5/13/09

Marks

An unbearable pain shot through his shoulder. The pain felt like a knife pierced the skin and twisted into the muscles. Ryan abruptly awoke from his slumber.

What the fuck is going on here, he thought. His hand clinched at the left shoulder. A sharp, tingling sensation methodically crept down his arm until the fingertips dance dwith the same electricity. He hopped out of bed, scared. His mind raced at a thousand miles per hour. Barely audible phrases exited his. No one was there to listen. Am I having a stroke? Does that even happen to people my age? Oh shit, I’m having a fucking heart attack! Great. My heart fails at thirty. Aspirin. They say aspirin can delay a heart attack. Right?

His upper torso scraped the narrow hallway as he managed down the path into the cozy confines of the bathroom. The switch flicked on and a blinding light encroached on the darkness. His pupils adjusted as he felt around for the cabinet door. Fumbling, he located the bottle and popped two pills with a water chaser. His heart pounded hard and fast as if it would shoot out of his chest at any second. He worried more.

Cool water splashed on warm face. The icy burn sensation started in the right arm, and then moved leisurely from his biceps down to the fingers. Ryan stared in the mirror paralyzed with fear. He didn’t know what he should do. Death seemed to be knocking at his doorstep. The hospital had to be the next move.

Maybe it’s because of the panic. Maybe it’s the lack of real focus during this crisis. But one detail was overlooked while he gazed into the mirror. The two puffy, red slashes grooved a deep X shape into the skin on his lower left shoulder, near the chest area. The exact spot where the pain began, it went undetected.


Ryan commanded himself to get dressed. He slowly slipped on a pair of jeans when a numbing sensation started on his left thigh. Nervousness rapidly mounted by the seconds. By the time the shirt was covering his skin; all four appendages were tingling with the same icy burn. With immense concentration he focused at a spot on the wall and inhaled several deep, slow breathes all in order to avoid a panic attack.

I should call an ambulance, he thought. With the phone in hand, he dialed and then hung up. Wait. I’m only a few minutes away. Why incur the extra cost. No need to call an ambulance. Ryan slowly made it to his Chevy S-10. He motored off into the night.

Twenty long minutes later, he stumbled into the Emergency Room at Morganview Hospital. The registration nurse listened to his symptoms. Soon the staff rushed him into a room for a further examination. Four hours and several tests later, Ryan laid on a bed. Still no answers found. Arms and legs were still tingling. His brain caught up in worry mode, as he reflected on life.

A young man who looked more like a California surfer than a physician returned to the room. Dr. Skant spoke, “I assure you, it was not heart attack. And it is a very rare thing for someone your age to have a stroke. It just doesn’t happen often. We’ve ruled those possibilities out.” As the doctor flung the bleach blonde locks away from his eyes, he smiled a comforting glance. A flash of that smile would normally melt the ladies with comfort. From the blank stare on the patients face tonight, it had zero effect.

The doctor proceeded, “I can’t find anything wrong. You appear to have a strong heart. There’s nothing out of the ordinary in the other routine tests. Honestly, I’m at loss.”

The answer didn’t satisfy Ryan. “Then what is it? A person’s entire body doesn’t go numb without a reason. Correct?”

“I suggest doing a follow up in the morning with your regular physician. Explain what happened. He’ll probably order a blood test to figure out what exactly you’re dealing with. But as far tonight, I have to release you. There is no basis to keep you here any longer. Your immediate health is not in jeopardy. You are free to go.”

“Great. You’ve been a big help.” The sarcasm in Ryan’s voice wiped the smile from the doctor’s face. Ryan slipped his shirt over his now unmarked skin. “Thanks.”

Worry and confusion continued on the drive home. He wanted to know what is wrong. What does that damn idiot doctor know? Probably still an intern, he thought.

He barely managed to make his way back into the apartment. He collapsed on the couch, fully exhausted. The tingles remained, but actually seemed to be dissipating in the feet and legs. Outside the birds started chirping as the sun cracked the horizon. Soon he’d call into work, then to Maggie, and then to Dr. Rocke. His eyes drifted shut. He wavers between the state of consciousness and sleep.


The dreams started that morning. The horrifying type when the surroundings are incorporated with the madness of the brain.

The dream only seemed to last a moment, but it bolted Ryan from the couch. Beads of sweat covered his forehead. The main details were fuzzy. Only brief flashes of imagery lingered. Flesh. Blood. The uncomfortable bulge in his pants which begged for release gave him a hint to the nature. An eerie feeling suddenly came over him. Certain he was being watched, Ryan scanned the room. Empty. Get it together, he thought.

It was time to put this long morning into action. The smell from the coffee indicated a strong brew. It’s what he needed to keep from falling asleep. It was almost 6am. He called work. He didn’t feel like going in anyways, just like most other days. The job at a shitty local radio station paid the bills. It was going to be a stop between college and some place better. Six years later he waited for the fictional, superior place to appear.

The station was called WNOZ Underground Radio, due to the fact that mainstream tunes were seldom heard on the dial. The station played a little of everything. It was entirely up to the DJ. The diversity in the music made Ryan happy; as did the fact the owner had the balls to be different. In fact, the main gripe was one he shared with most workers- under paid and under valued. He wasn’t an on air talent, nor did he want to be. Ryan worked behind the scene making sure the programs went on air correctly. He put together promos, edited sound bites, and other technical things. He produced segments. But none of those tasks were going to occur today.

It was too early to call Maggie. He gulped down more coffee and thought about the sweet girl, who for some unknown reason fell in love with him. Ryan was fairly certain he reciprocated the feeling for her. His eyes closed and the replay began. A movie of the first day the two met over two years ago.


Ryan and a couple of his buddies, Dan and Kent, waited to enter the dance club. He held a deep resentment towards the club scene. He found them to be over crowded, too loud, and pricey. Plus the bouncer at the door had an ego. All the guys checking ID’s had a god complex. This dude gave him shit about not wearing a buttoned shirt and kakis like every other guy in the line. “You wanna dress like a slob then go to a low class joint,” the muscle head said. Ryan knew his sense of self would never be tarnished if he couldn’t get in a lousy bar wearing jeans and a tee shirt. The power trip at the door took the cover charge and let them all inside.

The only reason Ryan to visit these establishments. Women. Lovely ladies scantily dressed. They always showed flesh as they grooved on the dance floor. The scenery was easy on the eyes. Though he gave off an “I don’t give a shit” attitude with his dress and demeanor, he still displayed an average face and a squishy body and an inept ability to lead conversations. A crucial skill when one attempted to meet strangers.

Time had passed and alcohol flowed through the bloodstream. Ryan watched his buddies as they started the standard chase. They urged Ryan to join them in the hunt. As usual, he declined. The two made their way to the dance floor where the prey was more accessible. The distorted bass pumped piercingly throughout the building. Ryan pushed his way towards the bar. He needed more drinks to tolerate these surroundings.

After being passed over at least ten times for women with cleavage hanging out, Ryan was frustrated. Another girl squeezed her way beside him to the front of the line. This one caught his eye. She was a natural beauty that didn’t need to cake on tons of make up to hide imperfections. It made her even more stunning. She was a girl with real curves in her body instead of the straight waif look supermodels get from years of bulimia. The beauty glanced in his direction and smiled. It brightened the entire room. The gesture almost made the whole trip worth coming. Now if he could only work up the courage to speak. Engage in simple conversation. Nerves stirred in his stomach.

The hunky bartender came over and passed him up again, this time for the beauty. She ordered a couple of daiquiris. The drinks were made. The money exchanged hands. The bartender moved over to another girl. Ryan raged at the drink slinger. No tip was in the idiot’s near future.

The girl turned around. Before she actually had her grip on the glasses, the crowd pushed her forward. The thick, icy concoction tumbled out from one glass and sprayed through the air in slow motion. Ryan had zero time to react and watched the action unfold. The cute, but clumsy girl tried to yell out a warning. Her timing was late. The people around Ryan were lucky. The majority of contents emptied out directly onto his crotch. The rest lay in a puddle. The lady gasped and franticly searched for a rag. The bartender tossed one to her and shouted “Mop up!”

“Oh, I am so sorry,” she said. A tone of obvious embarrassment resonated in her voice. Her cheeks were flush. She knelt down and rubbed on the red stained jeans.

Ryan could no longer keep the anger inside. He didn’t want to be in this club. He couldn’t get a drink. And now he had wore a drink as an accessory. He snapped. “Great! First you squeeze in line and get a drink right away while I’ve been patiently standing here for the last fifteen minutes getting avoided by this fucking bartender. Then you dump your foo-foo drink all over me, which not only is very cold, but makes it look like I’ve pissed blood. Thanks for a capper on a wonderful night.” Ryan watched as she diligently scrubbed on.

Snickers filled the air. The crowd around them grew more restless.

The coldness drifted away as the girl kept rubbing and patting at the stain. Ryan began to get aroused. The motion stopped and the girl innocently giggled. She noticed the slight bulge. She stood up. The corners of her mouth curled up. She leaned close to him. “I just realized I was rubbing at the crotch of a complete stranger. I’m going to have to stop now…obvious reasons.” And she playfully winked.

Is she flirting with me now? No. She just feels bad and wants to smooth it over. The anger left as the embarrassment shifted sides. He calmly said, “Probably a good idea.” His coarse exterior started to soften.

“Listen, I really am sorry. I got bumped and it slipped out of my hands,” the girl said smiling. “Honest mistake.”

That smile was a golden ray of light in dimly lit world. He wondered how many times she got her way by flashing it. It was going to happen in this situation. “You know what? Forget it.”

“At least let me buy you a drink”, she demanded.

“That’s alright. I’m going to get out here. Truth is I hate these places. I only came because a couple friends asked me. Plus the whole pants issue. Not good.”

She smirked as if hiding a secret. “You’re truth is similar to mine. Friends drug me out too. And I kind of like the pants. Gives them character.”

Ryan heard some guy standing in line make a comment. “Get a drink or go away.” He couldn’t blame the guy. The way these bartenders were, he’d wait another fifteen before actually placing a drink order. Then someone arrived with a bucket to clean up the glass and spilled drinks. He didn’t look happy.

“Looks like natives are getting restless. I’m getting you a drink and you’re not going to refuse. That’s final,” she said.

Ryan didn’t dare turn down the offer the second time. “Guinness.”

She ordered two. After another exchange of cash, Ryan grabbed the mugs of foaming dark goodness. The girl successfully held on to the remaining daiquiri. They swiftly walked away from the pack.

“My name is Maggie.”

“Ryan.”

Still holding onto the drinks, she said, “Well, follow me Ryan. I’ve got to drop this off first.”

He did as instructed. They found a spot that wasn’t quite as noisy and talked. They ditched their friends at the bar to get a late night meal and talked more. They watched the sunrise on the porch of the house she and friends rented and talked even more. It was an experience unlike any Ryan had ever had with a woman. He found conversation with her easy. A day hadn’t passed since that they didn’t talk to each other. In a few weeks when her lease was up, Maggie would be moving into his apartment. Their future together seemed very promising.


Suddenly the thoughts in Ryan’s head swirled together. Out of blackness a pair of hands clinched around a throat. Tighter and tighter they constricted.

He recognized the mole just underneath the left ear. The familiar hands squeezed and pinched down as the air withdrew from the body. He realized the hands belong to him. Slowly the victim’s face came into view as it turned a pale purple color. Maggie. Her eyeballs bulged from their sockets.

Maggie mouthed the soundless words “I love you Ryan, always”. The hands clinched with even more force.

Abruptly Ryan awoke. Sweat poured from his scalp. His hands trembled. He gasped to catch a breath. A sour stench oozed from his stomach. Such a vividly violent dream had never occurred before. He blamed the dream on lack of sleep and locked the vision away.

He called Maggie and told her the details. “I’m going to the doctor’s and then come home and sleep. There’s no need for you to be here today.”

She said, “But I’m worried, Ryan. What if something serious is wrong?” Fear filled her voice.

“It’ll be fine. Just come by after you get off work.” He knew she was way too independent to listen. She had always done exactly what she wanted to do.

“Let me know what the doctor tells you.”

Ryan cherished the fact someone cared about his well being. “You know I will. Love you.”

“Back at ya,” Maggie said. The phone went silent.

The tingles remained. They felt like sparks of electricity surging through his body. Except now, the tingles almost felt natural. Like they belong.


** ** **


Ryan got right in to see his long time family doctor. He sat in an examination room waiting. Normal tests were taken. Nothing unusual was found. The old doctor, on the verge of retirement, entered back in the room.

“Well young man, I can’t find a thing wrong with you. There’s nothing unusual in the tests from last night and nothing now. Other than blood pressure being a tad high. We may find out differently when the blood test comes back,” Doctor Rocke said.

He thought, Great. More silly tests with no results. This whole process frustrating the shit out outta me. And then there’s the cost. Insurance isn’t going to cover much. I just want to know what’s wrong. Then we can fix it.

Dr. Rocke asked, “You still got these tingles?”

“There gone in my feet and legs, but I can still feel it in my arms,” Ryan said.

“The one logical conclusion is a pinched nerve.”

“But I haven’t lifted anything out of the ordinary lately.”

“A person can pinch a nerve tossing around in their sleep or if they move awkwardly. They don’t necessarily have to lift heavy objects.”

“What can I do?”

“If the tingles don’t go away by Saturday, come back in. We’ll go from there. And if I see a flag in your blood results, I’ll call you. But those won’t come back until next week.” The doctor gave his patented look of assurance. “Now get the hell out of here and get some sleep. You look terrible. And take a day or two off to rest up.” He scribbled down some items on his pad and handed the sheet to Ryan.

“Thanks Doc.” Ryan left the office and headed home. On the way he called Maggie to help set her mind at ease. Then he called the radio station again. He informed his boss of the situation and that he would be not come in tomorrow either.

He walked inside apartment #331 and went straight to the bedroom. Fatigue was winning the battle. He stripped and collapsed into bed. Ryan’s eyes shut before his body hit the mattress. Sleep followed only moments later.


During this time Ryan’s body started to change once again. The X on his shoulder area returned to the same form as the night before. A smaller X pulsated through the skin and formed on his right calf. It looked identical to the one on his shoulder. Across his back several other marks tried to break onto the surface. They appeared; then disappeared into his skin.


He slept long and uninterrupted. Crust cracked on the corner of his eyes. Ryan rubbed it away. He opened them to see a curly, brunette haired girl. She kissed him.

“Hey morning breath,” Maggie said and pecks his lips again.

“I didn’t think morning breath was possible this late in the afternoon.” This girl was everything he ever could want in a partner. “How long have you been here?”

“About an hour.”

“And you’ve been watching me sleep the whole time? How boring.”

“Tell me about it.”

Ryan gazed in her eyes. This lady was a special one. They kissed again; only longer and deeper. From the silence, his stomach growled loudly.

Maggie giggled. “You must be starving.”

“Well I haven’t eaten since yesterday.”

“Get up. I’ll cook tonight.”

“Maybe I’ll go back sleep then,” he said and pulled the pillow over his head. A playful slap came down across his chest.

“Get up, jerk.”

“Yes, my dear.”

The sleep did him wonders. The tingles have almost left his body completely. Maybe by morning the feeling would be gone.

He got up from bed and moved towards the bathroom. His penis throbbed half erect. Ryan caught Maggie glancing at his nakedness in the mirror. Why she found his average body, complete with a slight gut, a little sexy he would never know. But it made him happy.

Something strange also caught his eye in the reflection. A mark. He thought, What is this? He touched the scratch. Pain was expected, but there was none. Bewildered by the “X”, he put it to the back of his mind and waved it off as nothing.


Maggie slide her naked body behind Ryan. The shower barely had enough room for the both of them. She wrapped her arms around him. Her bouncy breasts pressed against his backside as the water cascaded over their skin. She pampered his back with kisses. As the water rinsesd the soapsuds away, a large groove became noticeable. She stopped.

“Where’d you get the mark on your back?”

“There’s one on my back?”

“Yep. It’s like a big X in the middle of your spine,” she said. The mark wasn’t like anything she’d seen before.

“Not sure.” Ryan turned around and pointed to his shoulder. “I found this one too.”

Maggie studied the mark. She wanted to find out its origin. As her fingertips ran over the mark. A sudden jolt of sexual arousal floated up from deep inside her. She asked, “Does it hurt?”

“Not at all.”

Catching her guard, Ryan clamped his hands around Maggie’s curvy hips and he pulled her close. She wanted him. Her soft lips pressed against the “X”. Her tongue gently licked the wound. She needed him. Now.

They fondled each other; his hands rolled over nipples and her hands stroked his cock. Moments later, her juices flowed. “Take me,” Maggie whispered in Ryan’s ear. Her legs wrapped around his waist as he slipped inside her. Her back slammed against the shower tile. Each thrust more powerful than the previous. She wanted more. The steamy water continued to rain down. Maggie moaned with pleasure as Ryan climaxes.


The couple lay in bed entwined in each other’s arms. Sex this late in the night always made her tired. The intensity and the rare forcefulness of the act exhausted her. Her mind drifted. She trusted the doctor and was under the assumption Ryan would be fine after the pinched nerve healed.

Ryan remained restless. The icy burn had run its course, but another feeling caused him grave concern. Sex with Maggie tonight felt like an out of body experience. He was a spectator watching his body going through the motions. Another presence seemed to take over the inside of him, filling his mind with a feeling of rage and pure hatred. Never in his twenty-nine years have these sinister traits been displayed. They were not his. And his ejaculation caused an alarm. He never actually came, despite feeling of being more alive than ever while nearing climax. Instead there was a fiery sensation in his penis. He swore it was sucking in spurts and not shooting out liquid. What he could recall of the whole interaction did not make any sense. The situation terrified him.

He stared at ceiling until darkness arrived.


Maggie woke up in the morning to find Ryan with an insatiable appetite for sex once again. He kissed her inner thighs and practically begged her. Amused by his charmed, she was easily persuaded into another round easily.

The situation surprised her. Sex first thing in the morning wasn’t her thing. Being a morning person was not her deal. She puts her hand around his erection. It appeared larger than normal. Ryan had his signal. He entered, barely waiting for her juices to flow. Her pleas to slow down fell on deft ears. The hard thrusts penetrated deeper inside than ever before. Last night this style was fine, but not twice in a row. It was uncomfortable and painful. This wasn’t like Ryan’s technique at all.

During the interaction, the man she loved wasn’t to be the same man on top of her. The caring and gentleness in his touch had disappeared and replaced by animalistic tendencies. Pleasure never approached. A tear crept from the corner of her eye and rolled down her cheek as she reluctantly allowed him to finish.

Ryan grunted inhuman noises as he climaxed inside her. Weakness spread over Maggie’s whole body. She felt as if energy was being siphoned out of her and blanked out for a moment. When her eyes opened, she saw Ryan on the edge of the bed hunched over in a meditative slate. Carefully, she moved in for a closer look at him.

Sweat pooled on his skin. Ryan emerged to reality, panting and feverishly hot. The memory of what just occurred was fuzzy. The same feeling as the night before arrived, only more intense. He can’t remember what instigated the action. He noticed the redness around Maggie’s eyes. He asked, “Are you…crying? What’s wrong?”

An expression of bewilderment surfaced on her face. “How can you say that?”

He moved towards her trying to piece it all together. “I…I don’t…” As he reached to comfort his girlfriend, his manner instantly changed. He coldly said, “You’re going to be late for work.”

Maggie pushed his hands away and scurried off to the bathroom. The door slammed shut. Where did that come from? That’s not what I was thinking. He suddenly remembered. “Oh shit,” he mumbled.

The reflection stared back at her in the mirror. What just happened in there, she thought. Tears were fought off. Ryan didn’t know it yet, but she had already asked for the day off. Someone else would have to answer phones at the firm. Maggie intended on spending the day nursing him back to health. Her maternal instincts were kicking into high gear. They’d talked about this incident later. She needed to be strong for them both.

Truth was she wanted to be living here already. Ryan offered two months ago, but she couldn’t afford to break the lease on the expensive house rental. Besides, her two roommates couldn’t handle the extra cost. Only another forty-six days and his apartment would turn into their place. It would be the next major step in their relationship. Eventually they would be engaged. They talked about it before but Ryan wouldn’t ask her to marry until she got her financial situation in order and learned to control her spending. The basic ultimatum pissed her off. Mainly because she understood where he was coming from and actually agreed with him. Until then a marriage remained on the horizon. Still she dreamed of them growing old together in big house with their kids.

A knock on the door snapped her back from the daydream. Ryan’s voice traveled through the wood.

“Are you alright in there?”

She didn’t answer.

“I’m sorry, Maggie. Listen, that was kind of – I’m not sure what got into – I didn’t mean to get so rough.”

Maggie gathered her composure and opened the door. “That was not fun for me. You felt so callous. So different. It scared me.”

“It scared me too. I don’t know what came over me. I’d never hurt you.”

“I’m not letting you off the hook. But let’s not have a repeat performance any time soon.”

“I promise.” Ryan kissed her. “I love you.”

“Love you too. And already I took the day off.”

“Why?”

She refused to believe the question. It pissed her off. “To be with you. I didn’t know what kind of condition you’d be in. Thought you might want some help.”

Ryan pulled off the condom and tossed it in the small trash can next to the toilet. “I’m feeling good actually. The tingles are gone.” He looked at her while pumping his fists. “I’m glad you’re here though.” He kissed her forehead to reinforcement the statement and headed back to the bedroom.

Maggie didn’t fully believe him, but forced a smile. She spotted another claw like “X” on the section of Ryan’s thigh where the ass meets the legs. She pointed it out, “There’s another one of those marks.”

“Where?” He turned to the full length mirror trying to find it.

“Hold still.” Maggie began to scout his entire body for the marks. The total equaled four: the huge one on his shoulder area, one on his back, one on his butt, and the one on his calf that neither detected before. “What in the hell are these, Ryan?”

“I have no clue.”

“They look like scratches only wider and deeper. And they look infected.” Each time her fingers touched a mark a burst of excitement surged through her. “This worries me. Did you show these to the doctor?”

“Those marks weren’t there when I went.”

“Let me pour some peroxide on them.

The marks scared Ryan. He refused to acknowledge this fact, despite of all the strange occurrences in the last twenty-four hours. “Just scratches, nothing to get worked up about. They probably will disappear in a few days.”


*** *** ***


Hours of silence passed. Ryan sat in a chair while Maggie had nothing better to do than normal, mundane household chores that she kindly offered to perform, under these circumstances. She attempted to keep her mind active.

Finally she could stand the stillness any longer. “You’ve been awful quiet today,” Maggie said trying to bring the room to life. But Ryan gave no response in return. He just stared at the out the window.

A faint, musky, sulfuric odor protruded from his body. She recalled the same smell this morning. Again she tried to communicate. “You’re breathing awful deeply. Feel alright, honey?” Still Ryan remained in daze with his belly inflating and deflating with air. He had been this way since after breakfast. He plopped down in a chair and focused on the window.

Maggie knew he wasn’t well, but what could she do, except call his doctor. Her mind raced with different scenarios. All cumulated to horrible conclusions. I’ve got to stay busy, she thought. The day wasn’t supposed to progress this way.

“All you’ve done the entire day is set here. If you’re not going to talk to me, then I’m leaving.” She grabbed her purse and hoped Ryan would come out his trance and call the bluff. The doorknob turned.

Ryan snapped back to life. “Wait,” he screamed. In a frantic, disoriented fashion he jumped out the chair. “Maggie!”

She reversed directions immediately hurrying over to him. His head shifted to spots all over the room while. Incoherencies mumbled from his mouth. He heard her voice.

“I’m right here. What’s a matter? Talk to me, dammit!”

He put his arms around her. Darkness surrounded his mind. The only bright spot he can make out was Maggie. He clutched firmly not wanting to release. She was his safety net.

“You’re squeezing too tight,” Maggie said. “Let me loose.”

The arms unlock and slowly to free her. His senses came back. “What time is it?”

“Around three.”

“That can’t be right.” His eyes rapidly scanned the room trying to remember where a clock was placed. Reading 3:03 on the cable box, he looked at Maggie with fear behind his hazel eyes.

“What did we do today?” He needed answers.

“Don’t you remember?”

All Ryan could recall was blackness.

“We didn’t do anything. You’ve been in that chair all day long.”

“I must have fallen asleep.”

“With your eyes open?”

Instantly a complete turn around occurred. Ryan lost control of his actions. An unknown force was battling for command of his mind.

“Creepy, but the only logical explanation.” There was harsh precision in his movement as he leaned in and kissed her cheek. “You smell good enough to eat.” As Maggie pulled away he said, “I’m just joking. Thanks again for sticking around today. Didn’t think I needed more sleep. Guess I was wrong. Blame the healing process.”

Maggie noticed the immediate difference in his personality. His true emotions were camouflaged. His pigment was slightly altered. This is far from normal, she thought. “That’s alright Ryan,” she said. “You’d do it for me.” She watched his eyes turn pitch black with a coldness replacing the warmth.

With a dastardly smile upon his face he replied, “Yes I would.”

Whatever was wrong with Ryan, she recognized the symptoms to be more severe than a pinched nerve. Never too religious of a girl, she had seen enough programs and read enough books not to think about possession. She wondered if a visit to a local church would be met with laughter. She must find a way to get out of the apartment and get Ryan help.


A being grew inside Ryan, getting stronger with every sexual exploit. It took possession of the host slowly while feeding off the energy of others. The being repressed the human part of this host. The unidentifiable transformation nearly completed. The Ryan-thing felt better than ever. All of its senses seemed to be cranked up a notch.


They sat on the couch and watched a movie. Maggie preoccupied with coming up with an excuse to leave.

A smell of cucumber melon lotion couldn’t cover the lady’s true scent. And her smooth touches once again stirred up an appetite, but not for food. It was going to take her. Soon. Survival depended on it. The Ryan-thing detested waiting. He grabbed Maggie and pulled her on top of him. He kissed her lips and slide the elongated tongue inside her mouth.

Maggie jerked back, “Not now. I am not in the mood.”

He pampered her neck with soft kisses, and then traveled to her ear. “Come on baby.”

The hot breathe in her ear annoyed her. The putrid smell of sulfur returned to the air. Fright crept into Maggie as the situation suddenly felt dangerous. This person was definitely not Ryan. She must leave now. “I don’t want to have sex right now Ryan,” she said and stood up. “In fact, I need to run home for a minute. Get a change of clothes. I’ll be back in a bit.”

The being latched on to her arm. “What you want girl, is no concern,” the Ryan-thing said. It was going to obtain what it desired and she had no choice in the matter.

Deep in the host’s mind, the real Ryan remained. I’m going to end you, Ryan thought. Several attempts to overcome the circumstances and regain control ended with failure. No matter how hard he focused or how determined he was to beat this beast, the effort was futile. Still he did not quit the struggle.

The creature dragged her from the couch onto the floor. It pinned Maggie down and began to sniff her body. The scent excited it more. She squirmed, fighting the act as best she could. It licked the crevice of flesh leading to her breasts. The exhilaration rose as it prepared for the taking.

Maggie’s eyes filled with tears. She realized this person with Ryan’s face was going to rape her. She fought as the shirt ripped from her body. “Ryan please. Don’t,” she begged. “I know you’re in there, baby. You can stop this!” There was no retort to her plea as the thing pinned her down. The white, cotton panties get torn away. A fist slammed against her cheek, knocking her loopy.

When her head cleared, the Ryan creature stood over her, naked and at full arousal. His penis is almost twice the normal size. Thousand of X’s were now covering his body like scales. He pounced on top of her. Maggie no longer resisted the inevitable and prayed no more physical harm will come to her. She waited for the ordeal to pass concentrating on plans for escaping this nightmare. She squealed with pain as the warmth entered her and thrusted with great ferocity. Every other part of Ryan’s body felt cold against her skin. I made a mistake. This was the wrong idea, she thought. Seconds into the act, Maggie blacked out as her energy level dropped.

The Ryan-thing continues feeding until its satisfaction was complete.


*** *** ***


The creature didn’t know its origin or species, only that it was a powerful entity. Survival was its only instinct, which it has done for longer than time itself. It couldn’t be seen by the human eye; therefore humans were the main feeding source. They were much better than other animals. It choose a person at random and possessed their body undetected. The creature slowly fused with the host until it took completely over, changing their thoughts and manipulating the body in the process.

If the host was a man, it used the dangling thing called a penis to suck the life force out of a female. It enjoyed using the males because it can make the entire process more violent. The creature thrived on violence and chaos.

Using a woman as a host is easier because of their vaginas. It learned to understand that just about any man can be manipulated to stick his penis in that place, the ultimate weapon to suck out the life force. As a female the process was more intense and painful. The creature doesn’t enjoy pain onto itself, only against others.

When it got bored with a host, the creature left the person to die in a pile of rotting flesh, similar to its life force victims. Then the creature searched for a new host to renew the process.

Over the years it had adapted to the surrounding environment, not knowing why humans perform in certain ways just mimicking their actions. It learned from keeping the memories and knowledge of every host it took over. Centuries of memories were stored, many forgotten.

Now the human called Ryan was the host.


*** *** ***


The being finished with the girl, but didn’t deplete her energy all the way. It enjoyed the conquest too much to drain her entirely out. Besides, the initial changing process took two to six feedings. It depended on how strong the life force was inside each individual. This Maggie had one more feeding left in her, after she rested.

Ultimately Ryan’s spirit was crushed. He continued to fight every decision. Not for his sake, because he realized the fate which awaited him, but for Maggie. But the intruder was too strong and over powered his rule.

The being grasped the girl by her hair and yanked the naked body to the bedroom. The creature tied her arms and legs to the bed frame with sheets. Since the creature needed no sleep, it watched the human.

A scream ruptured the silence.

“You still have life. Excellent,” the being said.

Maggie quivered as her cheek glowed red and started to swell. “You may look like Ryan, but you’re not him.” Ryan’s face never looked so menacing. Realizing she was going to depart this life, she tried to stall her fate.

“You’re right about that my sweet.” The creature stood up. It was naked and a perfect resemblance of Ryan, not an X mark in view. “I must admit, you’re energy is the best I’ve fed from in quite a long time.”

Struggling to get free only made the sheets tighter around her wrists. “Ryan, fight this thing! Whatever it is!” She was tired of being the victim. She had to battle this thing to end. “Fight it for us. For our love.”

The creature laughed. “Love. I have no concept of human love, nor do I care to. It is a weakness and a worthless emotion you own.” The creature started wheezing deeply in a rhythm motion.

Maggie cried out, “Ryan!”

Its breathing became louder as thousand of X’s scales reappeared all over the skin. The black eyes turned a purplish glow. The cock grew to an immense promotion as it stiffened. The creature moved towards her. Drool formed on the corner of its mouth. Long, clawlike fingers ran over her legs.

She screamed again, but knew the effort was useless. Once that thing violated her, her existence would conclude. Tears streamed down her face and a million thoughts rapidly fired in her mind. Maggie calmly looked into the creature’s eyes and said, “Ryan, I know that you can hear me. This is not your fault. I love you, Ryan. Always.”

Ryan’s heart broke at that moment. There was nothing he could do to help Maggie. The love of his life would die and he, in a sense, was already dead. In the end all he could do was watch the actions unfold. His body was fully controlled by a renegade presence.

The beast hovered over her. The death tool probed its way inside her vaginal walls. Piercing the hole and tearing away, the beast continued the mission. The smell of burnt flesh permeated in the room.

Maggie blocked out the situation long before the penetration initiated. Animalistic grunts and groans were the last thing Maggie heard before blackness came. Her body shook before collapsing into a wrinkled pile of bones, organs, and skin.

The entity howled out with pleasure. The transformation was complete. The creature collapsed, letting the final metamorphosis take place though the night.


The thing awoke in the morning, refreshed with a new vigor. This man proved to be an outstanding host. The creature transformed back to full human form. It can remain hidden in society.

The Ryan-thing walked outside to meet the sunlight with the impulse for survival. It whiffed at the air and grinned. There was a pleasurable musty aroma coming from down the street. It wondered if the next giver will be as great as Maggie. The creature doubted if this would be true, but it had a special gift regardless. The thing hanging between the creature’s legs, the organ that used to be the maker of human life was now the organ that sucks life away from humans. Soon, it would be time for another feeding. Soon, it would be time for another hunt to begin.


THE END


Copyright 2009
by Sean Kimmel