Nero and Adonis fell to the floor with a grunt, out of another hastily made portal, both of them naked, and in pain. Adonis was the only one who was embarrassed while Nero casually got up, went to get a glass of diet soda, and didn’t get dressed until Pumpkin and Diamond arrived a bit later, yelling at him about decency.
The apartment was dingy and old, but it was the perfect place for a safe house. Deep in Aecor territory, no one would ever suspect a Federal safehouse. After Adonis and he cleaned up, he went over the files with them in the living room, all of them drinking beer and complaining about the daytime curfew.
All the papers that Jack had given them purportedly were different spots in town Enemy made income, and they could destroy different fronts, cutting off various sources of revenue. Everyone except Nero was against attacking the places Jack gave them, and Nero refused to listen to reason.
“A lot of these are in the Kiruna district," said Diamond. “Are you sure this is the right info?”
“Of course it is," replied Nero. “Doesn’t Enemy have fronts all over Atlaan?”
“I know, but Kiruna is controlled by the Aecors. This doesn’t make sense,” she said.
“I think we should sleep on it,” Pumpkin said.
“No way," yelled Nero. “We almost died making sure you guys got that info! We are going tonight , as planned!"
“I agree with them,” Adonis sighed. “I think it's too risky. On top of that, I am exhausted. How are you still standing?”
“The fire was pretty tasty,” said Nero. “You should try it."
They all stared at him as if he grew a second head and decided to just ignore the comment.
“I am not letting my plans get ruined because you guys are scared," said Nero.
“We aren’t scared," said Adonis. “We can’t go against Aecor. That could start a war.” Nero slammed his fist on the table. Some of the papers fell to the ground, but he didn’t bother to look at them.
“When did you all get so weak ," hissed Nero.
“Every day you become more like Alto,” Adonis screamed.
“What’s wrong with that!?”
“We aren’t scared, we just think we should be smart about it," retorted Diamond.
“So what," Nero shouted.
“So what? What do you mean so what," yelled Diamond. “Not all of us have a rich husband to defend us if someone is pissed off with us!”
Nero stood up from the couch and made his intentions clear. “I don’t care what you think. I’m going on my own if you guys don’t want to go with me."
“Please don’t," Pumpkin pleaded. Nero ignored her, laid out on the couch, and was tipsy, once again making another bad decision, and took another beer from the pack on the floor.
“You need to stop and think,” Diamond shouted. “This guy gives you papers, and within minutes the cops find you. Don’t you think that's foul?”
“The cops have been trying to get me since Sunday, so what,” Nero grumbled.
“Speaking of the police from earlier, why did you get rid of me,” Adonis asked.
“It doesn’t matter," Nero replied. “I’m glad you returned but you should be more careful. I have to look out for you.”
Adonis smiled with his eyes, Diamond made a very erotic gesture with her mouth, insinuating something between the two of them, and they began complaining again about the curfew, the giant bug in the sky, and Nero promised that he wouldn’t go out.
They believed him since he couldn’t find the addresses on the list because he couldn’t read anyway. He grinned, flashing his teeth, a habit he picked up from his husband, lying through his teeth.
Nero played with his star pendant and sighed because it was melting at the edges thanks to his new career as a firefighter , and it was drooping, now looking like a sad, sagging circle. He considered going out to a bar, lonely, without sex for the last sixty-eight days and he knew his relationship with Alto was over. He didn’t want to stay with someone that told him no.
After too many beers he fell asleep on the couch, back to another horrid nightmare.
When Aelfric first arrived at the mysterious man’s home, greeted by the palm trees and the salty ocean breeze, he was no longer nervous. At home, people were traded all the time and it was never an issue.
His family said that it was the natural order.
It was for their own good, they were not smart enough to take care of themselves, therefore people were bought and sold so someone could house train them accordingly. Aelfric knew he was at a good place, a place befitting someone of higher stature, because the mysterious man’s home was beautiful, sparkling on the inside.
There were so many statues of men and women, naked wrestling together as well!
And it wasn’t the summer festival either!
Inside resided beautiful paintings of funny-looking people, bowls of fruit, landscapes of dream-like worlds. Chandeliers hung from the ceiling, making the stone floor sparkle, gemstones put into several of them, the newer part of the house glitz and glamour.
The residential part was homier, with wooden flooring and dotted wallpaper.
He was brought to a door, a magical door that seemed to blend into the wall, disguised quite well. It was at the back of the house, in an empty corridor, and it opened once the man pressed his palm upon it.
The door led to what seemed like a home inside another home.
It was wonderful!
Plenty of games to play, books to read, and a lot of clothes! Inside Aelfric’s new room had so many clothes, but it was so odd that they were of various sizes. Some were girl clothes, some were boy clothes, some appeared to be for children younger and older.
The man told him that he could have this part of the house all to himself, because he was so mature for his age, and could take care of himself. He was so proud of him, Aelfric was so brave, leaving such a horrible place, and no longer would he ever have to worry about a thing. They were friends now, no, they were family, and he could call him Uncle.
That wasn’t his name and Aelfric never knew his name, because he never told him and never would.
While going through his new, brightly colored room he was upset because he couldn’t read any of the books. The letters looked like scribbles, strange things, and he pouted.
Someone had drawn in the book!
Uncle told him it was a different language, and Aelfric felt quite silly after that.
He was lucky that he got a cochlear implant, so he could understand the other languages in this strange new world, but these were small consolations. Some of the words that Uncle said didn’t translate, and sometimes Aelfric would say something that Uncle would not understand either.
Uncle said that it was a good thing he took many vacations to the eighth realm to add more items to his collection , or else he wouldn’t have any proficiency in Ionadian. Aelfric asked what those items were, and Uncle said a word he did not understand on purpose.
There were no windows in this part of the house and he could never see outside.
Aelfric was never sure what time of day it was, and he was soon bored after an entire day of being inside. He wanted to go outside and play, but he was never allowed to leave the house inside the house. After a few weeks, he did not want to stay any longer because Uncle was always pestering him.
It is time to take a bath.
It’s time to get dressed, even though you are already dressed.
It is time to read, come sit in my lap.
It is time to play doctor, I am always the doctor, no you can’t choose what we play.
Uncle told him everything would be different, and sadly he was right.
He didn’t like that he never got to choose the games, they were always the same games too, and Uncle was always impatient, or too touchy. Aelfric told himself, well maybe I am not doing something right, I should listen better.
I don’t want to end up bad like Leofric.
So one day Aelfric was told to come into Uncle’s room, and he loved Uncle’s room. It was so easy to get to his room because there was a door from Aelfric’s room to his own!
What a smart idea!
His room was so well decorated as well, everything was green. Uncle said because green was calming, it had a nice effect, and they were incense sticks that always smelled like mint.
Today Uncle wanted to play Snake and Mouse.
Why yes let’s try that, I’ve never played it before.
How do you play?
It was not a fun game, he did not want to play, but there was no escape.
He ran back to his room, locked the door, but the door was unlockable from the other side.
Uncle calmly got up from the bed, unlocked the door, and smiled, telling him that he should come back or else.
He grabbed him by his hair and dragged him towards the other room. Aelfric screamed and kicked, but he couldn't break free. He was so much bigger and stronger than him.
Uncle locked the door.
I have been patient with you.
I am so tired. Usually, they are quick to learn.
He was trapped like a mouse, backed into a corner, and it seemed the closer Uncle approached him the bigger he got.
Aelfric’s body got stiff, and he closed his eyes shut.
And like a snake Uncle ate him whole.
His entire body squished inside, and he screamed. He screamed and no one could hear him scream, because he was swallowed, and the inside was wet, acid searing into his skin.
Don’t fight it.
This is when he realized it was a dream.
It was another horrid dream.
No longer small, tiny, or weak, his body burst into flames, the snake cooked inside, its meat smelling surprisingly like fish, and it writhed all over the ground, smacking itself against the pale green walls, and the brown daybed.
It regurgitated him, and out came Nero instead of Aelfric, spat out, he didn’t want to play with him anymore, he was too big now.
Nero smiled, no longer afraid, his recent victories making him feel bold.
“I’m going to kill you every night in my dreams, and then I’m going to kill you once and for all,” he promised.
The snake continued to squirm on the ground, hissing, bleeding sludge all over the wooden floor, its red gemstone eyes sparkling bright. Nero walked over, focused all the heat into the soles of his feet, and stepped on it.
Like an ink bomb, it exploded all over his body.
The only remaining parts were the glittering, red gemstone eyes. They rolled, on the ground, and Nero swore under his breath that once again, someone was fucking with him.
It stopped in front of the door, and without hesitation, he opened it because he knew he couldn’t leave unless he went along with whatever torture this person was putting onto him.
In the hallway sat The Rock.
It was very friendly, and somehow Nero knew, and it made him uneasy to look at. It was only a rock, no need to be afraid, he told himself. It was only, for some strange reason, changing multiple colors, staring into his soul, and deciding if he was worthy to live.
That was all.
It turned bright white, and it let out a soft ding, the food was ready, come eat!
Nero woke up very confused, to the smell of fried fish, takeout sitting on the dining room table, leftovers just for him.
