Tales of Olsen

18

Keith seemed surprised to see me when I returned from the bathroom. Maybe he thought I would have made a run for it. If I was smart I would have, but there was no time to think of that. I had to be brave.

“Where to?” I asked as he led the way out of the restaurant.

The patrons all stared at us as we went by, and I could tell it was because of Keith’s enchanting face. Tonight, he looked much better than he ever had and if he wasn’t evil incarnate, I may have appreciated his suave suite and the effort he had taken to look good tonight.

“We are going back to the warehouse,” he said, “I have something to show you.”

“The warehouse,” I said hoping that Alex would be listening in.

“Yes, when you came the other day, you didn’t get to see everything.” He said

I knew it was a trap, but I also knew that I could not turn back.

“Should I take my car?” I asked hoping he would say yes.

“We can swing by here later to pick it up,” he replied, “if that’s not a problem.”

“I just thought it would be more convenient than forcing you to come all the way back here,” I said, “but if that’s fine with you we can take your car.”

My submission once again surprised him, and I could see it written all over his face.

“Very amiable,” he said in a low voice, “we may just have a future.”

I shrugged because I didn’t know what to say and I needed to dispel some of the discomforts that were beginning to get the best of me.

He signaled the valet who ran off to get the car. As we stood there I felt a presence nearby. I knew it was the same presence that had been in my room a few nights ago and I wondered why it was hovering so ominously.

“Here it is,” Keith said waving his hand towards the low riding sports car that pulled up before us. It had butterfly doors and the interior looked much more expensive than my entire apartment.

“This is your car?” I asked

“Being a lecturer has its perks,” he said

I knew that was true, but I doubted that it had these perks. He must have other methods of getting what he wanted. I banished the thought. There was plenty to come and the very last thing I needed was to become scared before the real fun started.

Keith closed the door and came around to sit next to me. The car sped off into the night and I took deep breaths to calm my heart.

“Where are you from?” he asked trying to calm me

It was such a normal and unexpected question in all this craziness that I had no idea how to respond.

“I’m from Seattle” I replied, “you?”

“I’m from everywhere and nowhere.” He replied, “I’ve never been to there, I hear it’s a city, lots of rain.”

I nodded but no words came to my mouth. The rest of the way, we drove in silence until we arrived at the old warehouse. Unlike the last time I had come here with Jordan, he turned into the building and to my surprise, the side opened revealing a garage. It was so well hidden that I would never have known it was there until he showed me.

“We’re here,” he said

I opened my door not wanting to have him too close to me.

“What’s the plan?” I asked, “Netflix and chill?”

My poor attempt to calm my nerves didn’t seem to amuse Keith.

“I have something to show you,” he said

He walked off and I followed closely behind. I didn’t want to be caught off guard in case he decided to spring on me and cut my throat right there.

“Why did you choose this building?” I asked

“I wanted somewhere secluded,” he replied, “somewhere people like me could come and meet.”

“People like you?” I asked

He turned to look at me and it was then that I realized that his eyes were no longer the dark brown they had been in the restaurant. Instead, they were now a bright radiant blue.

“People like us,” he said

I gasped, and he stopped talking and advanced towards me.

“Come,” he said

His voice was commanding, and I knew he was done being nice. Swallowing hard, I bit down my fear and began to walk towards him. As I got close, he turned and walked out of the room. Instinctively I followed him but not before checking to ensure we were alone.

He led me into the main room where Jordan and I had seen him that first night. Together we walked through the room and towards a concealed door. There was no-one else there that I could see but I could feel them. All around us they were looking on like dead trapped souls with no bodies.

“In here,” he said

His voice sounded like the echoing of a thousand men.

“What are we doing here Keith?” I asked

“What we should have done the first day I saw you,” he said

Inside the room was dark but, in an instant, it lit up revealing what looked like an altar. Hanging from the ceiling all around were medallions. They were all very elaborate and very beautiful, but each seemed much older than the last.

“I assume this isn’t the first time you’ve seen one of these,” he said

I wanted to lie but I couldn’t

“No,” I replied, “I have one of these.”

“Have you been unlocked?” he asked

I was about to say yes when my body did something it never had before, I began to feel as if my body was no longer mine.

“I don’t know what you mean.” I found myself saying

He looked at me suspiciously and I didn’t know what to do. I wasn’t being myself at that moment and I wondered if he noticed the subtle change.

“I mean Eloise of Ethel, have you been unlocked?” Keith asked once again but this time his anger was overwhelming. I wanted to turn and run now but my body was hardly under my control anymore.

“I have the medallion,” I replied, “but It’s just been on my desk as a paperweight.”

“This won’t work unless you’re unlocked!” he said, “Why the hell did you come here then! You have no idea who you are do you?”

I was standing there wondering what exactly I was feeling when someone entered the room. It was the man Jordan and I had seen at the airport. I knew deep down that he had been the one following us and he was the one who had introduced Keith that night.

“She hasn’t been unlocked,” Keith said as if I wasn’t in the room.

“That’s impossible!” he said in a calm calculated voice, “I sent the tornado and she diffused it just as you predicted.”

My eyes lit up, I had known all along but I had to pretend to be shocked. Something about their exchange made me wonder what type of power relationship they had. Keith seemed frantic but the other man was calm and collected.  

“Wait you did that?” I asked turning to face him.

Keith’s head spun, and he looked at me. There was fire in his eyes now and he took a step closer to me. I stepped back but found my path blocked from behind by this man.

“You’ve been lying to me,” Keith said as he took a step closer

“I haven’t’” I replied

“There you go again,” he said, “lying.”

He was right before me now and I could smell the wine on his breath. He reached up and touched my cheek and then he allowed his hand to wander down to my neck.

“You look much more delicate than your past selves,” he said, “at least they were vibrant and feisty, you’ve come here like a squealing little puppy to sacrifice yourself.”

It was then that I felt a power unlike any other rise up within me. It burned my heart until I thought I would die but soon my body began to absorb the intensity of his attack and it no longer burnt. As I absorbed it I became more enraged. Keith looked up at me and he must have seen what I felt deep down. Reaching up, I touched him and he screamed out and dropped his hand.

“How, how did you do that?” he asked

I didn’t say anything, there were no words.

“Elicamp!” he shouted.

Before I knew it, a bag was thrown over my head and I felt myself being dragged to the ground. As if from nowhere something latched around my arms and legs and I was thrown to the ground.

“It’s not perfect but we can do it here” I heard Elicamp saying, “we’d need to get her to Olson as soon as possible.”

I tried to use all the powers I had learned, tried to break free, but there was nothing. I lay there for a few moments listening as they chanted. Suddenly, the faint sound of something falling to the ground broke through their chanting and caught my ear. It had to be Jordan or Alex, they had finally come.

“Who is it?” Keith asked

“I have no idea,” Elicamp replied

“Go check it out” Keith snarled

We were left alone in the room

“I don’t know what you’re trying to do,” he said, “but this is the end of the road for you.”