droop over her tray. I frowned. Was this woman bipolar? Lizzy's light and laughter didn't dim gradually; it was instantaneous. It was almost as if there was a light-switch that this monster kept flicking on and off in the manner a toddler would.

The creature's hand reached for its tray. I jumped, inhaling sharply. Its back was still turned to me, but I watched as the monster's hand carefully clutched a fork. I swallowed distastefully. It wasn't hard to picture the same hand curling around something else— my esophagus, for example. It was a sorry excuse for hand, too; almost entirely exposed muscle, with the occasional tiny island of yellowed skin. The creature began to poke at a plate of limp green beans.

It soon seemed to get bored, and began reclining on its chair— right in my direction. I retaliated, lip curled in disgust. Despite my being five feet in the air I refused to be in closer vicinity to it. The creature's head turned to the right; my heart hammered. If the monster's back sufficed, its side profile was intolerable. It was either that with my series of unfortunate events I developed x-ray vision, or that there was a huge hole in the creature's face; right where its cheek should've been. At this point, neither one would surprise me. The one eye that was exposed to me bulged from the monster's socket; as milky and as white as I recalled from our last rendezvous. It almost seemed like one of those foggy fortune-telling crystal balls. I'd rather be ripped off by a circus gypsy than this. I saw no future of mine within the creature's eerie eyeball.

Then it winked. I could almost hear the squelch of its eye discharge. I looked to my right to see what was victim of the monster's deplorable gaze. A random girl was pinned beneath the creature's stare, but was speedily dismissed when the monster tired of this, too. I watched as the creature raised an arm to the nape of its neck, and I watched as Lizzy flinched. To be honest, I did, too. I floated to the front of the monster and alongside Lizzy, predicting the words that were to come. For some reason, I felt the heaviest I did all morning.

I winced as my eyes fell onto its face, its black lips parting and forming the words I didn't need to read lips to know:

"I'm no monster."

I realized that— in addition to my first encounter with the creature, this was only the second time I saw its face.

I turned my head away in disgust and to a nearby cafeteria window. I looked up,

making it the third time I'd see the monster.