Iniquity: Book One

Chapter Two

All good things come to an end.

I wasn’t exactly certain how long I was laying there, in the water, and will never know, but it felt so good that I didn’t care. Time slipped away mercilessly. One of my legs was down in the water and the other was resting on the lip of the tub. My empty soda can was cast aside on the floor, forgotten. It wasn’t long before I felt something.. something strange at the bottom of the tub, near the drain. It felt like a small clog of hair.

“Eew, gross!” I shrieked. Yes, I will be the first to admit that I shrieked like a little girl while swiftly yanking my foot up and away from the drain. I would definitely need to pull that hair out before pushing down the drain latch.

Despite the hair fiasco, I did manage to settle back down into a proper state of relaxation. I just had my feet avoid the drain. Thankfully, it was a big enough tub for me to do just that.

From here things get a little different.

I will never forget the radio. The emo-rock I had been listening to had been replaced by straight static. It was as if the static had signified a change in tone for the entire night. The air seemed to feel like it was changing as well. It grew heavy. Thicker. The temperature of the water had changed. It was cool now and I was almost shivering. I started to grow very frightened. The light above started to flicker. My heartbeat quickened. I felt like I was walking down a dark street with no lights. As one whom has never had the pleasure of having a panic attack, I figured this was more than likely what was happening to me. I was locked in place while my world melted away.

The static.

The static seemed to turn itself up in volume until the noise itself was so loud that I couldn’t hear myself think. My unrelenting panic strangled my throat and increased with each passing second. Somebody fix this light! I screamed inside my head.

That’s when everything changed.

Something black and shiny, almost like liquid wax, was slowly emerging from the water right before my eyes. Right between my legs the figure rose. My breath was caught in my throat and my heart hammered in my ears like a tribal drum. It continued to rise. Only a moment more was needed for me to fully realize what was appearing before me. A massive black head was there, and it definitely wasn’t human.

First the head and then came the ears, and finally the hideous looking milky eyes, eyes that were completely white. They stared at me menacingly. Then came the nefarious looking mouth, a mouth smiling and evil. It was a mouth full of teeth. The beast continued its ascension in slow motion. I somehow managed to find the strength to move as far as I could to the back of the tub, my legs splayed with fright. I could smell its scent now. The aroma of my sweetly scented bathwater was now replaced by what could only be described as wet dog.

To say I was scared shitless would be a gross understatement. I threw my legs up over each side of the tub, unable to do anything else then, and watched. I watched as his shoulders came into view, the bubble bath dripping off his fur in white rivulets. My body did not want to move any more. His shoulders were knotted heavily with muscle, muscle beneath the twilight colored fur.

“Please..don’t hurt me,” my choked voice pleaded softly. My breath came in ragged gasps.

The sound was deafening.

There was a sound that cracked through the air in the bathroom that sounded like a jet going supersonic. It jolted me back to my senses and snapped me out of it. I was alone again. Awake.

“f**k, f**k, f**k!” I screamed loudly, while scrambling from the tub and grabbing a towel.

Just a dream.

Just a dream.

My fingers didn’t want to cooperate at all. I was sitting on the edge of my bed, still a bit wet from the bath, wrapped in a large white towel, while trying desperately to make my fingers dial Tony’s number on my phone. Finally, after numerous attempts, I managed to do it. I was shaking that bad. To make matters worse, the overpowering smell of that beast was still heavy in the air.

He answered. “Hello, Amber?”

He sounded awake, which wasn’t surprising for him at eleven at night. I didn’t feel quite so bad for calling him.

“Tony.. it happened again,” my voice was feeble and scared. “Dreamless sleep my ass.

I fell asleep in the tub and I had the worst nightmare ever.” Then I relayed the entire terrifying event to him.

While speaking, I glanced nervously at the digital clock on my nightstand. s**t. It was going past eleven and fast approaching midnight. I needed to go to sleep, and soon. Stacy’s wedding was at eight. Sleep was a precious commodity right now.

“At least you didn’t drown.” Tony did sound relieved. “I’m glad you are okay. Did you take the pill?”

“I did. That’s why I fell asleep in the tub.”

“You are lucky you didn’t drown. I’m so sorry this happened. Amb.”

I let out a heavy sigh. “If I didn’t I wouldn’t be suffering anymore.”

His reply was sharp. “Don’t talk like that.” he let out a sigh of his own. “Look, settle down. Let’s figure this out.”

“Figure what out? I am having nightmares and going nutty.”

He chuckled slightly. “No. What we need to do is figure out where we go from here.”

I was confused. “What do you mean?”

“What I mean is, have you considered seeing someone?”

“Like a shrink?”

“Yes,” he replied coolly. “Listen, I know a real good one that helped me when Mark left me.”

Mark was Tony’s ex boyfriend of three years. Tony had caught Mark cheating on him and then proceeded to go off the deep end. I can recall him saying he was seeing someone, but didn’t know who. This was a few years back.

“Anything, Tony, to make this stop.”

“Alright, well keep taking the pills and I will set you up with Sheryl.” That was her name. Sheryl.

“Should I call her?”

“We can call her together, okay? I’ll come see you tomorrow after your wedding shoot.”

Maybe this doctor could help me navigate the mess my mind was becoming. “Sounds good to me.”

“I know you have one hell of a day tomorrow, Amb. We will give her a ring tomorrow.”

This provided me some comfort. I was going to see someone who specialized in these kind of problems.

“Thanks Tony. I knew I could count on you.”

His reply caught me off guard. “Take the second pill,” he ordered.

“Are you.. Sure?”

He laughed. “Of course I am. Two will knock your d**k in the dirt and you will sleep like a baby.”

“I don’t have a d**k,” I replied, grateful to myself that I could at least find some sort of amusement in this situation.

He laughed again. “Well, knock your c**t in the dirt.”

“What if I fall asleep again and…”

“It won’t happen,” he cut me off.

“Okay.” I was dead tired. This was too much. “Thanks.”

Click.

After I hung up with him, set my alarm, and reluctantly took the second little blue pill, I tossed my towel off and crawled beneath my big white down comforter. My last coherent thought before sleep was of Andrew, who had snuggled up next to me in a big ball of white Persian fur.

*

Usually, I am not a morning person and hate getting up, but the blaring sound of my alarm woke me up at six-thirty on the dot and I noticed something.. different. I felt rested for a change. It was a cool spring morning so I decided to open the bedroom window and let the breeze in before tromping over to the coffee pot. I didn’t bother getting dressed yet so the crisp air felt amazing on my bare skin. I did manage to get some sleep, thankfully, and I felt rested. The pills did their job perfectly. Maybe it just took two to get the job done, I pondered while loading the coffee maker with grounds. Then I noticed my phone beeping on the counter.

Tony had come through. He texted me the shrink’s number. Didn’t he promise he would call her with me though? I shook my head while storing Sheryl’s number.

“Great,” I murmured while pouring some brew into my big brown coffee cup that had a chip on the handle.

Hopefully she could make sense of what was going on inside my head, because I sure as hell couldn’t. I dreaded all those usual therapist type of questions that she would be sure to ask:

What brings you here? …

Have you ever seen a counselor before? …

What is the problem from your viewpoint? …

How does this problem typically make you feel? …

What makes the problem better? …

If you could wave a magic wand, what positive changes would you make happen in your life? …

Overall, how would you describe your mood?

Do you use drugs?

Were you abused?

Do you have daddy issues?

Ugh.

Shrinks.

After finishing my cup I drifted over to the couch where my backpack of gear lay. I unzipped the green backpack and peered at all the contents. Everything seemed to be in order. Before a big shoot, like a wedding, you definitely wanted to make sure that you have all your equipment. Extra batteries, check, lenses, check, flash units, check, and of course the memory cards. I was good to go. It was time to get dressed for the day.

Thankfully, I had awakened today with a clarity I had not known for weeks. I had the glorious privilege of a sound, dreamless, sleep. Silently, I thanked God while I sat in front of my bedroom’s vanity mirror applying my makeup. It was a wedding, so everything from my lashes to lips had to be on point, and with a clear head I was able to do a perfect job at my makeup.

I made a mental note to get more of those little blue beauties from Tony later.

My little dark red dress looked amazing on me, if I do say so myself. Paired with my black silk back-seamed stockings and flats I was looking great. I had been to weddings on beaches before and made the mistake of wearing heels, but I wasn’t about to make that mistake again. Flats would be the footwear of the day. I can remember one wedding in particular where I kept sinking into the sand and having to constantly empty out my shoes. That was no bueno. Not gonna happen this time. I selected my little black ballerina flats, the ones with little pretty bows on them. I couldn’t help but smile to myself while I glanced in the mirror before heading to the kitchen to refill my cup. Hell yes.

When I entered the kitchen my phone rang on the counter. I poured my creamer into my cup, and some more coffee, before looking at the little screen. When I looked at the screen I noticed that it was Tony. I tapped the answer button.

“`ello my love. Sleep well?” he said in a decidedly British accent. He sounded in a playful mood.

Tony is not British.

He’s from Bakersfield.

“You sound entirely too chipper this morning,” I retorted, while looking at Andrew skittering across the floor chasing something, probably some kind of bug. “Please stop.”

“Fine,” he replied in his normal, albeit disappointed I wouldn’t play along, voice. “Not even a little `bit more?” Back to British.

I growled at him. “Tony, you are from Bakersfield not London.”

“Fine,” he repeated, then added, “I just called to see how you slept.”

I replied quickly. “It was amazing.”

“Really?”

“I slept amazing. Thank you. Those pills worked like a champ.”

“Told you they would.” He was right. “They help me out when I need to catch some zees.”

I remembered that I should be getting ready still. “Tony, I have to finish getting ready for the wedding.”

“Sorry, I don’t mean to keep you.” He was about to let me go, but added, “What are you wearing?”

Gay men and clothes. I knew he wouldn’t let me go until I told him. “The dark red dress and black flats.”

“Oh,” he gasped. “Sexy!”

“Yes, Tony, sexy. Now can I let you go?”

“Of course,” he said. “I can be there when you call Sheryl later. Wanna “pick me up” later?” Code words for let’s get some coffee.

“Sounds good to me. Bye.” I hung up.

*

With the directions to Mukelteo’s beach programmed into my phone’s GPS app, and my backpack slung over my shoulder, I was ready for this. I gave my makeup another quick glance, my kitty a quick kick out of the way of the door, and I was gone. It was roughly a ten to fifteen minute drive to the Mukilteo beach north of Everett. It was another five to ten minutes to find the right spot and another ten infuriating minutes to find a damn parking space. There was an enormous line of cars with an abundance of red and black baloons tied off everywhere.

Stacy’s husband, a skinny guy named Ralph, was waiting for me and came to greet me as soon as I arrived. Behind him, down on the sand, I could see the massive red and black tent erected for the congregation to gather under. There was also two other smaller tents, which I assumed were for the bride and groom’s privacy. In the center of the inside of the large open sided tent was a buffet line. It looked as if they would do the actual wedding outside because I saw an arch with red roses out on the sand close to the water line.

Ralph was smiling ear to ear. “You look amazing Amber!” he said with a warm smile. Can’t say that I wasn’t jealous. Ralph was pretty easy on the eyes with his black hair, neatly trimmed goatee, and rather large biceps. He was beaming.

I shook his hand and returned his enthusiastic smile with one of my own. “Thanks Ralph. It’s good to be here. Are we getting started soon?”

He nodded. I was amazed because he didn’t look the least bit nervous. “Yes ma`am. We are set to begin in about thirty minutes. Do you think you could grab some shots of the cake real fast?”

“You betcha. Let’s get down there before you are too late to kiss the bride.”

That comment brought a wry smile to his face. “Good point, Amber. Stacy would have my balls on a silver platter if I was late for my own wedding.”

“She would be the one to cut them off too,” I joined in, while walking down the sand next to him.

“Agreed,” he said before heading off to the throng of people that was amassing under the tent where the horderves were being dished out.

Was Ralph drinking already? It sounded like he already had some of the punch now that I thought about it. Not that it was a bad thing, I would probably need a shot or two before I get hitched. He definitely wasn’t drunk. Just sounded like he was a little buzzed. It made me laugh. As I neared the black tent that had “Bride” emblazoned across the front flap in white cursive lettering, I could hear a voice that I instantly recognized to be Stacy’s.

I almost had to rub my eyes in disbelief when I saw how pretty Stacy looked today. Yesterday was a little different because it wasn’t the actual wedding day, but now, today, she looked stellar with radiance. The way she had two of her girlfriends primping her on either side made me think of some kind of medieval ceremony. Ralph was going to absolutely love her.

“Stacy, you look so good!” I exclaimed jubilantly as I entered the tent.

If Ralph didn’t get hot looking at her then something was wrong with him. My eyes went down to her legs and I immediately grabbed my camera from my hip. I snapped some really good candid photos of her legs while her bridesmaids fastened white garters to her matching back-seamed stockings. Her feet were in flats, because of the sand, but she still looked amazing. My blood temperature started to rise because I knew how hot these pics were going to be.

Stacy smiled warmly. “Thanks Amber. So do you.” She blew me a kiss. I snapped another pic.

“How excited are you?” I asked while snapping more pics.

She giggled and took a swig of some champagne she had sitting next to her. “I am totally in heaven right now. This is my first wedding, first time in love, first time ever being this happy.”

I nodded in agreement. “You can see the happiness on your face.”

She laughed. “Either that or its the nice buss I have from this.” She held up her glass of bubbly with a shrewd wink.

“How long till you tie the knot?” I asked.

She suddenly stood up and squealed. “Less than five minutes.”

Music started playing outside the tent. It was definitely time. I was ready.

*

The wedding went off without a hitch. I got so many good pictures from it. I easily shot over three hundred of them. Most were very good and it would be so hard to pick from them the “keepers”. After the ceremony there was a barbecue with some pulled pork. I ended up hanging out for a little while shooting some candids of the crowd and a few group shots from the bride and groom’s lines. It was epic. Weddings always get to me, no matter how many times I go to them. In the US at least, little girls are raised on the idea of being a princess and having a big fairy tale wedding. It's drilled into us from the time we can walk. It's hard to go against something that is so smashed into you. But, I personally, while I would like the party and the killer food, I think about having a wedding whenever I go to one and this little one of Stacy’s really made my jealousy pique.

When I returned home a little later in the day I set about editing the photos right away at the kitchen table. Seeing Ralph and Stacy standing there sealing their vows almost made me tear up. Almost. There wasn’t any time for emotions, I had a job to do. I started cropping, and editing all the pictures with my methodical process. That’s when, about twenty minutes into it, I noticed something peculiar. It was an overcast day and there wasn’t any real reason for the glare coming off of the bald man’s head on the right side of the congregation. I took a pull from the beer I had next to me. Why was there a glare? The sun wasn’t out. The glare was so bad that I had to delete the photo. I moved on to the next, and the next. They were all f****d up. I started to sweat profusely. How could this be? The glare was there even when I was switching angles. That’s when I saw it. The one photo that caused chills to run up and down my spine. It was there, on the ground just outside of the row of people. This was impossible. My once jovial and relaxed demeanor was replaced by panic.

“What the f**k?” I yelled, scaring one of my cat’s remaining lives out of him. He was close by me on the floor and now he was scampering swiftly to my bedroom.

Sweat started pouring from me and my heartbeat quickened. I could literally smell the fear on me. Everything around me began to darken like some macabre vignette was enshrouding my world. I had to get away. I needed away. Now.

I got up and backed away from the table.

“No.. no.. no..” The words came out in little more than a weak whisper.