13-01-2021, 09:25 PM
Editor's note: This is a work of fiction. If your character appears in the story it is a fictional, but respectful take which may resemble events that happened in MxO to the best of my memory. Don't be mad, be glad.
Part 1: A Case of the Blues
Tossing and turning, Kierra drenched the bed in her sweat. Or was it her sweat? In the dream the rain was pouring, and pouring. A deluge without end. Lightning flashed, and she saw the row of identical men standing in-front of her on the other side of the street. Another flash of lightning, the world turned green as windows shattered and a loud boom and shock-wave filled the street. A piece of glass fell in front her face, and she saw a face in the reflection that was not her own, sneering. Kierra woke up with a gasp and sat up straight in bed, taking deep breaths to calm herself down.
After she collected herself she looked over to her right and saw her midnight rendezvous still asleep. Typical, she thought to herself. She sighed and spun herself around, putting one foot on her discarded panties on the floor and sliding into them. She looked over to the dresser and found her hair tie and tied her blond hair into a quickly made messy bun. She got out of bed and put on the rest of her clothes: a black t-shirt with a frowning red face, some torn up jeans, and scuffed up boots. She looked out the window to get her bearings, I ended up in Westview... again? What am I doing with my life? She sighed, and her breath condensed against the window. She slapped her pockets to make sure she still had her wallet and keys, and slipped out the door without saying good-bye.
---------------------------------------------------------
"So it was the exact same dream? Then you took the subway home back to your apartment in Richland? Couldn't sleep for the rest of the night? And still no auditory or visual hallucinations, correct?" The therapist bit on the cap of her pen after she stopped jotting down notes.
Kierra nodded, "Yeah, not a wink. And nope. I'm feeling really drained... and when I do have energy I.. well, act out a bit."
The therapist jotted down notes again, "Yes, it fits your pattern. Didn't get this one's number either?"
Kierra smirked, "No, no I didn't. Even if I wasn't in this frame of mind I wouldn't have anyway."
The therapist adjusted herself in her seat, leaning forward. "And you're sure you've never seen the face of this man in your dream? Not a friend, relative? Past lover? This could be your subconscious attempting to recall a past trauma."
Kierra layed back on her chain, her hands behind her head closing her eyes. "No, I've never seen him before in my life. And he definitely would not have been a boyfriend or a hook up of mine, trust me."
The therapist opened a drawer from the desk next to her and pulled out a pill bottle. "Ms. Portman, you've been here enough times now to say that my therapy is not assisting you the way I hoped. It's time for some medicative therapy as well."
Kierra looked at the blue pills in the bottle, "What are those?"
"Slumberall," the therapist shook the bottle, "Enough to get you through the week until your next appointment. They are a new sleep aid, they also assist in helping you not remember your dreams. Take one at night, before you sleep, and you'll stay asleep."
Kierra leaned forward and took the pill bottle, her blue eyes reflecting on the bottle's surface. "Just the one? What if it doesn't work?"
The therapist looked at her watch, and then closed the drawer shut. "One is all you need, I will see you next week at the same time? And I am hoping to hear some positive news as well."
Kierra stood up and straightened out her shirt, "Thanks Doc, me too. I'm off to see my mom and sister, it's our TV night together. See you next week!" Kierra left the office, and the therapist stared out the window overlooking the city. A few minutes later a knock came from the door.
"Come in." The therapist heard the door open and heavy foot steps walk into the room. She turned her head and saw a tall man in a suit, shades still on even though inside, and a white ear piece. "There's been no change in her case, you can find the note pad on top of the table. I gave her the slumberall as you instructed."
The man picked up the note pad and flipped through it. "Yes. I see she still has no hallucinations," the man said in a monotone voice, "the slumberall might prove to be beneficial for her case."
"Yes, Agent. I hope so. I don't want to read another obituary." The therapist sighed. "How many people did you say are having this mass hysteria? I've had over a dozen cases alone."
The Agent put the note pad back down on the desk. "That does not concern you. We require your compliance as this investigation continues." The Agent walked to the door. "Ensure your other patients receive the slumberall, we must collect more data." The door closed with a heavy slam.
The therapist rubbed her temples with her fingers and sighed, "Yes, Agent Gray."
------------------------------
Kierra stepped out of the Taxi and paid her driver. She took the bottle of slumberall out of her pocket and rattled it around. I hope this works. Upstairs in her apartment she quickly hid her dirty clothes and did a brisk cleaning before her mother and sister were scheduled to arrive. She put in a large bag of popcorn into the microwave and with the first few pop pop pops came along with knock knock knocks at the door. Kierra looked at the mirror near the door and made a few final adjustments to her hair before opening the door. "Mom, Sharon! I've got the pop-corn on!" Kierra hugged her mom and sister.
Sharon looked around the apartment, "Not hiding any boys in here again are you?"
Kierra smirked, "No, just an attractive girl I met at the club last night."
Kierra's mom smacked her arm, "Shush, behave yourself. You know I don't like that kind of talk."
Kierra rolled her eyes, "Yes ma'am, come sit down, I'll get the popcorn. Turn on the TV, Buddies is about to come on."
Kierra's mother and sister sat on the couch waiting for Kierra to bring the popcorn, Sharon stretched out. "So, you haven't been Downtown lately have you? There was another bombing."
Kierra opened the microwave and pulled out the bag, "Another one? That's crazy. I can't believe this kind of thing is happening." She opened the bag and poured the popcorn into a large bowl. "Was anybody killed?"
The mother sighed loudly, "Do we really have to talk about this depressing stuff? This is supposed to be our happy night." Kierra's sister turned around and mouthed yes. Kierra's mother gave her a slap on the leg.
Kierra plopped down between them on the couch, the popcorn on top of her legs. "Well, I'm glad you are both here safe and sound. If something happened to y'all I would probably actually snap."
Kierra's mom rubbed her shoulder, "We aren't going anywhere sweety, but since you brought it up... how is your therapy going?"
Kierra shrugged, "Fine I guess, still having the same nightmare. But, and I know you don't like this kind of thing, but she gave me some medicine to help me sleep."
The mom squinted at Kierra, "What kind?"
Kierra took out the pill bottle, "Slubmerall, it's a sleep aid, but it also apparently makes you forget dreams."
Sharon snatched the pill bottle from Kiera's fingers. "Oh? So it does something to your brain then? I really am going to have an even crazier sister, huh?"
Kierra grabbed the bottle back, "Shut up! And no, she only gave me enough for a week. I'll be fine."
Sharon smiled, "Well good, how about I drive you up there next week? I need to do some shoe shopping near by anyway."
Their mom groaned, "With whose money? You still don't have a job?"
The sisters laughed. Kierra shushed the room, "The show is about to start!"
----------------------------------------
The show came and went, and so did her family. Kierra took a shower and brushed her teeth while wearing only a towel wrapped around her hair. She modeled for herself in-front of the mirror, squeezing one side of her tummy. I need to cut back on the bread. She looked down near the sink and saw the Slumberall pill bottle. "Well, I hope you little guys do your job, mamma is tired." Kierra yawned and opened the bottle and took one pill in her hand. She swallowed it along with a swig of water. She squinted one eye, and then the other before opening her mouth. Hmm, no bleeding eyes and no foaming at the mouth, guess I'm ok.
After leaving the bathroom she jumped into her bed and turned on the TV. "This is the 10 O'clock news, and first our top international story: an outbreak of the Ebola virus has infected hundreds and killed dozens in the impoverished country of..." Kierra changed the channel, Always depressing shit out in the world... guess I won't be dreaming about it through. Kierra, not finding anything to watch, turned off the TV. Her room was quiet and still, the only noise was the ambient sounds of the city. She closed her eyes.
She opened her eyes, and sun light washed into the room. She sprung up from bed and looked at the clock. 9 AM?! Kierra quickly put on some deodorant and threw on some clothes for work before stumbling out the door.
Work came and went, and besides getting a small lecture from her boss she had a good day. She had a good cup of coffee, made her sales, chatted with her coworkers, and did not feel drowsy for the entire day. It was Tuesday, which meant 2 for 1 Burger Night at her favorite pub. She arrived before the crowd of non-regulars arrived and sat down at the bar. "Hey Paul, how are ya? I'll have a Guinness and put me down for the bacon cheddar cheese burger with the cheese fries...", she pinched the side of her tummy, "ok, no cheese on the fries. Just a side of fries."
A man sitting next to her cleared his throat, "Whoa, I've never seen a woman order a Guinness before. Kudos to you."
Kierra sighed and turned towards him, "Don't get out much, do ya?" Kierra looked him up and down, he was wearing a black fedora with a black shirt and gray jeans. Kierra sighed and rolled her eyes, "I guess you don't."
The man smiled, "Hey now, I guess I deserved a little bit of that. What's wrong with my look?"
"All I see is that God damn ugly hat, you going to be wearing a trench coat next?" Kierra responded playfully.
The man took off his hat revealing his dark hair, green eyes, and perfectly stubble beard. "There, is that better?"
Kierra smiled, "A lot bit better", Kierra put his hand on his leg "you should really keep that damned hat off." She took her hand off his leg and grabbed her beer. "And also, no trench coat. Too much of that around here lately." She takes a sip from, leaving behind a foam mustache. "I mean, have you seen them? They are all just standing around Mara courtyard doing who knows what."
The man laughed, "Yes, actually I have." He takes a napkin and holds it in front of Kierra. "May I?" Kierra nods and the man gently wipes away her foam mustache. "A man dressed kind of like a priest came up to me, telling me we have all been asleep for too long and we must be awakened. Seemed very weird to me."
Kierra giggled, "Well, not me. I haven't been getting enough. I'm on sleeping pills now though, and they seem to be helping a bit."
The man smirked and grabbed hold of her beer and slides it towards himself, "Well now, you shouldn't be drinking this then. Y'don't need to be mixing alcohol and medicine."
Kierra grabbed his wrist and smiled, "Mm, don't come between me and my alcohol, please..." she slid the drink back towards her, "-- what is your name by the way, I'm Kierra."
The man put his other hand on top of hers while it's still grasped on his wrist. "Mine's Robert, Robert Williams. Nice to meet you, and that drink is on me."
Kierra smiled, "Well, you do have my attention now Rob."
------------------------
A couple hours pass, and clean dishes and glasses sit in front of Robert and Kierra. Robert patted his stomach, "Well then, did you inject me with some Sodium Pentothal when you grabbed my wrist earlier? I don't think I've told my whole back story to a stranger like that."
Kierra smiled, leaning in closer towards Robert. "Well, I don't think we're strangers anymore Robbywobby, hic, oh excuse me."
Robert laughed, "You going to need some help getting home?"
Kierra smirked, "No, no-- if I was still down in the dumps I'd take you up on that offer. But... I'll just give you my number instead."
Robert raised his eyebrows, "Offer? What... oh no, that's not what I meant at all!"
Kierra wrote her number down on a napkin and put it into his hat on the counter. "Oh no, it isn't? That's too bad." She smiled, "But then again, you did get some action just last night from that girl with green hair you met at Club Succubus. I'm sure that was wild."
Robert coughed, "It was... something." Robert took the note out of his hat and slipped it into his wallet. "So, time to go home?"
Kierra looked at the clock. "Yeah, I need to take my medicine and get some sleep before work." She leans towards him and whispers into his ear, her body barely pressing against him "And please, please, get rid of the hat." She pulls away and giggles playfully.
"No promises, it's part of who I am." Robert put back on his fedora and stood up.
Kierra gagged, "Oh, I think I'm going to be sick, excuse me." She slapped several a few twenties down on the table, and made fake vomiting noises as she left the room.
Robert sighed and looked at the bartender, "Well, she's a character isn't she?" The bartender shrugged and laughed as he turned around to make more drinks.
-------------------------------------------
Kierra sat relaxed in her sister's car as her sister drove her to a therapy appointment.
"Well it's been a week! So, you sure there are no side effects?" Sharon asked her sister as she turned the steering wheel.
"Besides me being in a better mood and actually getting some sleep? No, none at all." Kierra twirled the empty pill bottle between her fingers as she responded.
"That's great! I'm really happy this is working for you, we were worried about you." Sharon turned the dial on the radio to change the station.
"It really is, I'm going to ask the doctor for more once I get up there. You sure you don't mind waiting for me? The appointment lasts an hour." Kierra inquired to her sister.
"Nah, gives me some time to get my shoppin' in." She turned in at the parking lot. "Ok, we're here!"
Kierra turned and looked towards the building. "That's weird, looks like there's some kind of protest. I wonder what's going on." Kierra opened the door and stepped out onto the side walk.
Sharon stepped out of the car as well, "Guess I'll park here and walk to the store, let me walk you to the door, that crowd looks pretty shifty."
Kierra smiled, "Sure thing sis."
The two sisters walked towards the building and neared the protest. A man dressed like a priest in a strange robe stood at the top of the stair case, "...has lied to you! This world is a fabrication! We know you're listening, we know you're out there! This will continue until you return The One and Trinity's bodies to us!"
Kierra whispered to her sister, "Is he talking about Jesus and the Holy Trinity? This guy's nuts." Sharon nodded quickly in response and stood closer to her big sister. Kierra heard a strange screeching sound and did a double take as she saw a man in a black suit and glasses standing where a woman in the crowd once stood. He pulled out a gun and fired at the man protesting. Kierra grabbed her sister and ducked down with her, but she saw something impossible: the man seemed to dodge most of the bullets... most. The man was flung back after being hit in the shoulder.
"E pluribus unum, e pluribus Neo!" the wounded man shouted as he hit a device in his hand. A bright green flash temporarily blinded Kierra and as her vision cleared she saw the world begin to crumble around her. The walls of the building turned into a wall of flowing symbols and numbers, and the ground gave way to a black void. People in the crowd began to convulse as their bodies began to turn into the green code as well, some of them began to sink into the black void. The Agent walked past them undeterred and shot the wounded man in the head. He looked out into the crowd and began to convulse as well, but his body disappeared and the body of the woman Kierra saw previously stood in his place.
"What the fuck, what the fuck, Sharon..." Sharon laid on the ground convulsing, her body being pulled into the black void. The void began to swarm her body and enter her mouth as her eyes rolled into the back of her head. "Sharon!" Kierra screamed as she grabbed her sister by the shoulders and attempted to pull her back in. Her body began to flicker between human and the strange code. Kierra fell backwards startled, and the black void began to take her as well. She saw flashes again of her nightmare, the same code. A man in a similar priest outfit fighting... fighting in the sky against a man in a suit. Her vision switched back to her current situation, and her sister lied dead on the ground next to her. Kierra screamed as the void swarmed up her body and overtook her.
Then there was blackness. A feeling of warmth. Then all she could see was red.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 2: A Tough Pill to Swallow (coming soon)
Part 1: A Case of the Blues
Tossing and turning, Kierra drenched the bed in her sweat. Or was it her sweat? In the dream the rain was pouring, and pouring. A deluge without end. Lightning flashed, and she saw the row of identical men standing in-front of her on the other side of the street. Another flash of lightning, the world turned green as windows shattered and a loud boom and shock-wave filled the street. A piece of glass fell in front her face, and she saw a face in the reflection that was not her own, sneering. Kierra woke up with a gasp and sat up straight in bed, taking deep breaths to calm herself down.
After she collected herself she looked over to her right and saw her midnight rendezvous still asleep. Typical, she thought to herself. She sighed and spun herself around, putting one foot on her discarded panties on the floor and sliding into them. She looked over to the dresser and found her hair tie and tied her blond hair into a quickly made messy bun. She got out of bed and put on the rest of her clothes: a black t-shirt with a frowning red face, some torn up jeans, and scuffed up boots. She looked out the window to get her bearings, I ended up in Westview... again? What am I doing with my life? She sighed, and her breath condensed against the window. She slapped her pockets to make sure she still had her wallet and keys, and slipped out the door without saying good-bye.
---------------------------------------------------------
"So it was the exact same dream? Then you took the subway home back to your apartment in Richland? Couldn't sleep for the rest of the night? And still no auditory or visual hallucinations, correct?" The therapist bit on the cap of her pen after she stopped jotting down notes.
Kierra nodded, "Yeah, not a wink. And nope. I'm feeling really drained... and when I do have energy I.. well, act out a bit."
The therapist jotted down notes again, "Yes, it fits your pattern. Didn't get this one's number either?"
Kierra smirked, "No, no I didn't. Even if I wasn't in this frame of mind I wouldn't have anyway."
The therapist adjusted herself in her seat, leaning forward. "And you're sure you've never seen the face of this man in your dream? Not a friend, relative? Past lover? This could be your subconscious attempting to recall a past trauma."
Kierra layed back on her chain, her hands behind her head closing her eyes. "No, I've never seen him before in my life. And he definitely would not have been a boyfriend or a hook up of mine, trust me."
The therapist opened a drawer from the desk next to her and pulled out a pill bottle. "Ms. Portman, you've been here enough times now to say that my therapy is not assisting you the way I hoped. It's time for some medicative therapy as well."
Kierra looked at the blue pills in the bottle, "What are those?"
"Slumberall," the therapist shook the bottle, "Enough to get you through the week until your next appointment. They are a new sleep aid, they also assist in helping you not remember your dreams. Take one at night, before you sleep, and you'll stay asleep."
Kierra leaned forward and took the pill bottle, her blue eyes reflecting on the bottle's surface. "Just the one? What if it doesn't work?"
The therapist looked at her watch, and then closed the drawer shut. "One is all you need, I will see you next week at the same time? And I am hoping to hear some positive news as well."
Kierra stood up and straightened out her shirt, "Thanks Doc, me too. I'm off to see my mom and sister, it's our TV night together. See you next week!" Kierra left the office, and the therapist stared out the window overlooking the city. A few minutes later a knock came from the door.
"Come in." The therapist heard the door open and heavy foot steps walk into the room. She turned her head and saw a tall man in a suit, shades still on even though inside, and a white ear piece. "There's been no change in her case, you can find the note pad on top of the table. I gave her the slumberall as you instructed."
The man picked up the note pad and flipped through it. "Yes. I see she still has no hallucinations," the man said in a monotone voice, "the slumberall might prove to be beneficial for her case."
"Yes, Agent. I hope so. I don't want to read another obituary." The therapist sighed. "How many people did you say are having this mass hysteria? I've had over a dozen cases alone."
The Agent put the note pad back down on the desk. "That does not concern you. We require your compliance as this investigation continues." The Agent walked to the door. "Ensure your other patients receive the slumberall, we must collect more data." The door closed with a heavy slam.
The therapist rubbed her temples with her fingers and sighed, "Yes, Agent Gray."
------------------------------
Kierra stepped out of the Taxi and paid her driver. She took the bottle of slumberall out of her pocket and rattled it around. I hope this works. Upstairs in her apartment she quickly hid her dirty clothes and did a brisk cleaning before her mother and sister were scheduled to arrive. She put in a large bag of popcorn into the microwave and with the first few pop pop pops came along with knock knock knocks at the door. Kierra looked at the mirror near the door and made a few final adjustments to her hair before opening the door. "Mom, Sharon! I've got the pop-corn on!" Kierra hugged her mom and sister.
Sharon looked around the apartment, "Not hiding any boys in here again are you?"
Kierra smirked, "No, just an attractive girl I met at the club last night."
Kierra's mom smacked her arm, "Shush, behave yourself. You know I don't like that kind of talk."
Kierra rolled her eyes, "Yes ma'am, come sit down, I'll get the popcorn. Turn on the TV, Buddies is about to come on."
Kierra's mother and sister sat on the couch waiting for Kierra to bring the popcorn, Sharon stretched out. "So, you haven't been Downtown lately have you? There was another bombing."
Kierra opened the microwave and pulled out the bag, "Another one? That's crazy. I can't believe this kind of thing is happening." She opened the bag and poured the popcorn into a large bowl. "Was anybody killed?"
The mother sighed loudly, "Do we really have to talk about this depressing stuff? This is supposed to be our happy night." Kierra's sister turned around and mouthed yes. Kierra's mother gave her a slap on the leg.
Kierra plopped down between them on the couch, the popcorn on top of her legs. "Well, I'm glad you are both here safe and sound. If something happened to y'all I would probably actually snap."
Kierra's mom rubbed her shoulder, "We aren't going anywhere sweety, but since you brought it up... how is your therapy going?"
Kierra shrugged, "Fine I guess, still having the same nightmare. But, and I know you don't like this kind of thing, but she gave me some medicine to help me sleep."
The mom squinted at Kierra, "What kind?"
Kierra took out the pill bottle, "Slubmerall, it's a sleep aid, but it also apparently makes you forget dreams."
Sharon snatched the pill bottle from Kiera's fingers. "Oh? So it does something to your brain then? I really am going to have an even crazier sister, huh?"
Kierra grabbed the bottle back, "Shut up! And no, she only gave me enough for a week. I'll be fine."
Sharon smiled, "Well good, how about I drive you up there next week? I need to do some shoe shopping near by anyway."
Their mom groaned, "With whose money? You still don't have a job?"
The sisters laughed. Kierra shushed the room, "The show is about to start!"
----------------------------------------
The show came and went, and so did her family. Kierra took a shower and brushed her teeth while wearing only a towel wrapped around her hair. She modeled for herself in-front of the mirror, squeezing one side of her tummy. I need to cut back on the bread. She looked down near the sink and saw the Slumberall pill bottle. "Well, I hope you little guys do your job, mamma is tired." Kierra yawned and opened the bottle and took one pill in her hand. She swallowed it along with a swig of water. She squinted one eye, and then the other before opening her mouth. Hmm, no bleeding eyes and no foaming at the mouth, guess I'm ok.
After leaving the bathroom she jumped into her bed and turned on the TV. "This is the 10 O'clock news, and first our top international story: an outbreak of the Ebola virus has infected hundreds and killed dozens in the impoverished country of..." Kierra changed the channel, Always depressing shit out in the world... guess I won't be dreaming about it through. Kierra, not finding anything to watch, turned off the TV. Her room was quiet and still, the only noise was the ambient sounds of the city. She closed her eyes.
She opened her eyes, and sun light washed into the room. She sprung up from bed and looked at the clock. 9 AM?! Kierra quickly put on some deodorant and threw on some clothes for work before stumbling out the door.
Work came and went, and besides getting a small lecture from her boss she had a good day. She had a good cup of coffee, made her sales, chatted with her coworkers, and did not feel drowsy for the entire day. It was Tuesday, which meant 2 for 1 Burger Night at her favorite pub. She arrived before the crowd of non-regulars arrived and sat down at the bar. "Hey Paul, how are ya? I'll have a Guinness and put me down for the bacon cheddar cheese burger with the cheese fries...", she pinched the side of her tummy, "ok, no cheese on the fries. Just a side of fries."
A man sitting next to her cleared his throat, "Whoa, I've never seen a woman order a Guinness before. Kudos to you."
Kierra sighed and turned towards him, "Don't get out much, do ya?" Kierra looked him up and down, he was wearing a black fedora with a black shirt and gray jeans. Kierra sighed and rolled her eyes, "I guess you don't."
The man smiled, "Hey now, I guess I deserved a little bit of that. What's wrong with my look?"
"All I see is that God damn ugly hat, you going to be wearing a trench coat next?" Kierra responded playfully.
The man took off his hat revealing his dark hair, green eyes, and perfectly stubble beard. "There, is that better?"
Kierra smiled, "A lot bit better", Kierra put his hand on his leg "you should really keep that damned hat off." She took her hand off his leg and grabbed her beer. "And also, no trench coat. Too much of that around here lately." She takes a sip from, leaving behind a foam mustache. "I mean, have you seen them? They are all just standing around Mara courtyard doing who knows what."
The man laughed, "Yes, actually I have." He takes a napkin and holds it in front of Kierra. "May I?" Kierra nods and the man gently wipes away her foam mustache. "A man dressed kind of like a priest came up to me, telling me we have all been asleep for too long and we must be awakened. Seemed very weird to me."
Kierra giggled, "Well, not me. I haven't been getting enough. I'm on sleeping pills now though, and they seem to be helping a bit."
The man smirked and grabbed hold of her beer and slides it towards himself, "Well now, you shouldn't be drinking this then. Y'don't need to be mixing alcohol and medicine."
Kierra grabbed his wrist and smiled, "Mm, don't come between me and my alcohol, please..." she slid the drink back towards her, "-- what is your name by the way, I'm Kierra."
The man put his other hand on top of hers while it's still grasped on his wrist. "Mine's Robert, Robert Williams. Nice to meet you, and that drink is on me."
Kierra smiled, "Well, you do have my attention now Rob."
------------------------
A couple hours pass, and clean dishes and glasses sit in front of Robert and Kierra. Robert patted his stomach, "Well then, did you inject me with some Sodium Pentothal when you grabbed my wrist earlier? I don't think I've told my whole back story to a stranger like that."
Kierra smiled, leaning in closer towards Robert. "Well, I don't think we're strangers anymore Robbywobby, hic, oh excuse me."
Robert laughed, "You going to need some help getting home?"
Kierra smirked, "No, no-- if I was still down in the dumps I'd take you up on that offer. But... I'll just give you my number instead."
Robert raised his eyebrows, "Offer? What... oh no, that's not what I meant at all!"
Kierra wrote her number down on a napkin and put it into his hat on the counter. "Oh no, it isn't? That's too bad." She smiled, "But then again, you did get some action just last night from that girl with green hair you met at Club Succubus. I'm sure that was wild."
Robert coughed, "It was... something." Robert took the note out of his hat and slipped it into his wallet. "So, time to go home?"
Kierra looked at the clock. "Yeah, I need to take my medicine and get some sleep before work." She leans towards him and whispers into his ear, her body barely pressing against him "And please, please, get rid of the hat." She pulls away and giggles playfully.
"No promises, it's part of who I am." Robert put back on his fedora and stood up.
Kierra gagged, "Oh, I think I'm going to be sick, excuse me." She slapped several a few twenties down on the table, and made fake vomiting noises as she left the room.
Robert sighed and looked at the bartender, "Well, she's a character isn't she?" The bartender shrugged and laughed as he turned around to make more drinks.
-------------------------------------------
Kierra sat relaxed in her sister's car as her sister drove her to a therapy appointment.
"Well it's been a week! So, you sure there are no side effects?" Sharon asked her sister as she turned the steering wheel.
"Besides me being in a better mood and actually getting some sleep? No, none at all." Kierra twirled the empty pill bottle between her fingers as she responded.
"That's great! I'm really happy this is working for you, we were worried about you." Sharon turned the dial on the radio to change the station.
"It really is, I'm going to ask the doctor for more once I get up there. You sure you don't mind waiting for me? The appointment lasts an hour." Kierra inquired to her sister.
"Nah, gives me some time to get my shoppin' in." She turned in at the parking lot. "Ok, we're here!"
Kierra turned and looked towards the building. "That's weird, looks like there's some kind of protest. I wonder what's going on." Kierra opened the door and stepped out onto the side walk.
Sharon stepped out of the car as well, "Guess I'll park here and walk to the store, let me walk you to the door, that crowd looks pretty shifty."
Kierra smiled, "Sure thing sis."
The two sisters walked towards the building and neared the protest. A man dressed like a priest in a strange robe stood at the top of the stair case, "...has lied to you! This world is a fabrication! We know you're listening, we know you're out there! This will continue until you return The One and Trinity's bodies to us!"
Kierra whispered to her sister, "Is he talking about Jesus and the Holy Trinity? This guy's nuts." Sharon nodded quickly in response and stood closer to her big sister. Kierra heard a strange screeching sound and did a double take as she saw a man in a black suit and glasses standing where a woman in the crowd once stood. He pulled out a gun and fired at the man protesting. Kierra grabbed her sister and ducked down with her, but she saw something impossible: the man seemed to dodge most of the bullets... most. The man was flung back after being hit in the shoulder.
"E pluribus unum, e pluribus Neo!" the wounded man shouted as he hit a device in his hand. A bright green flash temporarily blinded Kierra and as her vision cleared she saw the world begin to crumble around her. The walls of the building turned into a wall of flowing symbols and numbers, and the ground gave way to a black void. People in the crowd began to convulse as their bodies began to turn into the green code as well, some of them began to sink into the black void. The Agent walked past them undeterred and shot the wounded man in the head. He looked out into the crowd and began to convulse as well, but his body disappeared and the body of the woman Kierra saw previously stood in his place.
"What the fuck, what the fuck, Sharon..." Sharon laid on the ground convulsing, her body being pulled into the black void. The void began to swarm her body and enter her mouth as her eyes rolled into the back of her head. "Sharon!" Kierra screamed as she grabbed her sister by the shoulders and attempted to pull her back in. Her body began to flicker between human and the strange code. Kierra fell backwards startled, and the black void began to take her as well. She saw flashes again of her nightmare, the same code. A man in a similar priest outfit fighting... fighting in the sky against a man in a suit. Her vision switched back to her current situation, and her sister lied dead on the ground next to her. Kierra screamed as the void swarmed up her body and overtook her.
Then there was blackness. A feeling of warmth. Then all she could see was red.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 2: A Tough Pill to Swallow (coming soon)