Red Eyes (manxman)

Chapter 9 - Remember What You Were

Chapter 9 – Remember What You Were

            Luna Lincoln lay on the couch in a small Inglewood apartment.  She was beautiful and her fur coat was elegant. One would never expect such a powerful singer and gorgeous woman to be lying on a couch in the poorer part of town.  Overlooking her stood Marcus in a tight white tank top and sagging jeans that used to belong to Luna’s husband. The werewolf’s hair had grown out and curled a bit on the ends.  In the kitchen, Leshanda sat at her round kitchen table eyeing Cooper.

            “I can’t read your mind anymore.” Leshanda nodded, “You’ve changed since I’ve last seen you. You’re so different.” She stood up and opened her fridge. “Do you want something to drink?”

            “I’m okay,” Cooper tapped the table; he wanted to get to it. In a way, this wasn’t so different than when he was here the last time but Cooper wasn’t as nervous, he didn’t have as much to lose this time.

            “I’m going to pour you some O.J.” Leshanda was forceful as she had always. She filled the two glasses covered with pink and yellow flowers with the orange liquid and held it out to Cooper. “Always wanted to entertain a big Hollywood type. The last time I saw you, you wanted to find your boyfriend.”

            “A lot has happened since then.” Cooper nodded, which was true. Everything was the same only he had changed. He had dug into himself and found parts of him that were so different than before.

            “Sure, I hear that, now I am not a therapist,” Leshanda must have known about the other mind-reader who was killed, “but I do want to ask you one thing.”

            “Yeah,” Cooper nodded taking a sip of the orange juice, he felt a little bit like a kid again.

            “Why are you doing what you’re doing?” Leshanda leaned over the table her jewelry falling forward with gravity. Her eyes were brown and intent on Cooper.
            “Excuse me?” Cooper didn’t feel like he had to explain himself but he also didn’t know why he was “Because, he killed enough of the people I love and enough of the people other people love. I don’t want to lose anymore. It all started with my father but it didn’t end there and it won’t end.”

            “Okay,” Leshanda stood up sauntering into the living room, she paused at the doorway, tapping her hands on the doorframe. “Fair enough, let’s do this. And Cooper, I know this new self is stronger, but when this is all done…don’t stay like this. The anger and angst, well I’ve read a lot of people’s mind and it doesn’t help. Remember what you were.”

            “She’s still knocked out,” Marcus said, “We need to read her now – we don’t have much time.”

            “Boy!” Leshanda pulled up a chair and held the girls hand. “Don’t you dare rush me? Bursting into my house like this, damn.” She wasn’t about to take attitude from anyone.

            “Leshanda, we are looking for anything about Walt.” Cooper explained coming up behind the woman.

            “I’m digging, Walt is scared but intrigued, he talks about you a lot Cooper. He also, is interesting.” Leshanda moved her hands up to Luna’s temples and rubbed them leaning in.  “Walt knows you can destroy him but doesn’t have faith that you have the power.” Leshanda kept her eyes closed. “He said you’re a story – a made up story.”

            “Like the sword.” Cooper turned to the wall and hit it in frustration.

            “Don’t you break my house!” Leshanda stood up and pointed and accusatory finger at Cooper.