Author’s Note: As a kid, I had always had a huge fear of driving cars. I test drove my dad's car when I was in high school and crashed into the side of the street like twice. I ended up damaging the whole front of his car and he couldn't drive it which is something that we laugh about now. At the time, it terrified me and that ended up reinforcing the fear. I would always joke about never driving and owning a unicycle like Spongebob, but I was also quite serious. This original version of this story has the Michael character beginning to drive, but now I have written it with updated times. I got my license and now have a car which I probably have too much confidence driving now.
This story was originally posted with the title of the same name and continued on after the 2015 Summer Season.
My host's phone was a bit difficult to get into. Since I didn't bond with his mind, I didn't have access to his memories like I did before and for some reason he did not set up fingerprint recognition. So, in order to feed the curious cat inside of me, I melded with his brain. Not completely, just slightly so I could get the information I needed in order to unlock the phone. My eyelids twitched as my eyes rolled back, a flood of memories filling my mind until I found the four-digit combo.
5635.
The lock screen opened up to a bunch of squares, all neatly arranged in rows and columns. Some of them were grouped together in the boxes creating smaller groups of applications lined up in their segregated corner of code. I found the messaging application and typed in the phone number Michael had given me the day before. I then typed in my message.
Where should we meet up?
The outgoing tone vibrated against my pinkie and I stared. Finally, the gray ellipses symbol appeared. The dots blinked one by one until they disappeared. I tilted my head, expecting a message back, but instead it came back. It disappeared two more times before I got an address underlined in the app. I was too excited and started my walk towards the building. I passed the coffee shop and felt a bit of guilt as I saw my reflection in the windows. A day ago he would have gone on his merry way after enjoyed that iced latte, but his path had other plans.
Turning a corner, I saw a brick building about two stories in height. A sign poked out from the side and it looked as thought it once lit up in brilliant colors inviting people to come see the entertainment happening inside. The front doors had been boarded up and the light from where I was standing cast thin beams onto the dusty floor inside. Squinting, I could see programs and t-shirts from what used to be a community theater. I turned and followed the side of the building to the back where a silver car had been parked. Michael was nowhere to be seen so I sat down near the back steps, the green bushes tickling the area near the bottom of my spine.
"Hey, there, handsome." Michael said, jumping up onto the ledge and looking down on me. I hadn't noticed how tall he was and from up there he seemed like a giant. His backpack was lazily hanging off his shoulder and he wore a ripped pair of blue jeans with a red cardigan on top of a black v-neck. The white slip on shoes he had been wearing looked as though they had just been cleaned.
"For a moment I thought you had set me up and I actually felt sad." I said, standing up and helping him jump off the ledge.
"I think it might be because you like me." Michael said, walking up to a boarded glass door and removing the wood panels. He pulled out a set of keys and unlocked the door opening it up into the backstage area of the theater. The flashlight he plucked from his bag lit up the hallway and offices so we could travel farther inside.
“I want to apologize for misleading you,” Michael said, standing in front of a double door. I tilted my head and he turned around, pushed the door open, and revealed an empty room, “There is no club.” his smile was meek, but I could tell he still meant no harm. I walked past him and looked inside of the room, his warmth coming onto me as I went by and I felt the same feeling again I had felt when I had offered him a drink.
"I see." I looked back at him.
“Or, there is one. It just has one member.” His shoulders raised.
“From what I have recalled, a club has much more than that number.” I turned towards him. I could tell he was trying to brush this off as a joke.
“Well, follow me. I told you there was going to be some Q and A, right?” Michael got close enough to take my hand my hand and I looked down at his fingers interlocking inside of mine. I had almost pulled away after I felt something like static when our skin touched, but every part of me wanted to squeeze it. It felt safe. So safe that I let him drag me along the inside of the building.
“This used to be a theater I worked at. I was a costume designer and I dabbled in singing.” He started humming a tune as we opened another set of doors, entering the large house with its red chairs covered by a series of wrinkled white sheets.
"Welcome to the club." He waved his hand towards the auditorium, a beam of light hitting a small space in the center. Part of the ceiling had collapsed in and the light from the outside lit the space rather well. We maneuvered out way around the duty sheets until we reached the open area of seating lit by the natural spotlight. Michael gestured to a chair next to his and when he collapsed into the cushion a cloud of dust sputtered into the air.
He watched me sit, pulling out a stack of note cards from his bag which also contained a laptop and a large binder. As he zipped it up, the cover came apart and the sketches hidden inside appeared for just a moment. On the armrest, he tapped the cards on the wood.
“What do you want,” I waved my hand in a circle, “I have some other things to do before taking over the world.” He stared at me which was a little unnerving but at the same time a little cute. He laughed a little bit at my joke which was good because I was still getting used to humor.
“Alright then.” He tapped the cards once more against the armrest and began his questionnaire. “Whatcha doin’ here?” His slightly raised eyebrow made me grin.
“Well, I wasn’t meant to stay here for as long as I’m going to. In fact, I was abandoned by my people. At least that is what I believe they have done. They offered me missions to complete with the human people, to discover their activities and ways to infiltrate their way of leadership. It was through a ritual we call a choosing, sort of like what humans consider the lottery but we use our names. They left me here once I was away from them.” I looked down at the desk, waiting for him to ask another question.
“Did you have many friends or family wherever you were from?” He asked. I continued to look down at the table when a thought struck me.
“You know what? I actually didn’t. This exploration mission was for the good of our common people, to understand life and how things were created. We had a God once, but when we let ourselves explore outside of our reality and our world it changed everything. Now it looks like I’m no longer one of them. So how could they be my friends?” Michael’s face had changed in such a way that emitted sadness. He genuinely cared about my loneliness and my heart (or the heart I was using) warmed slightly.
“I’m sorry,” He put the cards down in a neat pile in front of him, “From here on out, I promise never to lie to you. To never abandon you. To make you feel like you belong. I will be a friend.” My eyes were glued to his and I could feel them welling up as the emotions I was feeling overwhelmed me. His hand slid on top of mine and he gave me a small smile, one of reassurance and safety.
“Why are you interested in helping me?” I looked down at his hand and the neatly trimmed fingernails.
“Well, first of all, you're in the body of a fucking cute guy,” He tapped my chest, “Plus, I have this fascination.” He pulled out his phone and started tapping the screen, images popping up and disappearing.
“I write stories. Well, I write fantasies. Mostly for me but I’ve reached a bit of a following.” He took the phone away, pressed a button on the side, and slid it into his pocket. I could tell he was a little embarrassed about the topic, but if he could tell anyone about it then it would most definitely be the subject of his imagination.
“They are mostly about possession which you have the talent of doing, and don’t worry, I’m not going to expose you or anything. If I tried no one would believe me anyways since I have this side hobby. I want to help because I have cycled through plenty of situations in my head where characters have helped out a little creature that can take over anyone they want and their wild fantasy dreams come true.” There was a moment of silence as I processed his speech.
"Fantasy?" I asked.
"Not like sex. We don't have to have sex, oh my god. Unless you want to. Fuck that's not what I mean. I mean, like I want to help since I think I have the power to help and - well, I have gone over tons of scenarios and - " He was fumbling around his words as his cheeks flushed red.
“Well, It’ll be nice to have a human friend.” I interrupted, a wave of relief appearing over his face.
"Sorry. This is all new for me." He picked up his back and held in his lap, his hazel eyes hitting the light just right as they stared in my direction.
“Do you want to come to my place? It’s empty and lonely.” I stood up and waited for Michael to show me the exit.
“Uh, sure.” He was a little surprised. “Yeah. Yes.” He was blushing even more than before.
“Do you have a car or do you - “ I asked, assuming the car outside was his.
"I do." Michael smiled and grabbed my hand. We walked back the way we came and hammered the board on the outside with our fists. He pulled out a set of keys from his bag and used the mechanism to unlock the doors, allowing us entry.
“Alright, this is actually happening.” Michael was saying to himself, he looked flustered as he turned the key.
“Hey, no funny business.” I said, attempting some sort of humorous vocal tone. I was trying not to scare him off. We had moved past the point of acquaintances and had moved into something else.
Before he took off I leaned over and gave him a peck on the cheek.
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